The Monkees – Headquarters

Bummer.!! This is why I have stopped buying vinyl. The prices go up and the quality goes down. No association with "Run Out Groove" mentioned on this latest Monkees release. The gatefold is nice and glossy as usual but this time the cardboard is thinner and it's not a tip-on jacket. To add insult to injury, the second disc has a very noticeable warp. The first disc has only a very slight warp. This happened with those RSD Jazz Dispensary releases. The first few were pristine and then cheapness set in.
All that aside, the actual record sounds fantastic and Kevin Gray has done a stellar job. The colours on the jacket are correct and the image is sharp. If it wasn't for the warpage and the thin material used to make the jacket, I'd give this 5 stars... maybe I was just unlucky, but I'd say Rhino is cutting corners again by using an inferior pressing plant.
P.S.
The first two Monkees albums in this 2-LP series were numbered limited editions and Made in the Netherlands. This one isn't numbered, and it was Made in the Czech Republic. Make of that what you will.

In this 1992 Japanese Arista CD, many tracks are "a bit long" compared to the usual version.

As far as I have noticed:
- 3 "Forget That Girl" has a longer fadeout so you can hear chorus repeat one more than the usual version. The same version also appears on "The Monkees By Request" 3-CD set (1989 Japan).
- 4 "Band 6" opens with "some murmurs" shortly before the voice comes in.
- 6 "Shades Of Gray" also has a bit longer fadeout.This same version appears on "The Monkees Greatest Hits" (Arista 1986 CD).
- 7 "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind": some voices are heard clearly shortly after the song ends. On "The Monkees By Request", these voices are faintly heard in fadeouts.
- 8 "For Pete's Sake": a bit longer fadeout. Furthermore, the backing vocals are mixed slightly more toward the right channel so you can hear clearly the guitar sound on the left channel. (On the usual version backing chorus are on the center.)
- 11 "Zilch": a bit longer fadeout. At the end of the song you can hear some noise (maybe the sound of footsteps).
- 12 "No Time": about 10 seconds longer. The same version appears on "The Monkees By Request".
- 13 "Early Morning Blues And Greens": some voice are faintly heard shortly after the music ends.

Wow, this sounds amazing! Out of the three Monkees albums that Kevin Gray has recently remastered, I think this one sounds the best.

This is the best sounding Headquarters I’ve ever heard. Originals are shrill.

The All-Analog stereo disc pays the price of ission alone, the sound on this is just fantastic. Beats my clean US 1st press. Highly recommend to any Monkees fan. They knocked it out of the park sound wise!

Only available from the Monkees' web store online at: https://monkeesstore.warnermusic.com/en/the-monkees/music/headquarters-exclusive-2lp/081227820046.html

Glad they included Mike’s vocal version of The Girl I Knew Somewhere on the bonus LP.

This 1981 Japanese pressing of HEADQUARTERS sounds mighty fine, with ample low end, a punchy mix, and a wide, robust soundstage. Sounds more full than most other versions I've heard. My copy plays like new, with no surface noise of note.

Love it! Had a beat up copy as a little kid I got from a friend, who stole it from his sister. When she found out I refused to give it back. “It was a present. Go yell at your brother”
I playing “Zilch” a lot! And my sister and I laughing every time. Looking back it may be the song that opened the neural pathways to enjoy “weird” music in the future.

I have a version that I cannot find here on discogs, TZRM-8692? Does anyone else have this one? Or know what this version is?