The Masters Of Stoner Rock Return With A Monolithic Album
Andrew Estes | Maine | 10/01/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Monolithic Baby!" seems to come at about the right time. Hard-rock is back in a big way, and although Monster Magnet don't fit in with the new wave of heavy metal, their larger than life sound is just as welcome in a music world that is shifting, and thankfully, steering in a more heavy direction. After their last, somewhat disappointing album, 2001's "God Says No," and a falling out with their former label, Monster Magnet make their triumphant return on the German indie label SPV with "Monolithic Baby!," an album that reminds us all of why we listened to MM in the first place, and most importantly isn't afraid to rock us in all the right places. Tracks such as "Sl#t Machine" and "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)" work in the same tradition of previous hits like "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" and "Spacelord" with gigantic choruses, memorable hooks and hard-hitting musicianship. Elsewhere, the band experiments with their tried and true sound; "Master Of Light" dabbles in a bit of electronica, while the brilliant cover of David Gilmour's "There's No Way Out Of Here" serves as the highlight of this affair, bringing out some classic rock influences and, even though it's a cover, perfectly displays frontman David Wyndorf's sense of melody and mood. Every song seems to flow into one another and the album doesn't hit any weak spots. Definitely one of the best surprises of 2004, this album may not be the Billboard mainstay of the year, but it brings Monster Magnet back to the fold with some new tricks up their sleeve and a newfound passion for making music. The limited edition contains two bonus tracks: a sequel to the "Dopes To Inifinity" track, "King Of Mars 2004," and the Lou Reed cover "Venus In Furs." The DVD portion contains two videos, one for "The Right Stuff," and another, much sexed up, for "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)." A brief live performance and a worthy interview with the band are also featured. Definitely worth picking up for any fan of rock music."
Bettern than the last two but still not a return to glory!
Destroy Boy | www.ohboydestroy.com | 06/23/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Nothing like getting dropped by a record label to send a band scurrying back to their trademark
sound. If you've been keeping up with Monster Magnet releases you know that they've strayed
from their stoner rock roots on the last couple releases which got them a lot of new fans but
alienated their core audience. Sounds like a lot of bands after they get a taste of the big time but
Monster Magnet was smart enough to return with something that can please both camps.
Right from the get go you can hear the return to form with the up beat "Slut Machine" and stony
mid paced chugger "Supercruel". There's even a hint of the "Superjudge" era sound on the next
cut "On The Verge" complete with an alternate tuned sitar sounding intro. These are all solid cuts
but longtime fans will notice the continuation of the more stripped down sound of the last couple
albums. No bong hits in the background, no swirling feedback, no more psychedelic fuzz and
other odd assortments. Some fans may appreciate the lack of what could be viewed as
distractions but I always thought these elements made the songs richer and more complex,
really helping set Monster Magnet apart from their more straight laced Sabbath clone peers. Not
that this is totally missing, there's brief glimpses of it on songs like "Radiation Day" but certainly
nothing like their early work.
Gripes about their current sound aside, there's enough stony riffs on here to please even the
most hardcore stoner rocker but they seem to be concentrated on the front half. The later part of
this record has a few of the slower, space rock cuts that fall a little flat, being a tad long and
repetitive and more importantly lacking the punch of the harder rocking tunes at the start of the
disc. The one standout on the latter half is "Too Bad", which like "On The Verge", sounds
suspiciously similar "Black Balloon" off of their "Superjudge" album. That's cool though because I
always really liked that song so it's nice to hear a reprise.
Overall, I think this is a pretty strong return to form as there are several strong stoner rock cuts on
here but it never quite reaches the brilliance of their earlier work. Still, at least it surpasses their
somewhat lackluster last couple of albums and may be the start of better things to come.
Check out more reviews at ohboydestroy."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1