More of the Monkees

by

The Monkees

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Previous reviewers have gone into great detail about the care and respect put into these first two deluxe reissues, but one thing I was very excited about on this particular release I haven't seen mentioned: The mono mix of this album contains the longer mix of "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone".

I own a copy of the original vinyl mono release of this album, and have been hoping for years that Rhino would release this intriguing variation of "Stepping Stone". It's similar to the mono single mix ( previously released on the Rhino greatest hits CD ) with deleted background vocals, but the ending of the song is longer before the final fade-out. This version was heard twice on the television series (in the episodes "Monkees A La Carte", and "The Case Of The Missing Monkee") and only was released on the mono album. I'm thrilled to finally have it on CD!

Sure, the boys we know as the Monkees had little to do with the production of this album; they didn't have much to do with their debut album either. After all, they were actor/singers, hired to play a band on a TV show. But thanks to this disc, the quiet rumblings of Michael Nesmith and (to a lesser degree) Peter Tork grew into some major noise about their lack of input. This disc would be the last with musical director Don Kirshner at the helm.

I don't think the band had a valid complaint with the music though. This album features some of the best early Monkee-era pop, most of which was (over)played on their weekly TV series, which helped to propel this disc to #1. Also, having hits like "I'm A Believer" and "Steppin' Stone" didn't hurt either.

Other notable tunes are "She", the Nesmith-penned (and Micky Dolenz sang) "Mary, Mary", "Look Out(here comes tomorrow)", and the other Nesmith track, "The Kind Of Girl I Could Love".

Having said that, Nez and Co. really hated "I'm A Believer", and didn't want it on the album. Good thing they hadn't gained control from Kirshner yet! For all it's bubblegum sweetness, it is a good solid pop tune, made more special by Dolenz's emotive delivery. That guy could make dirt sound good.

And then there are the ear sores, in the form of the goofy Tork sung "Your Auntie Grizelda", which is cute but is ultimately ruined by all the inane vocal gobbledygook in the middle of the track. And the spoken word Davy Jones ballad "The Day We Fall In Love" is about the worst thing ever put on disc. This track should have been burned, or atleast given to Pat Boone.

So the guys had some valid complaints, but on the whole, the disc is solid. The production is a bit more pop than their first disc, which featured a more rounded "rock" sound (thanks largely to the direction of composer/producers Boyce and Hart). And the album cover may have been totally hated by the Monkees for being a copy of Rubber Soul, and for being used outside of the JC Penney's ad that it was originally supposed to be used for, but it takes nothing away from the fun, catchy atmosphere of this album.