The Kinks | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Although they werent as boldly innovative as the Beatles or as popular as the Rolling Stones or the Who, the Kinks were one of the most influential bands of the British Invasion. Like most bands of their era, the Kinks began as an R&B;/blues outfit. Within four years, the band had become the most staunchly English of all their contemporaries, drawing heavily from British music hall and traditional pop, as well as incorporating elements of country, folk, and blues. Throughout their long, varied career, the core of the Kinks remained Ray (born June 21, 1944) and Dave Davies (born February 3, 1947), who were born and raised in Muswell Hill, London. In their teens, the brothers began playing skiffle and rock & roll. Soon, they recruited a schoolmate of Rays, Peter Quaife, to play with them; like the Davies brothers, Quaife played guitar, but he switched to bass. By the summer of 1963, the group had decided to call itself the Ravens and had recruited a new drummer, Mickey Willet. Eventually, their demo tape reached Shel Talmy, an American record producer who was under contract to Pye Records. Talmy helped the band land a contract with Pye in 1964. Before signing to the label, the Ravens replaced drummer Willet with Mick Avory. The Ravens recorded their debut single, a cover of Little Richards "Long Tall Sally," in January 1964. Before the single was released, the group changed their name to the Kinks. "Long Tall Sally" was released in February of 1964 and failed to chart, as did their second single, "You Still Want Me." The bands third single, "You Really Got Me," was much noisier and dynamic, featuring a savage, fuzz-toned two-chord riff and a frenzied solo from Dave Davies. Not only was the final version the blueprint for the Kinks early sound, but scores of groups used the heavy power chords as a foundation. "You Really Got Me" reached number one within a month of its release; released on Reprise in the U.S., the single climbed into the Top Ten. "All Day and All of the Night," the groups fourth single, was released late in 1964 and it rose all the way to number two; in America, it hit number seven. During this time, the band also produced two full-length albums and several EPs. Not only was the group recording at a breakneck pace, they were touring relentlessly, as well, which caused much tension within the band. At the conclusion of their summer 1965 American tour, the Kinks were banned from re-entering the United States by the American government for unspecified reasons. For four years, the Kinks were prohibited from returning to the U.S., which not only meant that the group was deprived of the worlds largest music market, but that they were effectively cut off from the musical and social upheavals of the late 60s. Consequently, Ray Davies songwriting grew more introspective and nostalgic, relying more on overtly English musical influences such as music hall, country, and English folk, than the rest of his British contemporaries. The Kinks next album, The Kink Kontroversy, demonstrated the progression in Davies songwriting. "Sunny Afternoon" was one of Davies wry social satires and the song was the biggest hit of the summer of 1966 in the U.K., reaching number one. "Sunny Afternoon" was a teaser for the bands great leap forward, Face to Face, a record that featured a vast array of musical styles. In May of 1967, they returned with "Waterloo Sunset," a ballad that reached number two in the U.K. in the spring of 1967. Released in the fall of 1967, Something Else by the Kinks continued the progressions of Face to Face. Despite the bands musical growth, their chart performance was beginning to stagnate. Following the lackluster performance of Something Else, the Kinks rushed out a new single, "Autumn Almanac," which became another big U.K. hit. Released in the spring of 1968, the Kinks "Wonderboy" was the bands first single not to crack the Top Ten since "You Really Got Me." They recovered somewhat with "Days," but the bands commercial decline was evident by the lack of success of their next LP. Released in the fall of 1968, The Village Green Preservation Society was the culmination of Ray Davies increasingly nostalgic tendencies. While the album was unsuccessful, it was well-received by critics, particularly in the U.S. Peter Quaife soon grew tired of the bands lack of success, and he left the band by the end of the year, being replaced by John Dalton. In early 1969, the American ban upon the Kinks was lifted, leaving the band free to tour the U.S. for the first time in four years. Before they began the tour, the Kinks released Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). Like its two predecessors, Arthur contained distinctly British lyrical and musical themes, but it was only a modest success. As they were recording the follow-up to Arthur, the Kinks expanded their lineup to include keyboardist John Gosling. The first appearance of Gosling on a Kinks record was "Lola." Featuring a harder rock foundation than their last few singles, "Lola" was a Top Ten hit in both the U.K. and the U.S. Released in the fall of 1970, Lola Versus the Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1 was their most successful record since the mid-60s in both the U.S. and U.K., helping the band become concert favorites in the U.S. Their contract with Pye/Reprise expired in early 1971, leaving the Kinks free to pursue a new record contract. By the end of 1971, the Kinks had secured a five-album deal with RCA Records, which brought them a million-dollar advance. Released in late 1971, Muswell Hillbillies, the groups first album for RCA, marked a return to the nostalgia of the Kinks late-60s albums, only with more pronounced country and music hall influences. The album failed to be the commercial blockbuster RCA had hoped for. A few months after the release of Muswell Hillbillies, Reprise released a double-album compilation called The Kink Kronikles, which outsold their RCA debut. Everybodys in Showbiz (1973), a double-record set consisting of one album of studio tracks and another of live material, was a disappointment in the U.K., although the album was more successful in the U.S. In 1973, Ray Davies composed a full-blown rock opera called Preservation. When the first installment of the opera finally appeared in late 1973, it was harshly criticized and given a cold reception by the public. Act 2 appeared in the summer of 1974; the sequel received worse treatment than its predecessor. Davies began another musical, Starmaker, for the BBC; the project eventually metamorphosed into Soap Opera, which was released in the spring of 1975. Despite poor reviews, Soap Opera was a more commercially successful record than its predecessor. In 1976, the Kinks recorded Davies third straight rock opera, Schoolboys in Disgrace, which rocked harder than any album they released on RCA. During 1976, the Kinks left RCA and signed with Arista Records. On Arista, they refashioned themselves as a hard rock band. Bassist John Dalton left the group near the completion of their debut Arista album; he was replaced by Andy Pyle. Sleepwalker, the Kinks first album for Arista, became a major hit in the U.S. As the band was completing the follow-up to Sleepwalker, Pyle left the group and was replaced by the returning Dalton. Misfits, the bands second Arista album, was also a U.S. success. After a British tour, Dalton left the band again, along with keyboardist John Gosling; bassist Jim Rodford and keyboardist Gordon Edwards filled the vacancies. Soon, the band was playing arenas in the United States. Even though punk rockers like the Jam and the Pretenders were covering Kinks songs in the late 70s, the group was becoming more blatantly commercial with each release, culminating in the heavy rock of Low Budget (1979), which became the groups biggest American success, peaking at number 11. Their next album, Give the People What They Want, appeared in late 1981; the record peaked at number 15 and went gold. For most of 1982, the band was on tour. In the spring of 1983, "Come Dancing" became the groups biggest American hit since "Tired of Waiting for You," thanks to the videos repeated exposure on MTV; in the U.S., the song peaked at number six, in the U.K. it climbed to number 12. State of Confusion followed the release of "Come Dancing," and it was another success, peaking at number 12 in the U.S. For the remainder of 1983, Ray Davies worked on a film project, Return to Waterloo, which caused considerable tension between himself and his brother. Instead of breaking up, the Kinks merely reshuffled their lineup, but there was a major casualty: Mick Avory, the bands drummer for 20 years, was fired and replaced by Bob Henrit. As Ray finished post-production duties on Return to Waterloo, he wrote the next Kinks album, Word of Mouth. Released in late 1984, the album was similar in tone to the last few Kinks records, but it was a commercial disappointment and began a period of decline for the band; they never released another record that cracked the Top 40. Word of Mouth was the last album they would record for Arista. In early 1986, the band signed with MCA Records in the U.S. and London in the U.K. Think Visual, their first album for their new label, was released in late 1986. It was a mild success but there were no hit singles from the record. The following year, the Kinks released another live album, appropriately titled The Road, which spent a brief time on the charts. Two years later, the Kinks released their last studio record for MCA, UK Jive. During 1989, keyboardist Ian Gibbons left the band. The Kinks were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, but the induction did not help revive their career. In 1991, a compilation of their MCA records, Lost & Found (1986-1989), appeared, signaling that their contract with the label had expired. Later in the year, the band signed with Columbia Records and released an EP called Did Ya, which didnt chart. Their first album for Columbia, Phobia, arrived in 1993 to fair reviews but poor sales. By this time, only Ray and Dave Davies remained from the original lineup. In 1994, the band was dropped from Columbia, leaving the group to release the live To the Bone on an independent label in the U.K.; the band was left without a record label in the U.S. Despite a lack of commercial success, the bands public profile began to rise in 1995, as the group was hailed as an influence on several of the most popular British bands of the decade, including Blur and Oasis. Ray Davies was soon on popular television shows again, acting as these bands godfather and promoting his autobiography, X-Ray, which was published in early 1995 in the U.K. Dave Davies autobiography, Kink, was published in the spring of 1996. Rumors of a Kinks reunion began circulating in the early 2000s, only to be quieted following Dave Davies stroke in June 2004. Dave would later recover fully, spurring another round of reunion rumors in the late 2000s, yet nothing materialized. Peter Quaife, the bands original bassist, died of kidney failure on June 23, 2010. Following his death, Ray started demoing material with Mick Avory, and Dave slowly became part of the project. As the band prepared a 50th Anniversary reissue of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, the Davies brothers and Avory confirmed they were working on a new Kinks album -- the first the drummer was involved with since 1984s Word of Mouth. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 46 Title: Kinks Released: 1964-10-02 Tracks: 14 Duration: 33:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beautiful Delilah (02:09) 2 So Mystifying (02:53) 3 Just Can’t Go to Sleep (01:59) 4 Long Tall Shorty (02:50) 5 I Took My Baby Home (01:48) 6 I’m a Lover Not a Fighter (02:05) 7 You Really Got Me (02:14) 8 Cadillac (02:46) 9 Bald Headed Woman (02:43) 10 Revenge (01:30) 11 Too Much Monkey Business (02:16) 12 I’ve Been Driving on Bald Mountain (02:06) 13 Stop Your Sobbing (02:07) 14 Got Love If You Want It (03:44) |
| Kinks : Allmusic album Review : Although the best of the Kinks early work is among the best British Invasion music, their initial pair of albums was far less consistent than those of the Beatles, Stones, and Who. Aside from the great "You Really Got Me," this was a shabby, disappointing set with surprisingly thin production. As R&B cover artists, the Kinks werent nearly as adept as the Stones and Yardbirds; Ray Davies original tunes were, "You Really Got Me" aside, perfunctory Merseybeat-ish pastiches, and a couple of tunes that producer Shel Talmy penned for the group ("Bald Headed Woman," "Ive Been Driving on Bald Mountain") were simply abominable. The rave-up treatments of the R&B standards "Got Love If You Want It" and "Cadillac" were good, and the simple "Stop Your Sobbing" would eventually be covered by the Pretenders, but overall this is really patchy. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 46 Title: Kinks‐Size Released: 1965-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 23:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tired of Waiting for You (02:30) 2 Louie Louie (02:57) 3 I’ve Got That Feeling (02:45) 4 Revenge (01:28) 5 I Gotta Move (02:24) 6 Things Are Getting Better (01:57) 7 I Gotta Go Now (02:54) 8 I’m a Lover Not a Fighter (02:20) 9 Come On Now (01:45) 10 All Day and All of the Night (02:02) |
| Kinks‐Size : Allmusic album Review : Say its early 1965, youre an American record company executive whos just seen two new singles by one of those British rock & roll bands on your label shoot up the charts, and theres no album to go with them; what do you do? Well, if your company was Reprise Records and the singles were "All Day and All of the Night" and "Tired of Waiting for You" by the Kinks, then what you did was take five songs off of the bands recent British singles and EPs, two cuts ("Im a Lover Not a Fighter," "Revenge") that had been dropped from the U.S. version of the groups debut album, and one ("Come on Now") off of their second U.K. LP, throw them and the two hits together on a 12" disc, come up with a pretty cool name, and voila -- you had Kinks Size. What makes this record more enjoyable than the bands U.K. albums of the same era is that it was made up largely of singles, albeit many of them failed ones, but still all efforts at luring in millions of listeners 150 seconds or so at a time. The American label essentially distilled the best parts of the groups work in England, thus giving albums like Kinks Size a distinct advantage. From the raw, slurred "Louie Louie" to the pounding rave-up of "Come on Now," this record rocks, showing off the better sides of the groups R&B; output and early, formative, Beatles-influenced experiments as well. It may be a pastiche, but its also more fun than their accompanying U.K. long-players of the era, and it had no equivalent in England for many years, though most of the tracks have since surfaced on expanded versions of the bands first two albums. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 46 Title: Kinda Kinks Released: 1965-03-05 Tracks: 15 Duration: 34:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 2 I Gotta Move (02:22) 3 It’s All Right (02:38) 4 Tired of Waiting for You (02:32) 5 Come On Now (01:46) 6 Look for Me Baby (02:15) 7 Got My Feet on the Ground (02:14) 8 Naggin’ Woman (02:34) 9 Nothin’ in the World Can Stop Me Worryin’ ’Bout That Girl (02:44) 10 Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (02:01) 11 Dancing in the Street (02:19) 12 Don’t Ever Change (02:24) 13 So Long (02:10) 14 You Shouldn’t Be Sad (02:01) 15 Something Better Beginning (02:23) |
| Kinda Kinks : Allmusic album Review : The Kinks second album, Kinda Kinks, was rush-recorded on either side (and in the midst) of a world tour that took them all the way to Australia in the course of bridging the 1964-1965 New Year. Under those circumstances, the fact that every cut but one was an original was no small tribute to the songwriting ability of Ray Davies, even if most of the songs were less than first-rate -- because what was first-rate was also highly memorable, and what wasnt also wasnt bad. In the space of two frantic late-December and mid-January sessions, and a brutal week in February of 1965, the group cut 11 songs to fill out a long-player that was already destined to contain "Tired of Waiting for You" (a product of the previous summers work, held back by producer Shel Talmy for a single). Also along for the ride were the latters driving B-side "Come on Now" and "Something Better Beginning" (both cut in December 1964). So the resulting record was uneven but filled with promise, and possessed of at least three bright spots -- additionally, and equally important, this album showcased a much more sophisticated sound, Dave Davies guitar turned down (and even switched to acoustic in a couple of spots) as Ray Davies began exploring aspects of emotions and storytelling that transcended anything in the groups prior output -- "Nothin in This World Can Stop Me Worryin Bout That Girl" may have been a mouthful of a title, but it also put them right in the front of the British Invasion pack for seriousness and complexity, out in front of where the Beatles or almost any of the competition were in early 1965, but it didnt stop them from switching gears to the bluesy "Naggin Woman." | ||
 | Album: 4 of 46 Title: Kinkdom Released: 1965-11 Tracks: 11 Duration: 27:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Well Respected Man (02:42) 2 Such a Shame (02:19) 3 Wait Till the Summer Comes Along (02:07) 4 Naggin’ Woman (02:36) 5 Never Met a Girl Like You Before (02:05) 6 See My Friends (02:46) 7 Who’ll Be the Next in Line (02:02) 8 Don’t You Fret (02:45) 9 I Need You (02:26) 10 It’s Alright (02:37) 11 Louie Louie (02:57) |
| Kinkdom : Allmusic album Review : Kinkdom is the American version of the Kinks third album, boasting an altered sequence, plus a few singles. The end result may be a little bit of a hodgepodge, but not notably so, since the Kinks werent making deliberately cohesive albums at the time. And while a few of the songs are simply run-of-the-mill, there are some terrific numbers here -- not just "A Well Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower of Fashion," but the exuberant "Wholl Be the Next in Line" and "I Need You," the menacing "Im Not Like Everybody Else," and the haunting "See My Friends." This results in a fine listen, but after Castles 1998 revamping of the Kinks catalog, its better to pick the music up on those reissues. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 46 Title: The Kink Kontroversy Released: 1965-11-26 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Milk Cow Blues (03:43) 2 Ring the Bells (02:19) 3 Gotta Get the First Plane Home (01:47) 4 When I See That Girl of Mine (02:10) 5 I Am Free (02:28) 6 Till the End of the Day (02:20) 7 The World Keeps Going Round (02:35) 8 I’m on an Island (02:15) 9 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:51) 10 It’s Too Late (02:31) 11 What’s in Store for Me (02:04) 12 You Can’t Win (02:40) |
| The Kink Kontroversy : Allmusic album Review : The Kinks came into their own as album artists -- and Ray Davies fully matured as a songwriter -- with The Kink Kontroversy, which bridged their raw early British Invasion sound with more sophisticated lyrics and thoughtful production. There are still powerful ravers like the hit "Til the End of the Day" (utilizing yet another "You Really Got Me"-type riff) and the abrasive, Dave Davies-sung cover of "Milk Cow Blues," but tracks like the calypso pastiche "Im on an Island," where Ray sings of isolation with a forlorn yet merry bite, were far more indicative of their future direction. Other great songs on this underrated album include the uneasy nostalgia of "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?," the plaintive, almost fatalistic ballads "Ring the Bells" and "The World Keeps Going Round," and the Dave Davies-sung declaration of independence "I Am Free." | ||
 | Album: 6 of 46 Title: Well Respected Kinks Released: 1966 Tracks: 10 Duration: 24:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Well Respected Man (02:43) 2 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:51) 3 Till the End of the Day (02:20) 4 Set Me Free (02:14) 5 Tired of Waiting for You (02:33) 6 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 7 I Gotta Move (02:26) 8 Dont You Fret (02:45) 9 Wait Till The Summer Comes Along (02:08) 10 You Really Got Me (02:14) |
 | Album: 7 of 46 Title: The Kinks Greatest Hits! Released: 1966-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 23:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:14) 2 Tired of Waiting for You (02:30) 3 Set Me Free (02:10) 4 Something Better Beginning (02:23) 5 Wholl Be the Next in Line (02:00) 6 Till the End of the Day (02:20) 7 Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (02:59) 8 A Well Respected Man (02:38) 9 Evrybodys Gonna Be Happy (02:15) 10 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) |
 | Album: 8 of 46 Title: Face to Face Released: 1966-10-28 Tracks: 42 Duration: 1:58:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Party Line (02:35) 2 Rosie Won’t You Please Come Home (02:34) 3 Dandy (02:10) 4 Too Much on My Mind (02:27) 5 Session Man (02:14) 6 Rainy Day in June (03:10) 7 A House in the Country (03:03) 8 Holiday in Waikiki (02:49) 9 Most Exclusive Residence for Sale (02:45) 10 Fancy (02:28) 11 Little Miss Queen of Darkness (03:16) 12 You’re Lookin’ Fine (02:47) 13 Sunny Afternoon (03:34) 14 I’ll Remember (02:27) 15 Dead End Street (03:23) 16 Big Black Smoke (02:34) 17 This Is Where I Belong (02:25) 18 She’s Got Everything (03:11) 19 Little Miss Queen of Darkness (alternate take) (03:19) 20 Dead End Street (alternate version) (02:56) 1 Party Line (02:34) 2 Rosie Won’t You Please Come Home (02:30) 3 Dandy (02:09) 4 Too Much on My Mind (02:26) 5 Session Man (02:10) 6 Rainy Day in June (03:13) 7 A House in the Country (03:02) 8 Holiday in Waikiki (02:44) 9 Most Exclusive Residence for Sale (02:52) 10 Fancy (02:27) 11 Little Miss Queen of Darkness (03:13) 12 You’re Looking Fine (02:45) 13 Sunny Afternoon (03:34) 14 I’ll Remember (02:27) 15 This Is Where I Belong (02:44) 16 Big Black Smoke (02:50) 17 She’s Got Everything (03:08) 18 You’re Looking Fine (alternate stereo mix) (02:51) 19 Sunny Afternoon (alternate stereo mix) (03:48) 20 Fancy (alternate stereo mix) (02:56) 21 Little Miss Queen of Darkness (alternate stereo mix) (03:21) 22 Dandy (alternate stereo mix) (02:15) |
| Face to Face : Allmusic album Review : The Kink Kontroversy was a considerable leap forward in terms of quality, but it pales next to Face to Face, one of the finest collections of pop songs released during the 60s. Conceived as a loose concept album, Face to Face sees Ray Davies fascination with English class and social structures flourish, as he creates a number of vivid character portraits. Davies growth as a lyricist coincided with the Kinks musical growth. Face to Face is filled with wonderful moments, whether its the mocking Hawaiian guitars of the rocker "Holiday in Waikiki," the droning Eastern touches of "Fancy," the music hall shuffle of "Dandy," or the lazily rolling "Sunny Afternoon." And that only scratches the surface of the riches of Face to Face, which offers other classics like "Rosy Wont You Please Come Home," "Party Line," "Too Much on My Mind," "Rainy Day in June," and "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale," making the record one of the most distinctive and accomplished albums of its time. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 46 Title: Sunny Afternoon Released: 1967 Tracks: 10 Duration: 29:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sunny Afternoon (03:37) 2 I Need You (02:27) 3 See My Friends (02:47) 4 Big Black Smoke (02:35) 5 Louie Louie (02:57) 6 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:03) 7 Sittin on My Sofa (03:06) 8 Such a Shame (02:19) 9 Im Not Like Everybody Else (03:28) 10 Dead End Street (03:18) |
| Sunny Afternoon : Allmusic album Review : Titled for what was then (November 1967) one of the Kinks most self-defining hit singles, the year-old "Sunny Afternoon," this budget-priced collection was a must-have for the cost-conscious pop fan. Like other releases in the Pye major labels supremely budget-priced Marble Arch catalog, Sunny Afternoon rounded up a clutch of recent singles -- in this case, four of them, dating between 1965-1966 -- together with a sterling selection of B-sides and EP tracks. Where it became interesting for the serious collector was in the inclusion of gems that generally evaded the compilers clutches for some years more -- even today, with virtually the Kinks entire 60s catalog available on CD, a rambunctious version of "Louie Louie," the lackadaisically quaint "Sitting on My Sofa," and the plaintive "Im Not Like Everybody Else" are seldom-heard gems. Even more worthy of attention is "Big Black Smoke." Originally the flip of "Dead End Street," it stands among Ray Davies most effective mid-60s compositions, a "lost in London" epic that warns of all the dangers awaiting the innocent on those mythical streets. On sale in Britain throughout the late 60s, Marble Arch releases were regular thrift store finds for another two decades after that. Recent advances in the collectors appreciation of so-called kitsch, however, have seen interest and prices increase considerably. It was still a surprise to learn that it had been reissued on CD, though. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 46 Title: Something Else by The Kinks Released: 1967-09-15 Tracks: 13 Duration: 36:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 David Watts (02:39) 2 Death of a Clown (03:13) 3 Two Sisters (02:02) 4 No Return (02:02) 5 Harry Rag (02:17) 6 Tin Soldier Man (02:51) 7 Situation Vacant (03:16) 8 Love Me Till the Sun Shines (03:22) 9 Lazy Old Sun (02:46) 10 Afternoon Tea (03:23) 11 Funny Face (02:27) 12 End of the Season (02:58) 13 Waterloo Sunset (03:16) |
| Something Else by The Kinks : Allmusic album Review : Face to Face was a remarkable record, but its follow-up, Something Else, expands its accomplishments, offering 13 classic British pop songs. As Ray Davies songwriting becomes more refined, he becomes more nostalgic and sentimental, retreating from the psychedelic and mod posturings that had dominated the rock world. Indeed, Something Else sounds like nothing else from 1967. The Kinks never rock very hard on the album, preferring acoustic ballads, music hall numbers, and tempered R&B to full-out guitar attacks. Part of the albums power lies in its calm music, since it provides an elegant support for Davies character portraits and vignettes. From the martial stomp of "David Watts" to the lovely, shimmering "Waterloo Sunset," theres not a weak song on the record, and several -- such as the allegorical "Two Sisters," the Noël Coward-esque "End of the Season," the rolling "Lazy Old Sun," and the wry "Situation Vacant" -- are stunners. And just as impressive is the emergence of Dave Davies as a songwriter. His Dylanesque "Death of a Clown" and bluesy rocker "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" hold their own against Rays masterpieces, and help make Something Else the endlessly fascinating album that it is. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 46 Title: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society Released: 1968-11-22 Tracks: 15 Duration: 39:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Village Green Preservation Society (02:50) 2 Do You Remember Walter? (02:27) 3 Picture Book (02:39) 4 Johnny Thunder (02:32) 5 Last of the Steam‐Powered Trains (04:13) 6 Big Sky (02:53) 7 Sitting by the Riverside (02:24) 8 Animal Farm (03:01) 9 Village Green (02:11) 10 Starstruck (02:22) 11 Phenomenal Cat (02:39) 12 All of My Friends Were There (02:25) 13 Wicked Annabella (02:44) 14 Monica (02:17) 15 People Take Pictures of Each Other (02:11) |
| The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society : Allmusic album Review : Ray Davies sentimental, nostalgic streak emerged on Something Else, but it developed into a manifesto on The Village Green Preservation Society, a concept album lamenting the passing of old-fashioned English traditions. As the opening title song says, the Kinks -- meaning Ray himself, in this case -- were for preserving "draught beer and virginity," and throughout the rest of the album, he creates a series of stories, sketches, and characters about a picturesque England that never really was. Its a lovely, gentle album, evoking a small British country town, and drawing the listener into its lazy rhythms and sensibilities. Although there is an undercurrent of regret running throughout the album, Davies fondness for the past is warm, making the album feel like a sweet, hazy dream. And considering the subdued performances and the detailed instrumentations, its not surprising that the record feels more like a Ray Davies solo project than a Kinks album. The bluesy shuffle of "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains" is the closest the album comes to rock & roll, and Dave Davies cameo on the menacing "Wicked Annabella" comes as surprise, since the album is so calm. But calm doesnt mean tame or bland -- there are endless layers of musical and lyrical innovation on The Village Green Preservation Society, and its defiantly British sensibilities became the foundation of generations of British guitar pop. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 46 Title: Arthur (or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire) Released: 1969-10-10 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:19:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Victoria (03:40) 2 Yes Sir, No Sir (03:47) 3 Some Mother’s Son (03:27) 4 Drivin’ (03:22) 5 Brainwashed (02:36) 6 Australia (06:48) 7 Shangri‐La (05:21) 8 Mr. Churchill Says (04:44) 9 She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina (03:09) 10 Young and Innocent Days (03:23) 11 Nothing to Say (03:09) 12 Arthur (05:25) 13 Plastic Man (03:04) 14 King Kong (03:23) 15 Drivin’ (03:13) 16 Mindless Child of Motherhood (03:16) 17 This Man He Weeps Tonight (02:42) 18 Plastic Man (03:02) 19 Mindless Child of Motherhood (03:10) 20 This Man He Weeps Tonight (02:40) 21 She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina (03:07) 22 Mr. Shoemaker’s Daughter (03:06) |
| Arthur (or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire) : Allmusic album Review : Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) extends the British-oriented themes of Village Green Preservation Society, telling the story of a London mans decision to move to Australia during the aftermath of World War II. Its a detailed and loving song cycle, capturing the minutiae of suburban life, the numbing effect of bureaucracy, and the horrors of war. On paper, Arthur sounds like a pretentious mess, but Ray Davies lyrics and insights have rarely been so graceful or deftly executed, and the music is remarkable. An edgier and harder-rocking affair than Village Green, Arthur is as multi-layered musically as it is lyrically. "Shangri-La" evolves from English folk to hard rock, "Drivin" has a lazy grace, "Young and Innocent Days" is a lovely, wistful ballad, "Some Mothers Son" is one of the most uncompromising antiwar songs ever recorded, while "Victoria" and "Arthur" rock with simple glee. The music makes the words cut deeper, and the songs never stray too far from the albums subject, making Arthur one of the most effective concept albums in rock history, as well as one of the best and most influential British pop records of its era. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 46 Title: Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One Released: 1970-11-27 Tracks: 14 Duration: 40:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Introduction (00:41) 2 The Contenders (02:03) 3 Strangers (03:23) 4 Denmark Street (02:02) 5 Get Back in Line (03:04) 6 Lola (04:06) 7 Top of the Pops (03:38) 8 The Moneygoround (01:45) 9 This Time Tomorrow (03:24) 10 A Long Way From Home (02:27) 11 Rats (02:41) 12 Apeman (03:52) 13 Powerman (04:18) 14 Got to Be Free (03:00) |
| Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One : Allmusic album Review : "Lola" gave the Kinks an unexpected hit and its crisp, muscular sound, pitched halfway between acoustic folk and hard rock, provided a new style for the band. However, the song only hinted at what its accompanying album Lola Versus the Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One was all about. It didnt matter that Ray Davies just had his first hit in years -- he had suffered greatly at the hands of the music industry and he wanted to tell the story in song. Hence, Lola -- a loose concept album about Ray Davies own psychosis and bitter feelings toward the music industry. Davies never really delivers a cohesive story, but the record holds together because its one of his strongest set of songs. Dave Davies contributes the lovely "Strangers" and the appropriately paranoid "Rats," but this is truly Rays show, as he lashes out at ex-managers (the boisterous vaudevillian "The Moneygoround"), publishers ("Denmark Street"), TV and music journalists (the hard-hitting "Top of the Pops"), label executives ("Powerman"), and, hell, just society in general ("Apeman," "Got to Be Free"). If his wit wasnt sharp, the entire project would be insufferable, but the album is as funny as it is angry. Furthermore, he balances his bile with three of his best melancholy ballads: "This Time Tomorrow," "A Long Way from Home," and the anti-welfare and union "Get Back in Line," which captures working-class angst better than any other rock song. These songs provide the spine for a wildly unfocused but nonetheless dazzling tour de force that reveals Rays artistic strengths and endearing character flaws in equal measure. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 46 Title: Golden Hour of The Kinks Released: 1971 Tracks: 20 Duration: 58:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Days (02:54) 2 Wonder Boy (02:49) 3 Autumn Almanac (03:10) 4 Waterloo Sunset (03:15) 5 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (02:58) 6 Dead End Street (03:18) 7 Set Me Free (02:10) 8 Sunny Afternoon (03:28) 9 Till the End of Day (02:18) 10 Sittin’ on My Sofa (03:00) 11 Victoria (03:36) 12 A Well Respected Man (02:11) 13 You Really Got Me (02:13) 14 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 15 Tired of Waiting for You (02:30) 16 See My Friends (02:40) 17 Louie Louie (02:53) 18 Animal Farm (02:57) 19 Shangrila (05:16) 20 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:49) |
 | Album: 15 of 46 Title: Kinks Greatest Hits Released: 1971 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 A Well Respected Man (?) 2 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (?) 3 Till the End of the Day (?) 4 Set Me Free (?) 5 Tired of Waiting for You (?) 6 All Day and All of the Night (?) 7 I Gotta Move (?) 8 Lola (?) 9 Wait Till the Summer Comes Along (?) 10 You Really Got Me (?) |
 | Album: 16 of 46 Title: Muswell Hillbillies Released: 1971-11-24 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 20th Century Man (05:53) 2 Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues (03:30) 3 Holiday (02:38) 4 Skin and Bone (03:37) 5 Alcohol (03:33) 6 Complicated Life (04:01) 7 Here Come the People in Grey (03:45) 8 Have a Cuppa Tea (03:43) 9 Holloway Jail (02:30) 10 Oklahoma U.S.A. (02:35) 11 Uncle Son (02:30) 12 Muswell Hillbilly (04:50) |
| Muswell Hillbillies : Allmusic album Review : How did the Kinks respond to the fresh start afforded by Lola? By delivering a skewed, distinctly British, cabaret take on Americana, all pinned down by Ray Davies loose autobiography and intense yearning to be anywhere else but here -- or, as he says on the opening track, "Im a 20th century man, but I dont want to be here." Unlike its predecessors, Muswell Hillbillies doesnt overtly seem like a concept album -- there are no stories as there are on Lola -- but each song undoubtedly shares a similar theme, namely the lives of the working class. Cleverly, the music is a blend of American and British roots music, veering from rowdy blues to boozy vaudeville. Theres as much good humor in the performances as there are in Davies songs, which are among his savviest and funniest. Theyre also quite affectionate, a fact underpinned by the heartbreaking "Oklahoma U.S.A.," one of the starkest numbers Davies ever penned, seeming all the sadder surrounded by the careening country-rock and music hall. Thats the key to Muswell Hillbillies -- it mirrors the messy flow of life itself, rolling from love letters and laments to jokes and family reunions. Throughout it all, Davies songwriting is at a peak, as are the Kinks themselves. There are a lot of subtle shifts in mood and genre on the album, and the band pulls it off effortlessly and joyously -- but its hard not to hear Dave Davies backing vocals and have it not sound joyous. Regardless of its commercial fate, Muswell Hillbillies stands as one of the Kinks best albums. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 46 Title: The Kink Kronikles Released: 1972-03-25 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:27:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Victoria (03:40) 2 The Village Green Preservation Society (02:49) 3 Berkeley Mews (02:40) 4 Holiday in Waikiki (02:46) 5 Willesden Green (02:27) 6 This Is Where I Belong (02:26) 7 Waterloo Sunset (03:21) 8 David Watts (02:39) 9 Dead End Street (03:25) 10 Shangri‐La (05:21) 11 Autumn Almanac (03:15) 12 Sunny Afternoon (03:37) 13 Get Back in Line (03:04) 14 Did You See His Name? (01:55) 1 Fancy (02:29) 2 Wonder Boy (02:50) 3 Apeman (03:52) 4 King Kong (03:26) 5 Mr. Pleasant (03:01) 6 Gods Children (03:19) 7 Death of a Clown (03:13) 8 Lola (04:06) 9 Mindless Child of Motherhood (03:13) 10 Polly (02:51) 11 Big Black Smoke (02:37) 12 Susannahs Still Alive (02:22) 13 Shes Got Everything (03:11) 14 Days (02:51) |
| The Kink Kronikles : Allmusic album Review : Strictly speaking, the double-album compilation The Kink Kronikles isnt a greatest-hits collection. Covering the years 1966 through 1970, The Kink Kronikles may not be packed with hits -- out of the albums 28 tracks, only nine were hits in the U.K. or the U.S. -- yet its a definitive overview of this era, which was one of Ray Davies most productive (and influential) periods. Apart from the hits -- the lazy, sardonic "Sunny Afternoon" and the gorgeous "Waterloo Sunset," and the 1970 comeback hits "Lola" and "Apeman" -- there is a wealth of music that ranks among their very best material that isnt available on any other album. First off, non-LP British hit singles like the music hall raver "Dead End Street" and the wry "Autumn Almanac" are included, as are Dave Davies two solo hits, "Death of a Clown" and "Suzannahs Still Alive." Then there are the wealth of non-LP singles and B-sides that didnt make the British charts, plus worthy unreleased songs, obscurities like "This Is Where I Belong" and "Shes Got Everything," and album tracks that demonstrate another side of the Kinks musical versatility and Davies abilities. The key to the success of The Kink Kronikles is how the singles and rarities complement each other and, taken together, present a full portrait. Its the rare compilation that is equally valuable to the collector and to the neophyte fan. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 46 Title: Everybody’s in Show‐Biz Released: 1972-08-25 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:14:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Here Comes Yet Another Day (03:30) 2 Maximum Consumption (04:06) 3 Unreal Reality (03:34) 4 Hot Potatoes (03:28) 5 Sitting in My Hotel (03:22) 6 Motorway (03:30) 7 You Don’t Know My Name (02:36) 8 Supersonic Rocket Ship (03:32) 9 Look a Little on the Sunny Side (02:48) 10 Celluloid Heroes (06:21) 11 Top Of The Pops (04:07) 12 Brainwashed (02:31) 13 Mr. Wonderful (00:43) 14 Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues (04:00) 15 Holiday (03:34) 16 Muswell Hillbilly (03:03) 17 Alcohol (05:11) 18 Banana Boat Song (01:41) 19 Skin and Bone (03:54) 20 Baby Face (01:54) 21 Lola (01:41) 22 Till The End Of The Day (01:59) 23 Shes Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina (03:03) |
| Everybody’s in Show‐Biz : Allmusic album Review : Everybodys in Show-Biz is a double album with one record devoted to stories from the road and another devoted to songs from the road. It could be labeled "the drunkest album ever made," without a trace of hyperbole, since this is a charmingly loose, rowdy, silly record. It comes through strongest on the live record, of course, as its filled with Ray Davies notoriously campy vaudevellian routine (dig the impromptu "Banana Boat Song" that leads into "Skin & Bone," or the rollicking "Baby Face"). Still, the live record is just a bonus, no matter how fun it is, since the travelogue of the first record is where the heart of Everybodys in Show-Biz lies. Davies views the road as monotony -- an endless stream of identical hotels, drunken sleep, anonymous towns, and really, really bad meals (at least three songs are about food, or have food metaphors). Theres no sex on the album, at all, not even on Dave Davies contribution, "You Dont Know My Name." Some of this is quite funny -- not just Rays trademark wit, but musical jokes like the woozy beginning of "Unreal Reality" or the unbearably tongue-in-cheek "Look a Little on the Sunnyside" -- but theres a real sense of melancholy running throughout the record, most notably on the albums one unqualified masterpiece, "Celluloid Heroes." By the time it gets there, anyone thats not a hardcore fan may have turned it off. Why? Because this album is where Ray begins indulging his eccentricities, a move that only solidified the Kinks status as a cult act. There are enough quirks to alienate even fans of their late-60s masterpieces, but those very things make Everybodys in Show-Biz an easy album for those cultists to hold dear to their hearts. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 46 Title: The Great Lost Kinks Album Released: 1973-01-25 Tracks: 14 Duration: 36:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Til Death Do Us Part (03:12) 2 There Is No Life Without Love (01:55) 3 Lavender Hill (02:54) 4 Groovy Movies (02:30) 5 Rosemary Rose (01:44) 6 Misty Water (03:01) 7 Mr. Songbird (02:24) 8 When I Turn Off the Living Room Light (02:19) 9 The Way Love Used to Be (02:11) 10 Im Not Like Everybody Else (03:29) 11 Plastic Man (03:00) 12 This Man He Weeps Tonight (02:38) 13 Pictures in the Sand (02:47) 14 Where Did the Spring Go? (02:10) |
| The Great Lost Kinks Album : Allmusic album Review : An aptly titled collection; out of print for many years, there are even some Kinks cultists who have never been able to hear this ragtag but worthy collection of late-60s and early-70s outtakes and rarities. Most of these were recorded around the same time as the 1968 LP Village Green Preservation Society; these low-key, wry, bouncy tunes would have fit in well with that record. Lyrically, theyre on the whole slighter than much of their late-60s work, perhaps accounting for why the group did not deign to release them at the time. Still, songs like "Rosemary Rose," "Misty Water," and "Mr. Songbird" would have hardly embarrassed the group, and rank as the highlights of this anthology. Besides 1969-era outtakes, it includes the single "Plastic Man," a couple of okay, way-obscure B-sides featuring Dave Davies, and some songs penned for long-forgotten film and television productions. It also has the dynamite 1966 B-side "Im Not Like Everybody Else," though thats easily available on reissue these days. Thats not the case for most of the rest of this album; Kinks fans will find it quite worthwhile, and should be on the lookout for it in the used bins. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 46 Title: Preservation Act 1 Released: 1973-11-16 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Morning Song (01:50) 2 Daylight (03:20) 3 Sweet Lady Genevieve (03:27) 4 There’s a Change in the Weather (03:01) 5 Where Are They Now? (03:31) 6 One of the Survivors (04:31) 7 Cricket (03:02) 8 Money & Corruption / I Am Your Man (06:00) 9 Here Comes Flash (02:44) 10 Sitting in the Midday Sun (03:47) 11 Demolition (04:09) |
| Preservation Act 1 : Allmusic album Review : Preservation is Ray Davies most ambitious project -- a musical that used the quaint, small-town nostalgia of Village Green as a template to draw the entirety of society and how it works. Or, at least thats what the concept seems to be, since the storyline was so convoluted, it necessitated three separate LPs, spread over two albums, and it still didnt really make sense because the first album, Preservation, Act 1, acted more like an introduction to the characters, and all the story was condensed into the second album. Davies intended all of Preservation to stand as one double-album set, but he scrapped the first sessions for the album, which led to record company pressure to deliver an album before the end of 1973 -- hence, the appearance of Preservation, Act 1 in mid-November. Stripped of much of the narrative, Preservation winds up playing like an explicitly theatrical Village Green, this time with specific characters -- a bit like a novella instead of short stories. There are moments where everything clicks on Preservation and theyre the ones that are closest to typical Davies -- the stately "Daylight," the endearingly lazy "Sitting in the Midday Sun," the fairly rocking "Here Comes Flash," "Where Are They Now?," and the absolutely gorgeous "Sweet Lady Genevieve," a real candidate for Davies forgotten masterpiece. Then, theres the rest of the record: unfocused attempts at story, showtunes, and characterizations, some of which are interesting, but the whole of it is rather tedious. Preservation, Act 1 winds up as listenable due to the strength of those five songs, which form the core not only of this record, but the musical drama as a whole. The rest plays as artistic hubris, which is exactly what swallows Preservation, Act 2 alive. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 46 Title: Preservation Act 2 Released: 1974-05-08 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:17:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Announcement (00:41) 2 Introduction to Solution (02:44) 3 When a Solution Comes (03:41) 4 Money Talks (03:45) 5 Announcement (00:55) 6 Shepherds of the Nation (04:18) 7 Scum of the Earth (02:45) 8 Second‐Hand Car Spiv (04:02) 9 He’s Evil (04:26) 10 Mirror of Love (03:27) 11 Announcement (00:34) 12 Nobody Gives (06:35) 13 Oh Where Oh Where Is Love? (03:41) 14 Flash’s Dream (The Final Elbow) (04:18) 15 Flash’s Confession (04:07) 16 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:43) 17 Announcement (00:20) 18 Artificial Man (05:31) 19 Scrapheap City (03:17) 20 Announcement (01:06) 21 Salvation Road (03:21) 22 Mirror of Love (03:30) 23 Slum Kids (take 1) (06:29) |
| Preservation Act 2 : Allmusic album Review : Ray Davies released the "song" songs from Preservation -- the character sketches, the wry observations, the lovely ballads -- on the first record (or "Act") of the musical drama, leaving the narrative for Preservation, Act 2, a double album released six months after its companion. Simply put, the record is a mess, an impenetrable jumble of story, theater, instrumentals, "announcements," unfinished ideas, guest singers, and, on occasion, a song or two. There may have been a workable theatrical production hidden somewhere in Preservation, but it was utterly lost on record (reportedly it was better live), due in no small part to how it was unevenly divided, a practice that revealed Davies lack of realized songs for the project, plus his unfinished story. It was later revealed that Ray was at the end of his rope during the making of Preservation -- he would have a breakdown during its supporting tour -- so, perhaps it shouldnt be a surprise that the album doesnt work on its own. Nevertheless, it is remarkable that he was in such a fog, that he didnt realize that "Slum Kids," a staple in the Preservation shows and a concert favorite throughout the 70s, was the best rocker he penned for the project and left it off both records. Thankfully, it was added as a bonus track to VelVels 1999 reissue of the album, improving the quality of the album considerably. The single version of "Mirror of Love" was added as a second bonus track to this edition, as well. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 46 Title: Soap Opera Released: 1975-04-25 Tracks: 16 Duration: 53:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Everybody’s a Star (Starmaker) (02:58) 2 Ordinary People (03:51) 3 Rush Hour Blues (04:30) 4 Nine to Five (01:49) 5 When Work Is Over (02:07) 6 Have Another Drink (02:43) 7 Underneath the Neon Sign (03:57) 8 Holiday Romance (03:13) 9 You Make It All Worthwhile (03:51) 10 Ducks on the Wall (03:23) 11 (A) Face in the Crowd (02:18) 12 You Can’t Stop the Music (03:15) 13 Everybody’s a Star (Starmaker) (mono mix) (02:57) 14 Ordinary People (live) (03:47) 15 You Make It All Worthwhile (live) (04:20) 16 Underneath the Neon Sign (live) (04:09) |
| Soap Opera : Allmusic album Review : If there ever were a testament to Ray Davies stubbornness and ornery perversity, its Soap Opera. Released after the draining, two-part, hopelessly muddled rock opera Preservation, Soap Opera is the grandest concept album the Kinks ever made. Davies tackled a topic that seemed manageable compared to Preservation -- how "Ordinary People" escape the doldrums with dreams of stardoms -- but conceived the production as a bit of a radio play, with prominent guest vocalists and narration. Improbably, it feels larger, campier, more excessive than Preservation, even if its considerably more focused and consistent. The main problem is, its presentation is so damn silly that its hard to hear individual songs. Nothing here works as well as the best of Preservation, Act 1, but it holds together better as a record. Even so, Soap Opera winds up rather unsettling. Not only is it hard to get the gist of Davies narrative, but theres not enough, musically or lyrically, to make it compelling. Then, theres the nagging feeling that this isnt really a Kinks album, but rather a Ray Davies solo project in disguise; the songs are certainly Rays, but theres little that sounds like the Kinks, largely due to that ludicrous production. This isnt just an outsiders suspicion, either -- Dave Davies and Mick Avory both mention this unease in Peter Doggetts liner notes to the 1999 reissue of the album, but the true indication of the extent of Davies Soap Opera indulgence is that he never was allowed to go this far over the top again. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 46 Title: Schoolboys in Disgrace Released: 1975-11-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Schooldays (03:34) 2 Jack the Idiot Dunce (03:23) 3 Education (07:09) 4 The First Time We Fall in Love (04:04) 5 I’m in Disgrace (03:24) 6 Headmaster (04:05) 7 The Hard Way (02:38) 8 The Last Assembly (02:49) 9 No More Looking Back (04:30) 10 Finale (01:02) |
| Schoolboys in Disgrace : Allmusic album Review : Ray Davies had indulged himself one time too often with Soap Opera, and his bandmates, namely brother Dave and founding member Mick Avory, revolted, insisting that their sixth RCA album sound more like a Kinks album (certainly, thats something RCA wanted too). So, Davies designed their next album as a return to a simpler, band-oriented sound. Of course, he didnt jettison his love for conceptual works, so Schoolboys in Disgrace was born. Working under the presumption that a return to simple rock demanded a simple theme, Davies constructed the album as a nostalgic trip through childhood, reviving 50s rock & roll (including the occasional doo wop harmony) for the albums foundation, then turning the amps up high. Theres no actual story per se -- its a series of vignettes, like a coming-of-age film. As such, its intermittently successful, on both the hard rock ("Jack the Idiot Dunce") and ballads ("The First Time We Fall in Love"), but its way too campy for anyone outside of the dedicated. And that campiness is all the stranger when married to thundering arena rock; at least with Preservation, the vaudeville made sense in context, but here, the Kinks are pulling in two separate ways, and Schoolboys winds up as one of their least satisfying albums as a result. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 46 Title: Celluloid Heroes: The Kinks’ Greatest Released: 1976 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Everybodys a Star (Starmaker) (02:14) 2 Sitting in My Hotel (03:22) 3 Here Comes Yet Another Day (03:06) 4 Holiday (03:28) 5 Muswell Hillbilly (03:50) 6 Celluloid Heroes (06:21) 7 20th Century Man (05:02) 8 Sitting in the Midday Sun (03:47) 9 One of the Survivors (04:16) 10 Alcohol (03:52) 11 Skin and Bone (03:08) 12 (A) Face in the Crowd (02:18) |
 | Album: 25 of 46 Title: Sleepwalker Released: 1977-02-12 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Life on the Road (05:01) 2 Mr. Big Man (03:45) 3 Sleepwalker (03:20) 4 Brother (05:29) 5 Juke Box Music (05:31) 6 Sleepless Night (03:14) 7 Stormy Sky (03:57) 8 Full Moon (03:51) 9 Life Goes On (05:01) |
| Sleepwalker : Allmusic album Review : Arista had made it clear they would not accept any concept albums from the Kinks, and Sleepwalker, their first effort for the label, makes good on the bands promise. Comprised entirely of glossy arena rockers and power ballads, the album is more of a stylistic exercise than a collection of first-rate songs. Ray Davies contributed a handful of fairly strong songs, highlighted by the exceptional "Juke Box Music," which sees him in a shockingly resigned frame of mind, claiming that rock & roll is just rock & roll, and nothing more. Unfortunately, he chose to illustrate that fact by loading the rest of Sleepwalker with competent but undistinguished mainstream rock. While that might have made the album a hit at the time, its processed sound and weak songs sound dated today, especially compared to the lively arena rock the Kinks later released. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 46 Title: 20 Golden Greats Released: 1978 Tracks: 20 Duration: 59:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:13) 2 All Day and All of the Night (02:27) 3 Tired of Waiting for You (02:35) 4 Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy (02:19) 5 Set Me Free (02:15) 6 See My Friends (02:47) 7 Till the End of the Day (02:22) 8 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:06) 9 Sunny Afternoon (03:37) 10 Dead End Street (03:19) 11 Waterloo Sunset (03:18) 12 Death of a Clown (03:05) 13 Autumn Almanac (03:15) 14 Susannah’s Still Alive (02:22) 15 Wonderboy (02:54) 16 Days (02:58) 17 Plastic Man (03:07) 18 Victoria (03:42) 19 Lola (04:13) 20 Apeman (03:56) |
 | Album: 27 of 46 Title: Misfits Released: 1978-05-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Misfits (04:43) 2 Hay Fever (03:33) 3 Live Life (03:13) 4 A Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (05:01) 5 In a Foreign Land (03:04) 6 Permanent Waves (03:49) 7 Black Messiah (03:26) 8 Out of the Wardrobe (03:39) 9 Trust Your Heart (04:13) 10 Get Up (03:21) |
| Misfits : Allmusic album Review : The Kinks became arena rockers with Sleepwalker, and its follow-up, Misfits, follows in the same vein, but its a considerable improvement on its predecessor. Ray Davies has learned how to write within the confines of the arena rock formula, and Misfits is one of rock & rolls great mid-life crisis albums, finding Davies considering whether he should even go on performing. "Misfits," a classic outsider rallying cry, and "Rock and Roll Fantasy" provide the two touchstones for the album -- Davies admits that he and the Kinks will never be embraced by the rock & roll mainstream, but after Elvis death, hes not even sure if rock & roll is something for mature adults to do. Over the course of Misfits, he finds answers to the question, both in his lyrics and through the bands muscular music. Eventually, he discovers that it is worth his time, but the search itself is superbly affecting -- even songs like the musichall shuffle "Hay Fever," which appear as filler at first, have an idiosyncratic quirk that make them cut deeper. Although Ray would return to camp on their next album, Misfits is a moving record that manages to convey deep emotions while rocking hard. The Kinks hadnt made a record this good since Muswell Hillbillies. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 46 Title: Low Budget Released: 1979-07-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Attitude (03:47) 2 Catch Me Now I’m Falling (05:58) 3 Pressure (02:27) 4 National Health (04:03) 5 (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman (03:21) 6 Low Budget (03:48) 7 In a Space (03:43) 8 Little Bit of Emotion (04:50) 9 A Gallon of Gas (02:42) 10 Misery (02:56) 11 Moving Pictures (03:44) |
| Low Budget : Allmusic album Review : Low Budget doesnt have a narrative like Preservation or Soap Opera, but Ray Davies cleverly designed the album as a sly satire of the recession and oil crisis that gripped America in the late 70s -- thereby satisfying his need to be a wry social commentator while giving American audiences a hook to identify with. It was a clever move that worked; not only did Low Budget become their highest-charting American album (not counting the 1966 Greatest Hits compilation), but it was also a fine set of arena rock, one of the better mainstream hard rock albums of its time. And it certainly was of its time -- so much so that many of the concerns and production techniques have dated quite a bit in the decades since its initial release. Nevertheless, that gives the album a certain charm, since it now plays like a time capsule, a snapshot of what hard rock sounded like at the close of the 70s. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Davies songwriting fluctuates throughout the album, since its dictated as much by commercial as artistic concerns, but the moments when he manages to balance the two impulses -- as on the disco-fueled "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman," the vaudevillian "Low Budget," "A Gallon of Gas," the roaring "Attitude" (possibly their best hard rocker of the era, by the way), and "Catch Me Now Im Falling," where Davies takes on the persona of America itself -- are irresistible. Low Budget may not have the depth of, say, Arthur or Village Green, but its a terrifically entertaining testament to their skills as a professional rock band and Davies savvy as a commercial songwriter. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 46 Title: Give the People What They Want Released: 1981-08-26 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Around the Dial (04:46) 2 Give the People What They Want (03:46) 3 Killer’s Eyes (04:41) 4 Predictable (03:22) 5 Add It Up (03:15) 6 Destroyer (03:48) 7 Yo‐Yo (04:11) 8 Back to Front (03:16) 9 Art Lover (03:23) 10 A Little Bit of Abuse (03:47) 11 Better Things (03:03) |
| Give the People What They Want : Allmusic album Review : Riding high on the success of Low Budget, the Kinks turned out another collection of hard-driving, arena-ready rock & roll with Give the People What They Want -- in short, they delivered exactly what the title suggests. Throughout the record, the band kicks up a storm, rocking out with a surprising amount of precision, and although Ray Davies writing isnt as strong as it was on the groups two previous albums, he has contributed a set of professional hard rock that is distinguished by solid hooks and a clever sense of humor. After all, theres a certain charm in hearing him rework "All Day and All of the Night" into the paranoid "Destroyer," or his pure cynicism on the title track. But the minor masterpiece of the album is "Better Things," a sweet piece of charming sentimentalism that is the only time Davies lets his guard down during the entire album. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 46 Title: Kwack Kinks Released: 1983 Tracks: 15 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Susannah’s Still Alive (?) 2 Polly (?) 3 Wonder Boy (?) 4 Lincoln County (?) 5 There Is No Life Without Love (?) 6 Days (?) 7 She’s Got Everything (?) 8 This Is Where I Belong (?) 9 Hold My Hand (?) 10 Creeping Jean (?) 11 Plastic Man (?) 12 King Kong (?) 13 Mindless Child of Motherhood (?) 14 This Man He Weeps Tonight (?) 15 Berkeley Mews (?) |
 | Album: 31 of 46 Title: State of Confusion Released: 1983-05-24 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:00:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 State of Confusion (03:44) 2 Definite Maybe (04:23) 3 Labour of Love (03:57) 4 Come Dancing (03:56) 5 Property (04:22) 6 Don’t Forget to Dance (04:39) 7 Young Conservatives (04:01) 8 Heart of Gold (04:03) 9 Clichés of the World (B Movie) (04:53) 10 Bernadette (03:32) 11 Don’t Forget to Dance (original extended edit) (05:10) 12 Once a Thief (04:07) 13 Long Distance (05:23) 14 Noise (04:39) |
| State of Confusion : Allmusic album Review : The Kinks State of Confusion had its share of glossy hard rock in the vein of "Low Budget" and "Destroyer," but the record came to life on the quieter numbers, whether its the elegiac "Dont Forget to Dance," the wistful pop of "Long Distance," or the buoyant nostalgia of "Come Dancing," which became the groups biggest hit since "Tired of Waiting for You." | ||
 | Album: 32 of 46 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 1984 Tracks: 16 Duration: 46:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:14) 2 Tired of Waiting for You (02:32) 3 Set Me Free (02:12) 4 Till the End of the Day (02:20) 5 Sunny Afternoon (03:33) 6 Days (02:54) 7 Autumn Almanac (03:11) 8 Lola (04:06) 9 A Well Respected Man (02:42) 10 Dead End Street (03:21) 11 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:01) 12 Dandy (02:11) 13 Mr. Pleasant (02:58) 14 Waterloo Sunset (03:16) 15 Death of a Clown (03:12) 16 Wonder Boy (02:50) |
 | Album: 33 of 46 Title: A Compleat Collection 20th Anniversary Edition Released: 1984 Tracks: 20 Duration: 49:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 A Well Respected Man (02:42) 2 I Need You (02:23) 3 Sunny Afternoon (03:32) 4 Got My Feet on the Ground (02:12) 5 Ev’rybody’s Gonna Be Happy (02:14) 6 The World Keeps Going Round (02:33) 7 Don’t Ever Change (02:21) 8 Wonder Where My Baby Is (01:58) 9 It’s All Right (02:34) 10 You Shouldn’t Be Sad (01:58) 1 Dancin’ in the Street (02:16) 2 C‐A‐D‐I‐L‐L‐A‐C (02:43) 3 Beautiful Delilah (02:04) 4 Too Much Monkey Business (02:14) 5 Got Love If You Want It (03:44) 6 Louie Louie (02:54) 7 I’m a Lover Not a Fighter (02:02) 8 Naggin’ Woman (02:33) 9 I’ve Been Driving on Bald Mountain (02:00) 10 Bald Headed Woman (02:40) |
 | Album: 34 of 46 Title: A Compleat Collection Released: 1984 Tracks: 20 Duration: 46:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stop Your Sobbing (02:06) 2 Revenge (01:27) 3 Im Not Like Everybody Else (03:24) 4 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:48) 5 You Really Got Me (02:13) 6 I Took My Baby Home (01:48) 7 Long Tall Sally (02:12) 8 You Still Want Me (01:56) 9 You Do Something to Me (02:22) 10 Sitting on My Sofa (03:02) 1 Till the End of the Day (02:18) 2 Come On Now (01:46) 3 Wholl Be the Next in Line (02:00) 4 Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (02:59) 5 Something Better Beginning (02:23) 6 Tired of Waiting for You (02:29) 7 See My Friends (02:42) 8 Set Me Free (02:12) 9 I Gotta Move (02:22) 10 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) |
 | Album: 35 of 46 Title: Word of Mouth Released: 1984-11-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Do It Again (04:09) 2 Word of Mouth (03:50) 3 Good Day (04:35) 4 Living on a Thin Line (04:10) 5 Sold Me Out (03:44) 6 Massive Reductions (03:15) 7 Guilty (04:12) 8 Too Hot (04:08) 9 Missing Persons (02:52) 10 Summers Gone (03:52) 11 Going Solo (03:19) |
| Word of Mouth : Allmusic album Review : State of Confusion gave the Kinks their biggest single in nearly 20 years, but they didnt try to replicate the music hall-tinged pop of "Come Dancing" on its follow-up, Word of Mouth, preferring to concentrate on straight-ahead hard rock. Most of the material was well crafted, but only a few songs were distinctive, particularly the circular, synth-spiked minor hit "Do It Again." | ||
 | Album: 36 of 46 Title: Kinks Best: You Really Got Me Released: 1986 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:13) 2 A Well Respected Man (02:41) 3 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:50) 4 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (02:59) 5 Sunny Afternoon (03:34) 6 Waterloo Sunset (03:16) 7 David Watts (02:33) 8 Days (02:55) 9 Rock n Roll Fantasy (05:00) 10 Misfits (04:41) 11 (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman (06:26) 12 Lola (05:42) 13 Better Things (02:45) 14 Come Dancing (04:26) 15 Dont Forget to Dance (04:38) 16 Good Day (04:33) 17 Living on a Thin Line (04:13) 18 Lost and Found (05:19) |
 | Album: 37 of 46 Title: Backtrackin, Volume Two Released: 1986-06 Tracks: 14 Duration: 53:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Supersonic Rocket Ship (03:06) 2 Celluloid Heroes (06:21) 3 Moving Pictures (03:46) 4 Better Things (02:44) 5 Twentieth Century Man (03:53) 6 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (02:14) 7 Dont Forget to Dance (04:10) 8 Come Dancing (03:59) 9 State of Confusion (03:43) 10 Good Day (04:29) 11 Pressure (02:24) 12 Predictable (03:20) 13 Do It Again (04:01) 14 Rock n Roll Fantasy (04:58) |
 | Album: 38 of 46 Title: Come Dancing With The Kinks: The Best of The Kinks 1977–1986 Released: 1986-06 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:09:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (live) (03:36) 2 Destroyer (03:48) 3 (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman (03:36) 4 Juke Box Music (03:46) 5 A Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (05:01) 6 Come Dancing (03:56) 7 Do It Again (04:10) 8 Better Things (02:59) 9 Lola (live) (05:39) 10 Low Budget (03:48) 11 Long Distance (05:23) 12 Heart of Gold (04:03) 13 Don’t Forget to Dance (04:40) 14 Living on a Thin Line (04:10) 15 Father Christmas (03:42) 16 Celluloid Heroes (07:22) |
| Come Dancing With The Kinks: The Best of The Kinks 1977–1986 : Allmusic album Review : Originally released as a double-album set in 1986, just after the Kinks had their last run at chart success, Come Dancing With the Kinks (The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986) does an excellent job of summarizing their stadium rock and AOR radio favorites on Arista. It leaves no single or radio favorite behind, while adding such terrific obscurities as "Long Distance" (originally only released as a bonus track on the State of Confusion cassette; the early 80s were a completely different world than the late 80s), the non-LP single "Father Christmas," the wonderfully sentimental album track "Better Things" (a close, upbeat cousin to Dylans "Forever Young"), and the charming "Heart of Gold." In addition to these, there are live takes of "You Really Got Me" and "Lola" taken from the fine One From the Road album. It winds up being a representative selection of the Kinks time as stadium warriors. They may have released some good albums during this period -- and Misfits and Low Budget are close to great -- but listeners looking for the bare essentials from this period will not be disappointed with this first-rate collection. [Three songs -- "Catch Me Now Im Falling" plus the title tracks to Misfits and Sleepwalker -- were dropped from the CD reissue of Come Dancing in order to have it fit the running time of a late-80s compact disc.] | ||
 | Album: 39 of 46 Title: Backtrackin, Volume One Released: 1986-06 Tracks: 14 Duration: 40:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:14) 2 Sunny Afternoon (03:34) 3 Tired of Waiting for You (02:30) 4 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:01) 5 Set Me Free (02:10) 6 Everybodys Gonna Be Happy (02:12) 7 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 8 Lola (04:06) 9 Dead End Street (03:19) 10 Waterloo Sunset (03:16) 11 Autumn Almanac (03:09) 12 See My Friends (02:43) 13 Till the End of the Day (02:17) 14 Apeman (03:51) |
 | Album: 40 of 46 Title: Think Visual Released: 1986-11-17 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Working at the Factory (03:00) 2 Lost and Found (05:18) 3 Repetition (04:06) 4 Welcome to Sleazy Town (03:49) 5 The Video Shop (05:15) 6 Rock n Roll Cities (03:44) 7 How Are You (04:29) 8 Think Visual (03:12) 9 Natural Gift (03:44) 10 Killing Time (04:01) 11 When You Were a Child (03:40) |
| Think Visual : Allmusic album Review : Think Visual, the bands first album for MCA Records, represented an artistic dead end for the Kinks, as Ray Davies continued to crank out a series of competent, but undistinguished hard rockers. Out of all the loud, riff-driven numbers, only Dave Davies "Rock N Roll Cities" made a lasting impression. Rays gentler songs werent among his most memorable, relying on slight melodies and underdeveloped lyrics. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 46 Title: The Kinks Collection Released: 1987-06 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:06:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Things Are Getting Better (01:56) 2 Apeman (03:52) 3 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:03) 4 Autumn Almanac (03:12) 5 Lola (04:06) 6 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 7 You Really Got Me (02:14) 8 Set Me Free (02:14) 9 Dancing in the Street (02:19) 10 Bald Headed Woman (02:43) 11 Long Tall Sally (02:12) 12 Cadillac (02:45) 13 Louie Louie (02:57) 14 Creeping Jean (03:16) 15 Wonderboy (02:50) 16 Act Nice & Gentle (02:40) 17 Sittin on My Sofa (03:05) 18 Too Much Monkey Business (02:16) 19 Beautiful Delilah (02:08) 20 Tin Soldier Man (02:53) 21 Victoria (03:40) 22 Death of a Clown (03:03) 23 Wicked Annabella (02:43) 24 Village Green (02:07) |
 | Album: 42 of 46 Title: The Kinks Are Well Respected Men Released: 1987-09-28 Tracks: 37 Duration: 1:39:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Long Tall Sally (02:12) 2 You Still Want Me (01:59) 3 You Do Something To Me (02:25) 4 Its Alright (02:37) 5 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 6 I Gotta Move (02:25) 7 Louie Louie (02:57) 8 Ive Got That Feeling (02:43) 9 I Gotta Go Now (02:54) 10 Things Are Getting Better (01:55) 11 Evrybodys Gonna Be Happy (02:17) 12 Wholl Be the Next in Line (02:02) 13 Set Me Free (02:12) 14 I Need You (02:26) 15 See My Friends (02:46) 16 Never Met a Girl Like You (02:04) 17 A Well Respected Man (02:42) 18 Such a Shame (02:18) 19 Wait Till the Summer Comes Along (02:10) 1 Dont You Fret (02:44) 2 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:02) 3 Sitting on My Sofa (03:06) 4 Im Not Like Everybody Else (03:29) 5 Dead End Street (03:23) 6 Big Black Smoke (02:35) 7 Act Nice and Gentle (02:40) 8 Autumn Almanac (03:11) 9 Mr. Pleasant (02:57) 10 Wonderboy (02:50) 11 Pretty Polly (02:52) 12 Days (02:54) 13 Shes Got Everything (03:09) 14 Plastic Man (03:04) 15 King Kong (03:24) 16 Mindless Child of Motherhood (03:15) 17 This Man He Weeps Tonight (02:42) 18 Berkeley Mews (02:41) |
 | Album: 43 of 46 Title: Hit Singles Released: 1987-09-28 Tracks: 20 Duration: 59:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Really Got Me (02:14) 2 All Day and All of the Night (02:23) 3 Tired of Waiting for You (02:32) 4 Evrybodys Gonna Be Happy (02:16) 5 Set Me Free (02:12) 6 See My Friends (02:44) 7 Till the End of the Day (02:20) 8 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:01) 9 Sunny Afternoon (03:34) 10 Dead End Street (03:25) 11 Waterloo Sunset (03:16) 12 Death of a Clown (03:06) 13 Autumn Almanac (03:11) 14 Suzannahs Still Alive (02:21) 15 Wonder Boy (02:50) 16 Days (02:54) 17 Plastic Man (03:04) 18 Victoria (03:40) 19 Lola (04:11) 20 Apeman (03:52) |
 | Album: 44 of 46 Title: Kinks-Size Kinkdom Released: 1988-09-27 Tracks: 17 Duration: 43:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Who’ll Be the Next in Line (02:02) 2 Evrybodys Gonna Be Happy (02:16) 3 Louie Louie (02:57) 4 Ive Got That Feeling (02:43) 5 Ive Gotta Go Now (02:53) 6 Things Are Getting Better (01:55) 7 Set Me Free (02:12) 8 I Need You (02:27) 9 See My Friends (02:44) 10 Never Met a Girl Like You Before (02:06) 11 A Well Respected Man (02:42) 12 Such a Shame (02:19) 13 Wait Till The Summer Comes Along (02:08) 14 Dont You Fret (02:45) 15 Dedicated Follower of Fashion (03:03) 16 Sitting on My Sofa (03:06) 17 I’m Not Like Everybody Else (03:28) |
| Kinks-Size Kinkdom : Allmusic album Review : In 1988, Rhino released Kinks-Size/Kinkdom, which contained the American versions of two Kinks albums (which were really just collections of singles), both dating to 1965. There are a bunch of good songs here, but their biggest hits are not included. Serious fans should check out the Castle remasters of the late 90s. | ||
 | Album: 45 of 46 Title: UK Jive Released: 1989-10-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 52:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Aggravation (06:12) 2 How Do I Get Close (05:08) 3 UK Jive (03:51) 4 Now and Then (03:33) 5 What Are We Doing (03:40) 6 Entertainment (04:23) 7 War Is Over (03:44) 8 Down All the Days (Till 1992) (05:01) 9 Loony Balloon (05:07) 10 Dear Margaret (03:29) 11 Bright Lights (03:29) 12 Perfect Strangers (04:27) |
| UK Jive : Allmusic album Review : Even though the album was weighed down by its adherence to late-80s state of the art studio techniques, UK Jive was a noticeable improvement over the lackluster Think Visual. Featuring only a handful of hard rockers -- including the excellent, snarling "Aggravation" -- the album was comprised of pop songs that painted an unfocused portrait of modern British life. Although many of Ray Davies finest songs were based on a similar concept, his songwriting on UK Jive was frustratingly inconsistent, ranging from the infectious bop of the title track to the ham-fisted anthem "Down All Days (To 1992)." With the loping "Looney Balloon," Davies wrote one of his finest songs of the 80s, but the only track that equaled its conviction was his brother Daves spiteful protest, "Dear Margaret." | ||
 | Album: 46 of 46 Title: Phobia Released: 1993-03-29 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:16:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Opening (00:38) 2 Wall of Fire (05:01) 3 Drift Away (05:05) 4 Still Searching (04:52) 5 Phobia (05:16) 6 Only a Dream (05:04) 7 Dont (04:36) 8 Babies (04:47) 9 Over the Edge (04:20) 10 Surviving (06:00) 11 Its Alright (Dont Think About It) (03:34) 12 The Informer (04:03) 13 Hatred (A Duet) (06:06) 14 Somebody Stole My Car (04:04) 15 Close to the Wire (04:01) 16 Scattered (04:11) 17 Did Ya (04:32) |
| Phobia : Allmusic album Review : Ray Davies continues to turn out three or four brilliant songs on albums that barely anyone will ever hear. For Kinks fans, thats enough to justify the purchase of any of their recent albums, and the harder-edged Phobia is no exception to that rule. | ||