Love was out to get me, that's the way it seemed disappointment haunted all my dreams...

Before there were the Pussycat Dolls, N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys, came the uber-prefab band, the Monkees. Meant as a marketing drop for a TV show based on an American-ized version of the Beatles, the "Monkees" as a musical force actually are far more gifted than would be expected. Well, maybe not so, considering the forces that be did the job right by commissioning some of the best songwriters and studio musicians around, as well as having talent emerge from the members themselves.

Since their heyday, the band's been compiled seemingly yearly by different record companies to cash in on the nostaglia circuit. I got Rhino's Greatest Hits collection because #1) it was 4$ at the used CD shop and #2) it had all of their hit singles on one collection from the 60's to the 80's (missing only a couple minor singles from the 70s). As an history of the band this CD serves it's purpose, for the later singles like "That Was Then, This Is Now" and "Heart And Soul" are pretty much ignored on later compilations. But listening wise is it worth it? Well in a word, not quite.

I'm not ashamed to say that some of the best sunny-pop singles of the 60's are contained here, such as "Last Train To Clarksville" (by Boyce and Hart), "I'm A Believer" (by Neil Diamond), And "Daydream Believer" (by John Stewart), which clearly were written as Beatles knockoffs but transcend that with hooks that just stick in your brain as well as an earnest vocal from either Davy Jones or Mickey Dolenz. Just as enjoyable are the bouncy make-up number "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" and the Four-Tops tribute "Valleri". Even on lesser singles like the trippy "Words" (which proves the Monkees' can work as a functioning band playing their own instruments) and the British-invasion-style tune "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone" the CD is quite enjoyable. However, there are major unlistenable parts, most namely the two "reunion" singles, which sound really dated and dinner-theatre dull, as well as "Randy Scouse Git", which I guess would possibly sound better if not only I were English but also would know what a "Scouse Git" would be... but since they were all pretty decent charting singles ("Randy" hitting #2 in the UK under the name "Alternate Title") it makes sense including them on a Greatest Hits CD.

All in all picking up this CD as opposed to any other Monkees' CD won't be a find unless you're really interested in getting all their hits. However, for their best, any of their other collections that include the big singles would be just as good.


Grade: B
Best Cuts: "Last Train To Clarksville", "I'm A Believer", "Daydream Believer", "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You", "Valleri"
Weakest Links: "Heart & Soul", "That Was Then, This Is Now", "Randy Scouse Git"