The Monkees

This outing may lack the surefire cohesion of the Monkees' first three long players, but it also finds them broadening their sound palette and approach (these guys would've been a great California folk-rock band even without the TV show). The two hits are real keepers: "Words" sounds more like the Zombies than the Beatles, and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" is a nifty piece of ironic social commentary aimed squarely at their suburban fan base. Not too shabby for a made-for-TV kiddie band. This remastered version includes rarities and different mixes of the album versions.