The Prison - A Book With A Soundtrack (or simply The Prison) is Michael Nesmith's seventh solo album of his post-Monkees career and his first to be released under his own record label, Pacific Arts. It includes a novella meant to be read while listening to the album as its "soundtrack". In 1994 Nesmith recorded a companion novella/album entitled The Garden

The Garden (Michael Nesmith album)

The Garden is Michael Nesmith's 11th full studio album and was released in 1994. The Garden is a companion release to Nesmith's 1974 album/book, The Prison. Both The Garden and The Prison are written to have the music complement a novel included in the release...

. According to Nesmith's website (Videoranch), a third instalment is in development; however, no date has been listed for the release

The Prison and The Garden were re-released together on CD in 2004 by Video Ranch.

Critical reception

Allmusic called The Prison "a brilliant multimedia concept marrying the personal and inner visual experience of Michael "Papa Nez" Nesmith's novella with the aural medium of an equally original soundtrack." Robert Christgau

Robert Christgau

Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...

 called it a "ghastly boxed audio-allegory-with-book."

Remix

"The Prison" was dramatically remixed by Michael Nesmith for the CD release in 1990. Some changes include the removal or addition of drum machines, extra reverb on vocals, among many other changes. As of August 2010, the original mix that appeared on vinyl has not been officially released on CD. Numerous bootlegs of the original mix sourced from vinyl copies exist.

Track listing

All songs by Michael Nesmith.

1. "Opening Theme (Life, the Unsuspecting Captive)" – 3:31
2. "Dance Between the Raindrops" – 6:47
3. "Elusive Ragings" – 5:11
4. "Waking Mystery" – 7:36
5. "Hear Me Calling?" – 4:51
6. "Marie's Theme" – 11:51
7. "Closing Theme (Lampost)" – 9:23

Personnel

• Michael Nesmith - vocals and guitars
• David Kempton - Arp Odyssey
• O.J. "Red" Rhodes
  Red Rhodes
  Rhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
  
  - pedal steel guitar
• Michael Cohen - keyboard
• Chura - congas
• Roland Rhythm 77 - drums