The Monkees — The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees

This one is most notable for the great “Valleri” and the ubiquitous “Daydream Believer,” but the rest of the album really suffers from each member pretty much going it alone – proof that, using studio musicians or not, the band was greater than the sum of its parts, and when they were coming apart as a band, it showed.

This was released in April 1968, but was recorded over what should have been a leisurely six-month period. The B material is not as interesting or as fun as on previous albums, and to be honest, though I’ve had it since probably 1980, my copy hasn’t gotten a lot of plays. “Valleri” made some of my favorite old compilation tapes, but that’s it. When I want to hear some Monkees, I want the album that’s coming next: “Head.”