Customer Reviews

Definitive Monkees

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First off, my 3 stars do not indicate what I think of the material. I love the Monkees and have everything they recorded (well, except "Pool It"). I just want to warn fellow Monkees-completists like me that there's nothing here you don't have already. All of the "rare" songs on disc two popped up years ago on Rhino's "Missing Links, Vols. 1-3." If you're new to the group, this is a good sampling of hits and rarities.

This compilation of Monkees recordings was released in Britain for the price as a single CD so most people who bought this did so just for the main CD, which contains all the hits and the best album tracks and B-sides. Among the classics to be found here are Monkees theme, Last train to Clarksville, I'm a believer (written by Neil Diamond, and a bigger hit than any of his own singles), I'm not your stepping stone, A little bit me a little bit you (another Neil Diamond song), Randy Scouse git, Pleasant valley Sunday, Daydream believer, Valleri and Listen to the band. The CD, presented in chronological order, concludes with two tracks from their eighties comeback - That was then this is now and Heart and soul. The other tracks on this CD are of a high quality though lacking the instant appeal of the hits - but if you play them often enough, they will grow on you. As a hits collection, this (on its own) is as good as I've seen by the Monkees.

The bonus CD is culled from three compilations of rarities previously released in America as Missing links volumes 1 2 and 3. These tracks have never been made available previously in Britain, though I suspect that diehard Monkees fans in Britain will prefer to import the other compilations anyway. Actually, more than half those Missing links tracks have been included here and that will be enough for most people. The standard is surprisingly high.

The packaging is lavish, with a booklet printed on high quality paper and including extensive liner notes that tell the truth about the band (not as jolly as their image suggests) and pictures of all their original LP covers. The main CD is in a standard single CD jewel case, with the bonus CD comes in a separate cardboard case and the whole is housed in a cardboard slipcase.

What this collection shows is that there was a lot more to the Monkees than most of us think. Perhaps that is why their records still sell well all these years later. If you just want a Monkees greatest hits package, the main CD is as good as you are likely to find on a single CD, especially given the quality of the booklet. If you can buy it at its British price, regard the bonus CD as just that and if you end up liking it, great, but if not, you've got your money worth anyway.

At the import price, you have to think carefully about whether you want this. At that price, you must want both CD's. That will still be cheaper than buying all the Missing links CD's, so it will depend whether you want all the rarities (buy those instead) or just the best ones (buy this).

This fine MONKEES compilation has few flaws.

Disc One is a solid set of the MONKEES best tracks. Almost all the singles are here, with the exception of "D.W. Washburn" and "Tapioca Tundra." "Washburn" generally fares better on retrospectives than "Tundra" however, perhaps due to it's higher peak chart position (#19). As for the Mike Nesmith single, it's puzzling how BEST OF, GREATEST HITS and even "DEFINITIVE" collections sleight it consistently, despite the record having reached #34 on BILLBOARD, in 1968.

Disc Two draws from the three MISSING LINKS albums, and uses some of those CDs' best songs. Overall these two discs present a fine (if not "definitive") set of MONKEES music.

This compilation has one CD including 29 of Monkees hits and best recordings. CD 2 is interesting for people who have not bought any of the Missing Links albums.

All tracks on the second CD have been released on one of the 3 Missing Links albums. Among these outtakes and rarities are some really fine tracks, many of which are much superior to what was actually released on the original albums. Most Michael Nesmith songs are fine; some even great, like "Circle Sky", Propinquity" and "Hollywood". Moreover there is strong material like "So Goes Love" from the earliest 1966 sessions; "Steam Engine" and "Look Down" from their final years. My personal favourite on the rarities CD though, is the version of Neil Diamond's "Love to Love" - that could have been a big hit.

CD 1 is fine, but I would have preferred some of the great album tracks on "Headquarters" or "Pisces . . " to the two reunion tracks.

All in all I would say this compilation gives a good overview on the Monkees recording career!

This nicely designed German-produced compilation has 2 discs. The first disc is compromised of the major songs, it is very similar to the Arista Greatest Hits from 1986. Also, with this set is a nice 20 page booklet with a few rare color photos and interesting text.

The first disc is compromised of the major songs, it is very similar to the out-of-print Arista's Greatest Hits from 1986, however there are few different selections of songs here and there.
The magnificient "Porpoise Song" version on this compilation includes the musical ending after the last lyric "goodbye, goodbye." One seldom finds this longer version of the Porpoise Song on various Monkees compilations, instead this part is often sadly truncated, even on the Rhino Head (1994) rerelease contains the shorter version without this nice long ending. To my ears, this particular version of Porpoise Song seems to have the bells playing very clearly at the end of the song as it is fading. The bells sound louder here more so than the long cut found on Arista's compiliation.

This compiliation was released for the UK, however, I noticed that they used the American title: "Randy Scouse Git" rather than the British title: "Alternative Title." The title, Randy Scouse Git, was considered offensive to the British, but that may have been limited to the 60s era.

The Bonus CD mostly has various songs plucked from the 3 Missing Links volumes as mentioned in the other reviews. If you do not have any of the missing links volumes, this collection will suffice. The Bonus CD selection seems to be heavy on Nesmith and Jones sung/written material. The sound quality of the recordings is superb.

I wanted to make some comments about the booklet. I really enjoyed most of the commentary by the author, Peter Doggett.
The only complaint I have is how he has the wrong birth years for Tork (1944) and Jones (1946). It is well known that Tork's birthday was incorrectly stated many times in the early days. Other than that error, and a few small typos, the commentary goes into particular detail about the quick sudden unexpectant rise to big fame of the Monkees.

I recommend this issue mostly for completists or for someone who does not have any of the missing links volumes.

The first manufactured 'super-group'. Originally four lads chosen to star in a sitcom about a band, within weeks they were a band in a sitcom. The tracks Daydream believer, I'm a believer, Last train to Clarksville and the Monkees theme are worth the asking price alone ($20 in the UK). And this compilation must contain just about everything worthwhile they did. I loved the TV series as a boy, and I was already a big fan of Mickey Dolenz (as young Corki in Circus boy) - and he sings as well! I also liked Brit Davey Jones, and I think his sensitive singing style lifts many of his songs to another level.

A little of their musical direction became rather strange before they gradually fell apart between 1968 and 1970 - more like 'free-form' rock (which is bad enough as jazz). Also their music's recording quality rather lacks the polish of the Beatles studio efforts, being a boom boom tizz tizz affair and quite a fatiguing sound after a while - I think they really deserved a better technical support. The sound quality and mix compares very unfavourably with the 60's output of the likes of The Animals, Bonzo Dog, The Hollies, The Kinks, The Small Faces, Procol Harum, The Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, The Doors, Bob Dylan, etc. Distortion and sibilance I thought was bad pressing on old vinyl is reproduced faithfully in the CDs. That said, the Monkees songs are still great of course. My favourite track is 'Randy scouse git' (Alf Garnet's cockney phrase from the hit UK comedy TV show 'Till death us do part', that translated has no real context in the song - randy is slang for aroused young man, a scouser is from Liverpool and a git is someone you don't care for - the son-in-law in this case). This song is a rarity as unlike the Beatles consistent wry humour, most of the Monkees lyrics are rather serious about love and girls, so this one is a refreshing change (but it's still mostly about love and girls).

There are plenty of other excellent tracks on these CD's as well, e.g. Stepping stone, A little bit me, Pleasant valley Sunday, Look out here comes tomorrow, take a giant step, Sometime in the morning etc.., although there are a few others I tend to skip over. The Monkee's knew their place though with lyrics like 'The four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor', although The Monkees outsold the Beatles at their peak, and "they were the young generation and they had something to say". So a very worthwhile buy for any young fans like my 11 year old daughter who caught the Monkees re-runs on Sky, or as an upgrade for those with old vinyl - but don't expect a giant step-up in sound quality. Also have a look for the recent DVD 'The Monkees, Our (4) favourite episodes' where each reminisce and select just that.

this box set is great for the monkee fans who not only love their most popular music, but also some of their unrelesed songs. If you'd love to hear some songs from the monkees no one else has heard, this is the perfect choice.

This double CD has everything and more. Sure everybody knows about I'm A Believer, Daydream Believer, Steppin' Stone, etc... but the real good stuff on these CD's are the songs that the casual fan has probably never heard. Take a listen and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Hard-core Monkee fans will love the sound quality and the packaging. The overall sonics of the songs have never sounded better as far as I know. (I'm a hard-core fan who has heard all their c.d.'s except "Music Box") The linear notes are informative and do include updated musician lists. (Although, some of it may still be incorrect, i.e. I do think Peter played the bass on "Goin' Down" not guitar as listed).
Also, for hard-core Monkee fans the Bonus disc of the "Missing Links" material will clearly state the case about The Monkees song-writing and general musical talent. Play the disc for non- "Believers" and hear them say "I can't believe that's The Monkees" I did not give this 5 stars because of the song selection. However, that's just my personal taste because I don't really like some of the Davy Jones stuff.