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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
'Changes'- The Monkees, July 20, 2001
This is good little album. Despite what has been said by fans and Monkees alike, I like this album. I have to admit I have a thing for 'Swan Song' albums. I would much rather listen to this than the dismal 'Pool It!' or the slimey 'Justus'. Mind you, those albums have some good moments too. Forgotten for many years and it's original pressing on COLGEMS still highly collectable, 'Changes' will always get the short end of the stick. Then again,that's up to the listener isn't it? I remember walking into a record shop in 1986 and seeing the Rhino LP reissue of this. I picked it up and said,'You have GOT to be kidding me! Two Monkees?!' I couldn't believe they had the gaul to release an album under the Monkees name with just two guys left! I bought it. I listened to it and I liked it. I liked the atmosphere of the entire record. It sounds nothing like any of their earlier efforts and has some memorable Monkee tracks. There are a few 'klinkers' on it. '99 Pounds', a leftover from January 1967, simply does not fit. 'All Alone In The Dark' is downright dumb and 'I Never Thought It Peculiar', this time a left over from 1966 is lame and doesn't fit either. The rest of the album is pure early 70's R&B/Bubblegum. There are some great tracks here. 'Tell Me Love' is nice as is 'Ticket On A Ferry Ride'. Micky Dolenz's original composition, 'Midnight Train' is excellent. 'Do You Feel It Too' is again, typical early 1970's and a 'groovy' listen. 'Oh My My', which as the sole USA 45 from the album, reached #98 is a good chunky number. If you purchase 'The Monkees Present' CD, you can see the original photo of the front cover which has Mike Nesmith included. It was from the Joey Bishop Show in 1969. I have always liked the color scheme on the front jacket. Buy 'Changes' and listen to it on a nice Autumn day. It just seems to have that serene 'End Of Summer' feel. I used to hate that feeling (school and all that) but now, I reach for it.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fine early '70's pop, November 24, 1999
Basically, "Changes" is a Monkees album like the first two albums were; the Monkees (now reduced to a duo of Micky and Davy) were given a recording assignment, they went in and did their vocals and there you have a new album by The Monkees. It's not a bad album at all, in fact it's one of their more well-produced and executed efforts, due to producer Jeff Barry. There are also a few vault tracks thrown in like the two previous albums. This is Micky's finest moment as a singer; on the ballads 'It's Got To Be Love' (one of the best forgotten Monkees tracks) and 'Ticket On A Ferry Ride' he's amazing. He sings rock n' roll with admirable verve as well, especially 'Oh My My' and his own 'Midnight Train'- definitely two Monkees classics. David doesn't really get as much to do, although his vocals on the otherwise uninspired 'Do You Feel It Too?' are among his best. Overall, this is a standard Monkees album; not up to the level of "Head" or "Instant Replay" or "Pisces" or "Headquarters" but certainly as good as any of the rest of them in my opinion. The cd contains two very interesting bonus tracks, 'Lady Jane' and 'Do It In The Name Of Love' which were recorded later in 1970 and issued by Bell in 1971 as a "Dolenz And Jones" - credited 45 (in the US). Bell didn't want to pay Columbia Pictures for the rights to use The Monkees name, so the final Monkees single until 1986 wasn't even called that in the US (although it was in Japan and a few other places). That's too bad, as it was a damned fine single in which the two Monkees sang duet. So, if you like The Monkees, you should like "Changes". Despite it's obvious flaws, it's fine early '70's pop.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Now listen just a minute while I sing this song., October 25, 2005
This was the last, and least, album of the Monkees original run. It was (mostly) recorded in early 1970, with only Micky and Davy participating. Three of the tracks on the album are from previous recording sessions. "99 Pounds" is a leftover from the "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" recording sessions. "Midnight Train" is a Micky Dolenz produced song left over from The Monkees Present. And "I Never Thought It Peculiar" is a Boyce/Hart production left over from More of the Monkees (with overdubs added three years later). Most of the songs on the album are, to be honest, pretty forgettable. The flop single, "Oh My My", and it's b-side, "I Love You Better", are the only good songs from the early 1970 sessions. "99 Pounds" is a fun, energetic song. And "Midnight Train" is good. The less said about the rest of the album, the better. The CD adds three bonus tracks (the least bonus tracks of any Rhino released original Monkees album on CD). "Time and Time Again" is a dull Davy Jones song from late 1969. The other two songs are the a-side and b-side of a single from 1971 that was credited to "Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones", instead of the Monkees. These songs are mostly notable for being the first duets that Micky and Davy ever recorded together. "Do It In the Name of Love" is a decent song, "Lady Jane" is not. This CD is mostly for Monkees fans that need to have everything that the group ever recorded.
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by The Monkees 
