R.E.M. is offering the first taste of Scott Litt’s new remix of Monster — part of the upcoming 6-disc box set marking the 25th anniversary of that album — via a worked-over version of the record’s first single, the Dan Rather-paraphrasing “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”
You can stream the new version — which brings Michael Stipe’s vocals higher into the mix and sharpens Peter Buck’s guitar — below via Spotify and Apple Music. And to compare it to the original version.
RELATED: R.E.M.’s 6-disc ‘Monster’ reissue to feature remixed album, unheard demos, live set
The Litt remix of Monster is part of the copious bonus material that will accompany the reissue, due out Nov. 1 on Craft Recordings. Also included in the package: a disc of previously unheard demos, a 2CD live set recorded in Chicago during the Monster Tour and a Blu-ray that includes a 5.1 Surround mix of the album, the “Road Movie” concert film and the album’s music videos.
For full details on the box set, including the full tracklist, head over here.
It’s also available for pre-order via Amazon.com.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- R.E.M., Sonic Youth, The Damned, Oingo Boingo, Squeeze may have lost tapes in UMG fire
- Watch: R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe performs 3 new songs while opening for Patti Smith in NYC
- R.E.M.’s heavily bootlegged ‘Bingo Hand Job’ show gets vinyl Record Store Day release
- 9-disc ‘R.E.M. at the BBC’ features ’84 live set, full ‘Monster’ tour show, Glastonbury ’99 and more
- The absolute best of R.E.M.: All 282 songs ranked by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers
- R.E.M. to release 14 hours of live material, TV appearances in 6-DVD ‘REMTV’ box
Boy, that brings back the memories… of me getting off the R.E.M. train as its wheels fell off.
Ya can’t polish a turd.
The resident smartass of SUE strikes again. Meanwhile, may others take absolute joy in anything new R.E.M.
T. Watt, IN:
“Resident Smartass”? Thank you! I can deal with that title.
As for NEW R.E.M., nothing would make me happier. As you may’ve seen from Nortley’s posts and mine, we’ve wanted the lads back since the return to form of Accelerate or at least a proper release of the fan club singles.
This was rubbish when it came out because it was a band who did its own thing trying to sound like everybody else. The multiple copies that clogged the used bins proves how “successful” it was at going for that goal. I don’t notice any difference between this remix and the original. Didn’t like it then. Don’t like it now. Good morning.
It may be far from my favorite R.E.M. album, but I actually like “Monster.” (Well, most of it anyway.) But I’m not paying an 80 buck list price for the deluxe version and I doubt there is anything vital on the less pricey two disc version to warrant a purchase by me.
I’m doing what I can to keep the CD format alive (not that it seems to be helping much) but unless I’m proven wrong I’ll be passing on this.
Now a release of the fan club singles would be a different matter.
You weren’t missed.
Not true, Nick. I was helping keep Pete in guitar strings and Michael in eyeliner since 1984. I’m sure a lot of folks like me stopped buying their releases at the previous fever pitch. We were missed. Good morning.
Wow, 1984?! So R.E.M. welcomed 10-year-old you to the occupation then?! Well, I’ll be Old Man Kensey’s uncle!!! And that’s even cooler considering you weren’t quite tall enough for the Hüsker Dü ride/show in ’86, as you’ve shared with us elsewhere.
Keep wavin’ the flag, kiddo! Good night, Lil Scotty!
The vocals being up higher so we can understand them is nice but as people elsewhere have noted this just sounds like a good demo.