The Monkees: You Bring The Summer

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The Monkees: You Bring The Summer

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When The Monkees released their highly-anticipated new album Good Times! just a few weeks ago, their first new album in 20 years and tied to the group’s 50th anniversary, it was met with a unanimous thumbs up from critics and fans alike. The album title says it all – it is a delightful reminder of what The Monkees’ do best – sunshiney, singalong pop.

All three surviving band members (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork) have written new songs for the album as well as taking turns on lead vocals and playing a wide range of instruments. Fans who will undoubtedly cry “I miss Davy!” – will be pleased to hear the unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal on the Neil Diamond-penned "Love To Love".

Much like The Monkees’ early albums, Good Times! features tracks written specifically for the band by some well-known & unexpected songwriters – there’s Rivers Cuomo, lead singer/guitarist of quirky alt-rock band Weezer who wrote first single “She Makes Me Laugh”, Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard penned “Me & Magdalena”, and Noel Gallagher (Oasis) and Paul Weller co-wrote the song “Birth Of An Accidental Hipster”.

There has been a heartwarming sense of full circle expressed by several of the guest songwriters, who seem full of admiration for the group and genuinely excited to be part of this Monkees project, and part of a story that now spans five decades.

The new album also features a fantastic track written by Andy Partridge, the XTC songwriter behind hits such as “Senses Working Overtime”, “Dear God” and “Generals And Majors”. Partridge, who was raised on a hearty diet of British pop from the Beatles to the Kinks and is a huge fan of rock and roll, is also a diehard Monkees fan.

“…the Monkees hit our TV screens when I was 13 and I was hooked… Great songs, funny fellas, what was not to like?” he recently told Rockcellar magazine.

So when Partridge had the opportunity to put forward a track for the new album, with the directive that the group wanted to fully embrace a return to their classic sixties sound, he felt confident that he was the man for the job.

“I cut my songwriting teeth on their early material, I’m their torch bearer. They couldn’t have come to a better tailor.” – he said.

Here’s that track, called “You Bring Me The Summer”, an infectious, hook-filled pop song that will have you tapping your foot along (unless you’re a truly miserable git!).

And revealed here for the first time in Australia is the official music video for "You Bring The Summer", which has all four original members bringing the summer vibes in 2D. A simple but fun video for an effortlessly happy song. This is the first official video from the Good Times! album after the April release of the lyric video for "She Makes Me Laugh".

Good Times! is available now through Rhino Records.


Get it here

- RB

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