The Monkees (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones Ltd.) – Review

The Monkees (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones Ltd.)

        Original Tracks
                Salesman (Smith)
                She Hangs Out (Barry)
                The Door Into Summer (Douglas & Martin)
                Love is Only Sleeping (Mann & Weil)
                Cuddly Toy (Nilsson)
                Words (Boyce & Hart)
                Hard To Believe (Jones, Capli, Brick, & Rockett)
                What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (Lewis & Clarke)
                Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky (Tork)
                Pleasant Valley Sunday (Goffin & King)
                Daily Nightly (Nesmith)
                Don't Call On Me (Nesmith & London)
                Star Collector (Goffin & King)
        Bonus Selections
                Special Announcement
                Goin' Down (Hilderbrand, Tork, Nesmith, Dolenz, & Jones)
                Salesman (Smith)
                The Door Into Summer (Douglas & Martin)
                Love is Only Sleeping (Mann & Weil)
                Daily Nightly (Nesmith)
                Star Collector (Goffin & King)

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones Ltd. represents what Peter called "a
compromise."  It was a compromise between the Monkees having control of
their music and the original production methods of their first two albums.
In a time of great Monkee-bashing, they felt this was the best move to
make.  The end result remains excellent, with its strength in the always
reliable Nesmith songs and the album's big release, "Pleasant Valley
Sunday."

This follow-up to Headquarters remained quite experimental, introducing new
psychedelic instruments like the Moog synthesizer ("Daily Nightly" and
"Star Collector").  Also included is the original, but rarely heard,
lead-in to "Pleasant Valley Sunday"-- "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig
Porky".  It is often questioned why the producers held "Daydream Believer"
for the fifth album, but regardless of the reason, this album can stand its
own with any other Monkees record.

It becomes apparent that Sandoval and Inglot couldn't find too many extra
recordings from this time period, as the "alternate mix" bonus tracks are
hardly different than the original versions.  Each has its own novelty with
more audible backing vocals in "The Door Into Summer," an absent Moog
synthesizer in "Daily Nightly," and an additional vocal fade in "Salesman."

Questions, comments, arguments, compliments, or general Monkee Talk
welcome at landsberg@alltel.net
                                                        - Mike Landsberg

Quotes taken from liner notes.