Monkees - Music Box (99 tracks) +Album Reviews

Some Unadvertised Oddities

John Peterson | Marinette, WI USA | 03/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I pretty much agree with my fellow Wisconsinite's review of this box set, I would like to point out that there are a number of oddities on here besides the unissued mix of Of You and the unissued extended version of Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)(thank you, Rhino, it's about time!) that are not advertised on the package that this information might be useful to potential buyers. For instance, the following tracks carry the same mixes on the Listen To The Band box set but are different on the rereleases of the individual CDs of the mid 90's; they are: Tapioca Tundra, Auntie's Municipal Court, Listen To The Band (stereo single mix), and Steam Engine. All The King's Horses is a mono mix which has a better sound balance than the one found on Missing Links vol 2. Do Not Ask For Love has a "guide" vocal along with Micky that's not present on Missing Links vol 2. All Of Your Toys is a stereo mix that's not available anywhere else. Carlisle Wheeling has an extended ending not found on Missing Links. The Girl I Left Behind Me has a much better mix than the version that's on The Birds The Bees And The Monkees and has a guitar intro that's also missing on that particuliar CD. For those that are frustrated with the Head CD version of Ditty Diego-War Chant here it is corrected at the proper speed and has a much better resolution. Daddy's Song is indeed the long version, but is NOT the film version; this version modulates into a different key and has an additional verse that's not in the film. Along with MGBGT making its official CD debut this pretty much rounds out the package. All the songs I mentioned benefit with the additional mixing with the exception of Carlisle Wheeling (the conventional fade would have been prefered) and Do Not Ask For Love where the guide vocal ruins Micky's reading of the song. This information might seem like overkill but that's what happens when you get mixed up with Monkeemaniacs!!!;)~ As you can probably tell, I do recommend this box set!"

A worthy starting point for the Monkee's novice

William J. Eichelberger | Ft. Thomas, KY | 06/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to find fault with Rhino for the constant repackaging of the Monkee's catalog when they do it as well as this. I bought the 1991 Listen To The Band box set when it came out and was thrilled with it, even with it's heavy reliance on the inferior product of the band's later years. This one is pretty much the same way, with some decent cuts from the excellent Missing Links discs thrown in for something different. I tend to think of Rhino's never ending repackaging as a good thing because of the problems I had finding anything Monkee's related in the early 80's before Rhino had the rights to the music. Back then I had a collection of badly treated vinyl albums that I had scrounged from record shows and dollar bins of used record stores. From these albums I had assembled what I thought was a pretty nice 90 minute cassette filled with what I considered the best of the band's recorded output. Once I was in downtown Cincinnati to pick my mom up from work and I had my Monkees tape blaring as I drove around looking for a parking spot on a beautiful sunny afternoon. As I was sitting at a light waiting to turn with "Papa Gene's Blues" playing at full volume, a woman walked up to my car and motioned for me to turn down the music. I thought she needed directions, but it turned out that she had heard my tape as I had passed her a block or so back and had chased me down. She was a Monkee's fan from the television days who had long since lost all of her old albums to life and wanted to know where I came by the tape I was listening to. When I told her I made it she asked how much it would cost to have me make a tape for her. When I popped the tape out of the player and gave it to her, I swear I thought she was going to cry. She was still thanking me as I drove off. The point? If a poorly made analog recording made from a Frisbee looking album collection could bring a smile like that to a woman's face almost twenty years after she first heard the music, the occasional excellent digital collection from Rhino is never a thing to be scoffed at. Keep sweeping the vaults, Rhino. The whole world's listening."

The definitive box set

Shane D. Worden | Oshkosh, WI United States | 03/02/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I wanted to dislike this box set. As a long time fan of the Monkees who feels like he has been screwed over by Rhino's constant repackaging of Monkee material just one too many times, I honestly didn't feel that I needed to add yet another copy of the Monkee hits to my library, and probably wouldn't have had I not recieved "Music Box" as a gift.Having said that, I have to admit that "Music Box" fairly blows it's predecessor, the "Listen To The Band" box set clear out of the water. All but 4 of the tracks on "LTTB" are included in the new set, and there are enough extras in "Music Box" in the way of additional album cuts, and the occasional alternate mix that I would not hesitate in recommending this compliation to any fan who didn't have the opportunity to catch the first set originally, and may be wondering which of the two held the advantage.But for those of us who are completists out there, there isn't going to be a whole lot in "Music Box" that will justify the heftier price tag. The liner notes are insightful, but they can be accessed online at Rhino Record's website. There are a few alternate mixes and versions included in this new repackaging, the most notable of which is a longer version of "Daddy's Song" which features David's slower rendition of the last verse, as seen on film in HEAD. But other than that, the remastered sound and sharp packaging are really the only things that this set has going for it.Buy it if you're a completist, or if you are in need of a great, comprehensive musical anthology. Otherwise, for the casual fan who already has bought Rhino's reissue albums, take heart that you aren't missing much."

Don't put all your Monkees in one barrel-or maybe u should!

liannai | NJ | 09/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to say that this boxset is definitely a high point in illustrating the career of The Monkees. I've been a huge fan since the mid 80's when I just a little kid, but recently I've come to really enjoy and respect their music. Sure they were the "pre-fab four", but Micky, Davy, Mike and Peter later proved (sadly, not to public appeal..) that they were real people, not just their TV personalities, and that they could form a band, and actually WRITE and PLAY their own songs. I actually respect the guys for breaking away from their teeny bopper image, and actually going on to learn how to actually play, and BE a band.

This boxset seems to be the be all, end all of the Monkees. It has almost every song the Monkees ever did all on this one set.

The CDs are each by year, CD1 is from 1966, featuring a majority of the songs from the TV show (minus "Laugh" for some reason..) and their biggest hits like "Clarksville" and "I Wanna Be Free", as well as a really cool alternate version of "I Wanna Be Free" featuring Micky and Davy and a faster pace. CD2 is from 1967 featuring some hits from the TV show and other songs that appeared on "Headquarters" and "PACJ". CD3 features songs from 1968, which shows the band branching out from their TV personas (as the TV show only lasted 2 seasons) this features songs off of "Head" as well as a lot of other songs, while CD4 consists of the "last leg" of the Monkees, 1969-1996, which follows them through the end of the 60's and early 70s and includes their comeback hit from 1986 "That Was Then, This Is Now" as well as a few other cuts from Pool It! and their 1996 album "JUSTUS".

The later songs lack the intensity and richness of the older 60's pop songs, as it was harder for the Monkees to fit into a new era of music, but this is a fantastic collection of the hits (and perhaps some misses?) for the group.

There are a lot of really cool alternate versions and outtakes that are included here (many of which appeared on the Missing Links CD's which is very cool, and worth getting this boxset for if nothing else!)

The book included is very indepth and also has a section where each song is explained by either the writers (Boyce/Heart or Goffin/King or the Monkees themselves) There is also a comprehensive section about each song, when they were recorded, by whom and who actually played on the songs. Very interesting and worth a read. Of course the book also goes in depth about the career of the Monkees from the ad placed in the paper about a new TV show, all the way to the formation and breaking up and getting back together of all 4 original Monkees.

This set is the ultimate Monkee fan's dream, and even perfect for those starting to get into the group (especially disk 1 with all of the "hits". Pick this up today. I got it for $30 from eBay but even the 60$ pricetag is worth it, it really is one of the most listened too CD sets I own."

This is All You Need!

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 07/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is really a great box-set. I think it has it all - 99 tracks!! Obviously all the hit-singles, the majority of their best album tracks, rare b-sides, lots of outtakes, alternate versions and even tracks that have never before been commercially available.

The Monkees made some great recordings: especially from 1966-68. They released at least two classic albums, ( 1967's "Headquarters" and "Pisces, Aquarious, Capricorn and Jones Ltd." . Bandmember Mike Nesmith was/is a terrific songwriter and producer, and he was one of the often overlooked pioneers of country-rock. As TV-stars they were supplied with great material by some of America's most talented songwriters like Goffin/King and Neil Diamond.

The 100 pages CD book contains a very detailed band-history, great photos and extensive notes about every song.

Unfortunately the book is not made very solid; it has to be treated very carefully or the pages will get loose and fall out.

If you are not a completist, this box is actually all you need if you want the essence of the Monkees."

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