The Monkees - Instant Replay
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CD Details
Artist: The MonkeesEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1995-01-24
Music Label: Rhino / Wea
Soundtracks:
- Through the Looking Glass
- Don't Listen to Linda
- I Won't Be the Same Without Her
- Just a Game
- Me Without You
- Don't Wait for Me
- You and I
- While I Cry
- Teardrop City
- Girl I Left Behind Me
- Man Without a Dream
- Shorty Blackwell
- Someday Man [*]
- Carlisle Wheeling [Alternate Version][#][*]
- Rosemarie [Previously Unissued Early Version][*]
- Smile [#][*]
- St. Matthew [Previously Unissued Alternate Mix][*]
- Me Without You [Previously Unissued Alternate Mix][*]
- Through the Looking Glass [Previously Unissued Alternate Mix][*]
Music reviews of Instant Replay
Music Review: "In a year or maybe two, we'll be gone and someone new will take our place."
Rating: 4 Stars
Instant Replay marked a big change for The Monkees. Peter Tork was gone and their teeny bopper appeal was in steady rapid decline. I got this album on the original Colgems vinyl when I was a kid back in the early '80s. As a big fan of Mike, I was happy to see him well-featured on the back cover (the only Monkee who is in five photos rather than four). I also really liked his track "I Won't Be The Same Without Her." It was love at first listen and I remember running to a friend's house to play the track for him with my parents reminding me to be very careful with the (at the time) rare album that cost $24.95 at the collectible records shop. The rest of the album is surprisingly solid. There are a couple of ringers (both Micky-sung tracks) but there are also several songs that are among my all-time Monkees faves and always end up on any compilation tape/CD I make. The heavy rockin' "You and I" is worth having Instant Replay in and of itself. This CD release also offers several quality bonus tracks (no fillers, although I do not care for "Rosemarie") and, in my opinion, a better cover. I really like the center photos on this release. I've always thought the center photos on the original release (Micky and Davy being cut at the chin while Mike fills up the box and looks to the side) odd. The photos on the cover of this release are much more attractive, too.
Side 1 (I still think of these albums in vinyl terms)
"Through the Looking Glass"--I'm not crazy about the Micky tracks on this album. I think his vocals are, for the most part, silly as if he is doing novelty songs and is not taking the music seriously. This song is actually tolerable. It is catchy and memorable. I like the piano. I do not like the vocals at the end where he almost sounds like a squawking bird.
"Don't Listen To Linda"--While Micky's songs here are weak, Davy really shines on this album. This song is slow and quiet. The orchestra adds a more mature touch from the Davy ballads of the earlier Monkees albums. This song is OK, but is my least favorite of the Davy tracks here.
"I Won't Be the Same Without Her"--As mentioned above, this song is great! One of my all-time favorite Michael Nesmith tracks. I like the blending of the vocals on the long notes and the overall sound has a rugged appeal (for lack of a better term).
"Just a Game"--This is the one track I did not remember until I played it recently and, even then, it didn't ring many bells. A very insignificant number with the only positive being it is very short (1:46). I'm ready to declare this track my least favorite on the album. "Shorty Blackwell," for all its pomp and circumstance, at least leaves an impression.
"Me Without You"--Now the good Davy stuff. I love the organ or whatever it is in this track. The guitar solo is terrific! It also rocks! The whole overall sound of this song is cool except the horns at the very end (unnecessary, in my opinion).
"Don't Wait For Me"--Slow, sad country track by Mike with steel guitar and all. It has a different musical path to it; it doesn't follow conventions. It's hard to explain, but I like it for those reasons.
Side 2
"You and I"--Now we're rockin'! This song kicks butt; it sounds strange describing a Monkees song as such but it does. From the opening guitar and pulsing bass to the haphazard drums at the end, this track rocks! It is probably as heavy as the Monkees ever got during that time. It's not a "Let's Dance On" kind of rocker, but a more serious kind of rocker. I agree with the other reviewers that Davy's vocals are excellent here. I can't say enough about this track!
"While I Cry"--Another quiet, slow Mike song. He demonstrates his vocal range here. It is not my favorite Mike track on this album, but, vocally, it is the most impressive. I like the guitar introduction.
"Tear Drop City"--The sole single from Instant Replay (b/w "A Man Without A Dream"). It reached #56 on the charts. It's a Micky rocker and, with "Through the Looking Glass," the only decent tracks sung by him on this album. Another reviewer mentioned it sounded like a re-hashed "Last Train to Clarksville." I hadn't noticed that before but, as far as the guitar and tempo go, I can definitely hear a resemblance.
"The Girl I Left Behind Me"--A Davy track with orchestra. The verses are mediocre and sometimes awkward ("and messing up the one good thing we had") but, when it picks up tempo ("I'm going out the same way I came in..."), it really shines.
"A Man Without A Dream"--I like this song but I do not care for the horn section. The drums and bass really keep the tempo up, and Davy's vocals (like with "You and I") are excellent. If it weren't for those horns which, at times, take over the track, I would put this up with "You and I" as my co-favorite Instant Replay song.
"Shorty Blackwell"--A silly, ostentatious Micky track that runs for almost 6 over-indulgent minutes. The lyrics are silly "I'm feeling very bad today, another cat came in to stay. He's eating all my food, he's speaking very crude, he's gonna change the mood." The music is complicated and over-orchestrated. I guess if the Beatles did this track, it would be considered brilliant.
Bonus tracks: I've had "Someday Man" for decades as the b-side to the "Listen to the Band" single (from "The Monkees Present" album). It is fantastic. Again, I'm not crazy about the horns, buy they do not take over the song like in "Man Without A Dream." I like the guitar/piano opening before each part. "Carlisle Wheeling" is another slow, country track by Mike. I like his original Instant Replay tracks better, but the Mike country-rocker "St. Matthew" is very nice. I have that song on "Missing Links Volume Two" and it is one of the highlights of that CD. "Rosemarie" is another over-done Micky track. "Smile" is a quiet Davy number that is OK, but not as good as his original Instant Replay songs. I've only heard the Amazon clips to the alternate versions. It sounds like the guitar covers up the cool organ on "Me Without You" (unless that was just before the solo). I couldn't tell much difference in the "Through The Looking Glass" alternate version clip. For those casual Monkees fans who only have their earlier albums, I recommend giving Instant Replay a spin. You may be pleasantly surprised.
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