After wresting control of
the Monkees
from
Don Kirschner
and recording the very good
Headquarters
album as a mostly self-contained unit, the bandmembers returned to using studio musicians to augment their sound as well as looking outside the group for the majority of the songs on their fourth album,
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
Whatever the reason for the decision, the resulting album is one of their best. Filled with hooky
pop
like
"She Hangs Out"
and the
Harry Nilsson
-penned
"Cuddly Toy,"
psychedelic ravers
"Daily Nightly"
and
"Star Collector"
(both of which feature the newly invented Moog synthesizer),
Mike Nesmith
-produced rockers (
"Love Is Only Sleeping"
), and
ballads
(the lovely
"Don't Call on Me"
), the album is filler-free and fun-filled. That it contains three of their finest songs (
"Words,"
"Pleasant Valley Sunday,"
and the song that "invented"
country-rock
for better or for worse,
"What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"
) means that not only is it one of
' best, it is one of 1967's best. To think that both this album and
came out the same year! Most bands would be lucky to have two albums this good come out their entire career.
is a must-have for any fan of smart, fun, and exciting '60s
. It doesn't get much better than this. [
Rhino
's 1995 reissue of the album adds seven previously unreleased songs including alternate versions of
"Star Collector."
] ~ Tim Sendra