12 Midnight!

5/26/2016

Everyone, I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of Good Times!, The Monkees' first studio album since 1996's Justus. In summation, you are in for a treat! Downloads should be available at Midnight EST, so keep an eye on your iTunes, Amazon, etc. accounts. Be sure to check out the blog tomorrow here at the Live Almanac for constant coverage of the album's release and more.

11 Comments

Greg

5/26/2016 19:15:53

I am writing from Australia and got a copy...I noticed on Wasn't born to Follow there appears to be a banjo playing even though none is credited in the booklet...does anyone know if that's peter playing it

Jeff

5/26/2016 21:39:57

It's Peter. They show him laying down the track in the electronic press kit video. They mystery is why it's not noted in the liner notes.

David

5/27/2016 00:58:02

Same thing with "Gotta Give it Time" - I can hear both Mike and Peter on background vocals, but not noted.

Jack

5/26/2016 19:24:48

Mark,

Thanks for your great work on this website. I check it every single day, multiple times, and I know I'm not the only one. It's the only source of Monkees information for me. Bravo!

John

5/26/2016 20:06:37

M-Day has finally arrived! Ditto the previous comment. What a great time to be a Monkees fan.

Mike

5/26/2016 22:00:30

I've heard the three officially released songs and I've heard Whatever's Right and Our Own World. Also, got to hear a snippet of Birth Of An Accidental Hipster...It's just fantastic. Whatever's Right is such a catchy and classic sounding late 66 early 67 Monkees song that I am just stunned by it (Thank you Boyce and Hart). I was blown out of the water upon hearing Hipster.(Thank you Noel and Paul)
This whole comeback is absolutely stunning. Has there ever been a group of men in the 70s who've been able to recapture what made them so great from 50 years before? Neil Diamond had a strong comeback in 05 with his 12 Songs album. He was 63 at that time. Still, this appears to be on another level. It's so unexpected. They hit the sweet spot for sure..It's like we're hearing a 2016 version of PACJ. A superb blending of outside songwriters with the Monkees themselves. The fact that Micky's voice has remained virtually unchanged in 50 years really makes all of this work. Mike sounds great as well. No one (except for Rhino, maybe) could have predicted that the reviews would be great and that the three 70 year olds would have pushed themselves (with the help of others) to become very relevant in the music scene again. To think of all the incredible bands from the 60's who' were well respected, big and influential...but have since faded away for various reasons ...and it's the Monkees that are left standing?? Not only left standing but putting out an outstanding album. This is Twilight Zone stuff. Just wish Davy were alive to see this play out. Congrats to everyone involved, you've done the impossible!

Monkees Live Almanac

5/26/2016 22:09:05

Mike,

You've basically summarized my entire take on the album and The Monkees in 2016!

Mike

5/26/2016 22:29:14

I imagine many people are feeling this way. Everyone is pumped up. So glad this all came to fruition!
Btw. Thank you for this website! I just found it and it's really great!

Ryan link

5/27/2016 01:29:24

*Possible spoilers ahead*

I just got done listening to the Amazon deluxe version. Can't wait to run out to my local FYE and grab a hard copy for my car, and because I want to look at the liner notes so bad!! I know there will be plenty to be excited for!

Top tracks IMHO:

1. Birth of an Accidental Hipster - simply amazing song, most inventive tune I've heard in a long long time.

2. Me and Magdalena - I love both versions, but I think I'm more a fan of version 2; both are equally beautiful in very different ways

3. Good Times - what an amazing opening, and really got me pumped for the rest of the record!

4. Wasn't Born to Follow - my favorite Tork vocal ever. So awesome they used the Chip Douglas backing track!

5. Love to Love - really happy with the subtle sweetening they did to the original track, and for Pete's sake, it's DAVY JONES!

6. I Know What I Know - the strings arrangement got me right there man, right there...

7. I Was There... - Nice little rocker to close it out! And it just got better with a second listen...

Overall, the album is truly terrific, and I'm sure that with repeat listening most every song on the album will fight to be higher on my list.

This album is an instant classic which will only grow as it matures with the listener.

David

5/27/2016 01:34:51

Have now listened to all 15 tracks twice. I don't know of any other way of stating it - this "album" is a re-awakening and a tremendous exclamation point on a phenomenal 50 year musical journey. I have been a fan since I first found "Headquarters" at my aunt's house in 1974 and since I first picked up a guitar shortly after.

Good Times is the equal of that album and PCAC&J. Standout tracks for me are Hipster, both versions of Magdalena and I know What I Know.

A big part of why I have been drawn to their music over all these years is the variety of musical styles that could be found within their best work and GT delivers that variety in spades. Peter even delivered a waltz in Little Girl.

Thank you for the Good Times to all who made this production possible!

Richard Silverberg

5/27/2016 07:49:08

I just got done listening to the Cd on the Amazon Service. The 2 songs with Peter singing lead are better than previously released versions of the same songs. I'll take Pete's version of "Wasn't Born To Follow" over the Byrds version. "Little Girl" had previously been recorded on Peter's Cd with James Lee Stanley called "Once Again".Overall, the new record is good but not in the league of "Headquarters" or "Pisces". I wish it would have had some heavier rock tracks like the ones that appeared on "Justus" (I.E. "Regional Girl and "Dying Of A Broken Heart"). "Me and Magdelena" and" Birth Of An Accidental Hipster" are probably the best numbers on the CD. Also, Micky sounds like he did back 50 years ago.

12 Midnight!

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