Black Monk Time

*Listening Note* While spotify does not currently have the full album available for US residents, it is available on youtube in various forms. . Cool proto punk album with garage sound.

Luke was very enamoured when this came up and we listened to it together on holiday. The Monks have a huge cult following due to their unusual formation. You can tell how this likely influenced loads of punk songs. Unusual and packed a punch

This was great, not what I expected it to be. Nice punky sound and very freeeeesh

It’s like I always say, “Ou yeah, it’s black monk time.” More interesting for its place in music history than for the songs themselves, nonetheless its stomping rhythms, distorted organ and manic vocals provide a decent listen. I listened to some of the bonus tracks, and they sound a lot closer to psych-pop of the era, particularly the brass-infused “He Went Down to the Sea”. They’re definitely not the reason this is on the list, but they’re closer to my own personal taste. HL: “Shut Up”, “Complication”, “Love Came Tumblin’ Down”, “Blast Off!”, “He Went Down to the Sea” (bonus) May 17, 2024

Монахи громко ругаются

This could be released today and still be amazing. A timeless album for us garage rock heads.

Not heard of the monks before. Pretty cool

I loved this! Gloriously weird.

Dated, but pretty good

Weird but interesting

I had zero clue about The Monks. I came out thinking "how the hell have I never heard more about The Monks?!" This must have been akin to Thrash Metal back in 1966. There's Beatles, there's Doors, there's Beach Boys ... but done at 100mph with everything turned up to 11. It's a shame it isn't available on Apple Music and I had to listen on YouTube again ... but I will be back for more. I loved it.

Y’know, I was ready to give this 3+ stars - it has an original sound, which almost always warrants a more charitable score in my book - but by the time “Cuckoo” rolled around, I felt like I was descending into insanity. I will note that I had a headache while listening, which made me less forgiving. Favorite track: We Do Wie Du (Actually, I found out that Cuckoo is a bonus track, so I’ll spare it from a 2.)

A pretty wild, freewheeling album. This album has a very outsider feel to it. It’s crazy what these guys came up with and how it seems to have nothing to do with the rock or their era.

Not pleasant to listen to. Not awful. High 2.

ok garage rock

Deliciously weird garage rock that hints at a lot of sounds that weren't even in place yet.

Clearly one of the most interesting albums of its time! With Zappa's first album with the Mothers, it appears the flowers already started to fade in the second half of the 60s.

1966 and this band with only one album in career is THAT heavy? Little proto-punk and garage gem here. Always loved that one.

Throwaway

Nope

#219. Like with Neil Young, I'm not going to go scouring the internet looking for somewhere I can listen to this. There was only one song on Spotify, I listened to it, it was terrible. Moving on. 2/5: shit Song added to playlist: Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

This is very good for its time, it is described as photo-punk but it’s from 1966. I liked the first half of the album better than the second but I think it deserves a higher than average rating. Listens: 1 Fave Track: Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choice Rating: 4

Had to go to YT for this one. Based on the description I wasn't expecting much, but it sounds very clean and better than some other pop 60s album I've heard on here. It's ok, 2*, nothing outstanding. Just another album that is the precursor to bigger and better things. Cuckoo came out of nowhere.

Easy review... Spotify only lists one song on this album. Amazon Music doesn't even show this album. I do remember the album art for another Monks album: Bad Habits with a sexy nun.

Shame it’s not fully on Spotify, very influential in punk music history. Shoutout No Dogs in Space.

Interesting but a bit rough for me

This is hilarious and chaotic and wonderful. Why is it not on Spotify??? The female vocal on Cuckoo really sent it to another level

Unterhaltsamer Garage Rock.

Enjoyed the album. Like some of the early psychedelic stuff and the messaging that came along with it. 3/5 Probably will listen again

The second-hardest album to find that I don't own. A 45-minute Youtube rip was the only thing I could find. This is pretty fine in a Seeds/Electric Prunes/Moby Grape/13thfloor Elevators beat going to psychedelia moment. But it also has many low points (Cuckoo) and thus can not be more than 3 stars. Great story behind the band.

Interesting 3/5

Very interesting album redolent of the music of its time. I’m not sure I would call it proto-punk but I liked it!

I've listened to a couple of The monks songs before and thought they were OK, but listening to an album as a whole makes me understand why these guys have such a lasting presence and fanbase (even if it is still very underground). F.s I Hate you

The story behind the band is more interesting than the music itself

An interesting proto-punk album of Americans out in Germany. A very unique album that shows the movements towards the Stooges taking off. The banjo and vocal melodies keep this one foot in the present while stepping towards the future with the its' unrefined energy and sounds.

Meh

Giving this 4 stars because of the history behind it. This spasm of proto punk isn't the nicest sounding bunch of songs helped birth punk in a way. I dropped a star because some tracks felt tacked on and lost

I wanted to be more excited about this album, as it is supposed to be very proto punk. But by proto punk, it seems to be more "DIY" than anything else. It doesn't mean that the songs themselves are overly catchy. Some of them got a bit annoying more than anything else. (Looking at you, "Cuckoo".) So yeah, the songs themselves were not that good for me. Next.

This reminded me a lot of The Dictators both in terms of the shrill, at times cartoony vocals and the irreverent and/or goofy lyrics (Boys are Boys and Girls are Choice, Drunken Maria, That's My Girl). But these guys predated The Dictators by at least a decade. I will say wow, in that I can't believe this kind of punk music (or whatever it was) existed in 1966, although there are times where they go for a more psychedelic sound of the times (Shut Up). I think it was also bold for a bunch of guys in the US army to sing about the stupidity of the Vietnam War (Monk Time, Complication). It's raw and unpolished but it's completely unique and trail-blazing. The bad is balanced out by the good.

had to listen on youtube. listened 2x. 2.6/5

How can you make a post-punk album before punk is even invented? I don’t know but The Monks did it. What we you want to call it, proto-punk etc… this is a weird fun album that I’m sure sounded like nothing else in 1966

Not for me

Hard to find streaming. YouTube was the only place and unsure of the quality. Interesting album that I enjoyed. The description sounds worse than it is.

Really cool for its time and influence it had.

Kinda fun

Best Song: Blast Off. The rising crescendo gimmick was fun. Worst Song: Shut Up. It's got a "pump up the crowd at a sports game rhythm", and the vocals aren't doing it any favours. Overall: It's got that spastic, unfiltered 60s rock energy, which is fine, but all these bands from this era sound altogether too similar. Nevertheless, I appreciate the silliness and that the band doesn't seem to be taking themselves too seriously.

Had to listen on YouTube. I think if everyone is really honest we know this is not a very good album. The story behind the band is more interesting. Nothing wrong with some buddies jamming out but to call it great music is baffling to me.

I liked the concept of this. Two American army men meet in Germany. Have a band. I just didn’t love the music.

This album isn’t available in the US. Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music didn’t have it. I listened to The Early Years instead.

Interesting but not great. A concert would have been cool!

Never heared of them before. At the one hand sounds very much like 60´s and on the other hand very vital. Reminds me on various later bands that I love! 3,5

Don’t really get what’s special or significant about this. It was ok, similar to much other 60s beat pop. Maybe I’m missing something.

I could see this being some sort of cult favorite, especially among friends and family of the band, but I just couldn't get into it. The songs were too similar and not very good.

Based on the description, I thought I was going to show this. But it was surprisingly fun and silly! It's nice to be wrong sometimes.

unfortunately i think the story behind this album is a lot more interesting than the music itself, but kudos to them for accidentally inventing punk music way back in the mid-sixties?? some of these tracks could've used a bit more time in the incubator but at least they were short and more interesting than most of the 60s stuff on here. favorites: monk time, shut up, boys are boys girls are choice, cuckoo

Cool to see the origins of garage rock so clearly here. As that's one of my favorite genres, I really appreciate this album. So much of that sound is already so clear here. Plus the songs are just catchy bops.

Punk rock may have many start dates, but the gestation of the germ most definitely lies in the year 1966 with this often strange, frequently unsettling, occasionally beguiling sole album from a band of non-literal monks. In both original and extended form, Black Monk Time is a blast of subversive brilliance, each second of each song is spent paving a path for many other soon-to-be like-minded unhinged visionaries to set their eyes to. The album's trajectory in the age of waning Beatlemania and oncoming psychedelia is appropriate yet it signalled where the future would lie. https://youtu.be/-l2D0QfJSt8?si=vtEnONu5KlroFLK0 Favorites: Monk Time, Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice, I Hate You, Oh, How to Do Now, Complication, That's My Girl, I Can't Get Over You, Cuckoo, Love Can Tame the Wild, He Went Down to the Sea.

2 sanger tilgjengelig, de var dødsråe!

It's just weird, and not in a good way.

This is the first album where I didn't have a clue what I was in for, but reading about the band this morning, I was excited. It had all the ingredients I like. It didn't work for me though, I have to give it some love because I can hear how much they inspired bands that I love. But those bands did it better. 1/5. At least ZZ Top made me laugh.

Black Monk Time sounds like Brewdog's newest stout. Far from perfect (maybe even far from being good, let alone perfect), but so much more interesting and deserving of its spot than most of the stuff on this list. Most people on this website are boring stiff little idiots. The 60's are soo crazy man!

Album isn’t even available on Spotify; how am I going to rate it then! At least YouTube has it.

Didn’t really like it.

What a trip, early punk sounds. This was so fun

I didn’t particularly get into the music, but I thought it had good novelty value, considering it’s one of the first ever examples of punk music. For that, it elevates the rating from a 2 to a 3.

A lovely slab of garage rock.

More 60s landfill psyche shite

At first, I couldn't find this album on Apple Music or youtube music or anywhere, but later found someone had created a playlist of the tracks. I thought it was a forgotten album, maybe it's awesome. Then, I hear the lyrics saying they are army and have music that sounds like generic '60s sound. This isn't the album for me.

I heard elements that sound like the doors. Overall quite a fun album, liked the blues influence too, apparently one of the first “punk” albums.. but unfortunately not the last (especially on this list) 3.5

Better than I expected. Shame the album isn’t available on Apple Music. I had a little sad about how easy it seemed to be to create music in those days. Too many cooks now.

Cinco soldados estadounidenses destinados en Alemania forman un grupo de rock como válvula de escape, comienzan a tocar buena música beat pero sin nada especial, con influencias de R&B, y de pronto evolucionan hacia algo diferente a todo lo que se hacía en el pop en 1966. En su letras sobresalen gritos de rebeldía, con asuntos que van desde el desamor ("Te odio con pasión, nena") a otros más políticos y sociales ("¿Por qué matas a todos esos niños en Vietnam?"). "Black Monk Time", su primer y único álbum de estudio, no tiene una gran producción, su grabación es sencilla y carece de sus sonidos más enloquecidos, pero consigue concentrar su espíritu, esa mezcla de rabia y alegría lunática que surge de canciones como "Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice", "Oh, How To Do Now" o "We Do Wie Du". Fue su único álbum, un año después se disolvieron y dejaron esta colección de canciones sencillamente históricas.

I can appreciate it for getting things started. Will I listen to again: 20%

A forerunner of punk that really doesn’t sound like anything else from the 60s. Scrappy and raw.

This is another hidden gem that I was hoping to find via this generator. Never heard of these guys before. Hard to believe this was 1966, before the Velvet Underground even! Not all of the songs on here are super memorable, and a couple are a tad formulaic, but they get major bonus points for originality and experimentation.

meh

i hate "i hate you" some of this is just noise but it's not entirely unpleasant noises i hate "that's my girl"

A few tracks in and this is sounding like a Hurdy Hurdy Carnival opening with ott Wurlitzer. That being said, I hear echoes of the sheer fun and expression of the early 60s. I half enjoyed the opener...'The Monk', but very quickly got bored with the monotony of the sound. 'I hate you' ... deliberately the anti-thesis of the peace and love era where every song is 'I love you' For being avant-garde they get a 2

This was an incredible listen. Really enjoyed this. This must have been pretty revolutionary.

That's some good energy. A bit messy sometimes. I'm not a fan of the spoken word vocals. The yodeling was fun though.

Only one song on spotify

Un impresionante álbum proto-punk que sorprende con sus adelantadas propuestas. Sonando para nada como sus contemporáneos, estos estadounidenses residentes de Alemania se lucen con pistas bailables sumamente interesantes y disrruptivas. Un LP que claramente influenció a cientos de las bandas fundadoras del movimiento punk, garage, indie y lo-fi.

Another weird one that wasn't available on Apple Music. I was able to find a Youtube playlist uploaded by a random user with all of the songs on the album, but this is a frustrating situation for an "essential" listen. Interesting for the time period, and apparently influential. There are some weird sounds but catchy moments as well.

American GIs forming a proto-punk band in Germany on their free time. Nice. It’s rough, but I liked it more than I expected.

All good fun here. Fuzzy garage sound with anti-war vibes and rockin jilted boy sulkness. Coulda been a star, but damn that ego thing again.

Etonnante histoire que celle de ce groupe sorti de nulle part, formé par des troufions qui s’emmerde dans une garnison en Allemagne, sortent cet album et disparaissent peu de temps après. Je n’en ferai pas mon album de chevet mais il est clairement en avance sur beaucoup, punk bien avant l’heure, contestataire, foutraque, halluciné, bruyant mais avec des harmonies vocales très 60’s par moment, un disque vraiment à part avec un son rugueux et beaucoup d’énergie. Un départ sur les chapeaux de roue avec “Monk Time” puis “I hate you”, “Oh, how to do now”, “I can’t get over you”...

Upbeat, lively. Cacophonous. Not a lot of lyrics. Rock-a-billy/beatles/punk.

A great new music surprise. Odd in an avant garde way at many points, way ahead of its time

tolerated 2 cuts

You can't stream this anywhere so that makes it default kind of cool. An interesting album to have come out in the era it came out in for sure. Definitely feels almost proto punk to some level. Definitely a lot more fast/lose with the tones/style then some of the generic 60's rock that gets played (or even suggested on this very website).

Short protopunk, twas ok

Reminded me of Violent Femmes. Really great.

Could only listen to one so g

Very ahead of its time, thats for sure, but doesn’t necessarily translate to a sound i particularly love listening to.

It's okay, but I'm not crazy about it.

Decent. Sometimes fell prey to 60s experimental issues.

A bit funky and unique. Seems really experimental. Very different sound for the time.

7/10 - 4/5 Really interesting nugget of history! Didn't expect a lesson with this album. Really experimental, really fun. Proto everything, like people have said. Extremely experimental for the 60s. It sort of fell off on the last third, though. The bonus songs could have been left off.

At times amateurish, rambling and odd, but with a certain charm. Hard to believe it was recorded in 1965/1966

Loves the first track, and there were a couple that I would play again, but over all felt like it was searching for the sound punk perfected

Count not even listen to it

While I don't necessarily dislike this album, I don't really get it either. It may deserve a place on this list based off of influence alone but from a pure enjoyment perspective it was just ok.

Clear bridge between rock of that time and punk

Such a different 60s sound that I can trace influence to experimental rock, Zappa, punk, and likely prog rock as well. Enjoyable? Not sure, interesting and cool though for sure.

Interesting musically, historically, and lyrically. Love the syncopation and skronk.

Wow how have I never heard this before?! This is exactly the kind of obscure weirdness that I'm glad the list sometimes provides. I can't believe this is from 1966, besides The Mother's and maybe The Dead who was making anything like this at the time. I hope it returns to streaming as I had to listen on you tube

Weird, kind of psychedelic rock music. At times reminded me of the Doors, at other times the Who, overall not similar to anything I've heard before. It definitely sounded like the 60s. I'm not really sure what to make of it

Total banger

This isn't the first time I've been Monked, though I couldn't find them on my hard drive. My opinion’s unchanged: they're a crucial band with this monumental record that is not, song by song, satisfying to listen to, sitting in a hinterland between tune and headcase rock. Some of my favourite records are decisively tuneless - 'Clear to Higher Time' by the Blue Humans, Fushitsusha's double live - and are completely satisfying. This doesn't hook me, doesn't melt my brain, but it is fascinating: tremendous chug, characterful sound. I feel the same about the Silver Apples.

Knew some of this from Ye Nun's versions (indeed, my kids love their version of "We Do Wie Du"). As raw and simple as proto-punk can get (for better and worse), and way more interesting than contemporary shit like the Beach Boys. Well deserves it's "127th greatest album of the '60s" distinction; generous 4* for inventing a genre or two

Loved it, what a story, American GIs in Germany, protopunk, krautrock, noisy madness. Probably won't listen again but gets a 4 because it's rad.

Couldn’t stream

More fun from a Garage Band than I was expecting!

HOW did this come out in 1966?? I started listening before checking the date and my jaw dropped when I did. And the all of the songs hold up as well. Solid proto-punk. Surprised I hadn't heard it already.

Nothing too exciting

this project excels at including protopunk albums, especially by the early artists whose names are not well known to the common listener. the monks fall into that group real easy. their sound is weird and unrefined--and they certainly go really fast, very much like the ramones a decade and a half later. the album's leading track, in the first verse, shows what the monks are all about. i love them not being afraid to put their politics out there as young men in 1965 in germany. indeed, it is monk time. the fact the monks created a song titled "monk time" is terribly cute; i'm reminded of other sixties artists, like the monkees, who created songs to introduce themselves.

This was a really strange album, bordering on bonkers. It is definitely a product of the 60s, but not quite anything I have heard. You can really hear the rumbling and stirring of the beginnings of proto-punk and psychedelia in here. I didn't really enjoy the album a whole lot, but it was an interesting history lesson.

I can appreciate what this album is, but it’s hard for me to enjoy the music, good for a listen through. 2.2

This album had its more grating moments, but overall a wild ride, made more interesting by reading up on the history provided by another reviewer here.

Didn't hate this album but I can't say I enjoyed it. There was a couple of songs I liked, just not really into the punk genre.

Only rate on how much i enjoy rather than impact, but holy crap can see the influences this inspired and still a really good album. 4

Great album - love the raw sound - ahead of their time.

Only 2 tracks on Spotify. 1 star each.

For very specific vibes and situations

Talk about an album far ahead of its time. And what a shame that it seems all but forgotten in the history of early punk/garage music. This is easily one of the more fascinating records we've had on the list so far, just for the band's history alone. But after listening, I'm not too hip on this one. It gets pretty grating a few tracks in, and likely would've worked better as an EP. But because it's clear to see the influence this had on artists who would blow up in the next few years, I'm giving it a higher rating.

The ramshackle blast of primal rhythms—including an electric banjo (!)—and shrill, shouted vocals on Black Monk Time prove The Monks were wildly unconventional rock innovators who presaged punk's revolt against the musical and societal establishments.

Not my vibe but liked a couple songs.

Beat, Soundtrack, 1966

pretty good

Not fully digitized. Erin found it on YouTube. Super combination of Johnny Rotten's anger mixed with the Monkey's melodies, and German beer.

This album was removed from Spotify

they were good

???

3.5

Never heard of. Old school garage rock. Silly.

So far ahead of its time. It's honestly quite surprising to think that this came out when and where it did. Yes, it does get pretty out there at times, but it's genuinely interesting to listen to.

Had zero prior knowledge of this band or album and wow, out of nowhere, an extremely interesting and I imagine progressive album for the time. Influences of rock n roll and some hints and the punk scene that was the come in the following years. A very cool album that I’d happily revisit again and share with others.

À la fois très 60s (avec l'orgue et les harmonies) et très actuel, le rock n'a pas pris une ride.

Okay

Not going to lie, this album left me confused

Fine

classic youtube only shit album

Garage rockproto-pun. Del 66.

Hell yeah, finally a 60s album on this list that doesn't feel like it's ripping of one of the big B's: Beach Boys, Beatles and Bob Dylan

it's monk time. I wish this was on spotify, this was a pleasant surprise

Pretty good stuff. It's wanna-be punk, but more melodic. It's like the Zombies with a harder edge to it. Definitely has that mid-60s, mop-top sound about it. I'd listen to this again.

Album is not on Spotify. It is on YouTube though. 2/5

Favorite Songs: Monk Time Boys Are Boys and Girls are Choice

Such an amazing hidden gem.

Way before its time, i did a double take when i saw the date of the albums release. Makes sense with the Vietnam references, and there are moments where psychedelic rock of the era peeks through. Definitely worthy of the list and a fun, short, punchy album.

Mediocre.

Wait, wait, wait! This exists! Rhythmically sonic and playful -- a fun, unexpected moment in time. I praise this album because it's both unexpected (how did I miss this?) and a joy to listen to repeatedly.

It's loud, noisy, silly, and a little edgy. It's worth a listen if you like early garage rock, but I don't think I need to go back for another go around. Best Songs: Love Came Tumbling Down Listen Again: Probably not

Chulada de disco.

All new to me, and I'm glad this project introduced me to them and this album. It's not so much that I find the album pleasurable and plan to listen to it again -- I doubt I will (nothing against the album; just a bit jarring for me) -- but when I place this album in the context of its time and place, I get why it's included here, and it makes sense it's described as having a major influence on punk.

Non malvagio, anzi, molto piacevole. Mi piace molto "Compilation". Ma anche "Drunken Maria"

Black Monk Time is the only studio album by German-based American rock band The Monks. Failing to make a splash at release, this album has since been recognized as an important piece in the puzzle of the development of punk rock. It is an early form of punk rock, coined as a lost classic. The lyrics, raw style of rock, and nightmarish themes, all contributed to this amazing album. Listening to this album wasn't easy. There's a lot of nuances in the music and lyrics that you have to listen out for. And the proto-punk style can make this difficult because the genre was still primitive. However, I still think this is a great album of early punk rock that should be given a listen if you like this music.

Nice and influential.

Couldn't get the original somlisten to Spotify playlist. Not bad

Really fun, like a funky This Heat

Bonkers

3.75

The Monks story is far more interesting than their music to me

Feels anarchic and edgy even now. Fun to read the "story" behind this group and this album. I needed a win after more than a week of 2 and 3 star snoozers!

I was really relieved I didn't enjoy it that much when I found out it wasn't on Spotify

Jazzy blues songs Reducing by a * because they didn’t have all their songs on Spotify, so I just went on their “best”

Very repetitive and simplistic sound/rhythms; however, it's dated because it is dated. An early sixties vibe, but clearly not as popular as other bands of the day. Wouldn't listen again

This album is weird but not in a way that's particularly interesting to me. I was trying to like it but it just wasn't very easy listening. The singing is pitchy. The blend of instruments is unrefined and feels like they are clashing instead of working together most of the time. I didn't hate it but I don't think I'll be revisiting this one.

Interesting, caught my attention with the lyrics

I really enjoyed the monks. Very kooky and different

5/10 Highlights: Drunken Maria

Definitely one of the wildest and most punk albums from the 60s that I know of. I think that justifies the rating tbh, although I think I'd probably go with the 3.5 rounded down if I had absolutely no context. C'est la vie?

I actually had to listen to some other tracks by them because this was not available on Apple Music. Nevertheless, it was weird. The organ intros, and the rapid preamble to each song were followed by pretty typical 60s pop. Nothing special but I could see the appeal.

I can see where this album might be considered ahead of its time and a harbinger of punk. Whether by accident or design, I'll give them credit for that. It's not their fault they were born 15 years too early.

Cool album

Hard to find, but listened once. You can definitely feel the beginnings of punk in the album. Probably wouldn’t listen again, but a solid 3/5.

I had to turn to YouTube because Apple Music didn't have this album... which is a shame, because it was great. The Monks are credited with paving the way for punk rock in the long run, but really, it's just a good album, full of 60s-style energy.

Couldn't find this specific album on Spotify but the songs I could find were good

Pretty innovative garage-rock for a time period that is unknowingly on its way out the door. To add some context, The Beatles were working on Revolver and Sgt Peppers when this came out. 3/5

First album I genuinely couldn't finish. I understand the 60s was kind of a burgeoning time for rock music moving into the mainstream, but this album was practically unlistenable. There's nothing redeeming here. How does a band that sound like a high school jam band get a spot on the "Greatest albums of all time" list??

Pretty campy, but really well written songs and good musicians.

Just about rates 3, pretty ordinary teally

Protoshite

"Pussy galore's comin' down and we like it. We don't like the atomic bomb" This album wasn't on spotify, so I had to listen to it through youtube, and leave my phone on. not a huge deal but that was kinda annoying. The album was fairly annoying, and I think that's the best word to describe it. The instrumentals, and rhythms between them, all felt elementary and repetitive. T14 - Cuckoo drove me insane. T4- Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy was silly because of the language, and T3- Boys... is going on the playlist because it's the only song on spotify. lame album, gave me a little headache 2/5

Hey! Hey! They’re the Monks. And people say the monk around.

it's monk time!

not available on itunes

I'm giving this 3 stars because there are moments of real talent and possibility. Overall, though, it's mostly basic oompa loompa music.

Started out charming, became grating. I can see this being the jumping off point for a lot of very fun bands, but this was not a great listen.

I cannot overstate just how much this rips. The music on here is so primitive that I felt my IQ points dropping. One gets the impression that the band couldn't spell the word 'subtle' as a group effort, let alone understand it any kind of conceptual sense. There is a magic zone, however, between ambition and execution that this album occupies. Just to take one example - the drumming is so rudimentary that it morphs into something quite hypnotic and almost martial in its simple insistence. Limitations become an asset and something weird and wonderful is brought into the world. As a consequence, this feels like the headwaters for a lot of punk, garage rock and even krautrock. Superb.

The Monks were ahead of their time. Their unique rhythms and sounds were wild and experimental. The Monks were truly an inspiration to rock and punk throughout the following decades. Of note, this album is not available on Spotify in the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l2D0QfJSt8

Not great, but not bad.

I was hoping to like this since garage is a genre I enjoy, but this was disappointing.

Skulle ønske dette var på Spotify.. Stilig, egentlig litt sprøtt hvor moderne sounden er til å være fra 1966, mye mer rocka/garage og egentlig punket i stilen enn noe annet jeg har hørt fra 60-tallet (jaffal mtp ren rock, ikke særlig blues/billy preg) Har googlet litt nå, er visst noen kulturvitere som omtaler dette som det første punkalbumet

For an album from the 60s but barely sounds like 60s music, let's be fair.

I have nothing good to say about this album. There was not a single track that I can say I liked. Not surprised this is the group’s only album. It’s awful. I can tell the band is having fun, which is nice, but I was not. I suppose I have to acknowledge its importance in the development of punk rock, as the Wikipedia page points out. But it’s so bad. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. The opening track gave me no hope for the rest, and it lived up to my expectations. 1/10. Don’t even like any songs enough to have a favourite. But if I have to choose, my top 1 is: Monk Time. I still don’t like it though.

I’m a sucker for some good garage rock and this is great stuff. Especially impressive when you consider the year of release, it’s got attitude you wouldn’t except from that time. The Monks keep the pace for the entire 30 minutes and I had fun, did you have fun? 4 stars

Ni idea de quienes son. El disco no está en Spotify y no tienen ni 7000 oyentes mensuales. Esto suena a que lo ponen en El Sótano de Radio3. Al final se me ha hecho pesado aunque me ha gustado bastante. Solo lo he podido escuchar en YouTube. Tiene su gracia que unos milicos fueran los abuelos del punk!!!

Nope

3+

Unfortunately Apple doesn’t have the album so I listened to as many songs off it as they had. Sounds Beach boys/esque but with more organ 4.8/10

One song only😖! It was good and I wanted to hear more. Oh well.

3/5 back story for a 2/5 record

Not a fan. The vocals are at times distorted or repetitive and/or screaming at me, and a lot (not all, but a lot) of the instrumentation lacks melody or sounds choppy. It’s just a lot of noise.

What an interesting album. I probably won't go out of my way to listen to it again, but after listening through even a single time, there's no denying the Monks influence on every artist from the Dead Kennedys to the Doors to Jack White, to maybe even Nirvana ("I hate you" sounds like it could've been a track on "Bleach"), among countless others. Considering the landscape of music in the late sixties, this was probably novel, punk (literally) and super fucking cool. Favorite track - "Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy"

This was very interesting, almost a kind of proto-punk.

I can see why this made the list as it has a proto punk, rockabilly vibe about it that belies the date it was made.

Love this album. I love the energy and the straight-ahead nature of most of the material. I Hate You is pretty out there as a lyric for 1966. Most of this album sounds way ahead of its time, and the backstory adds another layer. Crazy cats indeed. Would have given it 5 stars, but the focus and energy does wane a little towards the end, sounds more obvious, and gets a bit silly. Punk's not dead.

I thought this was streaming at the wrong speed at first. It was also really short - Spotify only served up two tracks. Not sufficient to form an opinion. Harmless, but not exactly life changing.

This is genuinely one of the best album's I've gotten in this project. From the story, to the lyrics, to the outfits, to, of course, the music. This feels like Velvet Even More Underground. It's like pre-punk post-punk. I LOVE THIS.

Now this is some interesting proto Punk garage stuff. I loved it, but it does get an Asterisk low 5 for being off Spotify and only on YouTube as far as I could find it.

almost doesn't sound like a 60s album, and for that alone it can be considered impressive. there's some serious highlights like "complication" and "monk time" as well, but it overall kinda washes over me.

It’s almost a 3, but the vocals… not my fave.

This was kinda fun!

Rock. Original aunque un poco aburrido.

It’s crazy to think this was made in the mid-60s. Protopunk and even ska vibes throughout and just a pretty fun time all around. Definitely glad I got to hear it. 7/10

I could not find the full record on any of the streaking sites so I listened to what I could. Raw, garage pink before it was a thing. I can see for historical context why this record was on the list. Good listen but not one I would come back to often.

Good

I liked it, didn’t love it. Fun hearing music that influenced the punk scene.

This was pretty interesting for the time it was made.

It’s actually not bad but every song sounds the same to me.

Without a doubt ahead of it's time... doesn't stop it being irritating as fuck in a lot of places though

Vow of silence please

Crackers, brilliant, irreverent, with a great beat... just what I'm on this site for.

This didn’t do anything for me at all. Seems all a bit average to be honest. I must’ve missed the boat on the “novelty” of them?

Alright, I'm gonna start being harder on the generic 60s/70s classic rock shite. There's way too fucking much of it on this list. Just go listen to Deep Purple, they did all of this better.

Whack

An album that is definitely proto-punk from the mid-60s. Sadly, it doesn't nail either side of the coin, just leaving no impression. Some of the lyrics are kind of funny, and the instruments at times nail that intensity that punk has, but its pretty forgettable all things considered. I can see why I had to hear this, but it isn't going in my musical rotation any time soon.

Bon rock qui brasse mais je sais pas, jcommence à être tanné de me faire toujours proposer du rock proto punk à longueur de semaine

Another one not on Spotify. I listened to a best of and I'm not that disappointed I couldn't listen to the suggested album. Some proto rock with Hammond organ.

This was so 1966 but also so ahead of its time. I liked it but it was too garage for me, I like a slicker bit of 60s production.

A blast

this is literally Velvet Underground before Velvet Underground! somewhere between 3 and 4...

Need to come back

This sounds like Van Halen inspiration

Interesting that this is not on Spotify! Hard to rate when you are not able to listen to the album in full but enjoyed the funk/prog/rock sound as beats. Would have been interesting to see how they evolved as a band 5/10

cool proto-punk, a little skeletal

It’s alright.The history and aesthetic of the band is honestly more interesting than the music itself.It’s quirky rock but it doesn’t have a lot of hooks.I enjoyed it but not a lot.

An interesting and weird little album. Bold and experimental but very playful too. The music is loose and the production is rough. I find that charming to an extent. Always fun to hear a band not give a f— and just mess around in the studio. But I think that looseness holds the album back a bit too. A cool curiosity from the era that was ahead of its time but I’m not sure I’ll want to revisit it.

This seems like a live band, where seeing them in person is the whole point of the sound. Very repetitive and actually sort of droney rock music that constantly has some rhythmic intricacy that makes the tracks fun to dance to. I like the singer(s) and find the overall sound pretty funny and enjoyable. I love the album cover. Very sleek and cool. Pretty solid record! 3/5 for me. Nothing that really blew me away but I think that is the point of the band- consistent music that sounds good. Unfortunately not a lot of memorability outside of me having to forcefully remind myself "oh The Monks are that fun dancey rock band with the short stabby riffs".

kinda sucks

Cool story, shite music

I have respect for having achieved a sound like this in 1966, but it's not my type of music. A few tiny parts here and there were something I'd like, but they are not the focus in this album. My favourite song was Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice.

This one clipped along at a great little pace. Many short snippets with some energy and twang and grunge and almost ska? 4/5

I would never expect that this was released in 1966.

60s. Psychedelic. I didn't notice the punk.

This shit was not good

Similar sound to The Animals, same keyboard sounds but overall easy to listen to

3.5 Jukebox Rebel picks: “I Hate You” (10) • “Blast Off!” (9.6) • “Monk Time” (9.5).

First time I've heard this album. Absolutely loved it. Very Stooges, very pre-pre-punk.

I feel like this is a great example of what punk is supposed to be about, so I can respect it, but the problem was I just didn't like it musically. Every song was just a little too unpleasant or had some unpleasant parts. Glad they put this out there though. 2.5 stars

Just a few GI bros casually inventing punk rock over 10 years before the actual punk movement started. This is literally the coolest shit ever. This is the musical equivalent of those 10th century Swahili coins that were somehow discovered in Australia and nobody knows how they got there. These guys were doing this since 1965, predating both The Beatles' Revolver and The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. That's the power of the bros gettin jiggy with it together.

Proto-Gods.... God create world but... these guys... it sound like FROM the future.. not 60's music...

Great for when its created, but not particularly special 3/5 great to see a german band succeed

Sixties R&B, a sort of American version of Manfred Mann.

4/5. A surprisingly in your face album before punk even existed. You can hear every punk band through this album. And honestly, it still goes hard despite how early it is.

No

Sort of thing I can imagine being pretty ground breaking at the time but it’s aged like milk.

The album The Doors would have made if they did (even more) mountains of cocaine instead of acid

Interesting album I've never heard before.

While I understand the historical significance of this record, it honestly bored me and most of the tracks just have too much going on.

It's fine.

Some of this album was OK, it was of that 60s era where all songs were to a recipie for the labels and radio. There is nothing significant, all very beatles reminiscent... but they were really trying to be Jimorrison and the Doors, but the strangulated screams of the lead singer fall a long way short of audibly acceptable. Music has evolved more cleverly and accomplished by so many other artists of that era, so for me this album just didn't even warrant a middle of the road scoring.

Couldn't get through this one, after about track 5 I'd had enough. Absolute shite.

What a weird album. Punk before there was punk, garage rock before there was garage rock. It’s rough around the edges but you can see how they’d be influential

This was really fun. I liked it and would listen to it again. 4/5

It’s Monk time! B

It was okay, never heard these guys before.

Highlights: "Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy," "I Hate You," "Oh How to Do Now," "Shut Up" What a great surprise! This is indistinguishable from what West Coast noise garage was trying to do over the '00s-'10s. It was always already there. Most punk of the next twenty years sounds tame by comparison. It would be hard to recommend people the album because it opens with its weakest material, but it was so far ahead of the curve for what popular audiences would grow to enjoy. Barely registers now as 'experimental' or 'provocateur'. It just rips.

Ok and not much more

Fucking mental. Who knew a banjo could sound so damn angry. Too rare to be lost forever, too weird to thrive. Perfect for a list like this.

I know I have a double-standard when it comes to punk and punk-adjacent bands. It's because the goals of punk are different from most other genres. But it's also because I love punk music. I really enjoyed the hell out of this one. It's right on the front edge of punk so it's still got a lot of good, old-fashioned 60s rock mixed into the very punk ethos. It's a great combination for me and I'm legitimately sad that there's only one album from The Monks. I'll be giving this one another listen, for sure.

I’ve never heard of Monks before today, and the album cover isn’t really giving me any clues as to what to expect. It seems like an obvious guess, but maybe some Gregorian chanting or something? Let’s find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Monk Time, I Hate You It’s safe to say that I was very wrong with my expectations! This was very punchy punk rock was wasn’t afraid to shout about being anti-army and being unapologetic with their thoughts. They had me pretty hooked from track one, and I enjoyed the album throughout. There are certainly some stronger songs than others, but it’s pretty astonishing to see that this came out in the 60’! This was so far ahead of its time that I had to double check the release date. Overall, an excellent half hour of angst that I quite enjoyed.

12th May 2023 Listened in the morning before leaving for camping with Joe and Adna and Jenny in Wycombe. Alternative punk with edges of 60s Brit blues rock. Liked it!

I don't like it. I get that this is avant garde but that doesn't make it enjoyable. Some might call it proto-punk, but if it was actually good people would probably just call it punk.

Some GROOVY sounds here but overall not a very polished album. I feel like this band has the potential to make a decent rock album, but a lot of these songs just ascend into mindless chaos.

This album ranged from songs I enjoyed, to songs that annoyed the hell out of me. I liked Monk time, thought it was a good start to the album. Shut Up was a bit of both - annoying but also catchy. Boys are Boys and Girls are Choice is a great song. It's a classic. Higgle-Dy - Piggle-Dy - catchy instrumental. I hate you - annoying. Oh, How To Do Now - super annoying. Complications and We Do Wie Du - Annoying Drunken Maria - kinda catchy. Love Came Tumblin Down - I liked it. Blast off and That's my Girl - Very annoying. I would have given it a 2.5 if I could have. I'll round up to 3 I guess.

I’m good on most of this one but then I got to the end of the bonus tracks and now it’s funny to me. Some of the songwriting is kind of low effort and then some of it is novel. Consistently MONKS.

The non-tradition song structure and the tonsure look is interesting, but every track sounds very similar to the last, and the sound itself is quite repetitive.

There's some fun tracks on this album and instrumentally this is decent. I like the drumming on a lot of tracks - it's definitely that early stage punk-like sound. Harmonizing vocals are fun and I enjoy the keys whenever they're present. The lead vocals is kinda just yelling/shrilling and it's not great. I would not return to this album but glad I gave it a spin.

Short one: didn’t like. the Bunks

This album oscillates between interesting and awful.

People are saying some significant things about this album - first punk album, beginning of krautrock, pioneering avant garde music - wow! I guess I can hear that if I stretch but as a listening experience the first thing that sticks out is the lead vocalist's shrill voice that goes the same for me as hearing someone rub their fingers on a balloon - it gives me the chills. I do enjoy their unhinged style and there are lots more interesting "facts" about this band - that they were American GI's stationed in Germany, that they were critical of the Vietnam war, that one of their instruments was a six string banjo. I wish I could hear the music at it was recieved then, because it comes off to these contemporary ears - almost 60 years later - as a goofy novelty act rather than the hard hitting innovator that the critical acclaim suggests.

These guys didn't give a fuck in the most interesting way possible. Their unique context allowed them to get away with pushing the envelope further than most could at the time. The sheer intensity of the playing on this album is simply amazing. So uninhibited, with this fierce bitter anger underlying every note of their mutant garage rock, no matter how sarcastically sweet they try to make it. Sounds at once overly rigid to the point of absurdity, and like sheer wild abandonment. I'm so glad they made their catharsis into an album.

1966? Holy shit. The subversiveness feels much more modern in terms of sensibilities, I would have believed this to come out this year even. It's unhinged in the best way, not too abrasive but they got something to fucking say. Continues to build the case that I am a huge fan of protopunk over modern punk. I mean, look at this shit. Brilliant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H-fmmNmrRs Only album by them, very punk rock of them. *chefs kiss*

Quirky, edgy and unexpected. Like a precursor to the Velvet Underground, with a foreshadowing of The Modern Lovers in there too.

Interesting album. It’s loud and abrasive for 1966. Appreciate its significance in musical history. It’s not for my ears though. Probably would not revisit.

Some more 60's rock, alright!! German-based American rock band hm!

This was so irritating to listen to. Just all over the place. 3/10.

This is a ludicrous album. Not really saying it’s bad but it’s weird. It’s goofy and for the 60s this seemed unlike a lot of the pop love songs. This is music about nothing really. It’s the Seinfeld of music. Except this isn’t as enjoyable and also German. The cuckoo song really gives that away but it’s also pretty annoying. Overall the uniqueness does not make up for how annoying some songs are. 4.6/10

Excellent early psych

Meh

Definitely on the forefront of some genres that I enjoy, like garage rock and protopunk. So I can appreciate it, but at the same time it sounds pretty dated and not that enjoyable to listen to. Almost too raw and simplistic. 3 stars.

parece bem tri o punkzao das antiga mas nao consegui ouvir todo o album

I enjoyed listening to this. A great "one and done" band that had an interesting punk-rock take on the "British Invasion" style of popular music that dominated the day. It was familiar, but new. It's getting a bump because of the "hidden gem" status it has in my mind.

this album has NO business being on this list but there were a couple catchy songs

Wow! Somebody needs to do a doco on these legends. Had never heard of them but won't ever forget them.

This album is wild, if you know when it was made. You can hear the 60s pop, and you can see the punk coming.

I didn’t know anything about this group before today. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into any of the tracks. It just was not good. Not for me.

Garage rock. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

This is brilliant. I am actually disappointed that I'd not heard it previously. Especially liked We Do Wie Du, but the whole album has a lovely pre-punk feel that really strokes my yak. I'll definitely be coming back to this.