The Monkees - More of the Monkees

1967’s MORE OF THE MONKEES was the band’s top seller, racking up 70 weeks on Billboard®’s album chart, including 18 weeks at #1, becoming the 3rd best-selling LP of the ’60s (ranking higher than any Beatles album). The Monkees topped the pop singles charts again with the Neil Diamond-penned "I’m A Believer." Album also features the Top 20 hit "(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone" and the classic cut "She," both composed by Boyce & Hart. Twelve bonus tracks on Disc 1 include "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" with Peter’s narration, an alternate mix of "I’m A Believer" and the previously unissued "Whatever’s Right." Disc 2’s six bonus cuts include the first recorded version of Valleri" and a previously unreleased alternate version of "Tear Drop City." Each 2-CD Deluxe Limited EDITION features the original stereo album with bonus rarities on Disc 1, and the original mono album with even more rare treasures on Disc 2. Album Description

Donnie sees $$$$$ and this record suffers for it.

This is the one album of the four re-issues that I have to skip over some of the tracks. This album suffers from too many cooks in the kitchen. The Boyce & Hart stuff as well as Mike Nesmith's stuff is great but the rest is just Brill Building dribble, especially "The Day We Fall In Love" with its sickening recitation. Apparently Don Kirschner could not hear the music over the ringing cash registers in his head because if he did he would have detected a lack of cohesion, which Boyce & Hart had with most of the first album. Instead he hired other producers and rushed this into the stores without even the band knowing about it. And he had the audacity to write the liner knows praising himself on doing such a fine job.

Fortunately there are some good songs here and a great selection of bonus tracks to make up for the dreck. You can also listen to either the mono or stereo versions but for me this is the weakest one out of the four re-issues.
August 30, 2007

My 2nd Monkees LP...

I got this at E.J. Korvettes for $1.59! What a deal! Again: this is my LP review, NOT the Rhino Reissue.Micky rox with She/ Davy sings When Love Comes Knocking at Your Door.Micky gets down & dirty with Mary Mary! Cool!
Davy with Hold on Gitl. Peter is silly with Auntie Grizelda. Then Micky jams with I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone. Side 2 starts with Davy & Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow). Mike Yeehahs with the Kind Of Girl I Could Love.Davy's a drag in the Day We Fall In Love. Micky's calm for Sometime in the Morning. Davy & Company with Laugh & we conclude with I'm a Believer (written by Neil Diamond). Great 60's fun. July 19, 2007

60s Pop Excellence

I just don't have the patience to type out a complete commentary about this favorite album of mine, which is in the top of my list of fave albums I grew up with as a child, and one that had a major impact on me.

But, to those Monkees die-hards and collectors of all their recordings, this re-issue is practically worth it alone for the 2 bonus track stereo mixes: The out-take of "I'm a Believer" on disc 1, is like hearing the song for the first time again, (albeit a different vocal take) being in an amazing stereo mix, the way I wish the regular version sounded like. It's great to really hear Neil Diamond's acoustic guitar so clearly.

Same goes for "Look Out", the stereo mix with the organ break in the middle and count-in, on Disc 2. I was blasting it on my car speakers the other day- it's like a whole new song.

Get this and the first album re-issues. The gathering of so many bonus tracks from the time are worth it alone. Both re-issues are definitive. May 3, 2007

Part 2 Monkees 1966 Anthlogy Shines!

More of the Monkees" is truly a wonderful album and this Rhino deluxe edition really shines. From the first bars of "She" through the ultimate garage rock classic, "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" this album exhibts the pure "ear candy" that has turned on fans for 40 years. To put in perspective how popular this album was and is, in 1967 and 1968 it was in the top album charts for 70 weeks, and was again a top ten album for 13 weeks in 1986 upon the LP reissue by Rhino Records. In addition to the stereo and mono album versions, this deluxe edition compiles the remaining 1966 recordings including alternate versions of Monkee classics such as "I'm a Believer." In addition, the packaging is wonderful and features rare pictures and insightful liner notes by the foremost Monkee expert and author Andrew Sandoval (he also helps research and compile the tracks for all of Rhino's Monkee projects). Get this collection and "The Monkees" deluxe edition also. January 24, 2007

How re-issues should be done

I'm now convinced that Rhino Records should re-release every album ever made. Beautiful packaging, wonderful audio. The only thing is that the bonus tracks recorded during this era aren't quite as good as the ones found on 'The Monkees' (as that special edition contains quite a few Nesmith-produced out-takes). "Kicking Stones" could be the absolute worst example of their recorded output. But for a completist, it is an essential purchase, as all the tracks that have been previously scattered over countless rarities disks are finally all in one place. The original album is handled with loving care and sounds better than ever...if only they could've gone back in time as well and removed the incredibly, painfully cheesy "The Day We Fall in Love" from the original release, we would have had the perfect example of 60's bubble-gum pop to last for the ages. January 6, 2007

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