Monkees New Christmas Album?

I just got done listening to the Monkees Christmas Party. I really liked it! I enjoyed this record more than I thought i would. I'm spinning through it a second time.

 

I hope we are discussing the Super Deluxe Editions of Headquarters and PAC&J in January.

 

"House of the Broken Gingerbread" written by Adam Schlesinger - my favorite on this album of the newer Monkees' Christmas songs anyway.

Overall I like pretty much all the songs except Macca's " Wonderful Christmastime" - just prefer not to hear it ever again. Micky sings it alright, just the one song I will likely skip each year.

 

That's probably my least favorite song on the album. But Micky does a good job with it.

 

I don't know if this'll be of any use to anybody, but I seen the Christmas album in Walmart the other day... They're asking $9.97 for it.

I don't know how late Walmart stays open today (Christmas Eve), but if you need a copy, and you have a Walmart near you, you might want to pick up a copy if you don't own the album already...

 

Hey, that's good to know the CD was at Walmart. I'm sure most of the Monkees' fans went to Target** instead if they wanted to buy it in a store vs. buying online.


**Target version has 2 extra tracks on it.

 

Yeah, I own the Target version myself... I seen it at Walmart while browsing thru their CDs...

 

Every now and then I will search the Monkees on Google and read what is going on. The other day I went to Wikipedia and it had information on Christmas Party. For Chart, it said position 66. I was curious so I looked at what I think was the correct album 200 chart and did not see an entry for the LP. I did however see the Holiday chart in which Christmas Party entered at Number 3, which regardless of the narrow chart and early release, still seems pretty cool to me. It went to 5, 20 and stayed on for 5 weeks. Did I miss something, does anyone know if Wikipedia is wrong?
If I am understanding what is going on, there is not a Vinyl release yet, so when that happens, Monkees fans again will have another chance for another number 1.
As a side note, received the DVD's of the shows for Christmas, as the VHS tapes I have were rendered obsolete more than a few years ago.

 

I didn't follow the charting for Christmas Party, but good to know how it did.

I do think this material is way better than the awful-sounding backing tracks the Monkees did for their Christmas appearance on MTV in 1986. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they got together for that during the reunion hey-day, but that bass sound is hideous even by 80s standards.

 

I'm interested in the 'Christmas Party' CD album situation especially outside the US: over here in Germany I haven't seen any CDs for sale - nowhere. I went several times to at least 8 different music stores- no success. I asked one of the music department leader of a huge music store and he said they don't have it as the responsible employee thought it wasn't worth ordering it for the shop.

Furthermore there weren't any ads or reviews of the album in magazines - even not in music magazines. (Rolling Stone, Musikexpress, Good Times etc.) I went to the huge newspaper shops that also sell UK and US music magazines (MOJO, Uncut, Rock etc.), and went through all the reviews of November and December (about 15 magazines). Result: also ZERO ads or even small reviews.

So...didn't Rhino Records promote the album at all outside the USA? Then it shouldn't surprise that the album at least in Europe went nowhere.

 

I heard it today for the first time.
I probably won’t play it again but a few songs may make a Christmas mix CD.
I bought the Target version so now at least I have a good version of Christmas is My Time of Year.

 

Hi Iceman, there are indeed European Monkees' fans. I don't have a definite answer to your question.

How much would the CD cost for you to purchase online in Euros? It sounds like Rhino may not have advertised this release outside of the US. I wonder if it was the same for fans in the UK, meaning they could not go to a music store and buy the Christmas CD?

Perhaps next season ('19) Rhino may advertise it more outside the US since there is supposed to a vinyl version.

 

The disc price via Amazon etc is a bit higher than the "usual" disc price for a new album. This is alright with me- it's more of a problem that it seems you couldn't get a physical version anywhere or nobody knew about this release here. On FB I saw a picture of a one track promo CD (!) of "What Would Santa Do?" so they must have promoted at least this song a bit.

 

It was promoted in the UK with the promo CD single "What Would Santa Do" and the full length CD was available in retail shops.

 

Good to hear the Monkees' Christmas album got some publicity over in the UK.

 

I always thought it was just the late Steve Blauner who worked w Bob & Bert...

 

When is the vinyl release coming? Anybody know?

 

I just came here to ask this as well! Odd that this didn't get ANY vinyl issue?

 

Apparently the pressing plants were too busy to get the vinyl done by Xmas 2018. I'm sure it'll be out by September or October with plenty of advance notice.

 

Good, that gives me time to find the rest of the Monkees LP's I need to fill the gaps! :-D (Head Alternate, the Ninth Album boot, The Point cast album, Justus, Good Times, Good Times Plus. )

 

John Hughes posted on the Zilch Facebook page a short video of him listening to a test copy.

 

I'm looking forward to this! Perhaps there will be some bonus tracks.

 

Well, after Good Times, The Monkees' Christmas Album was quite the letdown. Oh, a couple of decent tracks, and since I got the Target version it's got their killer version of "Riu Chiu" on it but on the whole I'd place it between Justus and Pool It. Maybe if Good Times hadn't raised my expectations so much I'd enjoy it more. But as it is I'd give it a 2.5/5

 

I'd forgotten about this. Yeah, it's utter rot.

 

I still think this is a pretty decent album.

One thing that kinda strikes me is that the covers/classics are mostly about Yuletide joy, while the new songs are mostly about holiday ennui and fractured families.