If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The harms are immaculate, and it grooves in offensively throughout, but it needs more bops.

California dreamin on kova ja pari muutakin kivaa biisiä. Vastapainoksi muutama tavanomainen rallattelu.

Veeeery sleepy music.

Paar goede hits, maar over het algemeen toch braaf en saai.

snoozefest with a few iconic hits

ТУАЛЕТ И ЛУЧШЕ КАЙФА НЕТ ЧЕМ НОВЫЙ ТУАЛЕТ СТОИТ В САДУ СВЕРКАЕТ ОТРАЖАЯ СОЛНЦА СВЕТ БУМБУБМПЫЩЩЩЩЧЗЗВХХХДЧЛЖХХБЖЖЖЖЖЖ Лучше чем Velvet Underground нахуй 6/10

Sympathique mais sans plus. California Dreaming est emblématique, mais y'a pas de profondeur derrière, ce sont des bluettes un peu lisses

Sympa et très marqué par son époque, même si pas transcendant. Écoute agréable sans plus.

Some good songs,few meh

It’s pretty impressive to hear a band so fully formed in their debut. Their biggest songs are on this album, to my knowledge. The production — especially the hard panning on the opening track — is very of its time, but it has a warmth to it. Excellent vocal performances of course. I wish they were upfront in the mix more frequently, and not hard panned like on “Do you Wanna Dance”. The songwriting is a little anodyne for my tastes. The album feels like an alternate path pop music could have taken, if Sergeant Pepper never happened. I don’t think I’ll finish this album, but I appreciate it within its historical context.

pretty good for that decade.

I still remember the first time I heard California Dreaming - literally stopped me on my feet and becry 'what the f*@£ is that' - I don't think there are many more evocative, sharp tracks, pop or otherwise ever created. Everything else was going to be a bit downhill after that wasn't it?

Monday Monday and California Dreaming are rightful classics, but looking at the album as a whole, none of the other songs come close. I would even go as far as calling them boring.

One great song, some good songs, some average songs, and some bad songs. And John Phillips should have died in jail. I don’t believe in Hell, but if there’s one man who is guaranteed a spot down there, it’s him.

Like almost every other reviewer here, I think California Dreamin' carries this record. Though Got A Feelin' is also pretty good. Never listened to a full Mamas and Papas album before

Best song: California dreaming

Un bon petit rock n' roll qui s'écoute bien. Pas blown away, mais c'est très respectable. Ça fait très été, sans soucis, joyeux, etc. 7/10

Nice harmonies. Simple ish music, sing along style. Seems to be a lot of covers. Lovely music but probably won't go back to it

71/100

makes u feel like ur living in a time u can afford to buy a house

You know how when you open an old photo album from the '60s, the pages are stuck together and there's a distinct, old musty paper smell? That's what listening to this album reminds me of. Old people music that's super unfamiliar. Early blues and standards from Ray Charles & Frank Sinatra, or '60s pop from Dusty Springfield all do a really good job of evoking emotion and non-existent memories from decades past, but this one just feels like generic, radio-friendly old people music. It's like looking at those old family photos and recognizing zero faces. But despite that, you can't help but look and observe, just like you can't help but take in this record and appreciate it for what it was. It has a strange appeal, starting out as something that sounds unrelatable before it draws you in with that same "ancient-ness" that's so far removed from today's music. I'm rambling, but all that is to say that even though this record didn't evoke much emotion or feeling in me, I kinda dug it. Standouts are I Call Your Name, California Dreamin', and Spanish Harlem.

I had high expectations for this, and that's probably my fault. The singles are good, the rest is just kind of there.

Monday, Monday // Got A Feelin’ // I Call Your Name // California Dreamin’ // Hey Girl // 2.5/5

The hits have definitely stood the test of time. The other tracks . . . not so much. Fairly lifeless treatment of covers like Do You Wanna Dance and Spanish Harlem. The other originals felt stuck in their era. I found myself wondering when Mama Cass was going to take a deserving spot at center stage, and was disappointed by more and more songs with John and Denny out in front.

I'm listening to this in the sun - this is definitely a summer album (which I then confirmed on the wiki page) Monday, Monday feels like a classic 60s pop song. Comfy and nostalgic. Enjoyed this. Straight shooter - it's good but sounds a LOT like a beatles song. Very beatles-esque. Too much for my liking. Got a feelin - Just want to sit in the sun and brood in sadness with this one. Melancholic summery gloop Call your name - quite like this one. can imagine this being played in a sentimental film or tv show. A highlight for me. do you wanna dance - Nice. I prefer this to the beach boy's version go where you wanna go - probably my least favourite so far. It's so-so. California dreamin - despite being their classic song, and im already well familiar with it, didn't enjoy it as much as expected Spanish harlem - think we're getting more into the filler songs. just feels OK. By the time we get to 'hey girl' (another beatles-esque song), it's all starting to feel a little samey. The quality is wearing off. The in crowd - An unremarkable song Something I can appreciate with this one - the songs don't go on too long. It's easy pop listening, really. Overall, it had some good points but it won't last in my memory as something spectacular. I'd recommend this to Beatles fan boys. Can't give this anymore than 3 stars.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears is the debut album by the American folk rock band Mamas & the Papas released in 1966. This platinum certified album peaked at the top spot of the Billboard 200 chart in the US after release and was praised for being so accessible to any type of music listener. The folksy harmonies backed by acoustic guitars gave the album a groovy vibe which could go without being stated since the album released in the mid-60's. I enjoyed this album and for half an hour (recorded length) I was transported back to the years of love, hugs, hippies, and drugs. There were some standout tracks, but I believe it would be best to listen to the entire album so one can discover them on their own.

Some good songs, some very cheesy ones.

Bra musikk, det er veldig beach boys og Beatlespreget, men da jeg leste at han ene sangeren er en incestuøs pedo mistet jeg interessen

Meh. Some good songs, but I didn't love it

California Dreamin' and Monday, Monday are otherworldly candy-harmony pop delights. The rest of the album is pretty forgettable, but pleasant. Lots of harmonies stacked on harmonies... though a bit boring.

They have a very definite shtick which you're probably going to like or dislike without much in-between. I like it, though I do think a whole album of sunny close-harmony folk-pop (even a relatively short one) is a little much for me. So it's kinda corny and quite dated, but I do enjoy a lot of it. Great melodies and, of course, harmonies. Best song: Spanish Harlem

Remember hearing my mother play this one , great group

Lekker sfeervol wegdromen met deze 60’s meerstemmigheid. Een heel album is wel wat veel van het goede..

Not for me but great recording

It's pretty good from start to finish. One song stands out: California dreaming

I only knew one song, California dreaming, and I was extra excited when that song came up lol. Was listening to the album during a long drive, I got sleepy after a series of songs that I dont know. Almost all of the albums listed here, I listened to in the background. I would like to pay more attention when listening to them somehow. 3.5/5

6.5/10 - I certainly don't dislike this, the innocent, catchy melodies and harmonies make many of these tracks a fun listen, however I feel as though there is only so much of this 60s, summery, LA sound I can listen to before feeling like I've heard the whole album. I'll always maintain that California dreamin is one of the greatest songs of all time, and there are a handful of other tracks that I enjoyed, although, as a whole, this didn't quite do it for me. Would not listen again Favourite tracks - Monday, Monday Straight shooter l call your name (primarily because it's a Beatles cover) California dreamin

Showing its age a bit, but good to hear it again.

Music is a bit dull. Just like their band name.

Exemplaire de la musique des années 60. J’aime que les voix masculines et féminines ne soient pas toujours sous forme de question-réponse, mais souvent en harmonie

I like Monday Monday and California Dreamin’, but not the rest.

The Walmart version of mid-career Beatles. I wanted to hate this, but the songs are really catchy and infectious. The male vocals are cheesy, but the female vocals are quite good, with a good bit of attitude in 'em. The Mama's carry the Papa's here.

Dorky but sweet

Nice harmonies, very 60s

Horrible cover, ridiculous name. Now that’s out of the way. I went into this album fully expecting to love every second of it. Their harmonies are beyond wonderful and “California Dreamin’” is one of those songs that I could play on repeat forever and never grow tired of. Unfortunately I don’t feel the same towards the rest of the album. It’s quite good and I really do like those harmonies a lot. It just rarely moves me. It’s as if it’s too polished for its own good. Too far removed from the original emotions of the songs.

California Dreamin' is a banger, surrounded by a bunch of solid harmonies, etc!

This is in my wheelhouse but this was before albums were albums. Back then, basically before the Beatles - but also during - they put a single out then would add it to an album of filler tracks and covers, which this essentially is. I enjoy the original material on this but not the album.

Very 60s. I definitely preferred the female sung songs instead, they felt more fun than the male led songs

Standouts: California Dreamin; The ‘In’ Crowd

Good

I can listen to it in the background while working or cooking. However, it's nothing special.

cute! all kinda runs together though?

Dynamite singles, impressive vocal harmonies throughout. Not as immediately captivating as some of the other breakthrough '60s pop but definitely a breezy listen. 3.5/5

Classic stuf

그 시절을 살지 않았어도 느껴진 노스탤지어 4번-9번 트랙 추천

Pretty nice hippie-dippie nonsense

This is a very personal bias, but I cannot fucking STAND how old albums are mixed like this one. Each instrument and voice shouldn’t be in a different ear. It instantly pisses me off. That being said, I didn’t actively dislike any of the songs on this album, but it got repetitive fast. Good but not great.

Thought this was ok, but nothing special. 2.5/5

I’ve always respected the Mamas and the Papas more than I really liked them. This is a nice album, they have lovely voices, but I don’t think that I’d really choose to listen to it. C

Beside the big hits I was surprised but the style of music it was. More of a beach boys style than I was expediting.

Alright. Very twee

I can hear the drugs. Not bad though.

Two maybe three good songs, but the two are very good, unique in style, and classics. Rest of the album: meh.

Music is much better than the album art.

Fine album with a couple major hits. Everyone has performed California Dreamin' in 5th grade music class.

Feels like a Beatles album in a lot of ways. Nice mixing and vocals but I’m just not crazy about it.

Это не плохой миленький фолк-рок из 60-х, довольно неплохие песни есть, но мне не нравятся где то процентов 40 песен на этом альбоме. Если хотите окунуться в популярную музыку той эпохи - то рекомендую слушать, но сейчас он слушается не прям, что очень хорошо

Not too bad. A couple of good songs, but just a little too boring and melancholic to keep my attention throughout. The vocals are nice though. Additionally, this may be the first album so far in the list that I can say I have a bit of an issue with in terms of stereo mixing. I appreciate records that make creative use of stereo, but this was far too wide. Maybe I'll seek out a mono version of this if I decide to listen again someday. Favourite: California Dreamin'

Een fijne plaat, met ‘Monday, monday’ en ‘California dreamin’ als bekende deuntjes.

Obviously very familiar with the huge hits from this record, but not so much else from this band. This album is pretty meticulously arranged with beautiful harmonies. Very pleasant listen. Really evocative of a very specific time and place with the mid-60s AM radio gold sound.

Very good surprised how many I actually knew

There's some classic stuff here, but doesn't do much for me. I'm not a huge fan of big full group harmonies that were popularized by CSNY, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, and The Mama's and the Papa's but there are definitely some songs that overcome that particular grievance of mine. 5/10

Fine. Some classic hits.

the classics were good

Released in 1966, the album showcases the group's unique harmonies and eclectic musical style, blending elements of folk, rock, and pop to create a sound that is very catchy. The album opens with "Monday, Monday," the band's breakthrough hit also serves as one of my favorites on the entire thing. The song's bright melodies and intricate harmonies immediately set the tone for the rest of the album, which features a mix of upbeat tracks like "Got a Feelin'" and "Straight Shooter" alongside more contemplative tunes like "California Dreamin'" and "Go Where You Wanna Go." The album also features covers of two classic folk songs: "The In Crowd" and "Do You Wanna Dance?" The band's interpretations of these songs add their own unique twist. Overall this is a decent record and a very solid debut. Their blend of folk, rock, and pop creates a unique sound that feels nostalgic, and their intricate vocal harmonies add a layer of complexity to their music that is very enjoyable.

bisschen eintönig aber an sich stark

California dreaming top. Ansonsten ganz schön aber auch etwas unoriginell und teilweise langweilig. 5-6/10

Nothing exactly groundbreaking to come out of the 60s

Album cover is the epitome of what the internet would call a “blursed image”… Choons were pleasant and wholesome to be fair, like a Beach-Boys-lite

A couple of nice classic songs, but found the rest a bit slow...

Pitch slide singing is bad. Having only heard greatest hits, there were some other good songs here like In crowd. Classic M&P harmony. Some songs sound creepy, is that from movies/media that use M&P in a creepy context? California Dreamin’ is kind of a masterpiece.

Great debut that has their biggest hits. Embarrassing that they didn’t understand how to spell their name in the beginning.

This has a number of classic hits. They are definitely period pieces that only work if your in the mood for nostalgia. It has a few losers in there as well. While the songs are good, the album is mediocre. I'd rather hear the songs in a '60s mix than listen to the whole album again. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Not every track on this album is as good as Monday, Monday and California Dreamin' - there is much standard mit 60s Pop music here (I find Spanish Harlem especially dreadful). The Beatles and Beach Boys influences are hard to ignore, but while, most of the time, I'm missing the spark that made both of these bands stand out, altogether this album holds up well enough. 3/5

That was a nice album to listen to. First half better than the second, even though California Dreaming is the most recognizable. Almost had more range than just folk songs, but they were done well enough for me not to care about the lack of range. Wasn't incredibly original either with a fair number of the songs being covers and not that different from their source material. I liked the album, but apart from maybe two or three songs, there really isn't much here. 3/5

3.5/5

Good album, mainly easy listening but not too exciting, has good song songs but nothing mind boggling and it’s mainly just a good listen, but nothing I personally love

Definitive "summer of love" soundtrack. It has the sunny, sweet harmonies that are so cozy and simple. Also has the incredible California Dreamin', what a powerhouse. The rest is also good but man does nothing on here beat California Dreamin'. Solid stuff.

Fine

Странно давать 3 звезды после того итальяшки из 50х, но тоже строго хиппи, слушать можно любому. Строго в жанре, но прям включай и слушай. Три звезды потому что не отвал башки

California dreaming

good

Well-crafted and carefully confected, with lovely, near-sublime harmonies, but it's light to the point of weightlessness – on the substance, it’s just slightly heftier than the Carpenters. It also seems quite contrived and opportunistic in capitalizing on the ethos of hippiedom/grooviness. The strings are the giveaway, cheesing things up quite a bit in ways designed for middle-market appeal. Indeed, the hits are hits for a reason – primarily, the inoffensive enjoyability. In another era, they would've been a barbershop quartet or a variety show act (perfectly at home on the Sonny and Cher show or the Osmonds, but not totally out of place on Lawrence Welk, even). "Do You Want to Dance" sounds so square that it's hip, "The In Crowd" reads less satirical than the group choosing ill-suited material (same is true of "Spanish Harlem"). Overall, too wholesome and milky to be remotely edgy or cool, the feeling is of tame, proto-chamber pop, and their version suffers considerably in comparison to that of the Beach Boys.

Pleasant enough to listen to. Less pleasant to read about them!

C'è "California Dreamin'", un capolavoro. Il resto è molto basic

Some nostalgia here with several of these songs. But honestly, the album was just fine. It sounded a bit dated and was...non-offensive.

6/10 ehhhh i know how influetnial it is but . why

6/10. Yeah, this is a pretty good album, but also I remembered these songs sounding a bit less boring than they are.

California Dreamin' is like a song out of a collective memory. Spanish Harlem is a creepy as fuck song. Its a fine 60s record.

California dreaming xx

Didn’t get to listen on a Monday, Monday. What were they thinking?

Yes, it's aged, but you got to hand it to the band, they did wonderful things harmonising their voices. As usual, most of the songs on this albums are duds, but the famous tracks fully deserve to be. At least they made them short back then (albums, that is).

ALLTHELEAVESAREBROWN

Hippy!

Alright but heavily influenced by better bands of the time

3.75

a pleasant grab bag of feel-good oldies. 2 legendary songs and a lot of filler. 3.5/5

Nice

Kuuntele mahdollisesti uudestaan Hyvää 60-luvun radiomaista rockia, tulee jokin mieleen mutta en tiedä mikä. Melkein 4 tähteä, mutta laitetaan 3

Some great tracks on this album. Fantastic harmonies.

Cute album cover...

I enjoy the Mamas and the Papas in general, and "California Dreamin'" is inarguably great, but the rest of the album's less remarkable. They lose points for breaking my cardinal rule of covers: if you're going to cover a song, make sure it's as good or better than the original. Nearly half the album is comprised of covers (five out of twelve), most notably "I Call Your Name," "Do You Wanna Dance," and "Spanish Harlem," and none of them clear that bar. That said, they've all got great voices and I don't dislike anything here. This is a three-star album if ever I saw one.

weak version of all what made the 60s great. simple short songs and simple tunes. over and over. male female vocals is what makes them unique. in 66 other bands were experimenting and doing other creative things. these are not. the whole album sounds the same.

California Dreamin' is undeniably a fantastic song, and as a life-long Californian myself, I FEEL this song on a visceral level. But the rest of this album is something I basically suffered through. With only a few exceptions, I am not a fan of the 60s folk-influenced vocal harmonies, which I find to be too sweet and lacking in any interesting dissonance. Several bands fall into this category for me, including the Byrds (so well-represented on this list) and the Mamas and the Papas. It's fine, it's just not my thing. I feel like I can feel my teeth start to ache after three or four songs ...

It felt very chill, but not something that I think I'm going to come back to

Delightful sunshine pop and Laurel Canyon vibes

6,5/10

3 TIL Monday, Monday is by The Mamas and the Papas. True classic, that one. That song and this album have a lot of the 60s tropes that I find interesting and endearing. I think it reminds me a lot of The Monkees, who I’m extremely nostalgic about. The harmonies I found to be really nice and well done. They are ultimately what I think gives this album legs. The middle gets pretty run of the mill so I’m pretty whelmed by this one. A vanilla but well executed 60s album

A classic and still timelessly beautiful

3.7

Some nice tracks on here. The whole thing is a bit boomery though

Nice songs, well performed. Still felt quite dated and had a few bland songs.

The two massive hits are brilliant. The rest is a bit wishy washy. The vocal harmonies give an interesting different texture but it also seems very twee.

cozy listening, very pleasant. nothing jarring or irritating. 3.

feels a bit disconnected idk how to describe it

I never really got the appeal of this group. Definitely some classics on here and (I suppose) an iconic album in some senses. I guess I just prefer the dirty hippie music to the more polished, happy, sunshiny hippies.

More dull than I thought, especially given how short the songs are. California Dreamin is obviously a highlight but even then Bill Withers did it better. The rest is fine, twee, good to rock your head too while walking around a garden in wellies. A bit like the Magic Numbers before the Magic Numbers, but no one remembers them (and probably for good reason)

Niet slecht, niet super goed ook

100% soundtrack de um musical. música para ouvir enquanto se passeia num bairro americano típico de filmes de Hollywood

Was not vibin at all at first but California dreaming saved it for me

Interesting

6/10 solid

California dreaming is quality. Probably a daft thing to say but the album felt very dated. Was ok though

Some great songs. Sounds like white stripes got inspiration from them

A relatively short album. Several of the songs were recognizable. It is that has that 60s sound of folk and pop. California Dreamin is the best song on the album.

Mummy

Lush well crafted '60s harmonic folk-pop.

¿Es el disco de California Dreamin'? Es el disco de California Dreamin'. El resto de las canciones no son malas pero no son de la calidad de California. Quitando esta última, las mejores son Straight Shooter y Monday, Monday. El sonido de la banda me gusta aunque tampoco se me hace un disco memorable. 2 es muy poco y 3 se me hace generoso, pero en esta ocasión corrieron con suerte.

La verdad es que podría ser un álbum absolutamente olvidable de no ser por California Dreaming' que junto con otro par de rolas define el sonido de la época. Curioso el cover a The Beatles y también Monday Monday es una rola decente, pero el resto llega a ponerse aburrido.

Pretty good album, but California Dreamin is probably the only song I will go back for

10/06/2022 Damn, this album launched me back to high school, which is fitting bc listening at 23 just wasn't as enjoyable of an experience. Idk what it is about this album that just doesn't do it for me anymore, nothing is inherently wrong with it, it just doesn't bring anything particularly outstanding or special. -- Pretty standard day, not too much going on. Phillip is coming to visit tomorrow, hopefully we will have a full and fun weekend <3

I’m glad I can now say I have listened to a Mamas and Papas album, but at the same time I could’ve gone my whole life without listening to it and been fine.

3.5

wistful and soothing

Fun listen, reminiscent of driving around in a droptop with your friends Even putting aside my bias against the jangly and dazzling sound of the time period, I had difficulty connecting with any of the tracks. I have a hard time remembering the second half of the album, I'll drum that up to my lack of interest in the style and listening to it at work Highlights: California Dreamin', Straight Shooter I'll probably revisit sometime later in my life, when i can take the time to really invest my attention

My grandpa listened to them

3.7 - Sunny pop with rich harmonies reminiscent of “Pet Sounds” but without the same jazz-inflected emotional depth. “California Dreamin’” and “Monday, Monday” are obvious standouts and there’s some easy listening bubble gum throughout.

Vocals are so loud, like 3x as loud as the drums. beetje knullig. zit wel goed in mekaar maar het doet me niet zoveel

Obviously California Dreamin' is a timeless classic. As for the other tracks, they are nice to listen to, but not quite as timeless

Made me think of the Monkees

Trevligt. Passade bra att laga mat till :)

This was okay. California Dreaming is a 1 star song and the rest didn't fuck me off.

I like them, but I thought this album as a whole was just okay. Nothing really special to me.

One of the few sunshine pop albums consistently good all throughout, and possibly the one that popularized the genre in the late 60s. It's groovy with fun singalong tracks but also peaceful folk-like tracks. Incorporates several psychedelic elements, such as the trance-like "Got a Feelin." Puts a spin on other types of pop at the time. Lots of covers look back to 50s traditional pop but put a groovy, almost Beatlesesque rock n roll spin to them. I'm always a sucker for harmonious vocals, and the instrumentation is really light and fun, especially with the strings. I do like the diverse styles, but I'm disappointed how the two massive singles are objectively far superior to any of the other tracks, which indicates potential for an incredible album. There are a few songs, especially toward the end that I just do not see much merit in. Mixing is weird with the completely separate channels but otherwise sounds good. Not bad by a group of psychopaths. Out of the four members, one slept with every rock musician, one impregnated his own daughter and injected her with cocaine, and one suffocated to death on a ham sandwich. Favorites: Monday Monday, Got a Feelin, I Call Your Name, Go Where You Wanna Go California Dreamin, Spanish Harlem, The In Crowd

Fine, pretty old sounding but lots of nice harmonies and probably pretty influential at the time

At first I was worried this would be happy-go-lucky disconnected smile pop from the 70s, but I got the sense that as the album progressed the drugs and depth came in…ha!

California Dreaming is a great song but the rest kinda just blend together. Not my cup of tea but still enjoyable to listen to. 3.5 but not good enough to round to 4.

Pop Rock. Se hace un poco aburrido.

Two perfect pop songs that have stood the test of time. And considering how fucked up these four band members were at the time, that's quite an accomplishment. Credit has to go to producer Lou Adler and all around great guy John Phillips Considering the wild accusations detailing what an absolute horrible father Phillips was, he clearly doesn't deserve the moniker of Papa. But that doesn't make him any less of a songwriter, just like OJ Simpson is no less of a running back. The Mamas and Papas were more of a singles group than an album group. All the filler on this album proves it. But Monday Monday and California Dreaming will live forever.

Mixed feelings. Half of songs sounds still fresh other half too cheesy.

Love the singles

Nice and classy. Easy in the ears and parents

Het niveau van hun hit halen ze eigenlijk nergens, maar toch leuk allemaal.

Heel gaaf om eens een hele plaat van gehoord te hebben!

Not bad at all.

Best geinig, behalve dat vreselijke nummer over a rose in spanish Harlem.

The songs I knew are still wonderful, along with a couple others. "In" Crowd is an outside choice I wish was followed further.

California Dreamin’ is such a perfect pop encapsulation of the 60s. Some of the rest of this album was alright, too.

One of my favourite album covers for sheer ‘fuck it, this’ll do’ factor, and also one of my all-time favourite songs for singing along to every vocal part at the top of my lungs (California Dreaming, obvz). There are some other very pleasant tunes too, but nothing quite memorable enough to elevate this album to 4-star territory.

Not exactly my favourite style/era of music, but a plus was that California Dreamin' was really good. The album also wasn't necessarily a slog but I probably won't listen to any of the other songs afterwards.

It’s enjoyable

Enjoyable but may not return to it

california dreamin goes. rest is alright

Soke great tunes but overall pretty average.

Good. Not really my thing but good.

This was pretty nice, although not something I see myself listening to very often.

I think I liked it, It sounded pretty aggressively old, but not dated in a way that makes it bad.

"california dreamin'" is one of the best songs in the history of music. it's beautiful, the harmonies are incredible, it contains such emotion, and the instrumental part makes me cry. that being said, the rest of the album was a let down. it was catchy, pleasant pop of the sixties. but not as memorable as i would have thought. i listened to this album a few times through, and with every listen, i was expecting to like this more and more, but i didn't. the rest of the album is just average and doesn't have the same spark contained in "california dreamin'". i'd be remiss if i didn't mention mama cass, who had the best voice in this group. when she's on lead vocals, the songs sing.

Honestly, I expected to like this more considering this is the same album that birthed Monday, Monday and California Dreamin'. The album was just kind of one-note for me, and I found most of the tracks to be forgettable. They certainly didn't come anywhere close to living up to the hype of their biggest hits. Overall, though not remarkable, it was still very listenable 60s pop.

Uber-melodic twee pop from a badly-named band next to a crapper.

I'm going to start off by saying some good things about this album. Two of the best pop songs ever recorded reside on this album ("California Dreamin'"/"Monday, Monday"), and across the board, the harmonies that came out of this band are astounding. The Mamas and the Papas are still synonymous with the idea of perfect vocal harmony, over 50 years after this album came out. They sound so great here. That said, time hasn't been kind to all of the songs on the album, some of which come off as hokey and dated. The covers are rather bland, lovely vocals notwithstanding. On balance though, when the Mamas & the Papas nail it, they really nail it. It's sunshine in a bottle with a little melancholy on the side, which is still pretty charming. Fave Songs: California Dreamin'; Monday, Monday; Go Where You Wanna Go; I Call Your Name; Spanish Harlem

На удивление, альбом не запомнился, хотя он очень красивый и мелодичный, в духе Битлз.

Monday, Monday is a great track but California Dreamin' really takes the cake. And this is their debut you say, impressive.

It’s alright

Solo los singles

It may sound like its sunshine and rainbows and California dreamin’. They look so happy in that bathtub. But don’t dig deeper. I regret reading about the history of the Mamas and the Papas. I should have just enjoyed the music.

California Dreamin’ is fantastic! Flutes don’t get very much dap in rock music. So, I’ll give a deserved shout out to Bud Shank for his flute solo, which I love. I also very much enjoy Monday, Monday. The rest of the album varies between mildly interesting to boring filler. Interesting side note that I Call Your Name is a John Lennon cover. The Beatles version apparently has their first attempt at ska in the bridge. It’s hard to recognize.

3.3 - Folksy 60s classics, but a little lame at times. Great vocals on "California Dreaming". Easy listen.

What a weird little pop-folk album. It's not good. It's not bad. It's mostly bland. The production is so overly inoffensive it's ALMOST offensive. The lyrics and music are actually so mismatched that they create a level of cognitive dissonance and the overall effect is very ... cultish. Like, these people are clearly in some sort of cult that's barely papered over with a weird, mid-century, Brady Bunch/Beach Boys veneer.

While there are some classic tunes with the harmonies we love, I just don’t feel this is a 1001 level album. And stop it with that version of Do You Wanna Dance.

Ohhh it’s the california dreamin people! Lovely harmonizing, aggressive stereo mixing that forced me to switch off of headphones and listen out loud

Bueno

I think it was my first complete listen of this album. Very nice tracks, especially California Dreamin' (of course). I'll have to make my mind whether it should be on this list or not. Let me give it a few more listens. For the other morons around here, it's more of a 3.5 stars.

Quality music, but trapped in time

Immediately, the feeling that one is sitting down to watch an office sitcom engulfs the mind as "Monday, Monday" drones on. Trudging along, "California Dreamin'" comes on and now if the listener has ever watched television or been to a department store, the familiarity settles in. Now, there is an expectation that if a band is capable of such a one-hit wonder, could it be that the rest of the album is worth a shot? Truthfully, it is, because this is a very safe listen. You can play this casually in the car with your windows rolled down and no one will judge you too harshly. One's mother could even be adequately assured that their progeny has not given their soul or subjected their brain to filthy music. Whether or not the listener can enjoy this album is where the real test lies. This is a safe album, there is no sense of profound, no lasting persona on part of the band that gives notoriety. This reviewer in particular does not look for any of that, but is simply pointing what should be obvious, and letting that be the guide. The album is fine. It is not boring per se, it carries with it a gentle nostalgia and an appropriate amount of hype, a reprieve from another overrated 60s rock band. Shots fired.

Groovy baby, like Austin powers in musical form

Three

3/5

Californian confectionary.

Thought it was going to be super old school, but knew a couple songs. Overall more enjoyable than the album cover led me to expect

Many classic songs. Many songs appropriate for the era. Harmonizing gets a little tired when consuming the whole album in one sitting.

The Mamas & The Papas sing about 60s sleaze, but they do it in such a folksy, white way you don't even notice. Groovy, man. They remind me so much of "A Might Wind." Not surprised by it, but jst a general observation. The music sounds so... dated to me. Even the hits that I know, hard to believe they are well over 50 years old. But they are, and each one has the weight of those 50 year on it. I'd probably give this a meh. Recognized the songs I was supposed to, but not much jumped out at me.

Very conflicted with my judgment here. I listened to the album close to 10 times because I couldn't make up my mind. I admit it got better with each listen. The biggest issue for me is there are two incredible tracks (Monday, Monday and California Dreamin) - with great lyrics and harmonies and decent musical accompaniment - and then a bunch of other tracks. I was trying to figure out whether the rest were anywhere near as good. I really came to appreciate Straight Shooter. Go Where You Wanna Go was solid. The harmonies and vocals were quite good, and the lyrics provided some complexity; I Call Your Name was ok but I didn't love the vocals as much (lyrics are a credit to the Beatles). So, pretty good side one and great opener to side two...then? I found their version of Spanish Harlem annoying but Somebody Groovy was solid. Hey Girl and You Baby had some good harmonies too but felt bland compared to side one. Feels like a 3.5, and I'm rounding down to go with my initial reaction that still lingers.

Not too bad, some ok songs.

This was my first time listening to a whole album from the Mamas and the Papas. I have heard "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'" many times. The rest of the album was less familiar, but I wouldn't be surprised if I had heard more than those two tracks. The Mamas and the Papas are not a group that I would pick for myself to listen to, but I do admire the layers of their vocals, which are a mix of harmonies and interplay of overlapping lines. "Monday, Monday" is the track I like the most from this album and perhaps from the band. It was good to hear a full album.

Definitely prefer Mama Cass. The music is cheerful overall but nothing really stood out to me besides California Dreamin'. Maybe would appreciate this more as background music in the summertime.

This was okay - never really been exposed to much of them outside of their hits. Can't really see myself listening to them often but they do suit a warm summer's day. Minus 1 million points for those incorrect apostrophes, however.

Much better than I expected. Harmonies were lovely, interesting the way they weaved in and out. Honky tonk piano was terrible though.

The album that makes me ask: "Whatever happened to all that hippie shit?"

I was reading that they rejigged folk songs into this new genre of 60’s pop with harmonies. Quite impressive. Another interesting tidbit from Wiki was that the album cover showing the toilet was actually banned for being offensive! Wow. I find this flavour of vocal harmonies much more palatable than what the Beach Boys were doing. Wong Kar Wei used California Dreaming to brilliant effect in his Chungking Express, that song really made that film, it wouldn’t be the same without that song

The famous ones are good.

a little "old sounding" but i enjoyed it. some of the tunes were quite catchy. Def some songs i've heard from "somewhere" which speaks to the albums legacy I suppose.

I liked it

Short and sweet. 6/10

It's a good band. The best songs in this album are "California dreamin'" and "Monday, monday".

Lovely classic.

6/10

Great sounding 60s record, love the harmonies. California Dreaming a classic

Monday, Monday and Dreamin are great. The rest of the album is just ok.

beetje bleiterig

It's fine. Monday Monday and California Dreaming are known songs and are good. The rest was just okay, to me.

Docent

Alright.

Truly a great album for its time. A little dated style now, but very enjoyable. 3/5.

Good best

Pleasant surprise

I need good albums

al igual que la primera vez que lo escuché, pasó sin pena ni gloria.

Gorgeous Wrecking Crew pop tinted/tainted by what an awful person was John Philips. Worth a listen for the arrangements and harmonies, but not going into frequent rotation.

Nice vocals, excellent time stamp, and some all time classics in there

Decent old pop album. The songs are upbeat and fun. Pretty quick easy listening album. Overall I thought it was pretty good. 6.3/10

California dreaming is a classic. Rea of the album was aight.

California dreaming is good. The rest are just not my thing, but it’s not bad per say.

California Dreamin' is the only remarkable track here. Not a bad debut album for the 60s though.

Really chilled vibe, enjoyed the album

Good stuff. Catchy tunes. Nice harmonies. Buuut, not my bag.

i knew some of these songs which was surprising yo me and i actually did enjoy them. i thought it seemed advanced for its age slightly and amazing singing and harmonies. 7/10

// Favs: Monday, Monday Score: Light to Decent 3

groovy harmonies with classic 60's rock folk sound. some great tracks and some not so memorable.

my ears hear different things and i don't known how i feel about this --> definitely off-putting id rather not listen with headphones cuz i dont like the effect of hearing different things in different ears No Salt On Her Tail - 2/5 not bad just not my thing Trip, Stumble And Fall - nice, i like this one better 4/5 Dancing Bear - hum idk about this one, quite slow probably not for me 3/5 Words Of Love - oh come on, this is sweet 4/5 My Heart Stood Still - sounds good, hits me emotionally definitely and i really want to jam with it , just the different ears competing that i didn't like 3.5/5 Dancing In The Street - i like but too much song break in the middle and the weird talking bit 3/5 I Saw Her Again Last Night- reminds me of the beach, its good just doesn't hit for me 2/5 Strange Young Girls - meh for me 2/5 I Can't Wait- this is hella cute 4/5 Even If I Could - soopa nice don't like the end of it though 3.5/5 That Kind Of Girl - i dont vibe with the lyrics but otherwise the vocals and music is nice 3/5 Once Was A Time I Thought - FUCK THIS IS KILLING ME, DUDE FOR REAL, SHORT BUT SOOOO SWEET 5/5 kills the ending 100% i think its well-made its just not something i will probably every listen to again 3/5 overall 39/60= 65% based on individual scores

another one I am looking forward two as I know a few of their songs fake out ending, monotonous opener but that was deliberate considering the theme of the song but an odd opener straight shooter gives me just dropped in vibes which came out a year later I call your name is a great cover "John... John..." go where you wanna go is about the odd arrangement of the group which makes Fleetwood mac seem normal California dreamin is a near perfect song for me "When they were recording that song, they wanted a solo, but didn’t want the usual guitar solo. John Phillips walked out into the hall of the Hollywood recording studio they were at and Bud Shank was in that hallway as well. John grabbed him and brought him into the studio. Shank listened to the hole he was supposed to fill and nailed it on the first take" Spanish Harlem is also a great cover if 8 or 9 tracks could be a 4 but bit hit and miss so a solid 3

Heard a Jens Lekman song that he sampled.

Easy listening

It was alright, not really my taste. Kinda sounds like the Beach Boys except without the cool harmonic stuff.

2 Sterne Abzug weil weil keiner meiner beiden Eltern dabei war

One of the defining sounds of 60s folk. A simpler time, when vocals and words could tell the story

Jedan sasvim pozitivan albumčić, volim glazbu 60ih. Daju taj jedan poseban osjećaj razbibrige i sreće.

I enjoyed this album. Though some songs are rather repetetive. I didn't think this album was anything particularly interesting though.

Very much a reflection of their time, and a fun pop band with great vocal harmonies. To state the obvious, California Dreaming is an American icon. Listening to the whole album, I was quite bored. The overall sound is not to my liking but I get that it's produced in line with the popular music of the time.

They're good but not for me, or at least my mood

Surprisingly nice and modern for its time.

Pop gems.

Not bad. Very of its time. California Dreaming is a stone cold classic though!

ok :)

Good listening... came out when I was in Third grade.... remember the bus driver playing it on the radio on our way home

Exactally what you’d expect from a bunch of hippies that watch scooby doo and sing in bathtubs.

Nice enough

Not really for me Best tracks: California Dreamin’, Monday Monday

Uber 60's harmonious pop. Best Tracks: Straight Shooter, California Dreamin', The "In" Crowd

false

.

fine

Happy to share that I do not hate the 60s as my scathing review of Pink Floyd suggested. Short groovy perfection in song form, they knew what's up.

Poop

Pretty good, not sure how often I'll be in the mood to listen to it.

nice. not sure i like my music to be nice but there you go. Saved 3 tunes and love mama cass.

Musialem pominac tego picka podczas daily przesluchu, skoro nie ma zadnej notki, ale pora to zmienic, na tapete leci the mamas & the papas czyli banda cztero osobowa tworzaca muzyke okolo rockowo folkowa, o dosc mocno popowym brzmieniu, na pierwszy rzut oka nie kojarzylem bandy, ale spojrzenie na trakliste i juz zwraca na siebie uwage california dreamin, jeden z kultowych trakow pokolenia dzieci kwiatowych, bo to rok 66, wiec zaczyna sie kounterowa kultura, nie mozna o tym zapominac sluchac tej plyty, bo niektore traki dzieki temu zdobywaja kolejne dno i tak jak california dreamin wieja nuta psychodelii, ktora dobrze wpasowala sie w tamte gusta, skoro jest plyta na tej liscie, nie jest to konceptowy album, a raczej standardowy jak na tamte czasy zbior trakow, ktore wczesniej ukazaly sie juz jako single z nowym materialem i tak wlasnie piosenki, ktore juz wczesniej byly wypuszczone najbardziej mi podeszly i laduja na plejce, czyli wspominay juz dreamin i otwierajacy monday, monday, dawno nie bylo tak dobrego mono mixu, ktory brzmi tak oldskulowo, ze az chcialoby sie odpalic go na jakims lepszym sprzecie i pomieszczeniu na to pozwalajacym, ale jest to dosc krotki seans, bo tylko 32 minuty na 10 trakach, odpalilem sobie video do califoni dreamina z jakiegos wystepu w tv i juz wiem skad tak potezne harmonie sie tam biora zarowno po meskiej jak i zenskiej stronie, bo to wlasnie wokale sa tutaj na spotlajcie, chociaz zdarzaja sie solowki czy to na elektrycznych skrzypeczkach, jak na spanish harlem czy fletowka na kaliforni dremowej, zblizajac sie do konca plyty mam dziwne uczucie, ze gdzies to juz slyszalem, zwlaszcza you baby, czy to tylko popowy kontent za mocno wszedl, czy gdzies to bylo samplowane

This was a classic album with hits like Monday, Monday and California Dreamin'. The other songs were fine and I found myself bobbing my head, but none of them were memorable enough to get a mention. I saw on the iTunes info that there was a lot of infighting with this group, and while it must have been tough for mothers and fathers to be fighting, at least they had time to all scrunch into a bathtub to take an album photo. Or maybe that is what started the fighting.

This album is not so special at all, but it deserves 3 stars for the absolutely special songs. "California Dreamin" deserves the 3 stars itself for being a great song itself.

This album paps a masthead anthem in ‘California Dreaming’. Some other gooduns too. Some Beatles inspired (or vice versa) vocals and guitar on a few tracks

Don’t get me wrong, there are some phenomenal songs on here, but in between it gets kinda hard for me to stay focused... just kind bland in between greatness. Favorite Tracks: “Straight Shooter,” “California Dreamin,” and “The ‘In’ Crowd”

Folk vocalists who are better at singing than they are at anything else. It makes me think of what the Beach Boys would sound like without Brian Wilson's musicianship. I recommend the tracks "Straight Shooter" and "California Dreaming", and only listen to the rest if you really enjoyed those.

Warm feels for California Dreamin'

California Dreaming is great. So weird that this music was countercultural and edgy in the 60s, sounds today like cute songs children would sing.

Første album -- meget spændende, men ingen fucking idé om hvordan man skal rate det, eller hvad man skal sige. Klassisk 60'er lyd I guess. Nogle sange var brandvarme såsom Spanish Harlem, Got A Feelin' og California Dreamin'.

Don't listen to to much from the 60s but this was a fun and easy listen. Spanish Harlem was nice and Do You Wanna Dance had a chill vibe

Great singing, amazing harmonies. Some of the filler songs are just kind of "meh" but overall a strong debut album. 3 stars.

Aside from the bad covers, chill music

One or two songs from this band sound good. More than that is a little difficult to handle.

Another album with 1 great song (California Dreamin') and the rest is meh.

Great harmonies. The covers are meh. Love Mama Cass's voice so much.

Fine but not that interesting. Covers or is about getting drugs.

Very nice to have listend to an album of 'The MAMA'S and the PAPA'S'. I had never listend to an album of them.

A fun and solid pop album though to be honest it mostly stands out to me because California Dreamin' was in Chungking Express. This Aussie gives it 3 Woolies out of 5.

Packs a huge 1-2 punch with go where you wanna go and California dreamin

Nice

Letkeätä Kalifornian meininkiä. Moniakin tuttuja biisejä löytyi vaikka nimistä tunnistin vaan California Dreaminin. Ihan kiva levy mutta ei kuitenkaan sytyttänyt ihan täysillä. Peruspositiivinen kolmonen.

california dreamin meuszovo

I liked the mainstream songs. But still hard to enjoy knowing the history of this band...

Familiar songs and some not so familiar. Currently watching Mad Men, and could definitely hear this style of music in the later seasons.

couple of hits but not super exciting, worth a listen and maybe even good for a vinyl if cheap enough

Short - only 35mins long. Pretty basic.

worst album cover

Pretty good, liked it will listen again sometime.

eh, poppy

Nice. All of John Phillips songs sound to me like the Brady Bunch would cover them.

Tilgængeligt 60’er pop, vokalbaseret, flere kendte sange

Nice soundtrack for a weekend of family fun

Day 6: Its alright

No mi gusta. Saccharine