Kinks [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Their 1964 debut remastered & repackaged with the originalartwork, new sleeve notes, lyrics and 12 bonus tracks: 'LongTall Sally', 'You Still Want Me', 'You Do Something To Me','It's Alright', 'All Day And All Of The Night', 'I GottaMove', 'Louie, Louie', 'I Gotta Go Now', 'Things Are GettingBetter', 'I've Got That Feeling', 'Too Much Monkey Business'(unreleased alternate take) and the previously unreleased 'IDon't Need You Any More'. 26 tracks total, also feautringthe top 10 hit 'You Really Got Me' and the classic 'StopYour Sobbing'. 1998 Castle release.

Tracks:

You Really Got Me
All Day and All of the Night
Tired of Waiting for You
Everybody's Gonna Be Happy
Set Me Free
See My Friends
Till the End of the Day
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Sunny Afternoon
Dead End Street
Waterloo Sunset
Death of a Clown
Autumn Almanac
Susannah's Still Alive
Wonderboy
Days
Plastic Man
Victoria
Lola
Apeman
Supersonic Rocket Ship
Better Things
Come Dancing
Don't Forget to Dance

Tracks:

David Watts
Stop Your Sobbing
Dandy
Mr. Pleasant
I Gotta Move
Who'll Be the Next in Line
I Need You
Where Have All the Good Times Gone
Sittin' on My Sofa
Well Respected Man
I'm Not Like Everybody Else
Love Me Till the Sun Shines
She's Got Everything
Starstruck
Shangri-La
God's Children
Celluloid Heroes
(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
Do It Again
Living on a Thin Line

Album Details

24bit Digtally Remastered Double Disc Comprehensive Set of their Best from the 60's to the 80's. This Collection Offers the Most Varied Set Ever Offered by the Acknowledged True Originators of What Has Evolved Today as Heavy Metal Rock and Roll. Tracks Are Culled from the Early Pye/Warner Bros. Recordings and the RCA/ARISTA Years. The Package Includes Sleevenotes by Ray Davies and Many Photos and Many Previously Unseen Shots.

Customer Reviews:

Great Band.......2007-04-14

Here is a band that had alot of hits.This is a good collection of their songs.My favorite tunes from this band are You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night.Another huge hit from this band was Lola.
The Davies brothers, along with drummer Mick Avory and bassist Peter Quaife, produced a number of hits.
Here is a great collection of songs from this band.

Quintessential Kinks.......2007-01-30

Great collection that covers a wide spectrum of Kinks material. Sound quality is great. A must for those looking to add The Kinks to their collection.

They Really Got Me!.......2007-01-23

Okay, I remember the British Invasion. This is one of those cd's you can either listen to in context of the times or as a great primer for the rest of their stuff. I've found myself listening to it repeatedly and I can still pretty much tell you where I was when the Ray and Dave were kicking out the hits. Like one of the reviewers said, there may be a track or two that I personally would have included but blast it all, this is a primo collection and as long as I can listen to "Waterloo Sunset", I am in paradise! Don't hesitate to pick this collection up! It doesn't get much better than this!

KInks The ultimate collection.......2007-01-12

there can really never be an ultimate collection for the kinks.
Because it would have to include everything they ever did.
But, in the mean time Enjoy this collection they put togethere.

Possibly the best collection of any band.......2006-12-16

While hard core fans might find a favorite track or two missing, I, as a casual fan, can't think of a single worthy song that does not appear on this double disc set. There are even a couple great songs that I had never heard before. The Ultimate Collection covers the entire career of the band, with a couple solo numbers by Dave Davies thrown in for good measure.

Whoever put this set together deserves congratulations.

Average customer rating:

If you're only going to own one Kinks CD...
Great overview of the Kinks' tenure on Pye
Best Kinks Collection
All the sixties classics

The Singles Collection
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001XLXDE
Release Date: 2004-05-03

Tracks:

Long Tall Sally
You Still Want Me
You Really Got Me
All Day and All of the Night
Tired of Waiting for You
Everybody's Gonna Be Happy
Set Me Free
See My Friends
Till the End of the Day
Where Have All the Good Times Gone
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Well Respected Man
Sunny Afternoon
Dead End Street
Waterloo Sunset
Death of a Clown
Autumn Almanac
David Watts
Susannah's Still Alive
Wonderboy
Days
Plastic Man
Victoria
Lola
Apeman

Customer Reviews:

If you're only going to own one Kinks CD..........2007-05-15

...this is it. All the great hits.

Great overview of the Kinks' tenure on Pye.......2006-03-16

"The Singles Collection" is a great survey of the Kinks' singles on Pye Records, including initial Beatles facsimiles (including awkward "woo!" falsetto), successful forays into hard rock ("You Really Got Me" has been called the first heavy metal song) and psychedelia ("See My Friends" showcases this little-known aspect of the band), and finally the quirky social commentary that they're probably best known for today ("Well Respected Man," "Dead End Street," and numerous other gems).

This compilation covers the albums from the debut "Kinks" through "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround Part One," but a substantial portion of these tracks were standalone singles. That means that this collection hardly tells the whole story-- in fact, important albums like "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society" and "Arthur or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire" are barely represented at all. But it also makes this disc a valuable resource for excellent non-album tracks like "Set Me Free" and "Autumn Almanac" that can be hard to find elsewhere with such crisp sound quality.

I recommend this compilation to Kinks newbies and hardcore fans alike, because it's both a competent primer on the band's first decade as well as a great source for some hard-to-find music. Just be sure you also pick up the albums, at least from "Face to Face" onward, to get the full picture of this indispensable band.

Best Kinks Collection.......2006-01-23

George Starostin could not give the Kinks a perfect 5 on his classic rock review site (a great site!: starling.rinet.ru/music) because the Kinks lacked a "perfect" album, where every song was incredible, not just good. Arthur came close for him, but not quite. However, I believe this is the "perfect" Kinks album, even though I prefer their released albums. This is not a greatest hits compilation, just a singles compilation, the equivalent to the Beatles' Past Masters. This album has all of their singles from '64 - '71 I believe, and every song is great! The Ultimate collection offers more, but if you're new to the Kinks, start with this colection that captures their golden years. If you love this, move to the albums. You should not be disappointed with this collection. Some beautiful stuff.

All the sixties classics.......2004-09-02

This compilation covers the period 1964 to 1971 - the stuff that really matters. The same label has released a double CD compilation tit1led Ultimate collection, which covers their later music as well. If you want their later hits, including Come dancing, that is the collection you should go for.

This contains all the classic sixties songs including You really got me, All day and all of the night, Tired of waiting for you, Dedicated follower of fashion, Well respected man, Sunny afternoon, Waterloo sunset, Autumn almanac, Days, Lola and Apeman. It also includes Dave's two solo UK hits - Death of a clown and Susannah's still alive.

The set is presented in chronological order beginning with their cover of Long tall Sally, a song that demonstrates their musical roots in R+B. They didn't stick to R+B for very long, becoming more of a mainstream pop group and continually changing their style thereafter. Nevertheless, their songs were always distinctive because of Ray's talent for making ordinary situations into extraordinary songs. My favorite Kinks song is Waterloo sunset, a huge UK hit but not an American hit. It is about romance at a railway station that I am familiar with, though I cannot possibly imagine what inspired Ray to write that song, but he was a genius.

The best tribute to the quality of their songs lies in the diversity of the covers that have been recorded by singers in several genres of music. Kirsty MacColl (Days), the Stranglers (All day and all of the night), Petula Clark (Days - and a French version of Well respected man), Cathy Dennis (Waterloo sunset, Sunny afternoon), Green day (Tired of waiting for you), Jimmy Buffett (Sunny afternoon), Van Halen (You really got me) and Barb Jungr (Waterloo sunset) are among those who have covered Kinks songs.

Despite the brilliance of some of the covers, here you get the chance to hear the original versions. If you just want a single CD of their sixties music, this one is as good as any you will find.

Average customer rating:

WOW! It's Something Else Alright
My Personal Favorite
Britpop Ground Zero
Neglected Masterpiece
Ingenious!

Something Else by the Kinks
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire
Face to Face
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ASIN: B000002KOC
Release Date: 1990-05-02

Tracks:

David Watts
Death Of A Clown
Two Sisters
No Return
Harry Rag
Tin Soldier Man
Situation Vacant
Love Me Till The Sun Shines
Lazy Old Sun
Afternoon Tea
Funny Face
End Of The Season
Waterloo Sunset

Amazon.com

Some fans argue that this 1967 release is one of head Kink Ray Davies's middle-period masterpieces (coming between two LPs that no kultist can deny: Face to Face and Village Green Preservation Society), while others regard it as an uneven collection of great singles and inconsequential filler; a stopgap move. Although no one could argue that it's as consistent as those classics, Something Else does boast one of the great one-two punches in rock history: the rumbling tale of social envy, "David Watts," and "Death of a Clown," a slurring pub sing-along warbled by brother Dave. Elsewhere, the quartet dives headfirst into droning psychedelia ("Lazy Old Sun"), whimsical balladry ("Afternoon Tea"), suburban soap opera ("Two Sisters"--love that harpsichord), and one of the most poignant singles in rock history ("Waterloo Sunset"). --Don Harrison

Customer Reviews:

WOW! It's Something Else Alright.......2007-02-07

The best example of The Kinks brit-pop years that influenced many generations. Something Else Ray Davies's 2nd masterpiece of 3. The first is Face to Face, then Village Green after this... and his underrated brother Dave contributes a masterpiece Death of a Clown.

My Personal Favorite.......2006-12-30

As I write this review of Something Else I am sitting under the framed album cover autographed by Ray & Dave Davies. I'd waited outside their hotel, sometime early '70's, hoping they'd pop out. I brought my favorite Kinks album, and as Ray signed it, he said: "I don't think even I have a copy of this record." I assumed he was kidding. In any case, he wasn't about to get mine!

My favorite period for the Kinks was part of the least popular in America - that period that encompassed Face to Face, Something Else, and Village Green Preservation Society. Record sales had slunk so low that Reprise Records famously advertised a compilation for one penny with the slogan - "God Save the Kinks!" I have that compilation in my record closet. For my money, everyone should own Face to Face, Something Else, and Village Green, a tryptich of classic songs perfectly delivered. With this era, the Kinks solidified their position as one of the most creative, adventuresome, and accomplished of all their peers.

Something Else opens with David Watts, a wonderful tale of adolescent jealousy and envy. Everybody has known a David Watts - someone who walks on water, someone who always gets their way, for whom everything in life comes easy. Death of a Clown follows this - a song that always makes me sing-a-long with it, even if I haven't been drinking. Something Else includes songs (for the first time?) written by Dave Davies - in addition to Death of a Clown, Dave penned Love Me Till the Sun Shines and Funny Face.

There are songs that harken back to music hall music, like Harry Rag or Tin Soldier Man. A gentle ambiance of nostalgia, bittersweet longing for simplicity, old traditions, times gone by. Afternoon Tea. Lazy Old Sun. End of the Season. Themes that become fully realized on Village Green, but this is the interlude. The transitional album inbetween. It's as much of a concept album as Sgt. Pepper or Tommy or Forever Changes. It's just different. And very British.

But the best is saved for last, Waterloo Sunset. It's been described as the most perfect pop song ever written. A song for the centuries. That's not just my opinion - it's been described that way by Paul Weller, Elvis Costello, David Bowie. It's breathtakingly beautiful. The perfect end to the perfect album.

Britpop Ground Zero.......2006-10-03

In the the late 1960s, rock 'n roll began to outgrow "Satisfaction", "Love Me Do", and "You Really Got Me". Not only did bands become more socially and politically aware, they became more ambitious and eager to experiment. For their trouble, many of the great bands from this era - such as The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, and The Beach Boys - were rewarded with not only a secure musical legacy, but healthy financial benefits as well. The Kinks, who were banned from the US between the crucial years of 1965 and 1969, received neither. They had a handful of successful singles, but their LPs went almost completely unnoticed by record buyers.

Fortunately, the pendulum has swung, and The Kinks are now recognized as a major influence on subsequent generations of British rockers. To quote Mick Jones of The Clash, "As far as The Beatles, The Stones, and The Who are concerned, we don't really hear that much about The Kinks. But they're just as important". While the influence of The Beatles and The Stones spreads across the entire spectrum of popular music, that of The Kinks and The Who is most obvious in the punk (British and American) of the late 70s and the Britpop of the early 90s. Like Newton and Leibniz's independent but nearly simultaneous invention of calculus, the fuzzy power chords of these bands' 1964-5 singles laid the groundwork for punk, while assertions like Pete Townshend's "hope I die before I get old" and Ray Davies' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" - a B-side that appeared 10 years before The Ramones' debut - were philosophical proto-punk manifestos. In the late-60s and early 70s, both bands turned toward catchy, melodic pop songs whose influence would be heard in everyone from The Jam and XTC to Blur and Pulp. And the career trajectory similarities don't stop there: The Kinks and The Who could also be credited - or, if you prefer, blamed - for inventing the rock opera/concept album with their 1969 releases Arthur and Tommy (although The Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow was released a year earlier than both). In the late 70s and early 90s, British groups would be inspired to sound like these British bands who had influenced them, rather than like the American artists who had influenced the British bands of the 60s.

Something Else by The Kinks was arguably the first full-length instance of what would be called Britpop a quarter-century later. (Or maybe it was Face To Face. Take your pick.) The proto-punk and American R&B elements of their first records were less salient on this record, having been replaced by a "distinctly British" blend of marching drums, slow to mid-tempo rockers and ballads, and primarily acoustic - but nonetheless rocking - guitars. Furthermore, the themes moved beyond boy loves girl to musical snapshots of schoolyard jealousy, sibling rivalry, disappointed in-laws, bittersweet solitude and, of course, underachieving circus folk.

It is one thing for a record to culminate in a one-two punch or trio of great songs, but quite another for it to start off with a right, left, and uppercut. That is what we get on Something Else. With the Stonesy thump of "David Watts" (later covered in a faithful if perfunctory manner by The Jam), the quirky, melancholy folk of "Death of a Clown", and the thinly veiled allegory "Two Sisters", this record wastes no time getting started. And it is hardly on cruise control before closing with "Waterloo Sunset", a feather in the cap (if not jewel in the crown) of 60s British pop.

After the 1-2-3 punch that opens the record, things slow down a bit with "No Return", which, like the similarly hazy and dreamlike "Lazy Old Sun", shows that while the Kinks were not a psychedelic band or a bunch of hippies, they were clearly not impervious to the atmosphere of Swinging London. The same can be said of the hilarious "Harry Rag", which humorously mocks the idea that anything is bearable if you've got the right stuff to take your mind off of it. "End of the Season", sung by Ray in a mock lounge singer voice, is another highlight, and the music hall ditties "Tin Soldier Man" and "Situation Vacant" contribute significant personality to the record.

Then there are Dave Davies' songs. I am a great fan of underdogs and unsung heroes, and I think that it can be said that Dave wrote at least one great song for every dozen or so that Ray did (see Dave's The Album That Never Was for examples). The absurd folk of "Death of a Clown", which reached #3 in the UK, is proof enough: "The trainer of insects is crouched on his knees/And frantically looking for runaway fleas". But Dave also contributes the steady rockers "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" and "Funny Face". Hence, Something Else was for Dave what Revolver was for George Harrison. (The weakest track on the record is probably Ray's "Afternoon Tea". While its subject is quintessentially English, it hardly makes for compelling listening in this case.) And it would be a travesty to not give props to Nicky Hopkins for his superb piano and harpsichord work.

The bonus tracks on the 2000 re-issue are far from the throwaways meant to entice completists that such tracks often are. First of all, Dave rears his underrated head with "Lincoln County" and the excellent "Susannah's Still Alive", which was a hit single in its own right. And Ray's songs - especially "Autumn Almanac", "Wonderboy", "Polly", and "There's No Life Without Love" - are as good as anything to be found on this or any other Kinks record of the era. It may be a bit unfortunate that this re-release is in mono, for it is tempting to say that the stereo version packs more punch. But that is ultimately a matter of taste, and the fact is that this is a fascinating collection of songs, sounding very much like a product of its time - perhaps somewhat charmingly dated - and yet still unlike albums by the band's peers. These elements combine to create a precious gem of the British Invasion, one which would itself spawn the gems of future British Invasions.

Neglected Masterpiece.......2006-06-25

"Something Else" (1967) was released at a point when the Kinks were continuing to top charts in the UK and Europe but were barely registering on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Since their earlier singles "Well-Respected Man," "Dedicated Follower of Fashion," and "Sunny Afternoon," along with their album "Face to Face," Ray Davies had been solidifying his position as a kind of 20th-century W.S. Gilbert with a rock 'n' roll sensibility. By the time the Kinks recorded "Something Else," Davies was writing songs which were in essence mini-operettas that examined England and the English (not, mind you, Britain and the British) with biting wit and wry affection. This album contains what is arguably his greatest composition, "Waterloo Sunset," a blend of almost Dickensian social observation and human sympathy set to an achingly tender yet driving tune that simultaneously conveys deep yearning and profound contentment. There are other outstanding tracks: "David Watts" and "Two Sisters" are clever studies of envy; "Harry Rag" is a Cockney-flavored singalong evocative of the music hall; and "Afternoon Tea" looks forward thematically to the Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society" (1968). Two of the high points in "Something Else" are a couple of brother Dave Davies's best efforts -- the eerily jaunty "Death of a Clown" and the solid rocker "Love Me Till the Sun Shines." A few numbers, such as "No Return" and "Lazy Old Sun," seemed misguided experiments when the album was new, and they haven't improved with age. And it would have been nice if Reprise had added as bonus tracks such singles of that vintage as "Dead End Street" and "Mr. Pleasant." Still, the weak points can't spoil the overall impact of the Kinks' "Something Else," a true classic and a neglected masterpiece.

Ingenious!.......2006-05-29

"Something Else" is arguably the Kinks' best album ever. The lyrics meld together fabulous stories in a musically varied and enthralling way. As portrait painter and lyricist, songwriter Ray Davies has created a masterpiece. Most of the songs create indelible characters with tangible situations of struggle and anguish. The wit is often playful, yet formidable througout. (Even the opening of the album takes a shot at the Beatles' staginess on 'Revolver' and 'Sgt. Pepper'.) While the music isn't as fast paced as "You Really Got Me," it is all thoroughly substantial.

Surveying the songs, "David Watts" and "Love Me 'Til the Sun Shines" are formidable rockers. The former song is a concise testimony about an underdog growing up. "Two Sisters" and "Funny Face" offer glimmers of hope in the midst of desperation from unforgettable characters. "Situation's Vacant" is a brilliant short story that unfolds manipulation in a playful way. Indeed all of the songs seem to pick up the working class by the bootstraps and give them hope. "Harry Rag" and "Afternoon Tea" work admirably in this vein. One of the most brilliant songs, "Death of a Clown," carries sorrow in a light-hearted elegy without contradicting itself. "Lazy Old Sun" is a skillful personification playfully done. The album is also interspersed with fine, pensive ballads reflecting loss ("No Return" and "End of the Season") without seeming to shift focus. Other memorable characters come into play, including in the playful "Tin Soldier Man," and, again, "Two Sisters," a concise story of sibling rivalry. "Waterloo Sunset," the best song and finale, is a beautifully poetic ballad about a sad loner who must face second-hand consolations to cope with life.

"Something Else" may have been mostly overlooked by the States because of their affinity and references to the British, but the music is entirely engaging and eclectic. The songwriting is what we'd expect from Dylan or the Beatles, except that, being an individual task, it could only have come from the mind of Ray Davies*. The musicianship is terrific on every song. Lyrically, this album may be to Rock what 'Great Expectations' is to literature.

*with a couple songs from brother, Dave.

The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society

Average customer rating:

Middlin to fairly great
Ray Davies is a remarkable talent
Memories of people can remain
God Save The Kinks!
THE LAST OF THE GOOD OLD, STEAM POWERED, ROCK AND ROLL

The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

The Village Green Preservation Society
Do You Remember Walter?
Picture Book
Johnny Thunder
Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains
Big Sky
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Village Green
Starstruck
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People Take Pictures Of Each Other

Amazon.com essential recording

Sensing that the Beatles, Stones, and Who were radically transforming rock music by turning it literate and conceptual, Ray Davies decided the Kinks should be his vehicle to explore his unusual longing for a simpler time when the English empire was not in decline. A reliance on English music hall tradition and sentiments indicated in titles such as "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains," "Picture Book," and "Village Green" clearly show Davies's nostalgia streak. Davies's singing has always been rough and non-Kinks fans may have trouble getting past his sloppy pitch. But for those listening closely, the tales are one of a kind. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

Middlin to fairly great .......2007-06-26

I'm ashamed to say I found this because of the 'Picture Book' song associated with a certain ad for a certain photo printer. It just got stuck in my head, and I should have known. Whenever you have a great song stuck in your head and you don't know who it's by, it's usually by The Kinks.

Initially I was disappointed that I had purchased a CD for one song and the rest was jolly crap. But the more I listened to it, I pardoned the fact that it could have been produced a bit more carefully and now they've got me hooked.

The rest of the darn album is stuck in my head, and it's a good, sweet, concept album, you really need to listen to whole thing to 'get it' and for it to be at its best. Nice and poppy, fun for the whole family, it grows on you like honeysuckle. Finally: 2 stars, no 3 stars, no - 4 stars.

Ray Davies is a remarkable talent.......2007-06-09

I am amused to read how folks seem to think that Ray Davies is nostalgic. I do not believe this. He is an observer. He writes about what he sees and what he hears and puts a personal twist on it. Listen to 'Come Dancing' - this terrific piece comes from listening to his elder sister talk about her 'younger days', which people like me can identify with only too easily. He is a wit and has written a variety of interesting songs. 'Village Green' is an amusement, a 'pastiche' - a description of a dream-like time and place which one is uncertain if it ever truly existed. This is not uncommon in English (not British!) history - afterall, did 'Merrie England' ever really exist? Had The Kinks not been refused a visa to tour the US early in their career, Ray Davies would be revered today by a wider audience in this country and perhaps might be seen as the natural successor to John Lennon (I can hear the cries of horror ....... but pay attention to the words of many of his songs ...... they ain't simple pop songs!) The man is a remarkable talent. He is, at times, laconic and acidic, and always interesting. The early potential of Ray Davies can be heard in 'See my friends', 'Waterloo Sunset', 'Victoria' and 'Lola' etc - but do not dismiss any of the other early material. VGPS is both interesting and charming and a pleasure to listen to both 'then' and 'now'. If you have not heard it, give it a listen ..... you won't regret it.

Memories of people can remain.......2007-02-18

From the superlative music year of 1968 comes THE VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY, the KINKS very best album. This one has gotten better with the passage of time-- a rarity. VILLAGE GREEN belongs in the collection of any 1960s or British rock fan. If you've never heard it, take advantage of the sound samples provided-- then you'll know what to do! And if you once had this on vinyl... well, what are you waiting for?

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 39:48

God Save The Kinks!.......2007-02-08

Part 3 of the Kinks trilogy starting with Face to Face, then Something else...This is the best of the 3 and is a genuine masterpiece.
Ray Davies was at the top of his game here.

THE LAST OF THE GOOD OLD, STEAM POWERED, ROCK AND ROLL.......2006-12-20

People take pictures of each other, just to prove that they really existed.
Recently I've been doing a lot of digging into psychedelic era sixties stuff that I have missed over the years. Out of all the albums that I went out and purchased for either the first time, or to get back the albums I lost long ago... this is outright, the coolest. The Kinks are one of the coolest anyways, but this one....
Lets just say, IMHO, that The Kinks delivered what I consider to be the real "first" concept rock and roll album. After all, Sgt. Peppers, wasn't really a concept album, The Beatles even said so themselves. In the time frame between late '66 and early '68, just about every hip band of the day put out at least one psychedelic disc.. some good, some very bad. The Kinks, were not a psychedelic band, and don't try to be really... but they took that psychedelic vibe and added their own groove.
The album chugs out the rock and roll, in that light and airy british pop rock sort of way, but the tunes are so good. Each individual.
Look at reviews for the 1979 Clash album, London Calling. Lots of people refer to it as The Clash's "Sgt. Pepper" album. What they really mean to say is that London Calling was their "Village Green."
The trippy songs are TRIPPY, the rockin songs are ROCKIN', and the lyrics are perfect, in that Ray Davies and his magic pen sort of way.
If you are new to this album I guarantee it will go down like this. Upon first listen, you'll be like "ok, not bad", and probably hand pick about three tunes out of the mix that made the album worth it. By listen number two, you will up the number to seven... and you will probably listen to single songs about three or four times in row, because they will blow your mind. Before long you will realize that this little gem, is probably one of the coolest records ever made, especially for psychedelic sixties. You will say "Gosh Darrrrrrrrn-it, isn't this a great album."
It's all about The Village Green. By the way, is it me, or did Ray Davies really despise photographs? Or was it just that jerk, Tom the grocer, ever since he bought that grocery?
Highly reccomended listening.

Average customer rating:

Ray Davies Hits His Stride
A Great Transition
Tales of drunkeness and cruelty...
Ray's drastically improving...
The Kinks Weren't Like Anybody Else

Face to Face
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lola versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round, Part One
The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society

ASIN: B0001XLXBQ
Release Date: 2004-05-03

Tracks:

Party Line
Rosie Won't You Please Come Home
Dandy
Too Much on My Mind
Session Man
Rainy Day in June
House in the Country
Holiday in Waikiki
Most Exclusive Residence for Sale
Fancy
Little Miss Queen of Darkness
You're Lookin' Fine
Sunny Afternoon
I'll Remember
I'm Not Like Everybody Else [*]
Dead End Street [*]
Big Black Smoke [*]
Mister Pleasant [*]
This Is Where I Belong [*]
Mr. Reporter [#][*]
Little Women [#][*]

Customer Reviews:

Ray Davies Hits His Stride.......2007-04-18

This was the first album of the Kinks' new era. Ironically, it was also this album that contained their last big international hit of the '60's --"Sunny Afternoon." Although it contained a couple of their simple love songs from their earlier era, likely put there to fill out the tracks, the strength of the album is in the social commentary and personal observations of the rest of the songs.

When I bought the album in 1966, "Party Line" (a Ray & Dave composition) intrigued me. I remember party lines, but few people, at least in the US do. Dave's line "Is she big/ Is she small?/ Is she a she at all?" could just as well apply to e-mail or IM today, though. The voice asking who was there belonged to the late Frank SMyth, who wrote the liner notes. I was hooked after "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home," a song about the Davies' sister Rose who emigrated to Australia. Nicky Hopkins' harpsichord laid over the bands decending arpeggio just bounced along and Ray's slightly off-key singing captured my imagination, and I was a Kink Kultist from then on.

"Session Man" is about session musicians, supposedly specifically Hopkins. "Rainy Day in June is a mood piece, the motfs of which popped up later in "Wicked Annabella." "Dandy" (covered by Herman's Hermits, of all people), "House in the Country," "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale," and "Sunny Afternoon" completed the story of the social climber started with "Well-Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower of Fashion." "Holiday in Waikiki" is more than slightly snide and basically Ray venting about commercialism in paradise. Reminds me of the line "American tourists love to see the Village Green" from "Village Green." "Little Miss Queen of Darkness" was a forlorn figure Ray met in a discotheque, sort of Lola's ancestor. This album really established Ray as the voice of the Kinks, and they never looked back. Ray wrote "You're Looking Fine" for Dave to rave on, and Dave still does it in his live shows. That one really jumps in the "Live at the Kelvin Hall" show from 1967.

The extras do round out the Kinks' saga in this era. These songs were relased on the compilations "Kinks Kronikles: and "The Great Lost Kinks Album," but it's nice to have them here. The magnificant "I"m Not Like Everybody Else," which was "Sunny Afternoon's" B-side, and two great singles from 1967: "Dead End Street"/ "Big Black Smoke" and "Mister Pleasant"/ "This is Where I Belong." (I have these singles in my collections.) "Mr. Reporter," written by Ray and sung by Dave for his projected solo album is listed as unreleased but it had appeared on Dave's "Unfinished Business" compilation. "Little Women" is a new find.

Ray hit his stride with this one. From "Face to Face" (1966) through "Everybody's in Show Biz" (1972) they put out albums full of insightful, great bopping rock.

A Great Transition.......2007-03-31

The Kinks were adequate with the hard rock n' roll, but they came into their own with Face to Face. Ray Davies combined a few Brit pop styles with his own eccentric commentary. The band is great, and they have fun developing their form until their next album, Something Else, which is, in my opinion, their absolute best.

Tales of drunkeness and cruelty..........2007-03-03

'Face to Face' is the reason I love the Kinks! This may not be their greatest album, but it is my favorite lp by the Brothers Davies and will always hold a special place in my heart. This is what England sounds like! English culture, the people, the pubs, the disenfrancised, the mods and the upper crust. I heard this record first in college and was immediately hooked though "Sunny Afternoon" was the only 'classic' that I knew of before hearing the album in total. How many songs am I in love with from this lp, one of a slew of incredible rock albums released in 1966? Well before 'Face to Face', the Kinks were a hard rocking British Invasion band that had single success but whose albums were not fully realized collections of songs. 'Kink Kontroversy' was a step in the right direction but even this very good album pales in comparison to 'Face to Face'. "Too Much on My Mind" and "Rosie" break my bleeding heart!.."Party Line" and "Dandy" pump me up on British pomposity and the lifestyles of Swinging London. "Fancy" and "Holiday in Wakiki" are awesome in their unconventionality. Ray Davies was in many ways comparable to Bob Dylan in his social observations, especially as he describes many of the characters in this pseudo concept album - which as some reviewers have commented could be the continuing saga of the "Well Respected Man" although on "Face to Face", he is fast losing his shirt ("Dandy", "House in the Country", "Most Exclusive" and of course "Sunny Afternoon"). Dave only belts out "Party Line" and "You're Looking Fine", the later could be seen as something from previous records. The remastered version includes the classic B side to "Sunny", the Dave droned "I'm Not Like Anybody Else" which is now featured in an American advertisement (IBM?), how's that for respect! "Dead End Street", "Big Black Smoke" and "Mr. Pleasant" (is he the "Dandy's" victim?) all feature on this amazing collection of Ray Davies gems. It is absolutely criminal that this record was barely released in the States and had paltry sales figures. Classic rock fans need the Kinks and "Face to Face" which began a run of music that celebrates the genius of the boys from Muswell Hill.

Ray's drastically improving..........2007-02-08

The Kinks are getting serious here and are an equal here to that "other" British pop group. Ray Davies creates an ode to British working class and this is part 1 of his 3 album trilogy. Face to Face, Something Else and Village Green may be the best albums British invasion band has ever produced that speaks to the common man and that includes those other 4 guys from Liverpool.

The Kinks Weren't Like Anybody Else.......2006-10-25

Face To Face was the first of several albums that would eventually earn The Kinks their rightful place among The Beatles, The Stones, and The Who as one of the most revered and influential English bands of the 1960s. The fact that they were the least commercially successful of these bands made them more of a personal favorite to rock fans than the darlings of screaming teenagers. Since The Kinks were nothing if not quirky, they were probably willing to trade financial rewards in order to secure their own niche among the somewhat congested world of 60s rock music.

The record starts off with "Party Line", a rocking tale of daily minutiae. While sly social commentary had popped up in previous Kinks songs (eg, "Well-Respected Man", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion"), this tune shows Ray Davies taking "think globally, act locally" to a bit of an extreme. (Was this really a good enough reason for him to not be "voting in the next election"?!) Other straight-ahead rockers on the album include "Dandy", "Session Man", "A House In the Country", "Most Exclusive Residence For Sale", and the inspired, tongue-in-cheek "Holiday In Waikiki". This handful of songs alone demonstrates Ray's wide range of topical interests: swinging bachelors, under-appreciated musicians, insufferable millionaires, and fish-out-of-water Englishmen. Just as Ray's social commentary was flourishing, so was his introspection. This is also strongly felt on Face To Face, as on the heartfelt pleas of "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home?", the plaintive "Too Much On My Mind", and the vivid, funereal contrast of "Rainy Day in June", the biggest downer on the record. There are also the old-fashioned ditties "Little Miss Queen of Darkness", "You're Lookin' Fine", and "I'll Remember", the George Harrison-esque "Fancy", and "Sunny Afternoon", their last major US hit single until they resurfaced in the top 10 four years later.

Simply put, Face to Face is a remarkably rich collection of songs. It is accessible and listener-friendly, but challenging and deep as well. Dave Davies' buzzsaw guitar riffs are nowhere in sight, and Ray does more that simply shout out the same few lyrics for 3 minutes. The lyrical and musical variety is very impressive, including the ivory tickling by Nicky Hopkins, the ultimate Session Man. This album is a far cry from the cookie-cutter, hodge podge records of the early 60s (those by The Kinks included). And it is particularly amazing that bonus tracks like "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" - arguably the first punk song ever - "Dead End Street" (US #73), and "Big Black Smoke" were minor hit singles and B-sides that nevertheless sit comfortably among Ray's best work.

It is disheartening to know that while the their peers were reaching the tops of the charts between 1966 and 1969, The Kinks were barely making a dent in them. (The Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur didn't even chart in the UK.) And yet their albums were at least as ambitious, consistent, and enjoyable as anything by these other bands. Four decades on, the fact that so few people have heard this music makes it all the more fresh to the newcomer's ears. Face To Face was the first of four records in four years that would snowball into what may be the richest body of work to come out of the UK or US in the late 1960s. Thankfully, it has proven to be hugely influential on subsequent generations, such that this record and its follow-ups can be said to be the bedrock for the entire spectrum of Britpop, from The Jam, to The Smiths, to Blur and Pulp.

Give me Face to Face over any other UK record from 1966 any old day of the week.

Come Dancing with the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986

Average customer rating:

Dollars and (common) cents.
Don't Forget to Dance
My high school students gave up rap for this!
they always delivered the goods
THE BEST

Come Dancing with the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Velvel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Kinks (The Ultimate Collection)
The Singles Collection
The Kink Kronikles
Muswell Hillbillies
One for the Road

ASIN: B0007KTB8A
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

Come Dancing
Low Budget
Catch Me Now I'm Falling
A Gallon Of Gas
(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman (Disco Edit)
Sleepwalker
Full Moon
Misfits
A Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy
Do It Again
Better Things
Lola (Live)
You Really Got Me (Live)
Good Day
Living On A Thin Line
Destroyer
Don't Forget To Dance
Father Christmas

Customer Reviews:

Dollars and (common) cents........2007-06-12

I'm going to rate this CD based on a $1 per song cost to total cost for the entire CD (Apple and Rhapsody charge $1 per song).
The Kink's CDs really put a person in a 'State of Confusion'. I have yet to find a CD collection with all of the Kink-essential songs on it. This CD is bad because it doesn't have all of the essential songs, AND to top it off two of the songs are LIVE versions. What a rip off!
The essential songs are: Come Dancing, Catch Me Now I'm Falling, Lola, You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, Destroyer, and Around the Dial (if I'm missing any, please let me know).
So, you have to pay $14 to buy the CD on Amazon, but you are only getting $3 worth of original, great songs (Come Dancing, Catch Me Now I'm Falling and Destroyer). You can buy the songs Destroyer, Around the Dial and Catch Me Now I'm Falling for $1 each on iTunes. (Unfortunately, iTunes and Rhapsody don't currently sell the other essential songs I've listed.)
Ray Davies is really making it hard for us to get all of his best songs in one place, but by doing so, I'm sure he's making a heap of money from us all.
Hope this helps.
Darium
June 2007

Don't Forget to Dance.......2007-03-16

When I was in high school, I loved the hard-edged sound of the Kinks, the Who, etc. Much later, the Don't Forget to Dance video really touched me for some reason.

I noticed that most Kinks collection lack this masterpiece. Now, it is my all-time favorite Kinks song. Although I still love the more hard-edged songs by them and Lola which defies description, I plan to buy this collection to have Don't Forget to Dance along with many other fine songs.

My high school students gave up rap for this!.......2006-11-05

I had forgotten just how much fun the Kinks were, then I purchased the CD for the song Come Dancing and had no idea that I would know all the other songs on the CD. My 14-18 year old art students pick this CD over rap and current artists to listen to whiile creating art works. It is just plain old fun!

they always delivered the goods.......2006-08-22

The 70's-80's Kink era was considered the weaker material but when you listen to this compilation, they still put out lots of quality material.

Their sound and approach changed a bit, they obviously went more commercial, and they lacked some of their original identity yet these are still great songs. 30 years later, this was not a weak era and they put out a lot more good stuff then most other bands.

Rock and Roll fantasy, Detroyer, Celluloid Heroes, Don't forger to dance, Superman are all killer songs.

I would like to see one day when they get a boxed set w/You Really Got me era, Lola era and their hard rocking Destroyer era.

THE BEST.......2006-03-16

I REMEMBER LISTENING AND SINGING TO THE KINKS AS A 10 YEAR OLD CHILD. GREAT CD. RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire

Average customer rating:

A thrilling song-cycle
The Kinks' Krowning Achievement
God Bless Ray Davies
One of the best from the best!
is there a 6 star rating?

Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Lola versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round, Part One
Something Else by the Kinks
Face to Face
Muswell Hillbillies

ASIN: B000002KON
Release Date: 1990-05-02

Tracks:

Victoria
Yes Sir, No Sir
Some Mother's Son
Drivin'
Brainwashed
Australia
Shangri-la
Mr. Churchill Says
She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina
Young & Innocent Days
Nothing To Say
Arthur

Amazon.com essential recording

Written as the score for a never-aired BBC television drama, Arthur is the story of late-'60s English working-class exhaustion. Perhaps not the most attention-grabbing subject for a rock album, but in Ray Davies's hands it's rich in texture and stylistic possibility. From the rousing ode to Britain's glorious past ("Victoria") to its less-than-glamorous present (that being the late '60s), Davies portrays a life of cautiously reduced expectations. Arthur once dreamed of owning his own business but has settled for a car and an indoor bathroom ("Shangri-La"). One of his sons spends his time complaining about the system ("Brainwashed"), the other dreams of moving to a new land of opportunity ("Australia"), and when they get together for Sunday dinner there's simply "Nothing to Say." The Kinks at their mighty and surprisingly tender best. --Percy Keegan

Customer Reviews:

A thrilling song-cycle.......2006-12-19

Ray Davies and the Kinks (with John Dalton on bass) sound like a tight unit. You can even hear Dave shout with glee while rocking out on "Victoria". Every song, be it rocker or wistful ballad, is a winner. The songs never stray far from the album's subject making this recording a cohesive and very thrilling song-cycle.

The Kinks' Krowning Achievement.......2006-10-09

The Kinks' Arthur, or: the Decline and Fall of the British Empire was the best possible way for this quintessential British Invasion band to end its most creatively fertile (if not commercially successful) period. This period began in 1966 with Face to Face, and led up to 1969's Arthur with the brilliant Something Else (1967) and the highly-lauded The Village Green Preservation Society (1968). While Village Green looks back to an England that may have been, Arthur provides a broader sweep, and ends up seeing England as it had become.

Arthur is populated by disillusioned Basil Fawlty-types who had attached their egos to the British Empire. As went the empire, so went their own sense of belonging to something large and superior. Suddenly, these folks began to feel small and inferior themselves. It is a history lesson set to rock music, from the pre-WWI high noon to the post-WWII setting of the sun. And I can confidently say "rock" music because the electric guitars are back in full force on Arthur, whereas they had been toned down - to good effect - on the previous two albums. (Note how the band burns through "Brainwashed" without even breaking a sweat.)

The album kicks off in high gear with the exuberant "Victoria", which casts a happy if somewhat rose-colored eye on the glory days of Great Britain. "Yes Sir, No Sir" and "Mr. Churchill Says" poke fun at the military and political leaders of the two World Wars. ("Mr. Beaverbrook says/We gotta save our tin" brings to mind the Bush administration's duct tape nonsense of 2002.) "Some Mother's Son", on the other hand, is perhaps the most affecting and effective anti-war song in all of popular music. "Australia" brings back the triumphant tone with its hope for a better place, one which is familiar but far from Great Britain. However, this optimism is immediately stomped on by "Shangri-La", which is literally and figuratively the album's centerpiece. It nicely captures the record's theme of decline on an individual scale. (Sadly, this individual's peak was never as glorious as the empire's.) "She Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina" is a tongue-in-cheek look at a couple who may not be able to afford to pack up and move, but who at least try to keep up appearances as long as they are sticking around. Finally, "Young and Innocent Days" recalls the sentimentality of Village Green, and the closing song, in which the album's namesake is formally introduced, has a "Nowhere Man" thematic quality to it.

Granted, some of the songs on Arthur are less catchy in the Britpop sense of the word. This was the sacrifice that Ray Davies was willing to make in order to create the ambitious album that he did. It may not be the personal favorite of most Kinks fans, but it is the one on which their reach was the furthest and their grasp the most complete. It was also the last in a series of Great records that proved that The Kinks deserved to be ranked among the best and most important British bands not only of the 1960s, but of all time. Davies' lyrics on Arthur were - as always - clever, caustic, humorous, and insightful. The band, meanwhile, was in peak form musically. The result was one of the most fully realized and entertaining concept albums ever. After a half-decade absence from the American charts and the States, The Kinks would return to both in 1970. Sadly, the millions of listeners who knew them only from their hits would remain oblivious to the fact the brothers Davies created their very best material between these visits.

(Be sure to grab the re-issue for a handful of excellent bonus tracks, including Dave Davies' magnificent "Mindless Child of Motherhood" and "This Man He Weeps Tonight", two more bits of evidence that, in batting average terms, Dave was almost as good a songwriter as his brother.)

God Bless Ray Davies .......2006-08-23

Arthur or The Decline of The British Empire is a concept album that tells the story of a man who dreams of having a good house and a Car as well as the luxories of life. He is a Carpet installer whose brother Edward died in the Great War, and whose son Edward died in the Korean War, when another son named Derek wants to move to Australia, and take his wife Liz and two children with him. The album is full of Folk influences and early Rock influences as well as influences from The Beatles via Sargent Pepper's Lonley Heart's Club Band and "The White Album" including both Revolver and Rubber Soul, for I can hear all of those influences in the album.
Shangri-La is by far the best song on the album alongside Victoria and Yes Sir, No Sir plus Australia, of what I have heared so far. Ray Davies is a true magician as a songwriter, with The KinKs being a band that has so many great hits and moments in thier history. I recomed this album fully.

One of the best from the best!.......2006-03-01

When I had the opportunity to meet with Ray Davies a decade ago after the Kinks played the "House of Blues" in LA, it was the "Arthur" album I chose to bring to have Ray sign. A masterpiece from beginning to end.

is there a 6 star rating? .......2006-02-11

what a beautiful album! one of the rare albums that has no fillers or weaker cuts. i'd call it a classic but that makes it sound dusty. these songs could come out in 20 years and still sound fresh.

Average customer rating:

klassic kinks
One Of The Best Live Albums Ever.
Must buy for fans of British rock...
For the young generation
The Kinks glorious live recording!!

One for the Road
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Velvel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Give the People What They Want
Sleepwalker
Muswell Hillbillies
Low Budget
The Kinks Present Schoolboys in Disgrace

ASIN: B0002IQID8
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

Opening [Live]
Hard Way [Live]
Catch Me Now I'm Falling [Live]
Where Have All the Good Times Gone [Live]
Introduction to Lola [Live]
Lola [Live]
Pressure [Live]
All Day and All of the Night [Live]
20th Century Man [Live][*]
Misfits [Live]
Prince of the Punks [Live]
Stop Your Sobbing [Live]
Low Budget [Live]
Attitude [Live]
(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman [Live]
National Health [Live]
Till the End of the Day [Live]
Celluloid Heroes [Live]
You Really Got Me [Live]
Victoria [Live]
David Watts [Live]

Customer Reviews:

klassic kinks.......2007-03-12

If you want a fantastic representation of them at their creative zenith , this is it. Of course nothing by them would dissappoint.

One Of The Best Live Albums Ever........2006-12-28

I received The Kinks' 1979 live album "One For The Road" today as a belated Christmas gift, and I must say I am stunned at how good it is. It is practically forgotten in the great pantheon of rock live albums (which include, among others, The Who's "Live At The Leeds", The Rolling Stones' "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" and The Allman Brothers' "Live At The Fillmore East"), and yet it rightfully belongs.

What you get on "One For The Road" are 19 (not counting introductions) solid, energetic performances of Kinks klassics such as "Lola", "All Day And All Of The Night", "You Really Got Me" and "Victoria" as well as a host of lesser known tracks like "Catch Me Now I'm Falling", "Low Budget" and "Attitude". There's also a fantastic version of their 1972 classic "Celluloid Heroes" that has an almost haunting effect.

The cd adds two bonus tracks, "20th Century Man" and a blazing finale of "David Watts". The cd has been remastered in SACD, and I must say the sound quality is fantastic. The liner notes are great, and overall this is definitely a great addition to your collection.

Must buy for fans of British rock..........2006-08-09

If you like straight up no nonsense rock and roll, the Kinks are for you. Dave Davies "cooks" on this CD and is surely underrated when it comes to all time great rock guitarists. The BEST version of Celluloid Heros is worth the price of this CD alone and you'll love the rest.

For the young generation.......2005-10-30

The Kinks are at the same level as The Who,as one English groups,that during the 60's in some way,anticipated the various types of music,like Garage-rock or Punk.The music and the lyrics are excellent,but were often misinterpreted by the English.
''One For The Road'',was recorded live in 1979,and even though many years have passed since the group was formed,listening ''Lola'' or ''You really got me''is unforgettable.The younger generation should't miss this record,because it gives them the possibility to listen to one of the most important banda from the 60's.

The Kinks glorious live recording!!.......2005-05-26

Simply, the Kinks is one of the top bands ever to hit the road or with a glorious recording legacy. If you like OASIS, PEARL JAM, U2 or The Who, you are going to like THE KINKS. This live recording captures the band in great shape (there is a DVD version of this cd). There are so many great songs that could have been included (such as NO MORE LOOKING BACK from "Schoolboys in Disgrace" wich is the "Stairway to Heaven" from this band or Around the dial).
I saw the Kinks in Madrid in 1986, and they began the concert with "Around the dial" a great song for a radio show to begin with...

Lola versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round, Part One

Average customer rating:

Meta-Kinks
Almost Perfect
Brilliant concept album
This is where Lola shows you who's boss.
Toppermost of the Poppermost

Lola versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round, Part One
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire
The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Something Else by the Kinks
Muswell Hillbillies
Face to Face

ASIN: B000002KOW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Introduction
The Contenders
Strangers
Denmark Street
Get Back In Line
Lola
Top Of The Pops
The Moneygoround
This Time Tomorrow
A Long Way From Home
Rats
Apeman
Powerman
Got To Be Free

Amazon.com essential recording

The Kinks' 1970 effort was the penultimate creation in a five-year, six-album burst that ranks just a notch below the great sustained rock & roll eruptions of Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Stones, and Elvis Costello. Of course, the linchpin to this collection is "Lola," Ray Davies's irresistibly vivid account of the charms of a seductive transvestite. Its daring (for the time) subject matter aside, "Lola" stands as one of the great singles of all time. Add to the list the almost as infectious "Apeman," a slew of funny, shrewd, alienated-rock-star screeds ("Top of the Tops," "The Moneyground," "Powerman"), and a couple of memorable contributions from Ray's brother, Dave ("Strangers," "Rats"), and you have the Kinks at their raucous, righteous, quirky quintessence. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Meta-Kinks.......2007-05-28

I take a backseat to no one in my love for the Kinks. They were the first rock band that grabbed me back in 1965 with "Well Respected Man" and "Sunny Afternoon," and, thereafter, I continued to rediscover them. I caught up with Kinks in 1969 with "Arthur," then again in 1970 with "Muswell Hillbillies," and again in 1972 with the Kink Kronikles retrospective, which introduced me to the UK hits "Waterloo Sunset" and "Days" as well as oddly compelling achievements like "Autumn Almanac" and "Death of a Clown." I recall vividly the release of the single "Lola," which came after "Arthur." It was almost too good: Too melodic, too funny, too brilliant in every way. The album, which followed, left me a little cold, and I've never really given it much of a listen in the past 35+ years since its release.

Now that I've given this album another chance, I can't seem to pry it from my CD player. Is this the Kinks' best album? Better than "Village Green Preservation Society?" "Muswell Hillbillies?" It might be. Musically, it's their biggest, boldest statement. Lola is like the seed of a pearl, the album being about the creation of a hit single, first the desperate climb to the top, in "The Contenders," "Denmark Street," "Get Back in Line," followed by the single itself, followed by all the things that followed; hitting "the Top of the Pops," inspiring "The Moneygoround," where people make money off "a song they've never heard," and then the life of being stars, represented by two of the disc's highlights, "This Time Tomorrow" and "A Long Way from Home" -- two of the prettiest melodies Ray Davies ever wrote. Then, finally the sometimes funny, sometimes angry struggle to break free of the commercial monster they've created, in "Apeman," "Powerman," and "Got to be Free." Woven into this narrative are two of Dave Davies' best Kink contributions, "Strangers" and "Rats," which don't fit the story line precisely, but capture its mood, "Strangers" especially.

See? It's an album with a hit single that's about the hit single. And by the end of it, they're running as far away from the hit single as they can. This is meta-fiction, 25 years ahead of its time. But it's not difficult. This album has a little of everything that makes the Kinks great: Beautiful melodies, savage rock riffs, music-hall-style satire, and lyrics both clever and heartfelt. A true treasure. Why didn't I hear it this way before?

Almost Perfect.......2007-05-05

I first bought this album because the morning show that I would listen to on the radio in SLC (Radio from Hell) would sometimes play "Apeman" as an intro song. After hearing it about half a dozen times, I finally decided to hunt down this CD. I concur with the opinions expressed by many of the previous reviewers. This is a stellar album, and I am disappointed in myself that I hadn't heard it earlier in my life. I do have one complaint for which I am subtracting one star. To my ears, this CD desperately needs to be remastered. The mix sounds tinny and weak. For me, this is most apparent on the song "Apeman" - the reason I bought the album. The vocals seem to be buried underneath the the instrumentation. I bought my copy used, so perhaps it was an earlier release CD, and there has since been a remastered release. But believe me, you will not regret purchasing this album.

Brilliant concept album.......2006-12-19

I owned this LP when it was released and I played it non-stop. The songs were acted out in "the theater in my head": it took me on an exciting, sometimes poignant, emotional journery every time. This is a brilliant concept album. "Lola versus Powerman..." still holds a very special place for me in the exordinary Kinks discography.

This is where Lola shows you who's boss........2006-11-30

Having grown up thru the British Invasion I can tell you that Ray Davies was writing songs on par with Lennon/NikCartney. The Kinks invented hard rockin', I don't care who agrees. RD in his prime could go song to song with the 'Beatlez' and his prime lasted longer than either of the aforementioned.

Toppermost of the Poppermost.......2006-11-30

Absolutely the best Kinks album, bar none. It also is one of the greatest rock albums ever. No need to delete anything before you hit "play" - unless maybe you've heard "Lola" once too often. It also has cohesiveness and a storyline. Although I usually get tired of even good material, this one always seems fresh and gets a regular spin. (It brings back fond memories of when I managed to play "Top of the Pops" on my high school's PA system.) In my experience, whenever someone hears it for the first time they always ask about it (sometimes they think it's a "greatest hits" CD - altho Lola was actually the only hit). Bottom line: if you don't own it, buy it.

Average customer rating:

Pastoral Masterpiece
Just TRY and get the title track out of your head.
Kinks- Village Green Preservation Society
Best-ever edition of the best-ever album
T I M E L E S S

The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Face to Face
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kink Kontroversy
Muswell Hillbillies
Kinks

ASIN: B0001WPSJ0
Release Date: 2004-07-05

Tracks:

Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks, The Kinks
Do You Remember Walter? - The Kinks, The Kinks
Picture Book - The Kinks, The Kinks
Johnny Thunder - The Kinks, The Kinks
Last of the Steam-Powered Trains - The Kinks, The Kinks
Big Sky - The Kinks, The Kinks
Sitting by the Riverside - The Kinks, The Kinks
Animal Farm - The Kinks, The Kinks
Village Green - The Kinks, The Kinks
Starstruck - The Kinks, The Kinks
Phenomenal Cat - The Kinks, The Kinks
All of My Friends Were There - The Kinks, The Kinks
Wicked Annabella - The Kinks, The Kinks
Monica - The Kinks, The Kinks
People Take Pictures of Each Other - The Kinks, The Kinks
Mr. Songbird [Stereo][*]
Days [Stereo][*]
Do You Remember Walter [Alternate Stereo Mix][*]
People Take Pictures of Each Other [Alternate Stereo Mix][*]

Tracks:

Village Green Preservation Society [Mono Version]
Do You Remember Walter [Mono Version]
Picture Book [Mono Version]
Johnny Thunder [Mono Version]
Last of the Steam Powered Trains [Mono Version]
Big Sky [Mono Version]
Sitting by the Riverside [Mono Version]
Animal Farm [Mono Version]
Village Green [Mono Version]
Starstruck [Mono Version]
Phenomenal Cat [Mono Version]
All of My Friends Were There [Mono Version]
Wicked Annabella [Mono Version]
Monica [Mono Version]
People Take Pictures of Each Other [Mono Version]
Days [Single Mix, Mono] [*]
Mr. Songbird [Mono Mix][#][*]
Polly [Single Mix, Mono] [*]
Wonderboy [Single Mix, Mono] [*]
Berkeley [Single Mix, Mono] [*]
Village Green [With Alternate Doubled Vocals][No Strings Version] [#][*

Tracks:

Village Green [Orchestra Overdub] [Instrumental Mix][#]
Misty Water [Stereo Mix]
Berkeley Mews [Stereo Mix]
Easy Come, There You Went [Stereo Mix][#]
Polly [Stereo Mix]
Animal Farm [Alternate Stereo Mix][#]
Phenomenal Cat [Mono Instrumental] [#]
Johnny Thunder [Stereo Remix][#]
Did You See His Name [Mono Mix][#]
Mick Avory's Underpants [#]
Lavender Hill
Rosemary Rose
Wonderboy [Stereo Mix][#]
Spotty Grotty Anna [#]
Where Did My Spring Go?
Groovy Movies
Creeping Jean [Stereo Mix][#]
King Kong
Misty Water [Mono Mix][#]
Do You Remember Walter [BBC Session Remix] [#]
Animal Farm [BBC Session Remix] [#]
Days [BBC Session Remix] [#]

Amazon.com

Given the sad fate of this intimate 1968 album in its day, Ray Davies and The Kinks must have considered what rock's greatest poetic cipher mused on "Love Minus Zero": "There's no success like failure, and failure is no success at all." In the midst of a year that bristled with such overtly ambitious, often revolutionary fare as The Beatles' White Album, Hendrix's Electric Ladyland and the Stones' Beggar's Banquet, Ray Davies instead paused to reflect on the quaint charms still to be found in the quieter corners of his native England. Powered by an equally precious musical tack, Davies' wistful, impressionistic civic tapestry would be a resounding commercial failure (even as it set the stage for the following year's successful Arthur), yet an album that would eventually come to share the same cherished place among Kinks faithful as Pet Sounds and Love You did among Brian Wilson fans. What other Kinks album could boast Ray delivering a song ("Big Sky") via impression of Burt Lancaster? Sanctuary UK has finally given the charming, if stubbornly out-of-its-time masterpiece its due. This three-disc retrospective includes new stereo and mono mixes of the album, deleted tracks from its original 12-song edition and more stunning outtakes, alternate mixes, often baroque backing tracks, instrumentals and period live cuts than any Preservationist could have hoped for. This is the sound of an artist having a well-deserved last laugh, in more ways than one; indeed, HP built a national TV adverting campaign around the album's infectious "Picture Book." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Pastoral Masterpiece.......2007-05-24

'The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society' find the Kinks musically and lyrically in fine form. Topically, it seems to draw and contrast the pastoral setting of the country as a placid anchor and a source for metaphors. Musically, it is diverse, but still relies on intricate guitar, the melodic pub tradition, and Victorian accents. 'Village Green' is mostly a quiet masterpiece with able social commentary and fine character portraitures. It is the third articulate masterpiece from the singer songwriting helm of Ray Davies. It also seems more modern than 'Something Else' and 'Face to Face' with its spare production.

It is sometimes difficult to discern when he is straightforward here and when tongue-in-cheek, but there is certainly an affinity to the serene country with the title track, "Village Green," and "Animal Farm". Certainly, the contrast presented is flattering when he injects tales involving the glamour of success in the city. His funny takes from show business, "Starstruck" and "All of My Friends Were There," are enough evidence that he holds the rustic setting dear.

Nevertheless, Davies is more than a nature lover. He uses the landscape and his characters often to describe alienation. He does this well on the riveting "Last of the Steam Powered Trains" and "Johnny Thunder". Then there is the brilliant and intricate masterpiece "Big Sky," which has been called a communist anthem, but I vote for a more Dickens' interpretation against aloof aristocratic authority. The spirit of English poet Shelly is presented in this song, but it is a thoroughly Davies' original nonetheless. "Do You Remember, Walter?" is a fanciful and mesmerizing song that pensively speculates about people who are able to live happy, conventional lives. Then, there are beautiful songs that do connect to people and nature. "Sitting by the Riverside" is romantic in nature and courtship. The expansive "Animal Farm" should be the best piece of evidence for unveiling the serene beauty of nature.

Conceptually, the album is very cohesive, even if he stretches to other stories and themes. "Phenomenal Cat" is a spare and beautiful song with an engaging story that should appeal to adults as well as children. Similarly, "Wicked Annabella" is an entertaining portrait of someone who truly lives up to the title. Other numbers are more playful, like "Picture Book," which rips off any notions of sentimentality, as does the irreverent reprise, "People Take Pictures of Each Other". Also, "Monica" is an exotic and engaging portrait of a woman who is stuck up and may represent the aristocracy.

'Village Green Preservation Society' is a beautiful Kink's masterpiece that is entertaining lyrically and mesmerizing musically. It remains a classic and is one of their best works ever.

Just TRY and get the title track out of your head. .......2007-05-11

The best album. period.

Kinks- Village Green Preservation Society.......2005-08-11

I am not sure this is the Kinks' masterpiece as the booklet says, but it is certainly among the Kinks' Top 5. VGPS is a wonderful album, kind of a successor to both Face-to-Face (1966) and Something Else (1967), in which Ray Davies tells stories of ordinary life, sometimes as it is, sometimes as he wishes it had been. This is also the last album by the original line-up (bass player Pete Quaife left the band soon after VGPS was released and was replaced by John Dalton who debuted on "Arthur"), so it is also somewhat poignant.

I bought VGPS when it came out and, of course, wore out the album. I also bought the Kinks' second Reprise compilation, "The Great Lost Kinks Album," when it came out in 1973. It was pulled from the market soon after so I am one of the few that has it. That compliation has several songs that were considered at one time or another for VGPS plus some BBC stuff and some of Dave's solo stuff.

This new set has the original stereo LP, a mono mix, with extra stuff on both of those CD's, and a third CD including most of the stuff on GLKA plus a few other things. I was very grateful to have those songs in a new digital mix. One of the things I am very pleased with on the "extras" CD is Dave's "Groovy Movies," which the CD says was written by Ray, but GLKA said was written by Dave. Either way, it was clearly recorded during the "Arthur" sessions of 1969, as was his "Mr. Reporter" (written by Ray) that appeared on Dave's "Unfinished Business" anthology, and offers a terrific vocal from Dave and an exhuberant arrangement. There is also a longer stereo version of his solo song "Creeping Jean." With the extras CD, we now have on CD VGPS as released plus all of the songs (except for "Pictures in the Sand" which was on GLKA but the CD said was "unavailable" for the CD release, whatever that means. A must for any Kink Kultist and a lover of great songwriting that hangs pictures on the wall and gets us to look at them.

"Picture Book," by the way, has been used in an HP commercial for one of its photo printers. A live version is on "To the Bone" (1997), and my kids recognized it from the commercial when it came on the truck stero.

Best-ever edition of the best-ever album.......2005-07-01

First off, I believe "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society" to be the best rock album ever recorded. Every great quality of the Kinks came together on this magical album, and it has never been topped.

This edition presents "VGPS" in its best possible light. The remastering on both the stereo and mono versions is unbelievable. "VGPS" is definitely a lo-fi album, and it is never going to sound as crisp and defined as a modern recording, but that is part of its charm and I would not have it any other way. Despite the lo-fi production, the band's arrangements are lush and complex, and this sterling remastering job brings out every colorful nuance. "VGPS" certainly rewards repeated close listens, now more than ever.

I actually strongly prefer the mono version of "VGPS" to the stereo version. The stereo version has a few awkward separation moments, and overall just is not as rich and warm as the mono. Listen to both and decide for yourself which is better!

The bonus tracks are a wonderful addition, although one comes away with the final sense that Ray chose the correct 15 tracks for the album itself. This reissue did miss the chance to rescue even more lost treasures like "Pictures in the Sand," but the material that is here is universally great and sheds new light on the extent of the Kinks' creativity during that period. (Could Ray be saving some unreleased tracks for a Beatles Anthology-style box set??)

Forget about the many other reissues and remasters of "VGPS"-- this is the one to get (I know, I own most of them). And if you have not yet heard this album, you are missing out on 15 of the most melodic, beautiful, smart, addictive, emotionally resonant, rewarding pop songs ever written by anyone. The definition of essential is "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society."

T I M E L E S S.......2005-04-05

This album sounds new every time I listen to it. For sheer songcraft, no other Kinks album can top it. The playing is confident, not flashy. It's worth 5 stars today, it'll be 5 stars in another 30 years.

That said, the package is expensive. For those of us who already have this on CD, we now have two more complete versions. For those who also have Kink Kronikles (if you don't, stop reading, buy it, then read on) there isn't much new. For those who also have the Great Lost Kinks Album (vinyl from the '70s), the bad news is that there are very few songs in this package that are completely new to you.

The good news is that what is new is pretty great. And now the sound has a clarity that was missing in previous editions. It sounds great. Here's a quick rundown:

Disc 1: stereo mix, some bonus tracks and mixes.
Disc 2: mono mix, some more bonus tracks and mixes.
Disc 3: lots of bonus tracks, mixes, and instrumentals.

For those of us who have already worn out several copies of this record, all new stuff is welcome. Others may feel that they don't need four versions of "Do You Remember Walter". Almost all the bonus tracks have been released before, though not on legal CD.

The first two discs sound great, despite what another reviewer wrote here. I'm listening to Disc 2 (mono), and I hear stuff going on in these songs that I never noticed before. The sound is stunning.

Bottom line: you won't be disappointed by the music if it's new to you; you won't be be disappointed if you already own it.

Them's good odds.

BTW: has anyone else noted the irony of using "Picture Book" in Kodak commercial? On this album, photography is frowned upon as a poor substitute for memories.

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