I was driving to work this morning listening to 1983’s State of Confusion, partly because I had not heard it in a long time and partly to better assess it for this Guide, and I was struck by the thought that nobody does nostalgia or anxiety better than Ray Davies. Another great rock songwriter, Pete Townshend, once said that Ray Davies is rock’s “poet laureate.” I think that is probably true at least during their most accomplished period, 1965-71. The Kinks are interesting because they are the most English of the British Invasion bands. It wasn’t until the Arista Years (1977-84) that they really broke through and felt comfortable to American audiences. Perhaps that partly explains that while they are considered one of the heavyweight Brit Invasion bands, they are also like a cult band in many ways (Ray often addresses this outsider view in song: “Misfits,” “I’m Not Like Everybody Else”). Ray’s songs can be sweet and nostalgic or cynical and bitter, sometimes all within the same three minutes. I admire The Kinks for many reasons, but mainly it is that they influenced rock and roll several times over. The early ragged classics are Garage Rock 101. The mid to late 60’s showed Davies to be one of the most observant and witty commentators on British daily life and he perfected the concept album. The early to mid 70’s showed us a perversely stubborn Davies going off the deep end, only to turn The Kinks into unlikely first class arena rockers in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Each era has substantial merits (well, maybe not the mid-70's), and the first two eras are essential rock history. I have not even mentioned the great brother Dave Davies, who is one of the most important rock guitarists. Not to mention a fine songwriter in his own right, and I often prefer Dave’s wail over Ray’s vocals. Onward to your record guide...
Kinks (1964) **
Kinda Kinks (1965) **
The Kink Kontroversy (1965) ***
Live at Kelvin Hall (live) (1968) *
Like most other British Invasion bands, The Kinks got their start trying to play American blues and R&B. They sound about as awkward as The Who doing it on their early records. Some gems are here, but they are surrounded by much filler. I know that Kelvin Hall is slightly out of chronological order, but it really belongs with this early material as it is a throwback, and anyway, it is completely inessential. Sloppy performances with the band drowned out by screaming teenagers.
Greatest Hits (compilation) (1966) *****
The songs on this now criminally out of print Greatest Hits collection can be found on expanded versions of their discs and scattered on other compilations, but hunt this down (I saw an import version on Amazon for about $30 the other day). It features all of their early groundbreaking singles and b-sides (many of which did not appear on the records) in one potent package, and is quite simply one of the most essential rock records you can own. If they had stopped here, they would still be a legendary and influential band.
Face To Face (1966) *****
First essential Kinks record, kicks off their Golden Age, and, notwithstanding The Beatles middle period, the best British pop record of the 1960’s.
Something Else By the Kinks (1967) ****
Much beloved by critics, some of it honestly doesn’t hit me; yet the good stuff is simply outstanding. “Waterloo Sunset” closes the record, a song critic Robert Christgau famously called “the prettiest song in the English language”…don’t know about that, but it is damn lovely.
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) *****
Was Ray Davies the real “radical” of the period, turning his back on flower power and hippies, and instead recording a lovely, pastoral paean to an England that probably never was?
Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (1969) *****
The Who’s Tommy is the more famous rock opera of 1969, but The Kinks’ largely forgotten Arthur is much more coherent in story and theme, and Arthur kicks Tommy's pinball playing ass. Ray deftly paints a picture of decline in middle class England, as the people struggle with tougher economic times and the psychological impact of losing the Empire. As close to a work of art a rock record can be.
Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1 (1970) *****
Just in case you forgot that The Kinks practically invented garage rock (and you can be forgiven for forgetting, considering their last four records), Dave Davies’ gritty guitar is once again allowed to slash through to the forefront on this rocker. This is still Ray Davies’ show, though, so there must be high concept in this witty and bitter look at rock and roll stardom and the biz.
'Percy' (soundtrack) (1971) **
A couple of pretty tunes, but largely a footnote in their discography.
Muswell Hillbillies (1971) ***
Ray Davies tries to write a record about Americana, but it ends up sounding more like drunken British music hall. A strange record much beloved by critics and fans. Not one of my favorites.
The Kink Kronikles (compilation) (1972) ****
A much admired compilation that misses some obvious choices (so it isn’t really a hits collection) in favor of more thematic ones, including some choice rarities. Think of it as a worthy, alternative jaunt through The Kinks’ most important period, ’66-70. Less a compilation and more a thematic double album in its own right.
Everybody’s in Showbiz (live/studio) (1972) ***
Double record (one studio, one live) that is a loose concept album about being a rock musician on the road. It is not a thrilling tale of excess and groupies, but one of dull hotels and bad food (lots of bad food), while the live disc may be the sloppiest and drunkest performance ever released by a major artist, not that it’s bad. In fact it is charming. One stone cold masterpiece is here, “Celluloid Heroes.”
The Great Lost Kinks Album (1973) ****
This was a record released without The Kinks approval, and it was pulled from circulation in ’75 after a lawsuit filed by The Davies brothers, so it is quite the collector’s item. Featuring many outstanding rarities and tunes from the never released Dave Davies solo record slated for the late 60’s, most of these songs can now be found on expanded versions of their 60’s records and Dave Davies compilations. Some great music here from their prime period.
Preservation: Act 1 (1973) **
Preservation: Act 2 (1974) *
Soap Opera (1975) **
Schoolboys in Disgrace (1975) **
The Kinks Greatest: Celluloid Heroes (compilation) (1976) ****
BBC Sessions: 1964-77 (compilation/live) (2001/1964-77) ***
The most difficult period even for fans, when Ray Davies was willfully difficult and wrote concept albums mostly to please himself. Not even the rest of The Kinks, especially Dave, liked these. Can be skipped by all but the most diehard, although the Celluloid Heroes collection successfully salvages the best out of this period.
Sleepwalker (1977) ***
After a difficult period, The Kinks were signed to Arista and Ray Davies was given strict instructions: “no concept albums.” Ray went back to writing rock songs again, he unleashed brother Dave on the guitar once more, and The Kinks had one of the more unlikely revivals, becoming more popular than ever before in the U.S. as reinvented arena rockers.
Misfits (1978) ****
All Music Guide calls this one of the great midlife crisis records, full of anxiety and doubt. “Misfits” and “Rock and Roll Fantasy” are so, so perfect.
Low Budget (1979) ****
OK, I know I said Ray wasn’t allowed to write any concept albums while on Arista, but he just couldn’t help himself. This is a hard hitting record that loosely addresses the anxiety in America in the late 70’s with the energy crisis and a crisis of confidence (as Carter put it). It is also a reaction to punk, and a convincing one at that.
One For the Road (live) (1980) ***
Energized live record with a few tracks of true greatness, like a blistering “You Really Got Me” (which sounds like Dave Davies responding to the challenge of Van Halen’s recent cover) and versions of “Lola” and “Celluloid Heroes” that surpass their studio counterparts.
Give the People What They Want (1981) **
Ray can sometimes veer too far into cynicism, and from the title of this record to many of the songs on it, it sounds like Ray is saying “f**k you, buy this record.”
State of Confusion (1983) ***
The last good Kinks record, featuring their biggest American hit since the 1960’s (the joyous “Come Dancing”) and some biting songs of the heart (“Labour of Love,” “Property”).
Word of Mouth (1984) **
This is the record that made me a fan, and it isn’t even that good. It does feature one gem each from Ray (the dizzy rocker “Do It Again”) and Dave (who outdoes Ray on the nostalgia front with the stunning “Living on a Thin Line,” Dave’s best song). The rest, though, is mediocre Kinks.
Come Dancing With The Kinks: The Best of 1977-86(compilation) (1986) ****
Here’s the thing: this era stands on its own, ignoring their history. I came to The Kinks as a fan in ’83 and ’84, not through discovering “You Really Got Me” or Arthur, but through hearing “Come Dancing” on the radio and watching the “Do It Again” video on MTV. Only then did I investigate and learn the history. If Sleepwalker had been this band’s debut, the ’77-’84 era would still have been successful, even if their name wasn’t The Kinks. Can you say the same for post Some Girls Stones, post Zooropa U2, post Let’s Dance Bowie, post Born in the USA Springsteen? Those periods were only successful in terms of referencing their past. The Kinks Arista years stand alone as containing some great rock and roll, regardless of their history. Unfortunately, while it does have some killer songs, this collection in its current form does not do the era justice (the original double LP release was the best).
Think Visual (1986) *
Live: The Road (studio/live) (1988) *
UK Jive (1989) **
Lost and Found (1986-89) (compilation) **
Phobia (1993) *
To the Bone (studio/live) (1994) ***
The Ultimate Collection (compilation) (2007) ****
Picture Book (box set/compilation) (2008) ****
The Kinks had a slow and disappointing decline until (as of this writing) they simply fizzled out. It has been a sorry end to the greatest cult band in history. As the All-Music Guide stated in reviewing Phobia, “Ray Davies continues to write a couple of brilliant songs that nobody will hear” per album, but these albums are also composed primarily of subpar filler. Ray and Dave’s solo careers are both chugging along nicely now, so a reunion of the still contentious brothers remains unlikely.
Bottom Line: As per the 10 Year JMW Rule, you should own all of 1966-72, other than ‘Percy’ and Live at Kelvin Hall. Fortunately, The Kinks have distinct compilations covering each period. So after purchasing ’66-’72, you can then buy Greatest Hits (for the crucial ’64-’66 singles and b-sides), The Kinks Greatest: Celluloid Heroes for ’72-’76 and Come Dancing With the Kinks for ’77-’86. Come Dancing is flawed, it has been re-released with different track listings three times, and unfortunately, they got it best on the very first (and out of print) version. God Save The Kinks.
No comments:
Post a Comment