The Monkees: Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith (vocals, guitar); Davy Jones (vocals); Mickey Dolenz (drums). Additional personnel: James Burton, Glen Campbell, Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton, Al Gafa, Al Casey, Michael Deasy, Don Peake (guitar); Jimmie Seals (saxophone); Neil Sedaka, Michael Cohen (piano); Bobby Hart (organ); Don Randi, Michael Rubini (harpsichord, organ); Larry Taylor, Russell Savakus, Larry Knechtel, Bob West, Carol Kaye, Ray Pohlman (bass); Hal Blaine, Billy Lewis, Herbert Lovell, Jim Gordon (drums); Norm Jeffries, Henry Lewy, Frank Capp, Julius Wechter, Gene Estes, David Walters (percussion); Tommy Boyce (background vocals). Producers include: Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Michael Nesmith, Jeff Barry, Jack Keller. Reissue producers: Andrew Sandoval, Bill Inglot. Recorded in Hollywood, California and New York, New York in 1966. Originally released on Colgems (102). Includes liner notes by Andrew Sandoval. Clearly they were not America's answer to the Beatles, even though at the time moptop fans seethed and decided to boycott them. They were the best manufactured pop group ever, and in Michael Nesmith had a musical semi-genius. Their second album, apart from the wretched "Your Auntie Grizelda," carries on from their debut. It contains the mantric "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," Neil Diamond's chunka-chunka-chunk "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)," the funky "Mary Mary" and the paragon, "I'm A Believer," also written by Neil Diamond. Euphoric and nostalgic and completely marijuana-free.

• Genre: Rock
• Format: Vinyl
• Internal ID: JITRE
• Released: 8/6/1996