Monster (Steppenwolf album)

Monster is the fourth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1969, by ABC Dunhill Records. It was their first LP with new lead guitarist Larry Byrom instead of Michael Monarch. The album was Steppenwolf's most political album, making references to important issues at the time, such as the Vietnam War.

Monster
Studio album by
Steppenwolf
ReleasedNovember 1969
Recorded1969
StudioAmerican Recording Co. Studio, Studio City, CA
Genre
Length32:53
LabelABC Dunhill
ProducerGabriel Mekler
Steppenwolf chronology
Early Steppenwolf
(1969)		 Monster
(1969)		 Steppenwolf Live
(1970)
Singles from Monster
  1. "Move Over"/"Power Play"
    Released: 1969
  2. "Monster"/"Berry Rides Again"
    Released: 1969
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Village VoiceB+[2]
Rolling Stone(unfavorable) [3]

The album was the first Steppenwolf album not to feature a US top ten hit, though two singles from the album cracked the top 40: "Move Over" and "Monster".[4]

Reception

Reviews for Monster have generally been negative. Rolling Stone commented that the playing of the individual performers is "top-notch", but that "[t]heir arrangements have become sloppy and crude, as the early-Zappa lyrics continuously clash with the music."[3]

AllMusic panned the album in their retrospective review, remarking that "these lumbering hard rock tunes were not an effective means to address [important political topics], politically or musically."[1]

On the other hand, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album praise. Christgau gave the album a B+ rating and called it "an excellent comeback", though he thought the preachy lyrics marred somewhat the final result.[2]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Monster/Suicide/America"John Kay, Jerry Edmonton / Kay, Nick St. Nicholas, Larry Byrom, Edmonton / Kay, Edmonton9:15
2."Draft Resister"Kay, Goldy McJohn, Byrom3:20
3."Power Play"Kay5:26
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
4."Move Over"Kay, Mekler2:53
5."Fag"Byrom, Edmonton, St. Nicholas3:13
6."What Would You Do (If I Did That to You)"Leno Francen, Nolan Porter3:19
7."From Here to There Eventually"Kay, McJohn, Edmonton5:27

Personnel

Steppenwolf

Technical

Charts

Album - Billboard (United States)

Year Chart Position
1970 Billboard 200 17[5]

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year Single Chart Position
1969 "Move Over" Billboard Hot 100 31[4]
1969 "Monster" Billboard Hot 100 39[4]
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References
  1. Monster at AllMusic
  2. Christgau, Robert (January 15, 1970). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 17, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com..
  3. Rezos, Ray (7 February 1970). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. (51): 38. Retrieved 21 May 2017. Archived at .
  4. Steppenwolf USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  5. "Billboard 200 - Steppenwolf". Retrieved September 3, 2017.
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