The Monkees - Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1998) [Hi-Res]

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 the Monkees' best, it is one of 1967's best. To think that both this album and Headquarters came out the same year! Most bands would be lucky to have two albums this good come out their entire career. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is a must-have for any fan of smart, fun, and exciting '60s pop. It doesn't get much better than this. [Rhino's 1995 reissue of the album adds seven previously unreleased songs including alternate versions of "Daily Nightly" and "Star Collector."]

Tracklist:
01. The Monkees - Salesman (02:41)
02. The Monkees - She Hangs Out (02:55)
03. The Monkees - The Door into Summer (02:48)
04. The Monkees - Love Is Only Sleeping (02:31)
05. The Monkees - Cuddly Toy (02:39)
06. The Monkees - Words (02:57)
07. The Monkees - Hard to Believe (02:34)
08. The Monkees - What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (03:08)
09. The Monkees - Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky (00:26)
10. The Monkees - Pleasant Valley Sunday (03:15)
11. The Monkees - Daily Nightly (02:32)
12. The Monkees - Don't Call on Me (02:53)
13. The Monkees - Star Collector (04:25)