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Some very interesting news on the Monkees - a new 2016 tour (perhaps with or without Nez) but very intriguing news on a new album. Some front line songwriters as well as deep tracks/sessions from Nilsson, Diamond and Carole King. Sounds very cool.

http://substreammagazine.com/2016/02/the-monkees-new-album-will-have-songs-written-by-rivers-cuomo-and-ben-gibbard/ (http://substreammagazine.com/2016/02/the-monkees-new-album-will-have-songs-written-by-rivers-cuomo-and-ben-gibbard/)

I read elsewhere--and I am failing to recall the specifics of where, giving myself no credibility whatsoever--that Nesmith was not going to be involved.

It is kind of interesting, though. Could turn out pretty cool. Or horrible. We'll see.

I'm not sure how I feel about just Tork and Dolenz calling themselves The Monkees though I suppose the Monkees as a duo has been done before (Dolenz and Jones on the Changes album).  This does sound intriguing either way.

Well, ya got Mike and Bruce calling themselves the Beach Boys. Atleast the Monkees have 50% original members touring. BBs 20%.

The Rolling Stone article mentioned that Nez wouldn't be participating in the full tour, although Mickey remained hopeful he may participate in a few choice dates. Album wise, at least Davey will be represented on the Neil Diamond track. Looking forward to the album.

I am a Monkees fan, been one most of my life, but I'm not a fan of 2 of them going out as The Monkees. 3 of them? Sure, that was okay in the 80s 90s - Nez didn't want to be there. Nez has always had mixed feelings about the whole Monkees phenomenon, so really not surprised he's not touring with them and may or may not be on the new album. But there comes a time when you need to hang it up. No, I don't like the idea of Mike and Bruce touring as the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys were Mike, Brian, Carl, Dennis, Al, and either David or Bruce or ..well, there are a few options there, but there should be a core of the group together if the band name is used. The Monkees will always be Micky Davy Peter Mike. Who is going to sing Davy's songs? Or for that matter, Mike's songs? I thought what they did in 96/97 was the right approach - do an album of all new material, with the guys themselves writing, playing and singing; but a lot of fans did not like that album. I thought it was great they did the tv special - but a lot of fans did not like that, either. And I was glad Micky, Davy and Peter went ahead with the tour that year, even after Nez bailed on them. But now they are verging on self-parody. I remember the guys getting asked back in 1986 if the reunion was a one time thing, or would they continue, and Micky joked they would be onstage for the 50th anniversary, with canes and rocking chairs. Now it is coming true.

New Single  - She Makes Me Laugh, Written by Rivers Cuomo from Weezer - is out, and is great! Micky on lead, Nez and Tork on backing vocals, and Tork on Banjo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpp-Ry2ZNhY

  The Mike/Micky/Peter tours of 2012-13-14 were terrific; it's too bad Nesmith is not on board in 2016 but maybe he'll pop up.

It'll be good if he does.

It is surprisingly good. I wasn't expecting much out of this reunion, just seemed silly to me that Nez waited until Davy died to get back together with the guys. But if the rest of the album is as good as this track, I might get a copy.

Mike is also about to put out a book, I believe. You should check him out on Facebook, he posts about once a week or so.

I'm guessing it's not an autobio, though. He's written at least one other book.

Whoah! There's a new Andy Partridge song on this new album that sounds exactly like XTC:

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/02/monkees-you-bring-summer-xtc

Reading the blurb

'Andy Partridge of Swedish punk rockers XTC'

Swedish ??? Try Swindon, and Punk ?? What !!!

the song is great!!! what is the lineup? Is that Mike on the 12 string.  If Mike is on this, how can one fear he is not involved?

edit: from the amazon description:  GOOD TIMES! finds all three surviving band members (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork) taking turns on lead vocals, playing a wide range of instruments, and sharing new compositions. The unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal on the Neil Diamond-penned "Love To Love."

No one seems too interested in this discussion of the monkeys. But I have to say that the two Monkees songs released so far are better than their equivalents that the Beach Boys released in 2012. No one was more of an apologist or an advocate of the Beach Boys album and work. And I love those amazing songs that Brian and L and Mike saying that were part of the suite. But in terms of overall production and pop quality, The Beach Boys did not come up with anything this good I have to say.

For me, the Monkees ended with the 97 reunion. Hard to top that, an album of all new material written, sung and played by all 4; a tv special featuring all 4; a very good documentary about the group for Disney Channel; and a tour featuring all four...but of course Nez had to bail before they came to the US. I wasn't interested in seeing Davy, Micky and Peter touring a few years back, not at the prices those venues were charging. Not interested in Micky, Peter and Mike touring, either. But with some new music - finally....definitely going to check out this new album.

Rivers has his mojo back in the last 2-3 years, so it's not surprising
Weezer - Endless Bummer
 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ09_E7dy5I)

They were smart to get someone like Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne to produce it and in their choice of modern pop/rock songwriters.

Imagine the Beach Boys 2012 album or Brian's 2015 album with folks like Schlesinger, Cuomo, etc co-writing a couple songs each with Brian and one of them co-producing the record.

Real lost opportunity that we got two Joe Thomas albums instead.

All of these new Monkees tracks sound amazing to me. Stripped back production, enjoyable, fun songs. Who ever is leading the way on this record needs to get in touch with Brian and co. I don't hear any other 60s artists these days sounding nearly as good as these Monkees tunes.

I don't like "She Makes Me Laugh" too much; I was expecting to like "You Bring the Summer" more than I actually did (I suppose I had high expectations for Andy Partridge); I am pleasantly surprised by "Me and Magdalena." The pitch correction really bugs me, though.

It bugs me too, although at least it isn't as prevalent as, er, other records we know.

Hey, wow, such good reviews. I don't know much of their deep cuts but I'm willing to get time for this. As usual in my case, youtube gets superslow at the "right" time. Will check later & maybe write short review.

Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne

60s pop's in his wheel house (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPMLG8mnCRM)

Wow, "Me & Magdalena" is gorgeous (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jZxSTs2a10)

 "Magdalena" is a winner. Great to hear Nesmith and Dolenz in harmony.

"Magdalena" is top notch. I didn't expect much before I heard it, but it's really, really good. Mike and Mickey sound really good.

This is a pretty good album that never attempts to be anything but pretty good. It's padded with outtakes which weaken the effort, and give the impression that everyone involved just wanted to get it over with. Birth Of An Accidental Hipster, a  delightful psych pop bauble by Paul Weller & Noel Gallagher, is one of a just a handful of tracks that generates any sparks. Sadly, Dolenz seems to be the only Monkee left who retains any trace of his younger voice's elasticity. Me & Magdelena Version 2 (a digital bonus track) which is totally different from the regular album version is another highlight. Not exactly the album of the Summer I was hoping for, but it still will get some repeated listens. I read that Barnes & Noble have an exclusive 7" that has another new Andy Partridge song. Gotta hear that one somehow.

Probably not a popular opinion, but I think the time for the Monkees to do a new album had passed some years back. I know it's getting raves right now, but that's typical for an older act with a new album (witness TWGMTR - seemed like everyone here loved it when it came out; not so much anymore). Unfortunately, the last time all 4 Monkees got together for an album, no one seemed to care.

My recollections could be off, but I feel that this is getting better reviews than TWGMTR did (which I still love, for what it's worth). This is also the #1 album on Amazon, which is remarkable--did Radio ever make it that high there? I was thinking it didn't do as well on Amazon but did better in stores and on the QVC deal.

I like the record. The mish-mash nature of the record kind of works for me, but I can see where it would be off-putting to some. With all of the Rhino releases over the years, and my God have there been a lot, it's amazing there's anything left to use from the old days.

One frustration for me is the bonus songs. The digital version has "Me and Magdalena - Version 2" as well as a song called "Terrifying" which belongs on the album proper IMO (hell, they both do). Then I ordered a version on FYE that has another bonus song, "A Better World," which is also featured on a special vinyl record at Barnes & Nobles release along with the Partridge tune, "Love's What I Want." To add to the confusion. "Love's What I Want" can be found on the Japanese release.

I guess that's what you gotta do to sell records these days, but man, it'd be nice if the bonus tracks were all consolidated in one physical format somewhere. At least you could get it all on CD at Target for No Pier Pressure.

That's another aspect of the biz that makes me crazy, the selling of bonus tracks and multiple versions of the same album. For what it's worth, my 2 cents: if the surviving Monkees had just gotten together to record a couple new songs, ala Beatles Anthology, I might not be viewing the whole thing so cynically. I know that Nez was nearly blind a few years ago, but it still feels wrong that they waited till Davy died to do this. That said, I'm more interested in the cd than seeing them in concert. Just Micky and Peter going out as the Monkees? Sorry, that would be like Mike and Bruce touring as the Beach Boys.  ;)

Mike has said emphatically that he will join the boys for some shows as soon as he can, including some filming of a special concert. He i the fans and wants to assure them he will be part of it soon, after his book is done.

Radio, by the way, was #1 on Amazon.

From looking at the liner notes, it's not even really a band effort between the three guys.  Only five of the tracks have all three of them together and some of the songs are either Micky, Peter, or Mike solo with session musicians.  Even though it ended up sounding pretty good, it seems like it was kind of cut and pasted together and the three living Monkees were rarely actually in the studio together.

You can hear 90 seconds of Love's What I Want, the Andy Partridge written Japanese bonus track on itunes Japan.

It's a band effort, after a fashion, in relation to modern recording. The solo efforts are by design: each Monkey has a song they have written and a solo performance. Many BB albums can be analyzed with similar divisions; that is, not every BB is on each track on each album. Mike did his work alone in the studio, by request, not because he does not love M and P but because he wanted artistic isolation, which they cherished and respected. The playing (much more than the BB on radio) and singing of the Monkees all comes from the heart and from an awareness of each other as collaborators.

It's a Monkees album, if you read beyond the stats.

Typical Monkees. "Pool It" was the same way. The guys didn't play on it, and refused to sing on each other's songs. Of course, that might not have mattered if a great record had been cobbled together from the sessions.

I got the new Monkee's cd "Good Times" and I like it.. It is better than "Pool It" and just as good if not better than "Justus" both of which are reunion albums, with Pool It featuring JUST Micky, Davy and Peter and Justus having all 4 on it, writing ,playing and producing each tracks similar to "Headquarters.This new cd is interesting for the fact that they actually not only have 3 new songs written by each Member one by Mike, one by Micky and one by Peter, another neat thing is that Davy Jones has been "Brought back from the grave" so to speak with a rare Monkees song called "Love to Love" written by Neil Diamond and released in the past on the missing links series, this version has been augmented with new background vocals although the music sounds the same, at least to these ears..this cd also has 4 songs dusted up from the vaults and finished. let;s go track by track..

1. Good times- a long lost Harry Nilsson song from 1968 dusted off and finished and yes Harry is actually singing on the track, I would describe it as sounding very 60's,it sounds like Micky's voice is from nowadays and not from back then, really cool song. this only features Micky and Mike.
2. You Bring the Summer- This track i the first on the cd to have all three surviving Monkees singing together, this sounds very 60's, very catchy tune. with a backward guitar, it kind of reminds me of the Beatles maybe something from "revolver".
3. She makes me laugh- another song to feature all three of the surviving members singing together.This is just a great song, very pretty lyrics, this was the first single from the cd and I can see why.
4. our own world- this one sounds like the theme ong for Crank Yankers...lol..no seriously it has a similar sound to that, but I would also describe it as sounding like XTC, it kinds of reminds me of "Your mother should know" or "Good day sunshine" by the Beatles a really upbeat happy song with a nice melody. and it features all 3 of the surviving members.
5. Gotta give it time- now this is one of those songs dusted off from the 60's,1967 to be exact, I'm almost sure it is Micky's original vocal from back then because he sounds younger, this one says on the liner notes that he is the only monkees singing and playing on this one, however there is a voice that sounds a lot like Mike singing in the back ground, however I have a feeling that the songwriter Jeff Barry may be the one singing because he did other songs with the Monkees back in the 60' where he is doing the background vocals in order to sound like other members of the group, most notably the "Changes" album . not a bad song but not great.
6. Me and Magdalina- this is easily one of he best songs on the cd, this only has Mike and Micky, peter is missing for some reason. Very modern sounding, almost like a song you may hear on a college radio station, very folk sounding. very mellow. I would love to see a video for this.
7. Whatevers right- a Boyce and hart song which I assume is from the 60's but it doesn't appear to be dusted off but appears to have been recorded now,of course it wouldn't have been written now since Tommy Boyce has been dead for awhile.
8. Love to Love- The one Davy Jones song that was put on the cd, it's kind of sad to hear it since he passed away. almost brought tear to my eyes. too bad they didn't update the music, but I guess they did the best with what they had.
9. Little Girl- a Peter Tork song this one only features Peter and not any of the other members, the interesting thing is that Peter says that he wrote this one for Davy to sing but he died and never recorded it.
10. Birth of an accidental hipster- I'm not a big fan of Oasis but this song is pretty good,yes this was writen by Noel Gallagher, it's 60's psychedelic at it's best, it reminds me of "Shorty Blackwell" another monkees song, also reminds me of the Beach Boys recording from the Smile era almost like "Heros and Villians" or "Good Vibrations" this one only features Mike and Micky again Peter seems to be missing from this one.
11. wasn't born to follow- another 60' song dusted off from the shelf this one was written by Carol King and is sung by Peter, the other monkess are missing. the voice sounds like Peter nowadays so I'm going to assume that the music is from back from 1968. this has a very folk sound to it.
12. I know what I know- The Michael Nesmith song of the cd, this only features him, the other monkees are not on it. it's a pretty song,with pretty lyrics, almost sounds like Paul McCartney in alot of ways. it's nice to hear Mike again on a monkees cd...
13. I was there (and I'm told I had a good time)- the Micky Dolenz song of the cd again, like Mike and Peters original songs, none of the other monkees are on it. This one sounds similar to "Come Together" or "Get Back" or maybe "Why don't we do it in the road" from the Beatles,it has a basic blues rift...

so all in all I liked the cd...just wished they had one more Davy Jones song on it.

so is good times
http://www.monkees.net/monkees-good-times-number-one-on-amazon/

Someone was kind enough to post the two Barnes & Noble exclusives on Youtube for those of us who aren't made out of money:

Love's What I Want (the Andy Partridge song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvq5ozeNvGU

A Better World (Peter Tork sings):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBNMJUAaHOM

I think these are both worthy tracks that should have made the album cut over old recycled stuff. Tork sounds a bit like he's struggling with his dentures, but I like the song. What do you think?

They should've put it all on the album proper--even with the bonus songs, it still comes out to 51 minutes. And all four are worthy, although I think "A Better World" is a little saccharine in the lyrics (I know, it's the Monkees, that's kind of their deal).