The Monkees - The Monkees (60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [LP + 3CD Box Set]

The Monkees celebrate 60 years of their debut album with this limited deluxe box, pairing the original stereo LP with three CDs of mono mixes and archival extras.

Released in 1966, The Monkees arrived alongside the TV show and quickly proved it was far more than a tie-in, spending 13 weeks at the top of the US albums chart. Behind the scenes, songwriters and producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart steered most of the sessions, with session aces like Hal Blaine, Glen Campbell and James Burton laying down the backing while the Monkees themselves mostly handled vocals.

The hits still fizz. Last Train to Clarksville rides a jangling guitar hook and a sly undertone about a soldier heading off to war, and (Theme From) The Monkees remains one of pop's great introductions. Michael Nesmith's Papa Gene's Blues, which he wrote and produced himself, hints at the country-rock path he would soon follow.

The CDs are a goldmine for fans: the original mono album, rehearsals and demos, TV versions, alternate takes, backing tracks and vintage radio spots, with new liner notes from Micky Dolenz.

Sixty years on, it is the fullest picture yet of how a manufactured band made a genuinely great pop record, and why its sunny charm has never faded.