Monkees - Justus
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Free Music Notes for Justus
Free Music Review: Well, how would YOU sound after 30 yers?
Hit: 4 Stars
Gee.........it's so nice being almost 52 and not having to be "hip" or "cool" anymore. I remember purchasing this cd in 1996, and my (THEN!) ten-years-younger-than-me wife whining to me, "Oh, the Monkees........they're so sixties!" "Yes indeedy, they ARE," I snidely told her, "You jus' run along an' look for that 'My Baby's Daddy' or whatever you lissen to an' whut I ignore." For a band that had been apart since late sixties, their material was excellent, and not to be redundant, it was a genuine pleasure to see and hear the guys reunited for the first time since...well, Altamont, or something. The material? Michael Nesmith's material (unfortunately, just 2 songs this time out) is/are quite easily the strongest, even though the one he sings, "Circle Sky" is lifted almost note-for-note from the version on "Head"; Micky Dolenz is quite easily the finest singer of the four, and, MAN!, he developed into one leviticously deuteronomous drummer over the years! Davy Jones is...well, "Davy Jones," and you can't blame a band for wanting a "pretty boy" up front - and, yup, he had one heck of a set of pipes, too! And Peter Tork's material is simply...horrible, but he MORE than makes up for his lack of compositional skills by his incredible ability as a musician: he's credited with "Bass, Keyboards" (and let be generous and overlook "vocals"), but on the sleeve, he sure looks like he's playing a Strat. Ah, quibbling, quibbling...the Monkees, in their original incarnation, were a brilliant marketing ploy, and they made a lot of people a lot of money (Neil Diamond, Boyce & Hart). So what IF they wanted to manifest their unrecognized talent and play on their own albums, sans "studio musicians," and Heaven help anyone who'd turn to Neil Diamond for a song (yes, I'm looking at "The Last Waltz" right now...get over it...). The Monkess' pre-MTV video of a song off "Piceses, Aquarius, blah-blah blah," a song called "She Hangs Out," is EASILY the superior to most anything you'll watch on "Television Music" - and Mike Nesmith all but invented MTV! So put the bong down, leave the Miller Lite in the 'fridge for a bit - in short, STOP BEING "COOL" for awhile, and give "Justus" an unbiased listen. I can guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised.Free Music Review: Second Time
Hit: 4 Stars
I wrote a review of this CD before. Last time I gave it 5 stars. Now I am giving it 4 stars. I'm not giving less because I like it less. I am giving less because I like it more. I think before I gave it 5 stars because it was the Monkees and I liked the Monkees. I am giving this CD 4 stars because I think it is a CD deserving of 4 stars. I think the best tracks on the CD are the remake of "Circle Sky", "You and I" and "I Believe You." I like "Circle Sky" because that has always been a great song. I like "You and I" because it's a catchy ballad-ish song, I like the singing, it think that was done well. I love "I Believe You" because it's almost gothic sounding. The piano throughout the song really makes it for me, it's beautiful, it has almost a sad jazz sound to it. I really would like to have heard Nez go off on a whaling solo in this one empty part in "Never Enough" though. I think there is a part where he could have gone crazy and taken that song with him. I do think Mike's guitar playing in "Dying of a Broken Heart" is cool. The song "Oh, What a Night" by David Jones is rad because it almost has a ska/reggae off-beat strum to it. "Unlucky Stars" is like a 1950's rock and roll song that you would dance slow to. It is rare that you can find a song that you like EVERYTHING about, but on this album, I do like at least one thing about every song. I think that's the most important element. This album has not gotten the best reviews, but I do believe there is good in it. I believe if you look beneath the other reviews and give it a listen for yourself you will see. You might not like it right away. I think this is an album that you have to hear more than once. Listen for the little things, they're surprisingly good.Free Music Review: the few sour notes don't hurt the album that much
Hit: 4 Stars
Yeah, I'm a die-hard Monkees fan and am always prepared to defend them when I have to. "Unlucky Stars" and "I Believe You" and "Run Away From Life" are not that great. "Admiral Mike" has little beauty in it. I find these four songs a shame, since Peter and Mike are such good songwriters, and Micky is usually able to salvage any songs thrown his way in the past (think of D.W. Washburn, which is really horrible, but he makes it so much fun). But "Circle Sky" sounds great and is the second best version of this song (the '68 live version can't be beat). Pity that Papa Nez couldn't do more on this album. Same goes for Peter, whose voice isn't the greatest, but his past efforts in songwriting prove he can be really awesome. Micky writes 3 great songs, the best of which is "Regional Girl", which is just so much fun to listen to. I often find myself singing along. Davy's "You And I" (no, it's not a remake of the old Instant Replay song) is great and has heart. But I love "It's Not Too Late" for the following line: 'If I knew that my time was near, and you were there, I would have no fear, your name would be my dying prayer.' Come on! That's beautiful! Probably the most romantic (not silly) thing anybody can say to anybody. This album is worth every penny. The boys are back in action and we should be thankful. Impressive musicianship.Free Music Review: An impressive effort
Hit: 4 Stars
I just bought this album last week even though it's three years old and I was quite impressed. Being a big Monkees fan from the 60's I was not upset that it had little flavor from the old days. But lets face it folks, times change and so do bands. I really liked Never Enough (except for the end), it had a great pop rock sound to it. Circle Sky was good but would have liked to have heard Mike sing a new tune. Oh What A Night was a throw away but You and I is a great Davey song with a very cool bass line. Unluck Stars is a throw away to but a nice try. Admiral Mike is a good angry rock song. Dyin of a Broken Heart is a very cool, slick number. Regional Girl is another good rocker. Would have rather heard Mike take a crack at Run Away From Life but I still like the song. Didn't care too much for I Believe You but like the fact that it was so different...very jazz like. It's My Life is a throw away also. Was very impressed with Davey on It's Not Too Late. Sure the lyrics are sappy as most Davey lyrics are but it doesn't come off that way. Thought it was a great love song. I like it when old bands come out with a new sound. The good songs were very good but there are three throw aways so couldn't give it 5 stars. We cant live in the past forever, just wish there had been another tune sung by Mike. Still, overall a very good album, hope they do one more.Free Music Review: Not the best Monkees music
Hit: 4 Stars
Justus is thirty-nine minutes and fifty-three seconds long and was released on October 15, 1996. It went to #200 on the Billboard Album chart. Though I am a Monkees fan, I was a little disappointed with this CD. First of all, how many times can Circle Sky are played in different ways. Also none of the songs on this CD jump out as catchy tunes and none of the songs charted as well. This was the Monkees 11th studio album and their seventh as a foursome. Basically this was Headquarters all over again. The only different is that Headquarters was a better album. Mickey sings lead on six of the songs while, Davy sings lead on four song and Peter and Michael sing lead on one each. Justus gets a B-.
Circle Sky-Michael
Never Enough-Mickey
Oh, What A Night-Davey
You and I-Davey
Unlucky Stars-Mickey
Admiral Mike-Mickey
Dyin' of a Broken Heart-Mickey
Regional Girl-Mickey
Run Away From Life-Davey
I Believe You-Peter
It's My Life-Mickey
It's Not Too Late-Davey