Headquarters

Starts off sounding like the Beatles. Some genuinely good tracks. A good variety of sounds and styles. Not everything is great, but overall pretty good.

The monkeys get creative control. Which is good for them and it's a decent 60s pop album but it's no daydream believer. Sorry dudes.

I hate the early 60's British pop sound so some American guys mimicking it while generally not even writing the music was better than I expected.

Im really not sure that this child lusting has aged that well.

I think that the problem for the Monkees here is that within the context of other music being released in 1967 this just isn't quite up there.

Maybe dope if you’re an oldhead

1. you told me - 1 2. life uuith you - 1 3. forget - 1 4. band 6 - 0 5. the one - 0 6. GRAY - 1 7. my mind - 1 8. petez zake - 1 9. mr uuebzter - 1 10. zunny - 1 11. zilch - 0 12. no time - 1.5 13. morning - 1 14. randy - 1 15. toyz - 1 16. the girl - 1 17. a little - 1 18. hangz out - 0 19. love to love - 1 20. muztang - 0 21. violin - 1.5 22. 99 poundz - 1 23. the girl - 1 24. randy - 1 25. monkeez - 1 26. toyz - 1 27. the girl - 1 28. a little bit - 1 29. hangz out - 0 30. the girl - 1 31. nine timez blue - 1 32. be there - 1.5 33. train - 1.5 34. peter gun - 1 35. jericho - 0 36. pillouu - 1

I like pisces, Aquarius, etc better but there are some good ones here.

Feels like a watered down version of the Beatles, to be honest. Quality music, it's just didn't feel exciting at all to me.

Enjoyed this - was never a massive fan but can remember the monkees on the TV. Decent album with some really good tunes

Heavily influenced by The Beatles - Help album but there are some good songs on this.

What if the Beatles were shit?

the beatles but not quite as good

Pretty ok. It sounds alot like if the beatles never moved on from 'Please please me'

lowk the beatles but worse. still kinda littington tho

The Monkees debuted on tv when I was 11 years old, and they were my jam. Several reviews applaud the Headquarters lp because the boys contributed more than vocals. But the first two albums were played by session hired guns and written by professionals. So they were my favorite. On their fourth they had the experience of writing and playing unlike Headquarters their rookie effort.

There a couple of good moments. A little interesting, but maybe trying to hard to be weird for the 60s sake.

Some highs, some lows, but seems like such a Beatles clone with more shortcomings

OK easy listening 60’s pop-rock, although quite dated, and somehow gets boring after a while

This album is just unbelievably 60s, and not in a good way. I can't fault most of it, but it's all just so safe and really uninteresting. If this were an early 60s album I think it would be a lot more forgivable, but given that at this point in music history, The Beatles, The Stones, and Bob Dylan had already taken music far beyond what it ever was in the past, this album is very much behind its time.

Okay three mediocre 60s albums in a row is starting to make me think the end of this list isn’t randomized and is just loaded with all of the lamest, most forgettable albums. This one was definitely worse than the last two because it was stereotypical folk instead of stereotypical psych/rock.

We, as a society, should do stuff like this again. Let's pick a random woman and dress her up like Taylor Swift, make her sing like Taylor Swift, and name her Baylor Smith or something. We have too many regular industry plants - nobody has the balls to create a true homunculus anymore.

Just finished it but can't say I remember any of it

I’m not big on the 60-70 dainty rock stuff. It’s just not for me.

Not really my cup of tea, but still a little bit deeper and more intricate than I was expecting.

Mr Dobalina. Mr Bob Dobalina.

Hey hey they're The Monkees! They like to MONKEEEEEE around!

divertido, bem divertido

This is the Monkees set free. They pooled their available talents together to produce something that was mostly, truly them. Since the beginning, they worked to legitimize themselves as artists and not merely studio puppets. It is an interesting story and one that made them more than I even thought they could be. Good on them.

Pop Rock from 67.

This was alright. It was decent enough, but not sure how this belongs on a list like this.

I bought a compilation album of these guys at Walmart a few years back... This album is way better than that

6 / 10 Una buena copia de unos primeros Beatles descafeinados.

Interesting. Almost every track was an obvious attempt to sound like someone else: the Beatles, CCR, the Yardbirds, the Moody Blues, etc. They're like soundalike tracks created to avoid copyright infringement. And yet somehow it holds together and works pretty well.

3.5 suprisingly good and found out zilch was sampled in another song. Still has that 60's sound that im not really a fan of.

Pretty enjoyable actually. The end.

I loved this album as well as the story of how it came to be. TV executives create a fake band who actually wanted to be a real band, and this is what they got to do when allowed. It is so fun and so good and so very very representative of its time.

Cute!

Well this is delightful. Nice and easy 60s pop. A good time.

I was very surprised to see The Monkees appear on this list. This led to a number of questions. A creation of a corporate television entity… how the hell did this happen? I spent 6 or so years running the board for an oldies radio show every Sunday. I’ve heard a lot of music from The Monkees. Why do I not recognize a thing on this album? How is this the first time I’ve heard a song containing the word “Naugahyde”? Why is today the first time I learned how Naugahyde is made (or spelled!)? Today’s listening assignment left me with more questions than answers. Still, this was a surprisingly good bit of 60s fun. I’m still not entirely sure why this is here over some other potential choices from the era, but I enjoyed it. Gotta applaud four members of a pseudo band who rise up against their corporate overlords and figure out how to be a real band…

yeah this rocks

The songs that I knew from this album already were great enough to overcome the tracks that I didn’t know that are only okay.

..

Headquarters is the third album by The Monkees, originally released in 1967. Apparently this was the first album where the band members made substantial songwriting and instrumental contributions. Prior to this, it was mostly studio musicians playing the backing tracks on their records. This album was issued after the conclusion of the first season of the Monkees TV show, which was a huge hit. It was clear the band was trying to deviate from their past as a bubblegum pop band, given the whole psychedelic scene was popping off around this time, and that was what was cool. Unfortunately, their reputation preceeded them, and they had an audience to satisfy. This record is largely pop with a bit of a country and rock edge, not unlike what The Beatles were doing a few years prior. But that's the problem. The Beatles were doing this MULTIPLE years prior. Music was changing, and fast. Sgt. Pepper had already come out by this time. The Monkees were going to sell a bunch of records either way, but they were never going to shake that young audience from their following, especially since the show was now a huge hit as well. They were doomed to the 2 minute tack purgatory. I mean seriously, they rarely pass 2 minutes on these track lengths! Solid record with surprisingly good instrumentation. The country flare really surprised me. That being said, nothing revolutionary here. The lyrical subject matter revolves around love and girls and gets repetitive. That being said, if I was like an 11 or 12 year old in 1967 I'd probably want to be in a band like them. They were essentially made (in more ways than one, manufactured) for pop.

Not terrible, but just a pale imitation of Beatles work from a few years earlier

I have to imagine it’s hard to be taken seriously given their roots. This is solid work, but I want some more hits.

No idea why they chose this Monkees album, fine bubblegum pop.

Alright,

Þegar ég hugsa um The Monkees hugsa ég um nestisboxið hennar Marge Simpson. Ég man samt ekki hvað það var en það var eitthvað verið að setja út á þá sem lagahöfunda og flytjendur en svo áttu þeir bara að vera stemmingin. Ég finn alveg stemmninguna og það var gaman að hlusta á svona spjall og raul á þessari plötu sem var samt heldur löng og ég set hana örugglega ekki aftur þótt það sé ekkert að henni.

I blew this one off to have the most social couple of days of my life but... it's the monkees. I got through a few and it sounds how I knew they would, an odd nostalgia

There was a time where songs were easier and had only one theme: girls. The lyrics on this album are really dull and absolutely forgettable (also, they were empty when we get to Randy Scouse Git). That being said, the music is decent 60's rock 'n' roll. This is my 20th album and I feel like this is again an album that is way more important for the American context than for the European.

Sounds like a classic 60s album, but doesn't stand out between its yearmates Sgt. Peppers, Are You Experienced and the Doors. Nevertheless enjoyed some songs on this album, especially at the end: No Time, Sunny Girlfriend, Randy Scouse Git, Love to Love and 99 Pounds. 3.3*

I was rooting for these guys, trying to become a real band, but this album was not great. I think the track with the vocal warmups was honestly my favorite. Overall not sure why this needed to be on the list.

i fully understand why people were anti rock n roll during this period

This was fun! I like the Monkees, and I like how this album actually features them rather than studio musicians. Even the spoken word track was enjoyable (I think due to its rhythmic nature). I would say this was 4.5 stars rounded down to 4.

i'm real player out on this era of sound rn

"how bad can this one be it's only 31 minutes" [31m of rhymey-wimey 60's pop ensues]

Hey Hey They're the Monkees! A cheap American knock off of the Beatles, with worse music. Very little outside of the radio hits has any hint of memorability. It all sounds the same and blends together.

Beatles

I should hire people to write that review for me.

Imagine releasing something that sounds almost a decade too late in 1967; the year that the musical revolution in all its diversification truly began. I'd never release anything ever again if that was me.

1967 was one of the most successful years in terms of creativity and artists surpassing themselves, but despite everything, we found ourselves listening a damn generic Monkees.

Did not have the songs I was hoping for. Fun but not a sing along.

"The album was released on May 22, 1967, and charted at No. 1 in the U.S., only to be replaced the following week by the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; it then began a run of 11 consecutive weeks at the No. 2 position..." kinda says it all about these guys - the epitome of a second fiddle

It's better than their stuff for TV, but it's still wholly forgettable.

I did not care for this album. It has some good lyrics and some interesting instrumentation but was overall very flat to me and not my favorite.

Best Song: Randy Scouse Git. Goofy rock and roll with goofier scatting. Sure. Worst Song: Zilch. This sits in an ugly purgatory between skit and song, and succeeds at neither. Overall: This certainly didn't hold up. Sometimes the past is best left in the past.

Borderline 2 or 3. I like listening to it, but I'm not sure there are many super memorable songs. Just a lot of good ones.

Not great. There are a couple good tracks here! But there are some bad ones and the copying of the Beatles (first track is Doctor Robert) was a bit offensive to me haha

Randy scouse git and mistadobalina sample

Cool

Cheesy pop nonsense, from a band whose best days were behind them

why am i only getting albums from the 60s. they’re all the exact same and boring asf.

Eeeh it's like the beatles but I got tired of it

didn't enjoy felt incredibly dated, and sounded like a worse version of the Beatles and it was too long since it had 36 songs

Much less painful than I was anticipating. Not using the Wreckin' Crew was a bold choice, and I expected some real garbage. Nothing stands out particularly, but it's competent musicianship. The vocals have always been good with the Monkees, and this is no exception. Should I be recognizing any singles off this one? I'm startled to realize how short all of these tracks are.

Cool but I'd rather listen to The Beatles.

Not even the best album released that week.

More fun when you were 10 and they were doing stupid shit on a silly tv show than when you’re 55 and listening to complete albums.

People make comparisons to The Beatles, probably because both bands had daft/ funny personas. But the Monkees are a different kettle of fish: the members had to audition to join the TV Show (and therefore the band) and then learn their lines for the weekly TV Show, where they pretended to be a band. The music was then written and recorded by professionals, to which the Monkees added vocals in the studio and mimed the vocals and playing their instruments on the TV show. For some reason this caused a big fuss in the media when the truth came out.The Monkees, of course, gradually won autonomy to write their own songs, play their instruments and generally have more say in their records. So my point of the aforementioned amble is this; if this sounds like a rush job of hastily recorded songs for a semi fictional band performing kitsch TV entertainment type songs in various musical styles then that's because it is precisely that. On that basis, it's a not so terrible record that is entertaining and occasionally brilliant. And Micky Dolentz is a bloody fantastic distinctive singer, one of my favourites, thinking about it. I wonder how many other bands can say their drummer is the best singer. It's carefree sunny music which in today's Uber cynical urban jungle it sounds almost laughable but if I step out of that world view, actually it's um, unpretentious entertainment and a form of escapism. I find this element quite appealing. The Monkees nowadays are held in more esteem by critics than they were in their heyday. I suspect a compilation of their best (later) material would be a better listening experience for a modern audience than any one album, including this one.

Fun, made for TV, pop album. Interesting to read that they got involved in the writing process, that’s cool

Arse music, sur ethey gotta couple of hits but they aint a serious band and this was just arse.

Not all bad but doesn't stack up well against its contemporaries. At least they showed that they could step out of the comedy manufactured band schtick I suppose.

A real mixed bag, which probably comes from having so many writers. I adore the track "Randy Scouse Git", and "Zilch" is a fun skit. But every time they sing, "I'm going to be stealing, That little girl's heart today." I get a chalkboard shudder. It was a different time.

From reading Wikipedia, it's a noteworthy album as it's the one where The Monkees wanted to take on more songwriting/performance/recording responsibilities. It's a good fun 60s pop album, worth at least one listen.

I won’t be Monkeeing around with this one again, that’s for sure.

2.3/5. listened 1x to original mono + 1x to 2007 remaster (1h33m).

A lot better than the last Monkees record on here. Sounds more credible and less glossy/pop. Still not my cuppa tea mind and likely wont bother returning, but it’s a canny (if long) listen. There’s a few bits that were genuinely good, and I only say that as someone who sees the Monkees as a novelty pop group. The little guitar and harmonies on All of Your Toys is great, and the quiet/loud format of Randy Scouse Git must be one of the earliest examples of that style of song (my mate swore blind Nirvana were the first to do that, and all these years later my mind still goes blank when trying to disprove him). Canny overal.

This was more serious than I expected, I thought Monkees were a bit of a light hearted family friendly band. Very reminiscent of the Beatles. A couple of songs stood out (shades of grey, randy Scouse got) but there was a general theme of chatting up girls, with some songs suggesting a troubling age range. A pleasant surprise given my expectations but can't say I'll be back.

Randy Scouse Git was the best, it's a bit of a tune actually. Punky. Quite varied overall. I only know their two songs about believing, so I was really pleasantly surprised. Not enough to come back though. Just changed my perception of the lads.

I remember liking their TV show when I was a kid. This album doesn't have many of the hits that I remember but it was okay. By the end of the album I definitely had enough because it gets a bit samey. Highlights: Randy Scouse Git No Time

Was fully expecting to hate this, but was better than expected in parts..... Still not blown away and I certainly don't need an hour and a half of it! A third of that would've done. Pretty sure my mum was a fan when she was a teenager, a feel like teenage girls were the target audience. Randy Scouse git is the best track imo 2.5 Too many songs about romancing young girls. But, it's got that beatlesesque thing going on and was more interesting than I expected. As far as 60s pop fluff goes, not bad, but not my thing

Decent, not offensive or amazing. Wanna be beatles originating from a tv-show. Cool origin story

Not good, not bad.

So similar to the Beatles, as intended. A perfectly pleasant and joyful sound.

Have always liked the Monkees after watching their TV show as a kid. I think they are underrated

"The Cars" by The Cars is a quintessential album of the late 1970s, marked by its innovative blend of new wave, rock, and pop sensibilities. From the infectious hooks of "Just What I Needed" to the moody yet catchy "My Best Friend's Girl," this self-titled debut showcases the band's knack for crafting memorable melodies and marrying them with sleek, synth-driven arrangements. One of the album's strengths lies in its diversity. Tracks like "Good Times Roll" exude a playful energy, while "You're All I've Got Tonight" delves into darker, more introspective territory. Ric Ocasek's distinctive vocals and quirky lyrics add depth and character to each song, while the tight musicianship of the band members ensures a polished, cohesive sound throughout. "The Cars" is a timeless classic that remains as relevant and enjoyable today as it was upon its release. It's a testament to the band's enduring influence on the music landscape, and a must-listen for fans of alternative rock and pop alike.

So boring. No musicianship

Meh

Very breezy vibes but easily forgettable

It doesn't get much more lightweight bubblegum pop than this. It's OK, but I really don't think it should be on the list.

Music is okay, songs are same-y. This album came out in the same year as Sgt. Pepper, so it isn’t very experimental either.

Initial thoughts - 36 songs over 1 1/2 hours?! First song out the door nails the Monkees sound Couple songs in. Nice stuff. Good background music Shades of Grey is genuinely fantastic Zilch is 30 years ahead of its time mind blown

Fairly mediocre 60s pop

Helt ok

70’s don’t care

3.25

01) You Told Me - 8,0 02) I'll Spend My Life with You - 7,5 03) Forget That Girl - 7,0 04) Band 6 - 3,0 05) You Just May Be the One - 8,0 06) Shades of Gray - 7,5 07) I Can't Get Her Off My Mind - 7,0 08) For Pete's Sake - 8,0 09) Mr. Webster - 7,5 10) Sunny Girlfriend - 7,5 11) Zilch - 4,0 12) No Time - 7,0 13) Early Morning Blues and Greens - 8,5 14) Randy Scouse Git - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,00 (70/100) It's a nice pop album from the Summer of Love era. To be honest, I don't know a single song on it. Oh, but I am familiar with Mr. Dobalina, Mr. Bob Dobalina :-)

The Monkees are often said to be underrated. This album definitely supports that position. This is great 60s pop. No it isn't the Beatles. The fact that a band isn't the equal of the greatest band of all time is not the knock some seem to think it is.

It’s pleasant enough, but it feels vacant..empty. Devoid of an animating force. Almost like they were conceived in a board room.

TOO LONG! I enjoy some of the songs but it's 90 minutes long and way too much of it is just them doing a Beatles/Elvis/country impression. Also why are there remixes before the final original song? Clear highlight: A Little Bit of me, a little bit of you. Just flashy and pop enough for me.

Gitarrenpop der 60er. Gut zum nebenherhören

Loved the TV show back in the day! A number of great songs!!!

Dull, uninspiring, boring.

60s Backstreet Boys/Poor Man’s Beatles. Next…

This is decent late 60s pop. There are several pretty good songs, as well as a few that pass me by. No real high points, but some fun moments.

nobody would be happier than i to find a monkees record to be an underrated gem but this just isn’t

Solid classic album

unpaso ó dos por detrás de los beatles. Falta alguna de sus mejores canciones; ahora resultam muy ingenuos.

I want to be kinder, because for a Made for TV band, it's pretty impressive that they even got to make their own thing. But, also, maybe they were a Made for TV band for a reason.

That's just too many monkees on the deluxe edition. The story is interesting but the end result doesn't make a lot of sense to me, maybe you had to be there. Fave track: Rand Scouse Git

Bit of a weird list inclusion, this. Their story is pretty interesting, I guess - totally manufactured Beatles knock off morphs into self facilitating Beatles knock off - but is the end result something it's important to hear? No, not really. Fave tracks - well, "Zilch" made the strongest impression for weirdness, I guess! "Randy Scouse Git" was amusing too...

I've never been a huge fan, but this was pleasant to listen to. Except it kept going on and on and on. I mean, there's only so much of this stuff you can listen to at a stretch.

Fröhliche Jungs mit Abwechslung

Considering where this band started, it is absolutely unbelievable how well they did. They make really good music for a “fake” band. This album has a healthy amount of experimentation, great instrumentation, instantly recognizable vocals, and lyrics that always feel like they fit perfect. There’s no reason for me to like this album as much as I do. I just find it so fucking delightful. 4/5

Say what you will about The Monkees being clearly derivative of The Beatles, their music is good in its own right. As far as that comparison goes, this album's style was more closely aligned with the early era of The Beatles, defaulting to a generic rock-and-roll or blues sound. But there is still a unique identity present, and most of the songs are fun to listen to at the very least. I look forward to exploring The Monkees' work more in the future.

This book/list: It came out in 1967, it must be the best thing ever put to tape! I mean, no. Just no. When I think of the albums I should be listening to, it's not this. I mean, the first song is just Doctor Roberts from Revolver. I don't even think the Beatles were that great, so why would I want to listen to a Beatles rip-off?

Most underrated artist of all time? not sure about that, but i know this album is fantastic.

Listened to the original album (30 minutes) rather than the deluxe reissue 90 minute version on Spotify. Anyway, very enjoyable. Some filler, but a great Beatles or Byrds-y 60s pop sound when they hit it.

One time growing up in Roswell, I was watching an episode of the monkeys on TV in an empty house, and all the windows are open. They were playing some kind of musical number that involved a lot of electronic beeps at some point, I looked out the window and there were suddenly probably 50 little birds on the porch, all looking at me in the window. it was weird. my brain settled on the idea that the music of the Monkeys called them to me

Heard of this band, like the beetles, beetles are good, yum yum. 3.2

Such a better album than I would have thought! I had always heard The Monkees were the US Beatles, but never quite understood it with the songs I knew, and the TV show I grew up watching. Listen, it's no White Album, but definitely smoother and deeper than I would have given them credit for.

In a nutshell: from the band that brought you "Head"... 32 minutes of your life gone listening to this mundane album. Skip this. The Monkees are more of a singles band anyway. Overall: 1/10

It's not like this was bad or anything. I'm not all that in to 60's music though...and that's basically all I've had to listen to for this list so far. Meh. 3/5

Good chill background music but wouldn’t seek out

I liked this a lot. Beatles-y but they definitely have their own voice.

Boring Beatles

Well I enjoyed it. I thought that it was nice music of the time

Long but pleasant? Probably need to listen to it again since I wasn’t paying that much attention

Boring and way too long

Good example of their original work.

This is a good set, but not great. It was nostalgic!

I loved these guys, watching them on the TV when I was a kid. Turns out the music is pretty good too. And tidal has a high res (48K/24Bit) version. All the way from 1967. Whodathunkit?

Sometimes I forget how bad pop music was during the early Beatles era. Luckily I have the monkeys to remind me.

2/5 Ok

I’m only part way through but I’m doing the review anyway because 36 tracks?! There does not seem to be an original thought on here. Disappointing

Good ol' rock.

Favourite song - sunny girlfriend

The problem with the monkees is that they just always sound too much like the monkees. Apart from this album where they don’t sound like the monkees. Which is also a problem. The deluxe edition of this album is a whopping 36 tracks long. Another problem. It’s so samey. But that’s because there are so many different versions of the same tracks. And when each track is less than 3 minutes on average it’s impossible to care about what you’re listening to. Nice to know there is a side of the monkees I didn’t know. Another side of the monkees I don’t want to listen to. 2.5

I was skeptical. Buti ended up liking the album.

lackluster

The most straightforward sunshine pop ever made. I do not much care for sunshine pop.

It's pretty dire. If it wasn't for Zilch this would be a 1 star album, but it barely scrapes 2 stars, partly due to the production cleverly hiding the lack of talent on display.

I like some of their other albums better.

What are there like 47 songs on this? Ha. You know, I had always hated the Monkees from watching their stupid TV show occasionally back in the day. And while I'm reluctant to admit it, there were a couple of tracks here that weren't so terrible.

Hey hey, we’re the… former boy band trying to make it as real musicians? But who other than Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson have made it beyond the manufactured malaise? I remember watching “The Monkees” as a kid. Must have been the revival on Nickelodeon in 1986. And I must have been the right age to dig it? What I didn’t know as a 6-year-old watching reruns of a 60s show in the 80s was the behind-the-scenes struggle in the creation and evolution of The Monkees. It’s an interesting story. Maybe more interesting than most of the music it produced. Their two preceding albums may have been cranked out by the machine, but the iconic hits from those albums stand out more than the “Headquarters” tunes the Monkees wrote themselves.

People may say they monkey around....but they would be wrong. Monkeying around implies something interesting would happen. This was just boring.

Cute I guess, but blandly outdated and unexciting.

I guess this is the first Monkees album where they were afforded (some) creative freedom, after the band was originally a fictional group for the TV show with the music written by others and recorded by session musicians. I hate to say it, but the industry machine that created The Monkees did a better job making songs than the Monkees themselves. At least at this stage before “Daydream Believer” was released.

4.5

Nice effort, sweaty

Walmart early beatles

Amidst their struggle for creative control, there's a raw energy that permeates Headquarters, giving it a distinct edge. The Monkees finally have the opportunity to assert themselves as musicians, pushing boundaries and experimenting with their sound. Tracks like Randy Scouse Git showcase the group's willingness to take risks and break free from conventions. Despite the chaos, there's a sense of liberation in their music, as if they're finally unleashing their true selves. Headquarters marks a significant departure from their earlier, more polished sound, revealing a band unafraid to embrace their quirks and imperfections. In the midst of the madness, The Monkees find their voice, creating an album that is both wildly entertaining and undeniably authentic. It's a testament to their resilience and creativity, proving that sometimes a little madness can lead to greatness. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 11 STAND OUT TRACK - You Just May Be the One

Watch the film Head (1968) it’s a trip

i liked it

Listened 3/14/24. Never heard this one before. A real mixed bag of styles. A few memorable tracks.

Not bad

Nope

nie podoba mi sie, jeden sie trafil nieprzeszkadzacz calkiem przyjemny

Definitely sounds like a band frying to imitate the Beatles. But they were successful in that. Good Brit rock vibes

A little Kinks, a whole lot of Beatles, this album is a nice document of what happens when a band fights for autonomy from their label. They began as a product, and took control of their creative path. What they did with it? It wasn't the most original thing ever, but blew a lot of expectations out of the water and has a lot of great moments. 3 stars for their irrepressible human spirits.

The Monkees have some truly great songs, sadly none of them are to be found on this album. At times they're really channeling their inner 'Beatles', but without any of the charm or musicality.

Dollar store Beatles music. Ugh.

Light pop

Certainly changed their style once they could recorded their own music. Doesnt seemed inspired but it is a departure from thenpop sound. I think it sold a lot based upon their popularity at the time, nit upon the merits of the music.

Not one of their better efforts

Innocent music.

Some nice songs, just so difficult to endure as a manufactured effort to copy the Beatles

This album gave us the sample for Del tha Funky Homosapien’s Mistadobalina which is a huge contribution.

It's an upbeat and good album. The Monkees really defined the pop sound of the 60's with the Beatles. What separates the Monkees from the Beatles is the music doesn't really enthrall me. It's good, not great. 3/5.

Classic monkees sound

Leuk, heb niet alle versies van alle nummers geluisterd want dat leek me niet nodig

I only had a vague memory of the Monkees. I probably only heard their name once. I gave the album a chance. I gave it up after 18 tracks. The music was uninteresting to me and was increasingly getting on my nerves. Only Zilch promised to be more interesting. It wasn't boring, but it was so annoying that I abandoned it.

when you can't decide if you wanna listen to the beatles, the kinks or the byrds... you listen to the monkees.

Not really for me. It was a bit all over the place and hard to distinguish.

I guess I feel like a bit of a heathen because I much preferred their songs from the first two albums. And the ones used on the TV show. The monkees show used to be on early every Saturday morning when I was a kid and I was a huge fan. I know they are the prototype of a manufactured boy band, but I still love the music. This album is when they had more creative control, and I feel terrible for not loving it as much. I just don’t. It’s probably a 2.5 but I’m gonna round it up because they are such a fun bunch.

I guess I'll admit to being a little disappointed by this. I like the Monkees, their hits are great. This album proved that, yes, they were more than just four guys with charisma and charm, there was musical and vocal acuity at work. But it's also like the first form of AI. Like, someone listed a bunch of popular artists (the Beatles, for one), a bunch of signature production ideas from the '60s, and a limited number of song themes into a music generator and this was the result. It's a fun listen, but it's akin to eating a bag of Skittles. Little pops of sweetness that sorta taste like fruit — or a color, or something — but there's no nutritional value and your tongue turned green. That's my analogy and I'm sticking to it.

I have a soft spot for The Monkees, and I certainly enjoyed much of this album, but I'm not sure it belongs on the list. Yes, it's a big moment for them as they finally wrestled control of the band away from Don Kirshner, but also who cares? I'll stick with the various greatest hits collections, though it was nice to hear a few tunes I didn't already know. Also, though, kudos to Mike Nesmith as always.

I always thought this band got a bad rap. As a kid I was totally smitten with the TV show. Even now on this rainy day as I sit at my desk just thinking about getting home from school and settling into a Monkees episode provides a warm gemütlichkeit in my soul. That same feeling comes with songs like I'll Spend My Life With You--nostalgia, jingle jangle tambourine, and harmonies. Davey Jones has the sweetest voice and boy oh boy call me Marcia b/c I'm smitten when I hear him sing. For Pete's Sake - Dayum...take me back to these halcyon hippy days! I really had fun listening to this and sure nostalgia wants to push this to a 4 but my pragmatism will keep at 3(.5)

Songs so inoffensive it almost becomes offensive again

The Monkees are a bad Beatles imitation, albeit one who had a song in Daydream Believer that was every bit as good as anything the Beatles wrote. That's not on this album though, and so this is really just prosaic 60s pop that isn't at all memorable. Forget That Girl has a nice riff/hook but that's it, Sunny Girlfriend is jaunty and bouncy in welcome relief from a mid-record delve into psychedelia, and No Time might be the best song as it's straight up rock and roll, just nothing loads of others hadn't already done before them. Not sure it warrants more than a 2.

This is really lightweight, unimpressive twinkly pop. If you compare to Sergeant Pepper, or the albums that the Beach Boys, Velvet Underground, The Doors, or Hendrix were releasing at that time it shows how backward looking to the early 60s this was. Maybe that's a harsh set of comparisons, but this is supposed to be a list of the best albums of all time and this just doesn't get close. 2/5.

Not a bad album. Not a great album. I’m a little surprised this made the “1001 Albums…” list. They were better than they were given credit for, but certainly not the second coming of the Beatles.

Fun album

Album Nr. 44 Nicht schlecht. Aber eher durchschnittlich. Mehr Titel nach der Machart des Titels "No Time" hätten dem Album gut getan.

Fine Monkees’ album with no standouts.

Tja gewoon wel aardig maar ook niet echt noemenswaardig

Goofy oude muziek weer. Kan me voorstellen dat dit in de jaren 60 hip was. Maar toen was m’n pa net geboren. Nee sorry

as much of the music of this era, this sounds a whole lot like early era beatles. but don’t get me wrong, there are some good songs on here. highlights: “you told me”, “shades of gray”, “early morning blues and greens”

It’s fine.

I thought the Monkeys were straight bubble gum pop. Colour me surprised.

I was surprised to like their music. Hated to listen to anything my sister liked when I was young. :)

It sounds like a version of Help! from an alternate universe in which John has no edge and he and Paul have mysteriously lost their talent for writing melodic hooks. It's well-engineered though.

Biased Opinion: I love the monkees. The 1960s and Americas attempt at the Beatles and surprisingly it worked. A group lost to time, the Monkees have always captured my love for their music and hilarious antics. 🥇You Told Me 🥈No Time 🥉Mr. Webster HM: Shades of Gray

“Mom I want to listen to the Beatles at home” The Beatles at home: Idk, I’m just not a fan of bands from this time that literally sound like clones of other popular bands. This feels like the equivalent of the radio crafted music I despise in modern times. There’s nothing that particularly stands out or sets the Monkees apart on this album, which is yet another reason I’m not feeling this.

Not the greatest album and definitely not one I have to listen to before I die like we are grasping at straws here but this was just okay. I like them and some songs went into the playlist but I will just listen to the beatles instead.

i think 'Zilch' must qualify as some kind of crime against humanity

Too long :(

This album was actually kind of fun to listen to, as it brought back memories of watching their silly show when I was a kid. The members of the band certainly weren’t stellar musicians, but they weren’t bad either. Peter Tork was actually quite good on the bass. Many of the songs were pretty dorky, but album’s closer, “No Time,” was an enjoyable boogie-woogie romp. I could listen to this again, but it’s unlikely I would ever seek it out.

Bummer that this got bumped by Sgt Peppers. This was The Monkees album that was to show them stepping away from their Prefab Four monicker and showing the music listening audience what they were capable. It's a fantastic album in its own right, but also a peak at what pop music was like before The Beatles change music forever with Sgt. Peppers. One could argue this is the Monkees Sgt Peppers. 4/5.

Maybe it was the bestseller of that time; but i found it repetitive and uninteresting

I would need to unlisten 70% of the music I know to properly appreciate this record. I’m sorry but I just cannot help but listen a low profile version of the Beatles.

The original “boy band”. Fun album. And it sounds like they had fun making it. Some of the songs are not quite up to par, but others are quite good; including “You Just May Be the One” by Nesmith, “For Pete’s Sake” by Tork, and “Randy Scouse Git” by Dolenz, all originals. Better production would have helped the overall sound, but still a good album of the times.

garbage. 0.

I always liked The Monkees cuz of the show and how camp it was but when you remove that and just listen to them it really is nothing but a wannabe Beatles and has very little to offer on it own musically.

Absolutely average album. There's few exceptions, but overall all the records from 60s sound very similar to each other. Nothing interesting, zero songs worth mentioning, just another album on this list.

Interesting Monkees album that doesn’t contain any of their big hits but is the album where they had creative control. If this came out early 60’s I think it would be a comfortable 3 star albums, but given it comes out the same time as stg pepper it’s going to be compared to it, and very quickly feels very dated for late 60’s. Therefore I can’t agree that this album deserves to be on the list.

Such a classic!¡

It just felt a bit boring for a pretty famous 60s band. Everything about it felt just plain basic, not extremely enjoyable with no stand out tracks. Most enjoyable bit was the section of track from Zilch which I have heard sampled elsewhere.

This album has some strong moments but they are few and far between. The band keeps falling into their tired, sanitized Beatlesque pop. As Oscar Wilde said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”. If this album is anything it’s mediocre.

Favorite monkee's album

A lot of fun to listen to, but it still felt a little too derivative of the Beatles. Some interesting stuff in there, though.

It did not have any of the hits. It was short and alright. Even though they don't write their own songs, I will not hold that against them. I will generously round up.

Decent album for its time I imagine. Not what I’m trying to listen to these days though.

Blind album, know the artist. Zilch interest but not the worst thing in the world I guess...

The Monkees were one of the many Beatles cover bands in the last 1960s. Inoffensive, poor man Beatles. 4.3/10

Pop happy años 60. A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You.4

this album is quintessential 70s. It reminds me a lot of the beach boys but not as good. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. 3/5

You Told Me - 7/10 I’ll Spend My Life With You - 7/10 Forget That Girl - 8/10 Band 6 -7 /10 You Just May Be The One - 7.5/10 Shades of Gray - 6.5/10 I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind - 6.5/10 For Pete’s Sake - 7.5/10 Mr Webster - 8/10 Sunny Girlfriend - 8/10 Zilch - 6/10 No Time - 7/10 Early Morning Blues and Greens - 8/10 Randy Scouse Git - 8/10 TOTAL - 110/140

I remember watching their show - don’t think I missed one.

Surprised to find I liked this album a lot. Has a good groove and upbeat tone

Are people going to come to my house and beat me with hammers if I say this sounds exactly like the Beatles?

The Beatles but make it bad

Alguna canción rara, alguna lenta pero el resto bien

I really like “Shades of Gray.” The other songs are okay. “Zilch” was interesting.

Very nostalgic some good tracks so I’m not so good tracks

I always feel guilty giving fewer than 4 stars an album that I enjoy and would add to my library. This is one of those times. I love this sound, the catchy Beatles-esque melodies, the clean cut, fun production. But it’s so sanitary, so safe, so… well, lame, really. The Monkees are complicated because in a way, they were the prototype for the ultra-commercialized corporate-type bands that would dominate the Billboard charts in years to come. Yet, they have a lot of nice songs. I think that’s the other thing though. Nice doesn’t mean great. In fact, a lot of the time, ugly is great. I think this album is good, but not amazing, and there was much more creatively notable music that sounds similar from this time—for one, “Begin” by The Millennium, which doesn’t appear on this list. And so, though I like this album, I can’t give it higher than a 3/5.

Surprisingly good

The Monkees were always more than a manufactured band of pretty boys and this album proved it; all the self-penned songs stand up against those written for them or recorded as covers (well, maybe excepting "Band 6" and "Zilch", but even they have their merits) and in some cases are the best songs on the album.

Nice blend of bite sized songs from a range of different genres. Bonus nostalgia points since my mother listened to these songs all throughout my childhood.

Very forgettable

Oh yay!!

Surprised at how much they sounded like The Beatles.

Reminds me of early Beatles, but less over played.

They’re like The Beatles but worse. All the songs seem similarly hollow to me. I thought it was bearable at the start but the album itself is long which made it seem to drag

It was good, it just struggles to compare to a lot of other albums that released in the same era by similar groups. The vocals can get a bit old but the instrumentals are charming.

Not sure I'd call this essential listening.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Randy scouse git

Estilo sesentero. Sin muchos alardes. Canciones sencillas. Pop tranquilo de la época. Alguna canción más conocida.

It's very pleasant and safe, but also incredibly bland and uninteresting, not a lot of substance to the music, however, as far as 60s boy band rock groups go, they're relatively competent, not got a lot of replay value though

Meh

Brought me back to 1987 for their comeback. Prefer them to stay there but liked Jericho which I had never heard. Don’t like their cheesy stuff.

Pop happy años 60. A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You.

Love it! I grew up listening to the Monkees, so this one feels close to home.

Very dated.

This is very good album

Heard of the monkees, but not this album or any songs. Pop from 1967 (parents birth year). It’s alright so far. 3.

Enjoyable, some nice rhythm, but not quite my taste. I could listen for extended periods of time, though.

Ganz hübsch. Viel L-C-R Panning für 1967. Zwei Sterne.

The Monkees are just a shallow imitation of the Beatles and that’s all they’ll ever be

Randy Scouse Git is one of their best songs

BL: aware of The Monkees but never really listened to them. AL: I liked this. the first half of the album was pretty standard jangly 60s mild psychedelic rock, however in the second half there seems to be a shift to more aberrant lyrical content, interesting and boundary breaking mixing choices ("Zilch"). With a screaming closer of a track, this was an amazing album to experience and I'm incredibly glad I got to. Not too long to overstay it's welcome, just short enough to leave me wanting more. FT: "Zilch", "Randy Scouse Git" 3/5

Not the right person to ask about this one. The monkees just don’t really do it for me. I get the idea and appreciate the effort but I just can’t vibe with the outcome.

While I respect that this is the first album that the band finally got their opportunity to have some creative freedom but I cannot say this was that special of an album. I definitely knew the Monkees and the discourse around them coming into this listen. I had heard of some of their songs and watched some reruns of their show with my dad as a kid but never listened to a full album. The only song on this album I had heard before was "For Pete's Sake" but only because it was the closing theme for the show and I only remembered a little bit of it from when I was a kid. This album started out pretty strong with "You Told Me" which is a pretty typical Monkees song except for the fact that it has some above average instrumentation with some fun banjo and tambourine. It also has a pretty catchy chorus and I would say it a pretty good start to the album. This is followed with "I'll Spend My Life With You" which is another good track. I think it has one of the most memorable choruses on the album with some really nice steel guitar backing it. It is also the first song that you can see that the band got to do some of their own experimentation on. It could just be me but it almost sounds like the band saw the massive psychedelic music wave happening around them and decided to just dip their toes in with this chorus. To me the sort of slowed down tempo along with just the vocals reminds me of the version of "Green Tambourine" that is performed at the end of Recess: School's Out except that the Monkees did not commit to hard to the sound but that is not too surprising as it would have been a massive jump. Either way it still is a really solid track. I know alot of people who have reviewed this like "Forget That Girl" but I just find it kind of annoying. I see what they were trying to do but I think Davy Jones just struggles to pull this song off vocally and to me it just sounds kind of whiny. I also think it sort of falls back in line with the more typical pop of the era. I guess it has somewhat interesting vocal arrangement but it is just not performed particularly well to me. "Band 6" is not really a song so I'm just gonna skip it. I can appreciate that it is part of the band finally being allowed some creative control but it just stops any momentum the album had and was not really interesting in any way. "You Just May Be The One" is another pretty typical 60's pop album. It is fine but in all honesty the vocals are kinda boring on this one. I probably would never come back to this one. Next is "Shades of Gray" which to me is a return to form. It is just a more strongly written and arranged track than the previous three. I think it had a stronger vocal performance as well. It is just a nice, sweet 60s pop song with some solid instrumentation especially the strings, piano and French horn. "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind" is just painfully plain. It is like an unseasoned chicken breast. It has some solid writing that is nice and cute but the vocal performance as well as the instrumentation is so milquetoast that the song is near unlistenable to me. It is like it was sung half asleep. The first song on the B side of the record is "For Pete's Sake" which is the outro to their show and it is one of the best songs on the album. It is just a simple track but what puts it apart from other Monkees tracks (especially on this album) is how punchy the instrumentation is on the song. The drums, guitar and bass are all clearly better than they are on most of the other songs on the album. Next is "Mr. Webster" which is another solid track with some more interesting writing about a man who does exceptional work at a dead end job and never gets the appreciation he deserves (or raises he is promised). It is a welcome change of pace and it has a solid vocal performance but is just a little boring. "Sunny Girlfriend" is another one of the best tracks on the album. It has some real energy behind it which is sorely needed on this album. I think it has some solid songwriting and nice instrumentation. Also has probably a top 3 or 4 vocal performance on the album. Not a ton to say about it besides this cause it is still strictly in the realm of 60s pop rock but it is a really good example of the genre. Similar to "Band 6", "Zilch" is pretty much just here because the band finally got to do their own thing and they decided to just throw some weird shit on that album which I am not opposed to but only when it works out. Here it does not. "No Time" is a continuation of the energy on "Sunny Girlfriend". It is a little derivative of early Beatles stuff and other bands of the time but it still sounds really good and has a really fun vocal performance. Definitely a top 3-5 song on the album. "Early Morning Blues And Greens" is a fine track that sounds like a lot of what is already on the album. It is a better version of some of the worse songs on the album but it is not a particularly great song. I don't know, I'm just not a fan of this overly soft, washed-out sound that they seems so tied to on this album. "Randy Scouse Git" is a really great outro for the album. It is the most experimental track on the album with a scat breakdown, more heavier sounding instrumentation, better vocals, sound progression and development. It also has some of the more interesting writing on the album. It is what I would have hoped the album would be given the reputation that this album was them finally getting to spread their wings. Overall I think this was the best track on the album. In all honesty this just feels like a standard pop rock album of the late 60's. You could replace them with 5-10 bands that would make this album with better vocal performances, better instrumentation, better writing but most importantly more character. The Monkees sound exactly like what they look like, they have no edge to them at all which to me hinders them on this album. They just don't bring that much character to the songs in my opinion. I don't actually dislike the band all that much but I just don't see them as anything special and definitely not good enough to deserve the amount of popularity they did. I listened to this album cause it was suggested to me on generator for "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and while it is solid it stick out like a sore thumb when put up with some other albums on the list. The show is still fun though.

Taking elements from The Beatles. Fair to middling.

easy to listen to, lightweight, hard to particularly dislike. Zilch contains the sample from Mr Dobalina! :D No Time a standout track, Sunny Girlfriend also decent.

Always liked the Monkees from seeing the reruns on Saturday mornings as a kid. My friend is a huge fan of Nez (the heir to the Post-it empire - although not anymore I guess, RIP Nez) I'm glad they got to play their own instruments and be a proper band. Hard to shake the feeling during much of this album however that this is what the Beatles would sound like if they'd never moved on. Much of it is good not great. A Monkees album in which you've never heard any of the songs. That said, there are still some jewels here for sure. Randy Scouse Git is an absolute banger worthy of rivalling their big hits. Ah I forgot they had the weird thing in the 60s of sticking the singles out separately instead of on the record, so uta worth hanging around AFTER the album for A Little Bit Me and particularly Nez-s the Girl that I Knew Somewhere, pop perfection!

No "Daydream Believer"? No "I'm a Believer"? No "Opening Theme"? Oh, hey, at least they made this album by themselves...! Two participation trophies out of five 🏆🏆

Wasn't feeling it at first, but really picks up on the B side. Good mix of standard 60s pop tunes, some more psychedelic pop tunes, and goofy stuff like Zilch. Sounds more like an early 60s album than a late 60s album though. Doesn't try to push the envelope at all, but doesn't really need to.

The monkees, I heard they were a huge influence on the Beatles. That’s pretty much what a lot of this album is. Music that could almost be the Beatles from the 60s except the Monkees lack the good deep songwriting style that Paul and John had. This album is good from a 60s pop perspective but it doesn’t hold as well as a Beatles or beach boys album. 6.5/10

some are nice. some are annoying af

Opening as Beatles parody perhaps, Headquarters meanders but then really comes into its own on side 2, the push/pull between the record company's control and the band's desire for more creative input males the album sound distinctive and off kilter. Once the band hit the genius Glitch we're in uncharted waters. Certainly not the fun loving band the TV show would have you believe.

A bit all over the place. One of the tracks ‘Zilch’ physically repulsed me. Looks like this was the first album that The Monkees wrote and fully played on the tracks themselves, and you can kind of tell. It’s no ‘I’m a Believer’.

Didn't have any monkees song that I knew on this album, however most of the tracks were ok. And could easily listen to them again in the background. But nothing special

It’s a no from me dog

Me caen bien The Monkees, y este disco no es excepción. Pop sesentero que entra muy fácil.

Meh

Very cool album! It's got great harmonies, the opener is fantastic A sweet concise album, that doesn't waste time, except for the quirky interludes maybe. The songs have fantastic hooks and melodies. They're having a ball and being goofy at times, but I think it's a bit of their trademark? Standouts: You Told Me, Shades Of Gray, For Pete's Sake, Sunny Girlfriend, Early Morning Blues And Greens 8,5 out of 10

The Monkees are a great facsimile of the Beatles on this album. Some of the songs even sound like yet to be released songs at the time. Great harmonies and a unique twist on the sound.

Meh this was underwhelming and completely bland. Not very good.

No!

It's pleasant and fine. Shades of the Beatles, vocally. It's nice to read that this is the first album they had some creative input in. It's good noise when it's on, but leaves the mind shortly after. Favorite tracks: "For Pete's Sake", "Randy Scouse Git"

Giving this a fresh listen... Remove the context of a spoof of the Beatles meant for the American masses, the music favorably compares to the fab four from their early days. Was not bad as a Monday morning drive in....

The album was okay. Not many songs stood out to me and it feels like a Beatles copy. It is not terrible, but I would not listen to this album again. Favorite Song(s): "For Pete's Sake", "Mr. Webster", "Randy Scouse Git", "All of Your Toys"

Fun and sweet and it's a shame they were so shamelessly marketed, because this much substantive and skillfully executed than the "made-for-TV-boy-band" reputation allows for. The number of quality cuts sneaks up: "Forget That Girl" is twee, dreamy pop that Belle & Sebastian could scarcely improve on (though could certainly make more literary). "You May Be the One" is strong and direct. "Shades of Grey" is a bit soft, sure, but lovely cello, no? "For Pete's Sake" is super crisp and a decent Summer of Love sort of anthem – there are many others that have aged much more cringily. And look at them gettin' all avant-g on "Zilch." "Early Morning Blues and Greens" is not quite at the level of "Sunday Morning Coming Down," but same vibes, though slightly sweeter and less bitter. The most memorable "Randy Scouse Git" leaves a mark, with its "Rocky Raccoon" flourishes has a chamber-pop whimsy that approaches grandeur, plus a near-angry, hard-edged chorus that is most appealing. The Decemberists should be this good. TBH, there's barely a misplaced note here. But by far the biggest problem with assessing the Monkees remains their reputation as the Monkees. One has to be a committed contrarian to argue their case beyond "better than commonly believed." To wit, this is awfully close to a 5 but one just can't quite get there.

Fácil de escuchar, con un ritmo contagioso y divertido. Lo disfruté y se me fue muy rápido.

p107. 1967. 2.5 stars Average 60s pop album from an average 60s pop group. A couple of standout tunes, but there is a lot of filler. On the plus side, it is short.

Holy Shit. I hate the 60's music. I cant, its just so boring so much of the time. The beatles are good, but goddamn everything else is so bland and boring.

The Monkeys! Funny how there were lots of bands named after animals back then, The Monkeys, The Turtles, The Beatles, etc.

2,5

Enjoyable poppy stuff for the most part. Some of lyrics are a bit creepy and pedophilic when listening in 2023.

Meh...not so much.

It was nice enough, didn't really grab me

This one surprised me

plain

This album didn't really do anything for me. It's very approachable, almost too much so.

That sucked

Not bad. Probably overrated due to the Monkees' popularity, but a fun effort. A little light psychedelia here and there mixed with songs about holding hands and pretty girls. "Sunny Girlfriend" brings a little country to the party, and the first three songs could be on any alt-rock band's covers list. Not intense.

Just can't with the Monkeys

mr dobalina sample... what, what? hahha 1:33 is alot of Monkeys, undeniably important in the landscape tho....