Reviews (page 8 of 13)
I was surprised by how disappointed I was by the full album. There’s the beautiful harmonious hits (you know ‘em!) but then most of the rest leans into too much orchestrated schmaltz to overwhelm the vocal harmonious and counterculture touches. Funny how the 60’s “Baroque Pop” mode can either sound like lovely pseudo psychedelic (see: Left Banke) or veer too much into Brill Building dreck (see: this!)
I like the hits here well enough, but that's all I need.
Another group that would have been best served with a hits collection. 20th Century Masters is a good one. Anyway, there are two all time killer tracks here, Monday Monday and California Dreamin’. Perfection. The rest? Great harmonies and so so songs
There's a reason everyone knows "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'." They really stand out as pretty exceptionally crafted songs amid a lot of very run-of-the-mill 60s folk, which is just personally not my thing. To be fair, I think their harmonies really sound great, and I was never bored or mad, which I can be with this sort of thing. But aside from those two tracks, nothing really popped for me, and the covers, in particular, were a disappointment because I felt like they didn't do enough to elevate or put a unique spin on the material.
Great harmonies and tunes. I had never really looked up M&Ps before this and didn't realize they were only a band for a small number of years. Got some incredible hits out of them in this time.
why does this feel ominous and sad when it’s not supposed to be? not bad but not my favorite.
3/5
A true classic, with Monday, Monday and California Dreamin' being timeless iconic hits. Much of this does feel dated, though. And I also really struggle with the grammatical inaccuracy of "Mama's and Papa's" on the album artwork. I would have rounded this 3.5 down to 3 anyway, but I don't feel that bad about it because of the grammar.
Such a 60's hippie pop sound that I feel like really can't be replicated anywhere else, I think the vocals are what sell me intensely, something about harmonizing melodies with all group members of the band sound so hypnotic. A very good listen overall usually not my typical genre but great sound.
God damned hippies.
i like it but really a definition of an oldie
Ytterligare ett sånt där album där ett par låtar är toppen och resten är mjääh. Nä, under andralyssningen känner jag starkt att jag var väl hård här ovan. Det är mycket som är riktigt ball och mysigt så det förslår. Mjääh-kvoten väsentligt mindre, även om det måste sägas att denna tråkmåns och normie håller california dreamin’ med god marginal högst här, trots allt. Hyfsat stark 3a.
60-talspop är så tråkigt och det är så svårt att fokusera :( 3:a pga bangern
better than I was expecting tbh
3.5
There’s some interesting cover songs and Monday, Monday and California Dreaming are classics. But for me the last half of this falls off and ends pretty flat.
Good album overall
Again, another album that's ok. Eat to listen to. Couple of hits. Will not be running out to buy it.
I am in fact, California dreamin' on such a winter's day. I liked this album. It's a good listen for when you just want something more chilled out. That's not what I'm always in the mood for, but when I am, I probably would listen to this again. However, after California Dreamin' the album did start to get a bit boring. I just didn't like the last 5 songs that much. I mean they were fine, but when they're compared to the first half of the album, they just aren't as good.
i dont normally fuck with grandpa music but this was alright
Beautiful harmonies.
INPUT = {"artist": "The Mamas & The Papas", "album": "If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears"} LINEUP = {"men": 2, "women": 2} FEATURED_ARTISTS = {"men": 0, "women": 0} TOTAL_MEN = 2 TOTAL_WOMEN = 2 WOMEN_PERCENTAGE = 50 OUTPUT = "Score adjusted accordingly. 3/5"
decent album just not my thing
Not something I'd ever reach for to put on myself, but not a bad listen. Fairly dated sound and nothing that is particularly grabbing, but has some nice moments that make the album enjoyable. Top tracks: Got A Feelin', California Dreamin', Spanish Harlem
I love the hits from The Mamas & The Papas, but I wasn't so captivated by this album. It's the sound of the time, which I appreciate.
Very 60s
First listen
Good album, I like some of the slower songs on this even though that’s typically not my vibe… would not listen to actively but maybe if I was hosting or cooking.
Decent 60s pop/rock, if somewhat generic musically. Pleasing harmonies.
Very on theme for the time, amazing voices paired together for harmony
60s music of the 60s variety.
Classic Mamas & Papas with all the songs you know... 60's grooving would have been better high
The Good: No tom-foolery here! The Bad: Wait.. my eyes and ears have been deceived… The Ugly: Distrust… all about distrust… My first thought when this album presented itself was “oh shit, not another ‘60s psychedelic album”… yet, that opening track was awesome! I couldn’t believe my ears! Of course, the rest of the album, including California Dreaming, was enough for me to look forward to the album ending… Sad really, because the harmonies are nice, they all know how to use their voice… just that I don’t like the era… Straight down the middle as they do deserve some points… 2 1/2 upgraded
Meh?
Alright if you like this sort of thing. I do like hearing their hits...memories of early childhood, time, place etc.
chungking express bumped this rating a whole point.
Another classic album that influenced its own genre to the max and has been sampled so many times. You can feel the chill hippie vibe of California that also brings that dark depressing edge that you think of when you imagine the 60s and the influence of what was happening politically or I would say I guess the lack there of considering the white band members. Some standouts included I call your name and Spanish Harlem. A fun album to get drunk to/dance around to.Probably one of the original concepts of happy upbeat music paired with sad depressing lonely lyrics.
Nice slice of 60s pop, great melodies and harmonies, fun songwriting.
idk why but i feel nostalgic
im sick of constantly getting folky albums pls leave me alone
I'm a proofreader so I immediately hate the cover. Apostrophes do not make plurals. Otherwise, an appropriate assignment on a Monday. Lovely harmonies and harpsichord. Songs did fade into the background a bit, aside from California Dreamin'.
The quintessential 60s band and the quintessential 60s sound. It is dated but in a nostalgic way, not a cringe way. I liked it. 3 stars.
Easy listen, fun and enjoyable
Definitely an album that made history, that was listened a lot in the 70s and formed the music taste of a lot of people. It's not very my genre but the different voices and the instruments blend really well together. I personally think that the are only few chense that I would ever listen again this album. Only maybe in a road trip.
Sunshine pop som skabte Californialyden. Der er en optimisme over det og de viser også hvordan man kan bruge stemmen som instrument på den måde det er layered. Det har inspireret store kunstnere som the Beach Boys. Ellers er det en del af folk revival men viser at den kan forenes sammen med poppen. Så det er meget radiovenlige og korte sange som appelerer til et bredt publikum i tekster fordi det handler om længsel efter et sted og kærlighed og brud osv. ellers er det baroque pop i tidlig form grundet de sofistikerede arrangementer. Jeg har faktisk fundet ud af jeg virkelig godt kan lide musik fra 60’erne, jeg synes godt nok det har en fantastisk charme over sig. Men jeg kan bedre lide velvet underground end det her f.eks. eller fairport convention. Så bare en smule mere rocket end det her, det bliver lidt for poppet til mig selvom det er meget godt. Der er bare noget af det som minder mig om jingle og julemusik tbh.
fabulous. a group i grew to love and appreciate when i got older, their sound was 'too dated' when i was a kid/teen, wasn't digging it - now monday monday is sublime!
The recording itself is the work of art here. Sonically thrilling. Harmonies soar. Singles bang. Everything else is pretty meh.
Lots of songs I didn’t feel compelled to skip. Didn’t realize how many of those songs were theirs.
Liked…didn’t love. Great voices, but some of the songs made me sleepy. Other than California Dreaming (obviously) idk that’d I’d fully listen through any of the other songs again, but I didn’t skip any so that gotta mean something🙈 if there was decimals I’d give it a 2.8 but since there isn’t and I follow the rounding rules I’ll give it a 3.
I’m a sucker for harmonies. Their voices were great. The album was melodic and airy. Loved a lot of songs and didn’t feel like I should skip any. Thought the mix was great. It felt like a good collection of songs but didn’t really have an “album” feel. It felt like they could all be singles.
Great melodies and harmonizing. Enjoyable from front to back.
Standout track is California Dreaming. The rest of the tracks are a bit 'variety show' cover. Even Monday Monday is kinda dull in retrospect. But no doubting the harmonies are great, even though the orchestral and session arrangements behind them sound weak. 3. +1 for California Dreaming. -1 for the album cover apostrophe abuse.
3 out of 5 The epitome of the flower child hippie era. Some great tunes.
It was decent for playing in the background. I get the appeal and obviously there are a couple of great songs on this record, but probably not something I'll purposely search out to hear all of it again. Like much of their music, it's pretty and easy to listen to.
Some outstanding tracks on this album. Some others that wash over you.
Everyone knows the opening track, "Monday, Monday" (118M listens), either from the radio, movies or tv. It's a clean harmonious sound that sounds more 70's than 60's, ahead of it's time I guess. Same can be said for the mega hit "California Dreamin'" (1.2B listens!) which bridges generations and is still a radio/tv/movie staple 60 years later. The glue track like "Straight Shooter" (18M), "I Call Your Name" and "Go Where You Wanna Go" showcase their sound and hold the album together. There's no way their backing band isn't the same one The Monkees used, it just sounds way too similar (and came out the same year). Nice mix of songs, good blend of voices and lead vocal duties, they sound very 60's but not dated. They should have skipped the remake of "Do You Wanna Dance", they drained the soul out of it making it their own. "Spanish Harlem" isn't as bad but not needed. "You Baby" is just weak and syrupy. You can hear influence they had on bands like The B-52's, ABBA, The Go-Go's, Simon & Garfunkel, The Bangles, Head & The Heart, a ton of girl bands and Amy Winehouse (listen to "The "In" Crowd"!). 3.5 stars for two huge hits, influence, longevity/impact - negatives are a dated sound and some weak cover songs.
Cool
"California Dreamin" is still just as great nearly 60 years later. It's become an iconic representation of a musical era, and it's built on perfect harmonies and an instantly memorable melody. The verse sections are often overlooked, with John Phillips' gruffer vocals giving things another dimension. One of the greats. "Monday, Monday" is the other clear standout. Despite how well known it is, I definitely had forgotten just how layered and good a song it is. "The In Crowd" is worth calling out too, bringing a bit of 60s groove into the mix. The harmonies are consistently excellent across the album and are easily its defining feature. Outside of its best-known songs though, the album never really reaches the same heights, but it still remains a very enjoyable and culturally significant listen.
Def reminds me of being dead. Monday,Monday is the best one on here.
I think they are some good songs on there (got a feeling), some are terrible (the in crowd, cause nothing says I'm cool more than saying it litteraly) but ultimately it doesn't matter. I think California Dreamin is one of the whole time great collective songs, that everybody knows, that are truly mainstay and shaping culture as we know it. Every few years, a reprise of the song goes viral and that makes perfect sense to me it is that good. Therefore yes it's not awesome as an album, but it should be there anyway.
3.4/5 some beautiful harmonies and singles
Somewhat blends together for me, good but idk if I’ll ever enjoy it more than passingly. At the time it may have been sick but doesn’t stand out to me.
the songs you know are great the rest are songs
There were not as many standouts as I thought. 3 stars
A decent album not really my taste
Whilst the singles are definitely the standouts - especially California Dreamin' which is forever linked with Chungking Express for me - this is still a pretty lovely record. Great harmonies and some very breezy music behind it all.
Solid and same-sie - good for a bop in the kitchen
a very fun and chill listen. there are several very good songs that have been added to my playlists, but there were also a couple that i’ll definitely never seek out again.
Great hits, beautiful vocals. Very 60s
Nice 60s pop album, but there are lots of other 60s bands that do this style better.
342/1089 - It was pleasant but definitely went in one ear then out the other.
Lovely harmonies and some classic tracks. Hard not to like.
Averaged: 5/10 Favorite: California Dreamin'
me da muchas vibes de dirty dancing alfkks
Nice enough 60s folk with the monster hits in "California Dreamin'", "Monday, Monday" and "Go Where You Wanna Go", but suffers immensely from that 60s era split stereo production where one voice or instrument is in one ear and other voices and instruments in the other. I've always hated that
Sounds like they set out to make the most 60s sounding record possible. Also terrible album cover. California Dreamin' is an excellent song though.
Competent.
This is pleasant, competent, and I don’t feel compelled by it. I know it stands at a pivotal point in rock/pop history, but I guess I agree that the songs come across as anodyne because the album won. This is pop, unremarkable almost today, but it hit at exactly the right time.
A little bit cooler than expected
Groovyyyy babyyyy
Nice vocal harmonizations, but I barely listen to it.
Great harmonies of course and honestly, it's Mama Cass' voice that pushes these songs to great heights. I wish I could ding this for John Phillips as a human being, but maybe keeping it at 4 does that. I can only take so much of their easy folksy melody/harmony thing. A whole album is tough. Actually, I will ding to 3.
Three really great songs and some great harmonizing.
It was just fine, very 60s, feels a lot like "beach boys but with some women too"
Harmonies blend nicely on these catchy folk pop tunes. Can see why they were liked in the 6Os. My rating 3.3
Aye man California Dreamin’ is an all timer so this album spawned at a 3 🤷🏾♂️ Honestly it was a good listen overall, the 60s pop sound is either a hit or miss for me. They shined on enough of a chunk of the album that qualifies for a 3
The Mama's and The Papa's are a band I have heard the name of many times and are only really familiar with their iconic single California Dreamin', so when I got told to hear their debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears by the 1001 albums to hear before I die challenge I was curious to see what would be in store. If you are a fan of 60s Pop music then you will definitely get a kick out of the vocal stacking the band does here as it gives off that sunny feeling akin to Beach Boys. The songwriting here isn't the most sharp or even compelling but I think the showmanship of this album is really the shining star of the entire album. The chemistry of all 4 members is so defined and striking that you can't help but adore the charm of it all. I can see why someone would call this an essential album but personally I think it is a product of its' time with a few notable songs and nothing more. Nuff said.
Catchy tunes and good vibes all around on this one
Enjoyable, straight shooter is great.
Best Track - "California Dreamin"
DEI Beatles
Some good l. Some not so good. A bit cheesy and dated.
Pretty catchy
Boring
Nice vibe. California dreaming
5.0/10
California dreaming is their best song, good album
My favorite thing about The Mamas and the Papas is when Mama Michelle ate a banana on the talk show because she was mad about having to lip sync.
Contiene sus dos mas famosos hits. Impresionante para un primer album aunque como se suele decir " Tienes toda la vida para preparar un buen primer album pero poco tiempo para mejorarlo en el segundo" Es un album entretenido aunque flojea en el resto de temas en comparacion.
Big Mama and Little Papa still slap 3/5
3 1/2 Stars: There's a little bit of finger-in-the-cheek cheese about this 60s-era sounds, but damn, do these harmonies wiggle there way in and take hold. Love the whole stereophonic Girls to the left Channel, Guys to the right coming out of the speakers. Lyrically not a lot of depth, but it's still a fun capture of that 60s sound.
California dreamin is good
Decent album, one with their most popular song on it!
Good album to have at home. Unique.
Initially I thought: "I see, so California Dreaming alone put this album on the list..." but turns out the whole album is not half bad :) California Dreaming is a 5, but the rest is a 3
Cover 4 Before this, was only familiar with Monday, Monday.
Some good songs and harmonies, especially "Go Where You Wanna Go", nothing especially mind-blowing however.
Some real bangers on this but also some snoozers (especially the covers) so it's a mixed bag. The vocal harmonies are still pretty amazing. Favorite: California Dreamin' Would I listen to it again: Probably
It started well with Monday, Monday but with that and California Dreaming that was all I think I knew. It's not entirely surprising: accomplished schmaltzy pop which is largely not very exciting and hasn't aged particularly well.
Cheerful, old-school pop with nice harmonies. California Dreamin' is an absolute gem, one of my favourite songs of all-time. The other songs are pleasant but not that memorable. Overall, a nice listen.
Why do I accept this, yet find Simon & Garfunkel rage-inducing? I'm not sure. Both of groups have songs that liberally use the word "groovy," which is cringey. And there's plenty of cringe here beyond "Somebody Groovy," like "Spanish Harlem." But "California Dreamin'" is an undisputed classic, and "Monday Monday" is lovely. The rest doesn't do much for me, which is to be expected. That said, justice for Mama Cass.
I love California, it's my home and my favorite place in the world. And given that I spent almost all of the first 34 years of my life in the gray of Ohio and the slush of NYC, California Dreaming to me is the greatest song ever written about California. Otherwise this is some dated stuff.
California Dreamin is a classic and I Call Your Name is great but nothing else really grabbed me. How do you rate an album with an all-time classic and not much else? Has to be at least 3 stars right?
Super-sweet 60s pop, sounds like pure sunshine. I'd probably go for the Beach Boys if I was looking for this kinda vibe, but overall not bad.
Decent pop songs, I’ll give this one its flowers for perseverance in culture, however manufactured the sound may be.
The only review this album needs was written May 01 2021. I have nothing else to add!
The harmonies are good, but as an album., it feels like.a hot mess. The songs are all over the place I guess they did all they did in 4 years, so the songs came as they came. Still, it feels like the record has a veneer of cheese whiz O can’t get over.
Mid
Groovy, nice relaxing tunes!
Hee hee. Grammatical error in big, bold lettering on the album cover. I'm expecting this to be another pop rock album, if only due to the decade of release and there being a millionty billion of these kinds of albums on the list. Yup, right on the money. This is a respectable album. Between punk and 60s pop rock, if there's one thing I appreciate about the genres that I normally feel disaffected by, it's that they never overstay their welcome. I enjoyed briefly dipping my toes into some solid instrumentation, good vocals and endearing songwriting. "Monday, Monday" has pretty good vocal melody, and I like the backing vocals. The backing instrumentation during the outro of the song is pretty good, too. "Go Where You Wanna Go" has a good energy to it thanks to that percussion. The chorus is also solid. "California Dreamin'" came as a surprise. I've heard it before, as I'm sure everyone else has. The interplay between the male and female vocalist is pretty great. Gonna rifle through the book once more. Topped the US charts and had a few successful singles. Nothing much beyond that, over to Wikipedia I go. There also isn't much in here beyond a modest critical response. It was amusing to read about how this album cover was censored five different times because of the toilet pictured on the cover, however. Take me back, honestly. I've bitched about this list having too many 60s pop rock albums many-a-time at this point, but I can let this one slide. I need to hold onto my replacement albums, and that album was pretty polished for what it sets out to do. I cosign this inclusion.
I knew exactly what this entire album was going to sound like before I put it on.
not bad
It sounds like everything else from the era. Didn’t not like it, recognized lots, but until today would have told you in full confidence that I couldn’t name a single mamas and papas song.
A fine pop album, showing its age
6/10
Great album! Lovely harmonies and sound
Beautiful vocals. California Dreaming one of the great 60s tracks, the rest a tier or two below.
california dreaming is goat stuff and the rest is whatever
Other than the obviously couple of songs - felt a bit generic 1960s soul. Hard to differentiate the other songs.
Monday monday is a great start to any album. Those harmonies are perfect. Straight shooter starts like we’re about to launch into ‘last train to clarksville’ and has a very similar vibe to it, which having checked was also released in 1966. Got a feeling is more gentle and whilst this drifts along nicely it feels out of place. I call your name is an interesting choice of Beatles cover and is a mixed bag with the first part feeling dated, even for the sixties with this changing for the chorus that tries to emulate the original too much and the ending is like some cheesy stage performance. Do you wanna dance also fails to quite land. I struggle to pinpoint why but it may be slightly too slow. It feels odd to include these covers when their own material felt generally stronger and obviously more cohesive. Go where you wanna go is pleasant enough and leads nicely into the undoubted classic of California Dreamin. California Dreamin has everything harmonies, soul and a great tune. In fact the only thing it doesn’t have is a ‘g’ regardless of what Apple’s autocorrect thinks. Spanish Harlem is another track that doesn’t work for me and again leads me to question the decision to include these covers. Somebody groovy suffers for sounding a bit like other mainstream music of this era and detracts from the things that made them standout. Heygirl for all that is quite enjoyable and manages to blend a more contemporary backing with their trademark harmonies, which really works. You Baby has a wonderful layered vocal element and despite being relatively simple sounding makes it an enjoyable listen . For all that i’ve said about the other tracks ‘the In Crowd’ may be in the exception both in terms of vocal and being a cover as their arrangement really works. The focus of the single lead vocal with the other voices generally lower in the mix really delivers power. I’ll even overlook the hammond organ solo which could’ve easily grated.
This was a perfectly inoffensive 35 minutes of background music (12(!) songs in 35mins - take note prog rockers.) “Monday, Monday” is lovely, so opening with it was nice and, until you get to “California Dreamin’”, the rest is all just perfectly pleasant background music which I liked. It’s not an album I’d go out of my way to listen to again, but it really was a nice relaxing time.
I was actually surprised because, I normally don't like music from 60's unless it's the Beatles, but this was actually fire. The strings were amazing at times, and the songwriting and singing was amazing!
The squarest hippie music of all time.
Better than Coldplay
Haven't listened to this in forever - it's not great! California Dreamin is potentially the finest single of the 60s, though, and gets it an extra star.
Simply too dated for my ears.
Nice enough album, well delivered. I'm not sure how it sits in the 2020s. The two hit singles (Monday, Monday and California Dreaming) are very good.
Pretty mellow album, but it's not really the kind of album for me.
Не люблю первую половину 60х. Весь этот рок-н-ролл в духе beach boys и Beatles. Этот альбом ничем сильно не выделяется. Неплохой танцевальный рок-н-ролл, не более
A few big hits and a lot of meh.
Starts strong but loses steam as it goes. The first two tracks are excellent — catchy, well-arranged, and full of the group’s signature harmonies. Unfortunately, the rest of the record doesn’t live up to that early promise. Overall, it’s a decent effort with a few highlights, but nothing that really stands out beyond those opening songs.
This was fine. I had high hopes considering the strength of “California Dreamin’” which is excellent and “Monday Monday”. But the rest of the album I found a little boring. I did appreciate the cover of The Beatles’ “I Call Your Name” but I didn’t think this version lived up to the original
Sounds a bit repetitive and pedantic, but pleasant
Pretty good. A fun album with some great songs.
Finished. 7/10
Bit all over the place stylistically with some very obvious Beatles and Beach Boys influences. The album has one of the greatest songs of the 60s and some weaker covers. Not too familiar with the story of the band but based on the comments I'll be jumping down a youtube rabbit-hole later. 3/5.
Very good. Sounds old in a way I thought would get boring for 40+ minutes, but it stays interesting and enjoyable the whole way through
This album has a lot of famous songs. The three singles, of course, but also covers of the Beatles and Ben E King, among others. I listened to the originals of the covers to compare. (You Baby's provenance is so muddled that I don't know what to call it. Is it a cover? Kinda? Not really? Is there a term for songs that are released by separate artists close enough together that nobody can really claim ownership?) They seem to trade personality for technical performance, which is not bad, but is limiting. Overall, though, it's a pleasant sound, and the harmonizing is fantastic. I'm not that into it, but it's a very well made record. Although it's tainted a bit by the big hit telling us that California is better than where you're from. Californians are the musical equivalent of vegans or Ivy League alums, but with less justification.
Consistently strong vocals in an inconsistent track list.
A chill and harmless little album you could play in front of your grandmother. Yea, I can't hate this. This is 60s music in its purest form. Also it just casually has one of the greatest songs of the decade on it... Favorite track: Take a fucking guess...
I do love their vocals. The popular hits are awesome. The songs I hadn’t heard were ok. 3/5
I have a soft spot for the M's & P's, some of the sweetest music to come from terrible and terrorized people, but I don't know that they are really an album band. A greatest hits would probably do you better. A great undersung (though likely offensive by modern standards) album to come out of their poisoned honey universe is John Phillips The Wolfking of LA.
3.5 stars. Solid album. Strong flavors of hippie culture while maintaining relevance today. Favorite songs: Go Where You Wanna Go, I Saw Her Again, Monday
Very 60s not bad but a few too many poor covers to make it a classic! Nice harmonies though.
2 felt 2 harsh. It was alright, a bit woo-woo, but that is not the worst thing in the world
Average, except for California Dreaming which is mesmerising
I’ve never really liked the “group” vocal stuff, it always sounds more like a show choir or something- not very rock and roll. Obviously, a couple of classic tunes on here, but most of it just seems a little lacking to me
I honestly was expecting a little more just by seeing it had California dreaming on it but it was still pretty good nonetheless. It felt a bit repetitive and I’m not really a fan of their style of constant harmonies basically making up the whole song. I liked how the vocalists changed though and despite how constant the harmonies were, they did vary a bit in how they were delivered for each song, despite this though it was still repetitive but with some variation in instrumentation which I can appreciate. Favourites: I call your name, California dreamin’ and Somebody groovy. Overall, 6/10 (maybe a bit too nice).
It's good for what it is, I think I just don't care much for this era and genre
Fine. California Dreamin is great. Not my favourite 60s album.
Almost bang on a 3.5. Two great songs and very inoffensive for the remainder. The question is whether it’s inoffensiveness pushes it up 0.5 (because it didn’t annoy me) or down 0.5 (because it was too blah)……I think down, unfortunately, but it’s a very strong 3, which I’m sure will be solace to them.
Almost a 4.
1 great song and some tolerable background noise
California Dreamin is an all time classic but the rest was just ok
A few great songs and lovely vocal performances throughout. Production and instrumentation aren’t really anything to write home about - it’s warm late-60s folk pop fare. It’s a little slight and also feels longer than it is, but it’s a good record.
There's one big standout and the rest are above average 1960s songs.
Starting a Monday morning with “Monday, Monday” is kinda fun, but otherwise I wasn't excited about this one. Based on some of the other album selections on this list, the fact that this record contains the Billboard number 1 single of 1966, "California Dreaming'", is probably enough to warrant its inclusion. However, even if you throw that one out, you still get "Monday, Monday" "Go Where You Wanna Go" and "Do You Wanna Dance"(admittedly not the most iconic cover of this song) along with a slew of other smooth 60s pop-folk songs. Not quite my thing, but it's hard to argue with the reach and influence of this album and of the group.
A couple great songs and the worst version of Do You Wanna Dance I've ever heard.
Yes, I can believe them! This is totally fine.
It has always sounded nostalgic to me. Music of a time and place...some good tunes but not timeless.
I guess this is fine but it is very confused.
Great combination of vocals and a grezt representation of the flower power era.
This still feels pretty creative and not overly dated. This probably blew peoples minds when it came out.
It's fine... it just sounds like a group trying to be like the Eagles or the Beach Boys. But California Dreamin' is a good song
An entire album of music which would work well in a '60s flashback scene. The majority of the album is solid, albeit nothing that will live long in the memory. California Dreaming is the obvious standout, of course., but it would've been good if the extended cut were on here.
Perfectly good doo wop style pop music but I’m a bit bored of the 60s bias towards ‘classics’. A lot of this is forgettable and if it wasn’t for the one big single, I don’t think we’d listen to them much at all.
A nice, breezy 60s pop record with terrific singing and harmonies. The songs are simple and unthreatening. I like it but can't think I'll listen to this one often. Top tracks: "California Dreamin'," "Monday, Monday"
"Monday, Monday" & "California Dreamin'" are great songs that earned their place in the pop/rock music canon. I also really like "The 'In' Crowd". Everything else is forgettable
A couple of songs I enjoyed, but overall not my favorite genre.
The more I listen, the more I dislike all these 60's albums. It's obviously a fine album, but nothing really spectacular besides, you know, "California Dreaming" so just listen to that and your favorite Beatles album and call it good.
A fun album, I really thoroughly enjoyed it as a nice, easy listening exercise. The heads are pretty solid, nothing really popped to me, but I would definitely listen again. I think three out of five is good, it’s almost 4.
Me he guardado los clásicos "Monday, Monday" y "California Dreamin'", me gustó también "Spanish Harlem", pero en general me ha parecido un album que seguía la estela de los Beatles y que ya no fueron a más. Todo el mundo no pude ser igual que esos genios, pero hubiera estado bien algo más de ellos después de hacer canciones tan buenas.
This was the music my father enjoyed. So I knew most of the songs. Not my type of music but I did enjoy listening.
The singles on this album are absolute classic bangers. Everything else is a bit lack luster. 2.5 outta 5
i thought this was a very 'okay' album - wasn't exactly bad but also wasn't a very enjoyable listen. a lot of the tracks sounded like bad beatles songs so there was no surprise when i heard the beatles cover. obviously knew 'california dreamin'' before listening - most of the other tracks sounded pretty similar or at least fit the same vibe. there's definitely better options for folk/pop albums so can't see myself ever listening to it again.
Альбом одной песни. Не, вы не подумайте, так то весь альбом довольно неплох, но все же интересна, наверное, только California Dreamin. А в остальном - довольно стандартный хиппи-балладный рок середины 60х. Каких-то прям выдающихся идей не заметил, но хорошо что такая музыка есть. А еще тут опять хардпан то в одно, то в другое ухо, про существование наушников тогда люди не думали, вестимо...
Classic from the 60s. Strong pop/ folk songs with beautiful harmonies. Not 100% for me but hard to deny the classics such as Monday Monday and Californian Dreamin. Would recommend.
Great 60s record. The hits are classic, easy listening for the rest
Noen kule sanger, men ikke helt min sjanger
Monday, Monday var ganske stilig og passende California Dreamin er en banger, rart den kommer så langt ute i albumet Litt fin sound jevnt over, men ingen har den samme oppbygningen helt på samme måte Likte det likevel Litt langt
Obviously a lot of all-timer singles on here, but other than that it's a run-of-the mill 60-s cali album
I could’ve just put on any other Beatles album that I fw, or played the Beach Boys greatest hits and gotten more out of that experience. Not bad, but I don’t think I had to listen to this to really get much out of it. *Spanish Harlem kind of slaps
This is an interesting one - California Dreamin' is one of the all timers - but I think that the issue here is that the rest of the album just doesn't hold up to it in a consequential way. Quite frankly, I imagine that this is a product of its time - if I had the sensibilities of the a person living in the 60s, I might find this album to be more transformative. I'm sure that during the time period, this was quite revolutionary. In 2025 however, it feels a little middle of the road. Ultimately, I think some albums transcend time, but this ain't that.
I like the songs individually but felt like a whole album was more than I needed of this vibe.
Fun and light-hearted. This is totally the American version of ABBA. Fav song: Spanish Harlem
The singles are classics. It all feels so ... "of the time". An album I wouldn't turn off, but probably wouldn't otherwise sit down to listen to.
"California Dreamin'" is the only number that stands out on this album for me. The rest I can very much take or leave. It's a bit of a limp lettuce of an album, and as nice as the artist's voices are, I wouldn't rush to play it again, although, of course, it's very easy to listen to.
Good harmonies and tambourines, highlighted by California Dreamin.
The Mamas & The Papas are kind like the gay beach boys. That’s what I kept thinking. This is like that beach boys album but gay. It’s fine, easy to listen to. But it’s not very fun.
Good songs, good harmonies….kind of sounds like what I’d imagine The Beach Boys would sound like if they didn’t have Brian Wilson and had to rely on Bruce Johnston and Al Jardine for their musical direction; a little corny and dated but still strong harmonies and musicianship. Definitely some interesting covers on here, and I always loved “California Dreamin’ “. I’d like to spend more time with this one and let it grow on me… “Hey Girl” is a low point, a wet noodle of a song with dorky energy.
I like 60s music but nothing really stuck out to me as super interesting. On the other hand, I think I’ll enjoy it more as I listen to it more. I really liked Straight Shooter, Do You Wanna Dance, and Go Where You Wanna Go.
Listenable.
3.5
was straight shooter the inspiration for the countdown timer music?
It was fine
Another 3/5 album. Not bad, not great either. Pretty good, pretty solid. Any album with "California Dreamin'" on it can't reasonably be scored any lower. A couple album tracks are nice, too. The Mamas and the Papas are better than your stereotypical '60s folkpop hippie band, so they've got that going for them.
Old
The standout here is obviously "California Dreamin", which remains one of the best songs of the 60s. I also thought "Somebody Groovy" was great. But outside of that, I just didn't find much that was too interesting to latch onto. The harmonies are solid, the instrumentation polished, but ultimately it sounds just like a lot of the California pop of the time mixed in with some staples of British invasion. Of course The Mamas and the Papas were crucial to the counterculture movement, but I don't know if this album as whole is representative of that.
The last half of the album felt stronger than the first half. I don't know whether that was simply because California Dreamin' put me in a more receptive mood or what, but it felt that way. Who gave the okay for that album cover though? What the hell!
Love me some vocal harmonies. Fav tracks - Monday, Monday, Got a Feelin', California Dreaming
Algumas boas, mas a maioria chata
*1966. *Quintessential 1960s - total psychedelic California sound. *Monday Monday and California Dreamin'. *Not a big fan of the slower songs, but the up-tempo ones were fun. RATING - 7/10
Honestly, disappointed really. California Dreamin' is a top record and The M&Ps come with a reputation for being 60s influencers. Beyond California Dreamin' and Monday, Monday, there's not a lot on here. The kind of band for which a best of album does the trick. Extra rating on the strength of California Dreamin'
Not bad, makes sense california dreamin was the one that made it out, it’s the most distinct out of all the tracks here. I feel this sound has a weird survivorship bias where all the songs I recognize are the blueprint for this genre and everything else I don’t recognize is a weird offshoot of it - something about them just compositionally doesn’t click as well. Idk
The title track is a great song which I have actually been playing a lot in the last couple days as the leaves begin to turn. I'd never listened to the rest, and it was quite forgettable. I did kind of like their Do You Wanna Dance too, though it's no Beach Boys.
Played out and kinda stale now but hugely Influential and great use of vocal harmony accents (full but not overdone).
Everything you’d want from the Mamas and the Papas. Several good songs, and staples of their genre
This is an early sort of psych album, and overall, it’s pretty good! Most of these songs are pleasant, well made psych pop and folk rock songs, I just don’t have a ton to say about them. There are little highlights like Monday, Monday and Spanish Harlem dotted around, and especially for how early this hit the scene, I think it’s worth hearing. That being said, I think there is *one* song here that is really, *really* good, and that’s (of course) California Dreamin’. I honestly think this is one of the best songs of the ‘60s, *and* I think it’s one of the *most* psychedelic songs of the ‘60s too. Like the experience of listening to it just feels weird. It’s like a combination of the technicolor reverb, the *stubbornly* minor key, the droning vocal harmonies, and the kind of lo-fi, warm, 60’s fuzz that comes with less expensive recordings of the era. The effect of this all is a song that I really think could cause a hypnosis state or something. Like it reaches a little bit deeper into the brain than music is usually supposed to. I wouldn’t say it’s scary per-se, but if you told me this could activate sleeper agents, I’d believe you. It’s an irreplaceable song. The rest of the album isn’t really pushing it down, but I don’t think any other song here really keeps up. That being said, I’d say the full package is still worth hearing at least once.
Those apostrophes will never cease to irk me, but California Dreamin' lives in my head for about half of every year. The rest is filler.
3.5
Another perhaps not lasted the test of time it is an interesting listen and quite pleasent they compriment each other well and harmonise well. A good listen all around. However not really my bag overall
Quite pleasant to hear but nothing that caught me too much
pretty fine for me
Not particularly engaging for me though I like this style of music in general Fav song: Monday Monday prob
This group is like The Beach Boys meets ABBA. Their sound isn't totally generic though - there are some unique songs on the album too. My favourite song is California Dreamin', which seems to be the album's most popular track. I know a clip of that song was trending on reels (presumably also TikTok) for a while, so not surprising. This was a fun and light listen. 7/10.
As 3 as it gets. Did I hate it? No. Perfectly nice mostly. Would I turn it off of someone put it on? No. Would I actively listen out for any track they wasn't California Dreamin'? Probably not. The Do You Wanna Dance cover was alright.
Fun summer album with classic tracks. I can imagine grilling some hot dogs by the pool on a 100+ degree day. Or jamming to this on a CA roadtrip. Either way, very enjoyable.
Knew a lot of these songs and they were OK. Wouldn't be in my normal rotation because I am not a boomer or a filmmaker but acceptable.
I like this album, but there is nothing more to it. It had several changes in tones which I liked, but to be honest it was nothing special in my opinion. Of course I love Californa Dreamin', but other than that this album didn't feel that special to me. And because of that I feel a bit disappointed, because I like most of the Mamas & the Papas songs and albums I've listened to before, so I would rate this album a 3.4/5. Favourite song on the album of course is Californa Dreamin'.
Thought it would be another Beatles ripoff, but it turned out more original than I thought
"California Dreaming" is easily a 5 star song, but I have to say that the rest really didn't do much for me. It's a great example of 60s music and I can easily see why it would have been so popular back when it was released. Maybe I'm biased by the band's reputation, but I just didn't really find anything that special about the rest of the album. It's fine, but no where near the best music of the era. Still, it's got that one great song though.
Essentially a Classic rock version of The Beach Boys. Good, easy listen. Nothing to complain about but nothing to get excited about either.
Jam packed with pop classics. Very easy listen.
Quintessential oldies. “California Dreamin’” will live on forever. Not something I would want to listen to all the time but not horrible.
3 love the first track, bit hit and miss for the rest.
Lovely '60s record! Great vocal harmonies, great core band stuff. Obviously California Dreaming is a classic, it's worth checking out just for that!
Lovely little album, not really my thing for most of it but it's a nice time all the way, I didn't think much of California Dreamin though
I can appreciate that this was probably huge in the 60w but I'm not a huge fan. It reminds me of ABBA a little. I like California Dreamin' otherwise it wouldn't be on my rotation.
Easy listen but not groundbreaking
Not too bad
Songs I heard when I was a baby
7/10, Some real bangers on this album. Monday Monday, California Dreaming. Some songs get repetitive due to the vocal harmony style, impressive pipes and layering's though.
Gostei desse álbum! Alguma faixas são clássicas e amplamente conhecidas. QoA Vesper.
Good stuff, just not exactly my jam.
If you wanted to define the sounds of the 1960s and pulled up any album to help you explain it I think this would be a good shout. Obviously California Dreamin' is the stand out but the album bathes it's sometimes unhappy lyrics in pure sunshine pop, with a solid Beatles cover thrown in for good measure.
The harmonies were fun and the sound reminded me a bit of The Beatles. It does feel dated, but in a charming, sunshine-pop kind of way.
Yllättävän ok, 3/5
Zwei herausragende Titel: Monday, Monday und California Dreamin'. Sonst blieb nicht viel hängen.
This one is actually pretty cool
I really hate the song Monday, Monday. I like Straight Shooter. Didn't realize that the Ramones cover of Do You Wanna Dance was of these moms and dads. California Banananing. It's just so old sounding. I can appreciate that what it's doing at the time is really good. But like, I'm never gonna spin this on my own without a prompting. Listened to the whole thing, only 35 mins, but it felt longer.
Solid, but unremarkable besides the two big hits.
Bangers
Very sweet, very early 60s. The harmonies were nice, and it's layered enough to not give me the irrates. It was fine enough.
Of its time. Generic 60s pop hits apart from Monday Monday and California Dreamin, both of which are superb. The latter has a case for the best pop song of the decade in all fairness
the california dreaming album
Nice vocal harmonies, I was expecting more like California Dreamin’ with the late 60’s vibe. It’s more just poppy harmonies.
Quite enjoyed this. Lovely harmonies
The hits on this album are 60s classics, but the rest of the album kind of dragged it down.
Album was chill, I did enjoy altough not my vibe, enjoyed the two channel audio. Was exciting to listen to. Contains hit song "California Dreamin'".
John Phillips is allegedly a HUGE POS but his first solo album rips. Mama Cass died an ironic death at Harry Nilsonn's London gaff, 32 years old. As did Keith Moon, 4 years later, also 32. Spooky. Anyway, this is nice enough.
It's incredibly important to note that the lead vocalist, John Phillips, sexually assaulted his daughter, Mackenzie Phillips, for an entire decade. So these guys are The Beach Boys crossed with Fleetwood Mac. That's to say, shitty vocal group music combined with every band member getting into relationships with eachother, subsequently cheating, and then writing songs about it. Overall it isn't terrible, but there's a certain point where "Easy Listening" music gets too easy to listen to and it just fades into the background. That's this album.
Harmonies are wonderful, but the album started to feel a bit samey. Good album, overall, but the standouts are the songs you already know.
Felt like I was raiding my father's record collection. But then I listened closer and there's a song about swinging. In any case, love the harmonies on this and the whole 60's vibe, and "Monday, Monday" and California Dreaming" are all-time classics.
Mixed feelings on this one. Absolutely love California Dreamin, has to be one of the best 60s songs and spawned some great covers. Also like it when they get doo-woppy, like on Go Where you Wanna Go. I enjoy the vocals of Mama Cass and Michelle Phillips alot more than the guys, so i like the ones where they take the lead more. But, so much of this is so sanitized and clearly just churned out to make money on pop radio that it brings it down. Didn't go in expecting edge from the Mamas and Papas but they play it so safe that a lot of these tunes just utterly lack soul and are dull listens (looking at you, Spanish Harlem)
I felt fine about this.
Potverdikkie, dit is echt oud. Alsin, dit klinkt echt heel oud. Hele agressieve stereo panning, galmpje, zoetsappige harmonieën, tamboerijntjes dan wel een beatring (ik weet niet over er een velletje op zit). Oude Beach Boys met vrouwen erbij. Ik heb hier niet zo heel veel bij te melden. Ik vind dit voor een keer wel oké om te luisteren. Tussen een 2 en 3, veel meer is het niet. Ik hou het op een 3 omdat je er twee hitjes gratis bij krijgt en California Dreamin' vind ik wel echt een banger.
Iconic sixties sound. Although I dig my sixties rock a little less poppy and a little more bluesy and hard rocking. Still, it's a good album.
Another album from the sixties that I've enjoyed. In the end most of the songs sounded the same.
solid but they really feel like a superb singles band more than anything to me
High 3 Not as good as my first listen
I'm pretty meh on this. "Hippie doo-wop" would be the most apt description of the album. California Dreamin' is good. Not a bad listen, but not something I'm likely to ever listen to again. 3/5
Dece
Liked it ! I know I won’t listen to it from start to finish anytime soon BUT I’ll definitely listen to some of the songs from that album.
"Monday, Monday" is a classic and "California Dreamin'" has to be considered among the best rock songs ever written. Most of the album is skippable. Without those two song, this would be 2 stars. They can only bump it up to 3 stars.
Fun and poppy and has all the hits.
This feels completely okay to me. Maybe even generic.
7/10
It was a bit meh, the classic songs on it brought the score up to 3
Impressive how immediately recognizable the hits are on this album. Easy to listen through at a brisk 34 minute run-time, and a sound that never overstays its welcome between tracks. Not exactly my cup of tea stylistically, but worth a 3 for a genuine “I liked it”.
You should count the number of times they say the word "yeah" on this album, that'd be a fun project too! Have to ignore the incredibly over-dramatic stereo mix, which is very distracting, to get to the good music. Ethos-wise, the pop world is still living in the hedonistic religion that these guys are espousing. "califonia dreamin" is a banger obviously, but some of the non-singles are a slog.
Everyone knows California dreaming. I did not previously know Monday Monday and it’s a good song. The rest of the album was pretty expected. Nice and inoffensive.
60s folk/soft rock. Not much special here other than the singles. What to pick as best..? Best track - You Baby 2 stars? Or 3?'
Crazy, I was just singing Monday Monday to my kid yesterday! Because today is Monday! It's nice when art can enter your life with subjects like Days of The Week. Anyway, Monday Monday and California Dreamin' are great tunes that rise above but are still the same as the rest of this general 60s hippie folk/pop type thing. It's good, but the hits are hits for a reason and the others are not for basically the same reason. Pleasant.
Pleasant, but dated.
Nice harmonies, melodic flourishes, but lacking in the kind of consistent creativity and sophistication that would make it consistently compelling listening.
fun enough i suppose! in addition to the usual suspects, i found spanish harlem and somebody groovy to be pretty good.
This album has California Dreamin' and Monday Monday, which I was already familiar with. These two also happen to be the strongest songs on the album. The remainder of the album is overall pretty forgettable. There are some covers which in my opinion don't add anything over other versions. I would listen again because I didn't mind it, but would probably prefer to just listen to California Dreamin'.
All the leaves are brown And the sky is brown We're all wearing brown And the cover's brown Lets add some brown text And all get in the bath A very beige album for such a Summer's day
Monday, Monday a classic jam. California Dreamin' is delightful. Classic summer of love sounding pop jam with beautiful harmonies. Love Spanish Harlem. Ran through this quickly. Fine album, but not something that is lingering with me. Going with a middle of the pack 3 here.
Some 60s folk. The switching from male to female singing though was a nice change up. Pretty standard album.
Nice.
California dreamin and others are fine but its some folk rock
It's fine for 60's pop-rock. No surprise but California Dreamin' was the best song IMO. I could see this growing on me over time
Beautiful singing and calming lyrics. A nice chill listening experience. Songs that are easy to sing along too.
Good pop from the 60s. Although I can't help but thinking that all of these pop bands from this era are all a year or so behind the trends set by the Beatles. This album sounds like something from Beatles For Sale, which was like 2 years before this. That's not a bad thing though, there was a lot more room for pop like this, and the Beatles move on very quick from styles that they seemingly invent.
pretty cool but repetitive!!! obviously california dreamin is one of the best songs ever but the rest of the album didn’t hit too hard
I enjoyed what it was. I think that what came after (and some of the same time) was so much better. I’ll never listen to this again, but it was good. I’d rather listen to The Beach Boys or CSNY. I almost dropped it a whole lot because of “The ‘in’ crowd”. What a stupid song. It’s like what someone would say if they weren’t cool. I promise!! People want to know where we are! We are the in crowd! We know what’s cool!
I’ve heard the singles. Never heard an entire album. Really amazed how good it was.
Remember in the 60s when everyone was really into panning everything hard right or hard left? Yep, that. Sigh. Such a classic, clean sound. I’ve grown up listening to Boomers playing California Dreaming, so it’s hard to get excited about that one (again). Doesn’t resonate with me in the same way, but these are good songs, beautifully done.
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