Which Monkees Album Is Their Masterpiece?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by S. P. Honeybunch, Sep 2, 2021.

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  1. Grand_Ennui

    Grand_Ennui Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    I'm totally with you in ranking those other albums above 'Good Times', so :edthumbs: to you on that one.

    Not quite sure if I'd rate 'Changes' above 'Good Times', I guess it'd depend on the day, but I will say they're probably on equal footing regardless.

    Like you, I *do* prefer 'Good Times' to 'Pool It!'.
     
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  2. wino14

    wino14 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edenton, NC
    Pisces definitely. But I gotta say I love Instant Replay and Good Times is right up there for me
     
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  3. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    That's a good comparison. To me it also kind of sounds like their "Please Please Me" (UK album), maybe not really in terms of comparable songs, but in the sense that it's mostly straightforward rock songs played with simple but competent arrangements. Except for maybe "Shades Of Gray," I guess that would push it later as far as the scoring.
     
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  4. super sally

    super sally Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mint Hill, NC USA
    Those three and also you just may be the one.
     
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  5. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    The run from Headquarters to Head. 60s pop at it's best and most adventurous. The first couple have plenty of sublime moments, but a fair bit of complete crap too.
     
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  6. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    The harmonies are a big part of what makes Pisces great. Even if they were overdubbed later. Micky and Davy's parts on "Love Is Only Sleeping" push a very good song over into greatness.

    "Headquarters" is more pure, but these two albums are their peak.
     
  7. RobRoyF

    RobRoyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southland
    In the reunion album category, I feel that Good Times beats the other 2 or 3 albums by miles. GT is not quite a masterpiece, but awfully close for the reunion era. I think part of it is trying to get back to the original jangly, guitar sound.
     
  8. wino14

    wino14 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edenton, NC
    Yep the production on Good Times suited the Monkees perfectly. Was sorta what I was looking forward to on Pool It and Justus. The Hollies sure could've used it on ...what goes around also
     
  9. "R" Ed

    "R" Ed Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mercer County,NJ
    I know there are too many in the list that are, in my opinion masterpieces, but I have to go with "The Monkees" (1st album). That was the one that started the ball rolling but changed me in 1966.
     
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  10. MarkTheShark

    MarkTheShark Senior Member

    I don't think they have a "masterpiece" along the lines of a "Pet Sounds" or a "Sgt. Pepper" or whatever. "Headquarters" and "Pisces" come the closest to a definitive Monkees album, also the "Head" soundtrack with the caveat that's what it is, a soundtrack as opposed to a proper album. The "Missing Links" are compilations (albeit consisting of primarily unreleased material) so I don't think they really qualify for the question.

    On the later albums there are individual tracks that are great, but they don't really "gel" as albums as they are really the work of three solo artists with very different styles. Especially "Present."
     
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  11. joy stinson

    joy stinson Secret friend

    Location:
    Dickson. Tn
    You have a point but now I’m trying to figure out the erectile dysfunction song..lol. It’s been my favorite Monkees album since it came out.
     
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  12. joy stinson

    joy stinson Secret friend

    Location:
    Dickson. Tn
    Must defend my Davy songs…my tween heart melted at those songs, lol.
     
  13. joy stinson

    joy stinson Secret friend

    Location:
    Dickson. Tn
    It depends on your age then…I knew Beatle songs from their tv appearances, their movies and their cartoon, not their albums till I got them later.
     
  14. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    the first two are the best...masterpiece? NO...
     
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  15. Grand_Ennui

    Grand_Ennui Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI

    I think they meant the song "Love is Only Sleeping"...
     
  16. joy stinson

    joy stinson Secret friend

    Location:
    Dickson. Tn
    Lol….I’ve been dense the whole time.
     
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  17. Grand_Ennui

    Grand_Ennui Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    For what it's worth, I never thought of the song being about that-It wasn't until I started reading these forums that I ever seen anyone give that meaning to the song.
     
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  18. Invisible Man

    Invisible Man Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lemon Grove
    Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. has (for me) the strongest set of songs and is (to me) one of the best albums of 1967. I don't think anything else they recorded was as cohesive or wonderful.
     
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  19. MrSka57

    MrSka57 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse, New York
    'Love is Only Sleeping.'
     
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  20. The Panda

    The Panda Forum Mutant

    Location:
    Marple, PA, USA
    hey. I admit as a pre teen I thought Davy was almost as good as Mickey. But over the years, I think my Davy songs can be listed on one hand, while my fave Mike songs is almost every one
     
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  21. btomarra

    btomarra Classic Rock Audiophile

    Location:
    Little Rock, AR
    Finally! Not much mention for this album. Daydream Believer, Valleri, Tapioca Tundra, Auntie’s Municipal Court, PO Box 9847 puts this up there with the group of Monkees albums already mentioned. :thumbsup:
     
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  22. RobRoyF

    RobRoyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southland
    Birds & Bees is a close runner up. I really only got into this album after the Super Deluxe CD version was released about a decade ago. I still find some of it uneven, and yet I enjoy it now more than decades ago.
     
  23. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Definitely a singles group.
    But ..going with their best album /best cover ...
    PAC&J Ltd
     
  24. Grand_Ennui

    Grand_Ennui Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    While their singles definitely were good for the most part, most of their albums are very solid.
     
    S. P. Honeybunch likes this.
  25. FuturisticWorkshop

    FuturisticWorkshop Forum Resident

    Location:
    United State
    Pisces is my favorite. Mike really shines, but the Davey songs still get skipped
     
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