I'm A Believer - 3/5 This is alright for what it is. I would not seek it out to listen to it. Cover is done with a different twist. It's almost country-lite to me, but Fred said it better, perhaps rockabilly style.
I'm a Believer This is a great song, and this version does something interesting with it. It fits the sound of the album well, and it's good to hear it. I'm not going to give this the 5/5 the original gets, but that doesn't mean that I'm disappointed to hear it. It's a great cover even if it doesn't reach the numerical grade of the original. 4/5
"I'm a Believer" -- 3/5 Yeah, this could've been terrible -- but somehow it manages to be pretty darn good.
... don't think this needed a remake. Makes the artist look desperate and grabbing at straws. I can see Do Not Ask For Love ... Sometime in the Morning - pushing it. Randy Scouse Git is his and reimagined so that's fine. I'm a Believer - 3/5 3 cause it's Micky and he sounds good and it's a good song
Holy crap, am I behind on this thread. As someone once put it “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans...” Anyhow, “Good Morning, Good Morning” is a lovely cover of a not often covered Beatles classic. It has a Monkees connection, as noted earlier, and Micky turns it into something completely different. I hear this one quite a bit, as Chris Carter plays it every few weeks or so on “Breakfast With The Beatles” (Sirius XM). Nothing groundbreaking, but I’ll give it 5/5.
“Just an Old Fashioned Love Song” - Classic song. I like the Three Dog Night version fine, and I fondly remember Paul Williams coming down in three part harmony with two Muppet doppelgangers when I was a younger Muppet myself. Micky puts his own stamp on it, and it’s not bad. But I don’t like the weird intro at all, the arrangement is much too busy. Micky scatting reminds of “Randy Scouse Git,” but this isn’t as good as that. 2.5/5
“Diary” - Man, I never, ever liked Bread. I’ve used all the puns: Soggy, moldy, very white. But I like Micky’s version! Really nice production (I agree with earlier comments about a dash of pyschedelia, by way of Jeff Lynne), and yet another excellent Micky vocal. Perhaps I’ve been a bit harsh towards David Gates all these years? Nah, still not a fan. But this one works. 4/5.
“Many Years” - So this was written for Toto? Luckily, this sounds better than anything I’ve heard from them. I agree with Juan that this sounds like a warmup for Good Times! In fact, am I hearing a hint of “You Bring the Summer” in the guitar riff? Apart from that catchy guitar, it’s a bit non-descript. But it’s a decent little power-pop tune. Solid 3/5.
Micky just can’t leave “Sometime in the Morning” alone, can he? Luckily, this is different from any of his other versions. Can’t decide if I like the reprise from King For a Day better than this one, or vice versa. Both are lovely, and again, better produced than the Monkees recordings of it. But the Monkees original is still the gold standard for me, regardless. Still, this is a really good, laid back version. I’m a sucker for a tasty steel guitar. 4/5.
He’ll collaborate with Nez for a vaporware version: The Monkees’ Michael Nesmith Explains His Love of Vaporwave
Wait, he redid “Randy Scouse Git”? Um... That was... Interesting. Sure wasn’t expecting that. Fairly ambitious, kinda dark (Especially when we get to “Why don’t you hate who I hate, kill who I kill...”). Almost an alt-rock take. Can’t think of anyone to compare it to though. Kinda makes me want to hear, say, XTC cover it. Or maybe Cowboy Junkies? Can’t say this replaces the original (I miss the tympani), and it wasn’t necessary, but I sort of dig it. 4/5.
Speaking of unnecessary, “Johnny B. Goode.” Seems especially lackluster after that version of “Randy Scouse Git,” but at least Mick tries something different with it. Doesn’t really work, but he tried. Nice job on the guitar but as someone else said it sounds like a Simon & Garfunkel version. Not terrible, but as one of the great, most important songs in Rock history this comes up short. 2.5/5.
And from one of the all-time great rock & roll songs to... Well, “Sugar Sugar.” Yeah... No. Again, Mick tried to do something different. Still just as bad. 1/5.
Anyone sick of me yet? “Do Not Ask For Love” - Getting back to some ambitious stuff again. Gotta admit, I never warmed to any of the various Monkees versions of this. Micky’s Monkees take was probably the best one though. The song, and its lyrics just never clicked with me. But this a capella version is really interesting, and quite a vocal showcase for Micky. Still don’t love the song, but I’ll give Micky, and producer Harris credit for their effort. 3.5/5
“I’m a Believer” - This could’ve gone oh so wrong... But it didn’t. Doesn’t top the Monkees’ smash, but this a fun version that could just easily been recorded in much the same style in 1966. Could’ve used a little more rockabilly guitar (Ala James Burton, or Brian Setzer), IMO, but it works. Heck, I wouldn’t mind Micky and Mike doing it like this in an acoustic or semi-acoustic setting on their tour this fall. They won’t, but I’d dig it. 3.5/5.
Today's song is Remember: A lovely vocal from Micky and a fine song from Harry Nilsson. I could live without the guitar soloing, and in many ways this is far too long, but being the final track it works in its own way. Micky's personal friendship with Nilsson adds an extra resonance. 3.5/5.
Producer David Harris talks at length about the track here: Title track: "REMEMBER" behind the scenes (Micky Dolenz solo album produced by David Harris)
Remember 4.6/5 I really like how this one turned out— even the longer guitar solo. It’s all very dream-like.. It’s almost like a cousin to “the porpoise song.”
Remember - 4/5 Very engaging track. Perfect song for Micky to sing. It sounds retro and modern, which is a hard feat in my book to accomplish. It works well as a closing track, sounds like a Good-bye tune. Quite enjoyable and dream-like.
Missed I'm a Believer and at this point I am not surprised by any remake that Micky would select although would agree, some do not really need remakes. Again this is a decent take of a classic, if not the classic song related to the Monkees. It is strange as most of us believe Micky could sing anything well and he kept going back to the same well, so to speak, for most of his material. I have the Point cast recording so I am familiar with Remember. I like it in the play and like it here as well. 3.75.
Remember This is a nice and interesting track with lots of nice touches. E.g. what I interpreted to be skipped beats AKA-ish time signature changes. The guitar solos work for me. As do the various instrumental sections. It does go on for a long while, and could be a Fleetwood Mac track to end an album. Probably Christine McVie if so. The backing vocals and wordless vocal sections are also very nice. I didn't like it so much when I started listening, but I feel this song more than justifies its existence and length as the arrangement unfolds. 4.51/5 Dave Harris talking about the arrangement was very interesting. There is more going on in the time signature changes than I noticed. Interesting that the drummer is Vinnie Colaiuta (kinda young, kinda wow). I've heard him playing drum parts in unusual time signatures in his work with Zappa.
"Remember" -- 4.5/5 I love this song to begin with, and Micky's friendship with Harry makes it a stellar choice for inclusion on this album. This version has some meat on it, and it really works on every level. Micky's vocal is really superb. A few production touches I could live without, but I'm a big fan of this overall. This is the best thing on the album, and quite worthy of being the title track.
