Reviews (page 6 of 13)
More of that 60s English whimsy. Picture Book is fun. The rest is kinda meh. 2.5/5 #191
Åbenbart et flop og udgivet det samme tidspunkt som beatles the white album. Det er senere blevet en kritisk succes pga dets tidsløse tekster. De synger om hverdags og everyday life ting, som mange kan relatere til og er gældende i dag på samme måde. Det er det andet the Kinks album jeg rater og selvom jeg synes det er charmerende og godt (60'er lyden) så rammer det mig bare ikke rigtigt. Synes det virker hektisk og overgearet og jeg kan næsten blive stresset af at lytte til det. Måske har jeg bare en stresset dag. Jeg overvejer at give det mere eller mindre end 3 fordi de sidste mange albums jeg har rated har været 3'ere. Jeg tror det er en blanding af at jeg gerne vil anerkende at det er god musik, men jeg kan ikke rigtig sætte et ord på præcist hvorfor jeg synes det er godt. Specielt når det meste burde ligge i teksterne og jeg generelt ikke rigtig forholder mig til dem. Der er noget engelsk satire over det som senere har inspireret kunstnerne i brit-pop bølgen. Det baroque pop / brit pop.
Some was good. Some wasn’t. It’s not quite a like for me but not fully meh either.
I liked it but it got a little too whimsical in the back half.
Ok
Very fun
Jangle all the way, but I like jangle
My first shot at The Kinks! And I get it, I get why it inspires, I get why it's a classic, there's a lot of really cool things happening all throughout the album. The B side is a little extra special to me, not really a fan of the way the record starts off but that's a personal preference thing, a little too kookie. I associated "The Kinks" as a name with a sound more punk than this. We're actually experiencing classic rock with British wit. And weird goofiness. I'd like this on my collection, not because it's my favorite rock album, but because even though it's dated, there's a lot of cool interesting twists. Great percussive work, entertaining and well composed lyrics, it's an awkward jam. 3.4/5
2/10 - too hippy for me, I think this style of music is just not for me
Good but not great. I think the way the album ended left a really bad taste in my mouth - a thud rather than a bang, you know? Bumping to 4 stars from 3.5
I did not like this at all
Enjoyed, reminded me of my Dad.
A real mixed bag this one. There are tracks on here that I really quite liked, usually the more straightforward pop / rock tracks. But it's almost outweighed by a lot of stuff that's overly twee and quirky that just made this quite a jarring experience.
Esencia rock n roll
Sixties rock is not my jam, not even The Village Green Preservation Society variety. It’s not that it’s bad, it just doesn’t speak to me personally. I found this album overly jangly and just kind of goofy. The music wasn’t particularly pleasing to my ears and I kept waiting for it to be over. I also wasn’t a fan of the vocals or harmonies. Arthur was a much better Kinks listening experience for me. I tend to feel like you had to be there to understand much of the music from the 1960s. I wasn’t, so that’s why I’m clueless as to its appeal and staying power. It was a different time, man. Far out. So much so that I never need to hear it again.
Eeugh, I guess there were parts where I wasn’t having a horrible time. Understandable why I haven’t heard anything from this album
I'm starting to think that every 60s pop record sounds the same. This one at least had a few cool moments, but overall I swear this sounds like the last five 60s pop records I've gotten at some point. Worst part is it's always the bands that I hear my parents talk really well about.
Excellent
Were they trying to do Sgt Peppers?
Haven't enjoyed this record in probably 15 years. Very musically fun! I don't think I used to notice all the British whimsy in the lyrics and themes so much - it's not my favourite
I’ve heard very few albums that are this fun to listen to. I definitely see why this is so beloved
VRH VRH VRH. jednostavno predobro, 15 fenomenalnih pjesama jedna za drugom. najdraže: do you remember walter, last of the steam-powered trains, animal farm, monica, people take pictures of each other
Really Good Album
I liked it but definitely not my favorite from the kinks
all time great
Sorry about this review, but this is a weak outing by the Kinks. It is nothing I should really have listened to, there is one good song on there (picture you) and it's not even that good. It sounds exactly like early Beatles, which is not the most interesting point, and to give context, this album is from 68 Abbey Road (kind of their last album) is from 69. There is very little excuse to make that kind of music at that time, it's not inspired, it's not interesting, it really as no business being listen to today. I am frustrated by its inclusion, cause I don't even get the legacy pick cause there are music from earlier that is much more interesting. Its not all bad, I can listen to this, but should I have heard it ? Is it necessary ? Absolutely not.
Despite the description, this sounds a lot like all the other Kinks we’ve had. Perfectly fine.
I know this is a critically acclaimed album and even considered to be their masterpiece but I really prefer the lo-fi garage band British Invasion songs that really made them famous.
Pleasant but unexceptional. I guess there were some nice little stories of every day peoplle tucked into the lyrics of these songs but overall this album sounds like a knock off of other British Invasion acts ("Last of the Steam Powered Trains" sounds like the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger's charisma). I feel like I said this about the last Kinks album we heard (I just checked and I did). Maybe I'm missing something, but this era of music is be well covered with the Beatles, Stones, Who, Zombies etc. so Idk why this Kinks album needs to be on this list. The durms on "Wicked Anabella" are cool though.
The kinks melodies are always enjoyable, don’t have a. Better word than that. Last of the Steam-POWERED trains is the the required Dylan type song that every band in 1968 had to do. Is this a Sgt. Pepper’s parody? Maybe just a pop music parody in general. Or not? The last half of this album is nothing short of genius. Really influential, great songwriting. Possibly the first concept album. Phenomenal Cat is incredible.
Loved it
Some great lyrics in here.
I don’t know why I’m so fascinated by this album. But I am. And I’ve listened to it three times in the past 24 hours. So it’s a different type of 5, but a 5 nonetheless.
Same same. Nice music, not massively keen on the lyrics/theme.
Considered a 5. Not as good as Arthur but still really enjoyed it
A little too cutesy for my tastes, but not so much that I wanted to turn it off.
5.27
a lot of mac demarco influence on here. Picture Book walked so Salad Days could run
It was fine, nothing mind-blowing but a decent enough listen. Probably won't go back to it.
This was boring
Discovered today that I don’t like the kinks
It's ehh. It's alright. I ain't got much else to say about it.
The comparisons to the beatles don't do it any favors. Occasionally the sound of the kinks surpasses that typical 60's pop but those moments are sparse. Still a perfectly fine listen.
An early concept album. But a bit too lightweight for me. The harpsichord really gets overused for my taste giving it a little bit too much theatrical vibe
Not too bad but I wouldn't put it with top albums of all time 3.3
I’ve heard about Village Green for years but never gave it much of a go. This is excellent. The songs are catchy and varied and short and occasionally truly insightful. There were a couple of moments in the first side that really got me (sorry I had to). The stereo mix sounds better to me. The Kinks always sound like they’re playing inside a tin lunchbox but I also know that’s part of the charm. Lovely album. “People often change but the memories of people can remain” FOUR STARS
So far thoughts, listening for 2nd time, some nice songs. To be honest, not a huge fan of 60s pop rock sound. In places, it kind of seems derivative of the Beatles. Production is OK and songwriting is solid, some solid tracks, still can't decide if this is worth 4/5 or less, but I don't see this as an underrated masterpiece some people claim this to be. 2nd update evening: growing on me on each listen, indeed seems like very personal work, lyrically very interesting, kind of reminds me of Selling England by the Pound by Genesis. Getting hang of this, interesting song structures as well, especially 1st half of the album. This is the one to REVISIT.
5/10
I didn't quite expect this. Who was I thinking of? The Kooks maybe? Either way this makes me think of Edgar Wright films. Is this what rock and roll was like in the 60s? Who was that band that I listened to in the 00s that had a sound like this? I liked them well enough but they gave me a headache after a while.
Sgt. Pepper, but peppier!
More sardonic fun from The Kinks.
It's nice, but somewhat homogeneous and wants to seem like the very essence of pop rock of those years. It's catchy, but it's not THAT catchy, and that makes it playable only one or two times. And seriously, 60 tracks in 2018's deluxe edition?
5/5. This just gushes with creativity, masters of their craft while still sounding fresh and new, even by today's standard. I sometimes try to avoid uppity-British albums, as there is a sort of pretentiousness to it but this one, and the kinks in general, feel almost punkish? Hard to tell but it feels like they actually want to say something, which is always commendable, even if it's something small. I wouldn't say this is a perfect album but it's damn near perfect so I'll give it that bump. Best Song: The Village Green Preservation Society, Picture Book, People Take Pictures of Each Other
Ni fu ni fuck
Very fun classic rock. Great listen.
Great tunes
Mornig boost - Uplifting - Roadtrip - Weird gem. Es un estilo muy parecido a los Beatles y tiene algunas canciones raras, pero la mayoría con ritmo y pegadizas.
Algumas músicas conseguem ser bem originais, é legal de ouvir
Genérico
I don’t think I’ve really listened to the Kinks before and based on the name, this is not the music I expected. I feel like I need to listen to more of the Kinks to better rank this. Favorite track: People Take Pictures of Each Other.
Copy/ paste notes from previous Kinks album.
I liked this more than the last Kinks album for sure, but I’m just too Beatles pilled to listen to other 60s British groups and not compare them
So many songs had licks that resemble other songs.
This is definitely the most British thing I've ever heard. Not bad though ⭐⭐⭐.5
I love a good concept album but sometimes the concept hits harder than the execution. Great songwriting and themes but the musical style was just not working for me except for on a few songs like Wicked Annabella. Found the circus-y Sgt. Pepper-y sound pretty samey
Better than I thought this would be. Sounded like a lighter version of Beatles.
Meh
This isn't as good as Arthur of the Decline and Fall of the British Empire. It lacks cohesion and feels kinda disjointed. I just don't really know where they were going with this, the songs feel really all over the place. Nothing really stuck out to me or made me go wow. Slightly disappointed.
seems an earlier version of The Kinks. like they don't have their sound yet & trying out styles. not bad, just not memorable either
I'm getting beatles vibes. Nothing more to add then that. I'd give it something like a 3.5
Not quite my jam. The lyrics are engaging, but the 1960s brit-pop aesthetic comes through strong while the acerbic cultural commentary that becomes apparent in their later, better known singles, hasn't quite matured.
Well, this was a fun ride! I knew a few Kinks songs but can't say I've heard anything from this specific album and I really enjoyed it! It's so obvious to hear the Beatles influence on many of these tracks, but yet The Kinks' individuality also shines through.
Overall, nothing exciting and sounds a bit dated when I listen to it today, but I know that this was pretty cool to jam to back in the day.
Dingy Brit’s
I've heard another The Kinks album before so knew what to expect. It's good although a complete vibe mismatch for me today
Hey, the Kinks. Of all the "the" bands in the world, there isn't a better word you can append to your band name than "Kinks". It just has a great ring to it. Strokes is a solid second place, and I often get the two confused due to my lack of familiarity with either band. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, music. If I'm to guess, this will either be a pop rock or psychedelic affair. This album was pretty good from start to finish. Some inventive and infectious pop songwriting. Ray Davies is a very talented vocalist. I enjoyed all of the different styles and tones he was able to capture over the course of this album. I wasn't sold all the way on the instrumentals, but there are some gripping quirks here and there. "Do You Remember Walter?" is a good tune. The piano/percussion combo is gripping, but it's the vocals/songwriting that really do it for me. The "rolling" quality that they take on during the middle of the song is fantastic. "Picture Book" is a good follow-up. Great chorus, and I enjoy the chord progression on the guitar during the verses. "Animal Farm" has a very interesting sound. I like the heavy acoustic guitar and the vocals are, again, very pleasing. "Starstruck" has a nice, feelgood energy. The strings in the background are pleasing, and I enjoy the bassy guitar which underscores the song. Book time. "timeless". That's about it, really. Nothing much in the way of impact or influence, but I don't need much convincing. I quite liked this - it's been way too long since I was last hit with an album I enjoyed. I cosign this inclusion
Some 5 star songs for sure! I love the concept but some bits were less than good to my ears
Sound quality was questionable. Double time would make it indie???
Good
Highlights: Picture Book, The Village Green Preservation Society
The most Beatles-esque non Beatles band out there. In another world, they are the biggest band in the world. Lets GO! Title track to start. Fantastic song. This album is bloated, a pet peeve of mine. Could have tighter. I can't get over how much they sound like Beatles at times. The lyrics don't really hold up to the Fab Four in my opinion. Could just be Im not as familiar though. 3.8/5
Good album to jam along to, paints a picture that I'm maybe not British enough to understand. But it's a vibe, and "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains" is super fun. 3.5 stars, if I could.
Average 60s pop/rock. One or two songs above average, one or two below average. The Beatles comparisons in other reviews make sense, but this just doesn't hold my interest like a Beatles album does.
This is not my favourite Kinks by any stretch, but fun.
A million hipsters born of this album.
Nah. Not my jam. Ironically.
Well written and well made a very nice album
This album was not really my style but at least I tried something new, and I definitely enjoyed some songs on this album, notably “last of the steam powered trains” and “sitting by the riverside”. Some songs had really well developed lyrics and I liked that. Still don’t understand if there’s connections between the songs tho.
Nothing remarkable. Doesn't sound bad, but it's pretty boring for the most part sometimes.
This was a solid rock album. Everything flowed nicely into each other. This sounds very classic to me. Not offensive but also not ground breaking or anything really pushing the boundary. A solid listen nonetheless!
Interesting, but feels crammed- like a few songs could be removed
Not for me.
3,5
Not one I'd usually go for but I rather enjoyed Definitely worthy of top 1001
The soundtrack of 2000's British comedy films. It's twee and British, every song is about scones and strawberry jam. Not really, but sort of. One of the songs has the same riff as the bass in Warning by Green Day. It's like sitting in a field watching cricket and drinking Pimm's. I feel a lot of bands sounded like this in the late 60's.
A classic. Some excellent songs, although gets a bit samey after a while.
I really like the Kinks and have this album. So ruddy fantastic. So many songs on one album causing me absolute joy. From the rising arpeggios of Picture Book to the spoken word on Big Sky and as usual, jaunty melodies over reflective dark lyrics. This is what excellence smells like and I am breathing in deep.
Got some real classics, many songs I knew but hadn’t heard in an album context. Also some filler that is more generic 60s. Overall really solid.
Wicked Annabelle, village green, picture book. Very British, 60s acid trip feel. Decent album. Good for a re-listen during a summer bbq.
Enjoyed this album.
Ці ностальгійні переживаннями за старою доброю Британією досить цікаво слухати.
Quirky, manic and just a bit too much twee going on, but still fascinating. If a kitten was an album then it would be The Village Green Preservation Society. Jumpy and not quite grown up. Very very British and I'm up for that.
8/10… 60s rock-pop / baroque pop
Feels like bad Beatles. Sorry.
Sgt. Pepper at home
8/20/25
Going in blind, I don't know any songs from this. Title track really good. And then gradually I started hating it more and more. Considered a point for the influence on blur, but I just dislike everything about it from track 2 till the end. The sound, the singing voice, the drumming, the songs, everything.
Just didn't grab me like I thought it would.
beatles copy cat that was extremely annoying and grating on the ears
Deeply inessential compared to everything else happening in 1968
Well, this is definitely a great album. It took a number of listens, though. You need to get into it. There are a big number of typical Ray Davies jewels to be enjoyed. 'Animal farm' and 'Village Green' - starring a prominent oboe and a harpsichord - are maybe the highlights. A couple of weaker songs as well. It's sentimental as hell. Put it on and drown in sentimentality, for which there is much more reason nowadays.
Кручусь вокруг и около The Kinks, надо чаще слушать и разбираться. Шёл, слушал с удовольствием.
Nah. Too poppy 70s.
This is a very interesting album not appreciated by the masses but still it has a poignancy that shows off Ray Davies poetic style and obtuse song writing. While other bands were thundering away, The Kinks went in a very different direction. He is a master of subtlety and showing off the underside of British life. It deserves more attention than it got!
Do you remember, Walter, playing cricket in the thunder and the rain? I burned this album to a CD when I was in high school, and it stayed in my car’s music rotation for maybe a decade. Listening to it again now brought me to tears. All the memories associated with these songs, which are about nostalgia, was so freaking, well, nostalgic. I was overwhelmed. Pictures of your mop-mop, pictures of your pop-pop. I mean, I love each and every song, each and every moment. This is a top three of all time album to me. So, God save strawberry jam, and all the different varieties!
Boring
This was a fun and enigmatic album. It just FEELS British. What must have felt extremely experimental at the time feels almost familiar now likely due to the influence this album had on music going forward.
I’m a mad scientist tasked with creating a new band. I take 1 part Beatles, 1 Part Rolling Stones, make the result 40% worse and 70% gayer. Voila, The Kinks. In all seriousness, it wasn’t unlistenable, but it was by no means enjoyable. If I believed in half-stars, this album would be a 2.5 for me. Maybe if I was listening to this while gardening outside of my cottage in Liverpool it’s a 3 star album. But alas, I’m in Seattle, and not in the mood for gay Beatles.
Baroque Rock about the British Village Square! Heck yeah!
Note: first album on this list experienced in full
Cute music!
Well, that was boring. I’m just gonna come out and say that I wasn’t really big on this album. I’d heard of The Kinks before, mainly because of You Really Got Me being covered by Van Halen, but I hadn’t really heard of any of their other stuff. So I listened to this album, and I wasn’t all that impressed by it. The lyrics weren’t very interesting to me, and the music didn’t pick up that slack where the lyrics fell short. It all kind of just felt like really early Beatles songs, not bad, just kind of inoffensive. All of the music and vocals sounded well made, it just wasn’t really interesting to me. I guess if you like this style of music, this is right up your alley, but I’m gonna move on and find something I like better.
This was such an odd, and very British, album. I am not most familiar with the UK at the time but it reminds me much of the Beatles. There songs are playful and offer light jabs at the societal want to evolve and forget the past. I do agree that past values are important. The songs were all well written and memorable. The light breezy tune was easy to immerse myself in and the lyrics were playful. Overall, this album was wonderful although maybe not my usual taste.
Love love the kinks. My dad got me into the kinks.
Cross between The Who and the Beatles B-sides. Liked the title track, didn’t like the cat song. Not bad.
They really want to be the Beatles
Så mysigt och trevligt album. Verkligen uppskattat
A thoroughly charming, forward-thinking album. An early "concept album", The Kinks focus on their britishness and bring a delightful listen.
Det blev lynhurtigt baggrunds musik. Det gør ikke ret meget af sig.
Jeg tror jeg har det lidt med The Kinks som nogle mennesker har det med Radiohead. Måske ville jeg være idioten til en Kinks koncert der bare stod og ventede på at de spillede You Really Got Me, og ikke rigtig fattede deres andre sange. Altså noget af det er da okay. Men det når bare ikke rigtig de samme højder.
Really good! Charming, well-crafted songs, even if I do like Arthur more overall.
i've been waiting for this one! one of my favourite albums ever...easiest five stars yet
Fun Britpop album. "Picture Book" is definitely the genesis of Green Day's "Warning."
Another try at the Kinks and still not clicking for me. Enjoyable, but don't get it yet. *Heard before
This is peak high guy music if you've ever considered wearing clogs
I think I like this one better than I thought I would. 4 Stars
Enjoyed, kinda Beatles like
Meh. I didn't hate this, but was glad when it was over.
- decent - clearly a big inspiration for Bug Club - slightly twee in places - mono mix slaps, stereo mix is whack - knew more songs than I expected
Didn’t know this what The Kinks were-less proto-punk, more pure melody. A bit saccharine, but a few really good tunes.
This Kinks album just isn't doing it for me! I'm not sure in what direction I should focus my complaints. This is clearly where the Kinks get more obviously British, more village countryside tongue-in-cheek, which as a (American) villager I can appreciate. I'm just a little bored by the arrangements, which feel a little constant, unrelenting, kind of "stock" for the period. Something I don't remember feeling about with "Arthur," which felt kind of bold in arrangements, alive. I feel we're nearly out of that stagnant, stock-Beatles period with them, and all this album makes me want to do is put their later work on. I've gotta get a copy of "Arthur" for the record player. 2/5
Album is okay, but nothing that really struck me as amazing
всё время забываю что они древние и мелодичные (как и про бич бойз забываю). пока не ложится на душу, просто милые
2.3 Tough listening to be honest. 60s kinks just always feel like pale imitations of the Beatles. This was no different.
Still stinks but not as much as their other albums. Wasn't hard to finish
meh
I like The Kinks but this album didn't really evoke anything in me. I didn't mind listening to it but I also didn't save any music to come back to. Truly neutral.
Oh my gosh, this is just so boring...
2 didn't like
Nada que ver con la imagen que tenía de los Kinks. Disco muy Beatlelesco muy agradable. La pega es que no se me ha parecido ninguna canción memorable.
Better than Coldplay
A time capsule of its time, and doesn’t have much to offer today
I get the time period, but found the album quite immature in the lyrics.
This album felt deeply nostalgic and unmistakably English. The themes were sweet and the storytelling was charming, full of small details and gentle humor. It didn’t hit me emotionally, but I appreciated the way it painted its world. A soft listen with a strong sense of place.
Yes, Jesse, I remember.
Super fun album. I got strong Beatles, Bob Dylan and Radiohead vibes. There were a few tracks I didn't care for - they weren't bad, just didn't stand out. Overall loved it and really enjoyed listening to it.
S’ok!
This was alright - didn't blow me away but was decent.
Classic album. Some great songs and some filler
Love the Kinks but this is one of my least favorites.
Finally listening to this album. I have been meaning to dig into it for years - I came of age during the 90s British indie era, and this album has been on my radar ever since. And it turns out that I don't like it that much. I can hear a lot of Blur in this (especially the vocals) and Neil Hannon is obviously a devotee. It just doesn't scratch that itch in my brain. It's whimsical when I needed it to go deeper, and predictably when I wanted it to go weirder. This reaction is absolutely on me. Maybe if I had encountered it during the 90s I would have loved it.
Loved this, the whole thing throigh
El tercer tema se lo robaron a Green Day
Aguante de kinks papaaaaaaaa
No
Me gusto eh, bastante interesante una mezclita copada de rock indie con algo de pop? Tiene un sonido similar a Creedence y eso me agrada
Poco kinky para llamarse the kinks No tengo ningún highlight sobre los temas, lo escuché en el auto y meh
I only heared couple of songs from The Kinks before. I like this. It's for albums like this one I have entered this challenge. This is a good stuff.
It’s good! The type of 60s music I love. Silly and catchy and fun. Reminds me a lot of Stgt pepper from the Beatles. I like the kinks, they have the whimsy that I crave. A fun album that goes by quickly. I wanted to keep listening by the time it was through.
I want to move to rural England after listening to this. 8/10
So British!
Always loved the Kinks.
Started out completely forgettable and got increasingly irritating
not my thing 2/5
They sound very similar to the Beatles.
Maybe the Kinks best album. Ray Davis is awesome. Great concept album.
3 1/2 Stars: Has the upbeat, earworm of Beatle-like pop of the era, but lacks the overall depth and polish. Still a lot of fun to listen to. Can't beat a full album of 2 minute pop ditties.
This one is definitely a rollercoaster and will probably benefit from additional listens down the road. It starts off amazing, sputters toward the middle, then casually drops a couple of amazing songs in between before it finally fizzles. Still, you can’t accuse Ray Davies of being boring, as he throws all sorts of styles into his mod rock blender and makes it sound pretty incredible and prescient for 1968. Even the Beatles, at the height of their experimentation, couldn’t hit the same consistency as the Kinks are here. It’s just not always consistently great.
Expectation: Yet another 60s brit album. Result: This is a good album.
I wasn't incredibly impressed, nothing was exciting or very interesting about it.
This was ok
Pretty boring
It's a pretty accessible folk/rock pop album, but I didn't find it that noteworthy. I believe it has more of an historic role, being considered by some the first concept album, and being pretty ahead of its time back when it was released. By now though, while an easy listen, they don't sound particularly different or innovative. This doesn't mean it's a bad record by any means, I just didn't find it to be a landmark record. Maybe it deserves an extra star when listened in more detail? The singing it pretty good, the backing vocals were particularly interesting and well delivered. They sound pretty good, they mix songs that are catchy and energetic with more slow folk ones. This works well, specially because the album isn't that long, so it's a easy and quick listen. Thematically, they approach it with a sort of nostalgic take on English culture, mixed with some satire to make it more interesting. It's mostly about what they miss about small village life and how modernity changes these things. Also love, their friends, and a cat. It works mostly, and he writes some interesting songs that remain somewhat relevant today. In terms of songs, I liked how experimental they get in "Sitting By The Riverside", "Animal Farm" was pretty nice too, and "The Village Green Preservation Society" is a good opener, though a bit over the top. Also, "Phenomenal Cat", because it's about a cat, and because it's so weird and whimsical it's nice they decided to go there. I also found "People Take Pictures of Each Other" pretty funny, even more so because I'm a photographer.
Finally, some folk rock that is not Bob Dylan or Beck that I like. These guys feel like an amalgamation of a lot of popular 60s music trends, Beatles-style pop rock, folk rock and a little psychedelic thrown in for good measure. Wes Anderson loves this band. These are all relatively short songs. The more folksy the songs, the worse they are. And the more psychedelic they are, even worse. It's an uneven effort.
I've heard lots of good things about this album and people hail it as a blueprint for what Britpop would become. I can certainly see its influence on the likes of Blur, Ocean Colour Scene and Supergrass. I thought it was a lot of fun and broadly in a Beatles wheelhouse but it's always a bit harsh trying to compare other 60s beat pop with their titanic influence. The Kinks were clearly very very good at being what they were themselves. There were plenty of songs that wormed their way into my head and are still stuck there, days later. Ray Davies' delivery works perfectly with the sort of dry wit and mildly absurdist commentary on British life, and there are plenty of fine melodies crammed into what felt like both an eclectic mixture of songs and a flowing, well-constructed, complete LP.
The Kinks are one of the great chroniclers of mid 20th century British society. Wonderful!
Meh.. Prefer their few big hits. Sounds very Beatles wanna be.
Kinks are underrated. I should listen to more of them.
Love this proto concept album
Geiles Album, Titelsong und All of my Friends were there sind die geilsten Songs
Easy listen
I like The Kinks. They played a big part not just in shaping Heavy Metal and Britpop (whatever that might be), but also in pioneering the concept album — and they managed most of that within their first five years. I’m not entirely convinced that the so-called ‘quintessential Englishness’ they get labelled with ever actually existed, but that just shows how great their storytelling was, as well as their songwriting. This album nails their essence. Clever gits.
Off the cuff remark: The Kinks have some outstanding pop tunes. Yet at times on this album they sound like Monty Python as a serious pop band. That's a compliment. Standout track: Do You Remember Walter - equal parts funny and poignant. Revisit?: Yes.
10/10 - The Kinks have got to be one of the most significant rock bands of all time, it’s such a shame that they never got as famous as their peers (Beatles, Rolling Stones), because they are just as talented and prolific
My white whale. I have been trying to find this on vinyl, but to no avail. The Kinks being blacklisted in the U.S. is the only thing keeping this group from being discussed on the same level as Beatles and Stones. This is their masterpiece - among many tremendous albums.
Buen álbum, no esta nada mal.
I like the music like I do most of The Kinks output - it's unpretentious and highly competent and more often than not thoughtful and jaunty. Where I hit a wall here is in the concept: it presents as an examniation of old England - beautifully realized in the lyrics - but try as I might to find some deeper commentary on the fallacy of golden era nostalgia, I keep coming up empty. After a few listens I'm forced to accept that it's totally unironic, and the nostalgia here is meant solely for indulgence. And I think I'd rather rub sandpaper over my eyeballs than listen to geezers wheeze about how much better things were back then.
Uncompromisingly British - far more so than their Liverpudlian contemporaries. I like songs on this album well enough (the title track, Picture Book, Village Green), however, the concept is laid on just a bit too thick for my liking - Preservation of traditional British life is good, erosion of the village green is bad. Obviously this was a far more resonant issue at the time of release. Today, the battle for the village green has been fought and lost five times over, replaced by the 21st century’s favourite pastimes: going viral on social media and obsessing over the latest Marvel. But to the album: It’s really well conceived, and executed to great effect most of the time. There’s just far too much whimsy and nostalgia on offer for me to fully relate to and enjoy the music. It’s oversentimental; that’s the whole point - I know. But I still don’t like it. ⭐️⭐️ (P.S - As a rule, I don’t love songs about trains)
British in the very best way
Alright British invasion rock. If that's the style your into, no disappointments, fits right in
Potentially the most British sounding album I’ve ever heard. Pretty campy stuff. I do like a lot of their later stuff but this album is a little too goofy for my taste.
It was fine. Nothing earth shattering.
Not exactly sure why this album is on this list. Not particularly noteworthy and rather boring.
This one didn't land. Just not enough anything to keep me engaged.
Better than the last kinks album
Some stuff was dated, some stuff was alright. Not their best or my favorite stuff but solid.
Prima album, weer eens iets ouders.
Much more interesting than anything else going on at the time in my opinion. I've been given Beatles and Stones albums already. This tops them
A comedy of an album, that doesn’t touch their self titled album. Last of the steam powered trains, is the standout song, and Do you remember Walter? and Monica, have replay ability, but the rest of the album I could probably never hear again quite happily.
Never really knew much by The Kinks, but this was a good start. Biggest enemy is themselves; this album is very British Invasion and they deserve their dues.
I like it. It’s kinda folky, different. Easy to listen to. Nostalgic. Like the reviewer said, it nostalgic for a world that maybe never existed, excepted in Rays mind.
New to me. Good early but found myself getting bored by the end
I dig the Kinks but this album felt long. Like every time I listened. Multiple times over multiple days. Usually albums grow on me. TVGPS might be a smaller dose album for me. Makes sense tho that they didn't become a global sensation band but rather a cult favorite. There's always like this underlying art school vibe VS straight up Beatles or Stones -ness. Not a bad thing, just maybe trickier to sustain for the long haul? Too much of a good thing? Idk. I'll just say it's not my favorite Kinks album.
6/10
shockingly, this kind of bounced right off me! it's difficult to even put a finger on Why. it's almost tempting for me to pretend that i have some objection to the lyrical content (it's fairly easy to read this kind of romanticization of an idealized past as conservative or even fascist (when people talk about Preserving merry old engerland nowadays, they mean something very specific and quite ugly)), but firstly, it's not like problematic lyrical content has ever Stopped me before (see my glowing write-up on lust for life two days ago), and secondly, i don't think it's even a particularly fair reading. i'm very much inclined to give the benefit of the doubt here. sure, it's something the record is clearly Evocative of, or at least, it's something the record kept evoking to My ear, but it's certainly not what the damn thing is actually About. so if it's not the lyrics, then what's wrong with it? the answer's probably "nothing." it literally Just bounced off of me. maybe it'll click later. maybe it won't. who knows. who Cares. it don't gotta be complicated. it don't gotta say something. it's just music. it's ONLY music.
This was a really fun one.
1. Picture Book 2. Wicked Annabella 3. Do You Remember Walter
forgettable early English rock
Quirky and entertaining without being too twee. Great mix of drolly amusing songs, nice melody, and all-out rockers. Only All My Friends Were There tips things into sounding like a novelty record. I probably prefer this to Sgt Pepper.
The most important British band of this era with their most textured and deep album. Miles and mile more interesting than their better known peers. Hugely influential.
Awesome
Beatles album but worse
This is a classic Kinks Album. Very much in the "Beatles" style that was driving a lot of groups at the time. Best Songs The Village Green Preservation Society Picture Book
Everybody wanna make their own Sgt. Pepper but not everybody should make their own Sgt. Pepper. Not saying this album is bad, there's a couple songs I liked, but I don't see myself listening to this again.
Jeh, good
Idk somewhere between a 3 and 4 I like the kinks they’re cool just never loved em
The Beatles meet Jack Stauber. Delightful :) (I had previously rated this 5* but had to knock it down out of gut instinct, it's still incredibly charming but in a very kitsch box-of-sweets way)
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ripoff
Another disc I own. This is a very English records with a set of songs that seemed just right for the time, you can see how it influenced bands that followed like XTC. Almost seems like a Ray Davies concept album all quite consistently good even if there are no real bangers on this one. 3.5/5
not my favorite, but ii had fun listening to it! my favorite was do you remember walter?
I do appreciate the irony, but not so much the music here.
Love it
I really enjoy a lot of Kinks songs. I had never listened to this album in its entirety. This album is older than me but it still has a freshness and doesn't sound nearly as dated as it should. Nearly every song on the album is around 3 minutes or less which is how a good pop song should be. The title track was great, a welcomed addition to my Kinks collection. "Walter" was a rollickingly fun track. Everyone knows "Picture Book", it's still in ads and soundtracks. Is Ringo playing on "Wicked Annabella"!? While I enjoyed giving this a listen I'm not sold on the need to have it included in the Top 1001. One hit song, some good listen counts, but nothing I'd say was revolutionary or super influential. It's consistent and solid but not a huge standout in my estimation. 2.5-3 stars.
Great vibes similar to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones with a touch of Grease!
This gave Oasis vibes before their time, it was fun!
A little bit repetitive but the vibe is just too good
Jangly guitar melody pop. Pleasant enough just not stunning.
It’s ok
The Village Green Preservation Society 3.4 Do You Remember Walter 3.3 Picture Book 3.5 Johnny Thunder 3.5 Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 3.7 Big Sky 3.6 Sitting by the Riverside 3.6 Animal Farm 3.4 Village Green 3.6 Starstruck 3.8 Phenomenal Cat 3 All of My Friends Were There 3.3 Wicked Annabella 3.5 Monica 3.3 People Take Pictures of Each Other 3.4 Score: 3.46
What was in the water in 1968? White Album, Big Pink, Nashville Skyline, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. Everyone started trading their acid for low-potency weed and fashioning themselves as earthy and traditional. With the exception of the White Album, this album is better than all of those IMO. What a treat to be given a reason to revisit this one. Village Green is a stone cold classic. It takes a lot of balls to veer into this direction and take such an anachronistic point of view. It shouldn’t work, it shouldn’t have aged well, but oh man. Even on the title track, for how arcane the references are, the feeling and the desire to save the obscure ephemera of one’s youth from disappearing is real and timeless. I can live without a song or two but nearly every track just puts a smile on my face. Like, how funny is it to be in a rock band in the late 60s and write a song called “Animal Farm”, and it turns out to be a sincere song how sick it would be to live a simple life on an animal farm. Britpop wouldn’t have existed without this one IMO.
Pretty good. The Kinks are interesting songwriters. But when I want to listen to the snark that they always have, I'd rather put on Lola Vs Powerman.
It's easy to overthink these things. In the grand scheme of things, TKATVGPS does nothing particularly innovative, when their peers - perhaps - were redefining what an album could be, and how it could be made. There is a concept here, which boils down to little more than a prevailing sense of nostalgia throughout, but the simple fact is that this album has endured without the whistles and bells of it's contemporaries on the strength of it's songs. And that is perhaps, all that is needed. Fabulous stuff.
I have a soft spot for this album. Listening to it this time, I can’t say I remember why I have a soft spot for it. But I do.
I usually listen to every album twice before reviewing and rating. I've had this on rotation for a good week as I try to wrap my head around the many standout tracks and gems. The production is a little shaky - the album starts with vocals in only the right ear, and there's a few 'creepy' songs (for some reason typical of 60s rock albums), but this is otherwise a very solid pop record with one banger after another.
Love how much I have listened to The Kinks, keeps getting better!
Mixed feelings on it. It’s good but definetly dated to its era. Will have to give it a few more listens.
Few strong songs here at the beginning, particularly enjoyed The Village Green Preservation Society, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains and Picture Book. However, felt the rest of the album petered off toward the end.
I'd never heard this before, but started to appreciate it after 2 listens. It's clearly influenced by Sergeant Pepper though this is just as loose a theme for a concept album is that is. Would I rather listen to Sergeant Pepper? Not necessarily. But I do think this needs more time to grow on me!
Aka Wes Anderson music. Iconic and seminal and appreciate what it means
An undeniable, stone cold classic
Really enjoyed listening to this!
All round good listen, I just don’t really get the Kinks, they just feel like a less interesting version of the Beatles.
Really enjoyed this for the most part. Got a bit tired of the concept by the end so didn’t quite hit 4
Bom álbum! Truthear Zero:Red.
It was fine, but I listened with it in the background and nothing really stood out to me. I could give another listen later, but there's little to draw me back in
Woof, I love a handful of The Kinks songs, but this album didn't contain any of them. Difficult to get through.
It’s fine. I much prefer Arthur or the Decline. Some basic Brit 60’s rock.
A very high 4 star
Buen album rock británico. Es medio q una colección de canciones medio random pero onda whimsical, me recuerdan un poquitín a revolver. Por lo general los banco y están divertidos, especialmente PICTURE BOOK pero hay montón de temas lindos. Worth revisitar definitivamente. Otros temas que banco: Last of the Steam-Powered Trains: por ser medio bluesy y tener un riff bien pegadizo (y solo de harmónica), All of My Friends Were There: la melodía de la voz en el chorus, Village Green, Sitting by the Riverside, Wicked Annabella: el mix es re interesante y como distorsionado y la voz tiene algún tipo de modulación que añade a la atmósfera. Phenomenal Cat: weird ahh song pero funny y linda. DO YOU REMEMBER WALTER? temón. Y me gusta la onda de recordar el pasado nostálgicamente y tipo el what could be.
Dit is hoe de Beatles klinken voor mensen die niet fan zijn van de Beatles
Released, tragically, the same year as The White Album. This is a jangly, plaintive record that would sound more like modern folk than the brash rock of You Really Got Me, the utter cheek of Lola or the (later) danceable Come Dancing. It's still a solid record. Some folks I respect greatly consider this their favourite album. I doesn't get close for me. There's a concept album here, if you want to listen closely to Ray Davies' music. I could take or leave it. Ultimately, a profoundly pleasant listen and likely the sound of a band reconnecting with their roots (parallel to the theme of the album), but not all of us are compelled through a record by its literary content. Some days, this album is a 3/5 and sometimes it's a 4/5 for me. I'm settling on 4, if only because I'd rather people discover this than the fucking Arctic Monkeys.
Fun late 60s addition by The Kinks, with the Standouts being Village Green, Picture Book, Last Of The Steam Powered Trains, and Wicked Annabella.
It's a meh for me. I feel it's like second-hand Beatles.
Good listen, enjoyable and found the theme throughout quite interesting. Love the steam train mention gotta shout out public transit fr
The best kind of weird! Classic Kinks
My primary exposure to The Kinks is their “Kinks” album, so this was not what I expected. The album opens like a tribute to (copy of?) Sgt. Pepper, so listeners in 1968 may have been forgiven for quickly passing summary judgement on this one. If I didn’t know I was listening to a Kinks album (and have a reasonable grasp of the Beatles catalog), it would be easy to mistake “Picture Book” as a lesser known Beatles song. Fortunately, “Johnny Thunder” starts to turn a corner, and by “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains” they are finally in their own lane. Which is to say, at least here, somewhere between The Beatles and The Who. For my part, I guess I wish there were a little less harpsichord and a few more rock’n’roll tracks like “Wicked Annebella”, or blues-rock tracks like “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”.
Ray Davies is such a damn fantastic writer he made me care about a bygone England
1. The Village Green Preservation Society - 7 Very good opening track. Lyrics are a bit random and all over the place but the sound is good and the lyrics are what I've come to expect from The Kinks so they don't feel unnatural on this track. Really good sound from the time. 2. Do You Remember Walter? - 7 Lyrically a very fun track. Sounds great and flows very well too. 3. Picture Book - 7 Classic 60s British rock sound. The album is building itself to that era of sound we are so used to hearing through bands like The Beatles. It makes you wonder why The Beatles were so popular but The Kinks arguably were not from the time given the similarities between the sound. 4. Johnny Thunder - 6 Little bit more of a pass over track than the opening three. Still sounds great but the song feels more rigid in flow and the lyrics aren't anything phenomenal that gets you hooked on it. All around, just ok. 5. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains - 7 Instrumentally this is so enjoyable. Lyrics are solid as well. Just a great track. The drum on this is way more prominent. Bridge builds into sounding like a train and it almost immediately reminds me of the Aerosmith track that came about a decade later. 6. Big Sky - 4 The intro before the first verse is outstanding and overall instrumentally this is a fantastic track. Lyrically it's absolutely awful however. Half the verses are barely even signing, just a random monologue. Really wipes any enjoyment of the song out. 7. Sitting By the Riverside - 5 Very quick flash in the pan song. It uses sounds that give it a Parisian-type flair but it's really just a pass over track in the end. It's not bad but there's also nothing remarkable about it and not the sound we've come to enjoy from The Kinks previously in the album. 8. Animal Farm - 6 Second half of this track is much better than the first half but it just feels like another pass over track. More like the sound we're used to from The Kinks compared to the previous track however. 9. Village Green - 4 The tempo and pace feels like it changes twice over in the opening track both with the introduction of Daisy and the yearning for the village green. Because of this, it's hard to get a feel for where the track is heading or what even is going on within it. 10. Starstruck - 6 Better than the previous two tracks but not something you'd get star struck on. Overall it's a solid supplemental track to the album but it's not anything spectacular. I feel as if the solid tempo of the song makes it slightly more enjoyable than it would be otherwise or when compared to the rest of the album. 11. Phenomenal Cat - 1 Absolutely woeful track. It tries to be lighter in pace, sound, tempo, and vocals but it's a complete dud. The worst track on the album so far. 12. All of My Friends Were There - 3 A song that feels like you'd hear it at a Ren Faire but without anything in it that would actually make it a song you'd hear at a Ren Faire. The opening minute sounds great but the rest of the song just goes musically all over the place and back without a reason or a cause. 13. Wicked Annabella - 4 Another track that randomly changes and goes all over the place. Drumline on this is fantastic and you get a hint of that dirty guitar sound, which is quite nice but it cannot carry the song past the dreadful sounding vocals. 14. Monica - 4 Another pass over track. By the time you get used to the pace changes and vocal structure of this pretty chaotic track it fades out. That's not a disappointment in how short it is but just in how all over the place the track tends to be. 15. People Take Pictures of Each Other - 3 Fairly weak track to end the album on. This isn't overall a great song and the parts between the lyrics is horrendous sounding. Overall, not an enjoyable track. Average Rating: 4.9 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 2.45 Rounded Down: 2
Yeah it’s ok BUT it ain’t the Rolling Stones!
Good old school rock.
Some really good rock songs on this album that I hadn't heard before. Not the kind of rock I usually listen to since it often feels kind of dated. This album has a part of that but it still holds up good enough for me to enjoy it.
The Village Green Preservation Society - 5/5 Do You Remember Walter? - 5/5 Picture Book - 5/5 Johnny Thunder - 5/5 Last of the Steam-Powered Trains - 5/5 Big Sky - 5/5 Sitting by the Riverside - 4/5 Animal Farm - 5/5 Village Green - 4/5 Starstruck - 4/5 Phenomenal Cat - 3/5 All of My Friends Were There - 4/5 Wicked Annabella - 4/5 Monica - 3/5 People Take Pictures of Each Other - 4/5 Average score: 4.3/5 (rounding down) this was pretty good. started very strong and ended just a little weak favs: TVGPS, Picture Book, Big Sky, Animal Farm least favs: Phenomenal Cat, Monica
perfectly fine psych rock album (which truly isnt my genre anyways) but it's inoffensive
This is what the latter half of Beatles thought they were. Solid album. Super good
So pleasant and enjoyable. Definitely will listen to more from them
I’d really only heard The Kinks in Wes Anderson movies prior to this 😂 It was good, and a lot of fun!
Great collection of songs.
Imaginative and fun. Really enjoyed this album.
The first three songs are hitters, but the carnival aesthetic got kind of old around Sitting By The Riverside. 60s bands were really not afraid to be whimsical from time to time. There is a noticeable lack of whimsy in the music of today. The carousel-core gap in pop and rock has not been filled effectively since January 1, 1970 (excepting Mr. Blue Sky).
I’m ready to have the conversation that the Kinks made the best pop/rock music of the 1960s. Dead serious. This beats any Beatles pre-drugs/musical experimentation. Everyone else like the Byrds, the Hollies, CCR doesn’t stand a chance against the Kinks. I’m surprised that the Kinks aren’t super popular today since I think their music holds up well
nettes banales Feelgood-Album
Cheerful with depressing lyrics. Very "take me back to the old days" ironically. Pretty cool for its era though
Some catchy songs, particularly in the first half. Two listens was ideal but not sure I want to have it on repeat.
It wasn't as BAD as I thought it would be, but still. What is this beatles/beach boys-sounding genre called? Grandma pop? I hate it. wanna put "I hate [genre name]" on a t-shirt. hate it
Went in with high expectations but still enjoyed
he can sing. Not the most recognisable voice but still a nice tone. He could do emotive delivery within his relatively narrower vocal range. The album itself is just ok. The 2/4 lilts in The Village Green Preservation Society remind me of some march-like patriotic rhythms. The phenomenal cat’s intro sounds like Tom and Jerry. I can’t tell if I like it or not, it’s just an observation. I have a very neutral feeling about this album, I define this as a perfect three.
Honestly I was into this an a lot more than I thought it’d be. Saved 4 songs and did an extra half listen. Very upbeat and enjoyable. I might have to make a gardening playlist now.
listened to this on Friday, by Monday morning I am already kinda forgetting this album. it wasn't bad to listen to, but it wasn't memorable in my opinion. i remember a lot of things about photographs... but thats really it
It was alright, but nothing really stood out to me. Can’t remember it so well.
Fun in some spots but didn’t stick with me too much.
There’s distinctions between The Kinks and The Beatles, but there were moments on this album that felt like it was a straight up copy of The Beatles sound. I can’t tell if that’s just the way British rock sounded in the 60s, or if they were looking to capitalize on Beatlemania. Decent album, couple songs I’ll go back to. Pretty sure we’ll eventually listen to each album that has a song Apple has featured in their commercials.
The Kinks are nice. These songs are nice. This album was nice.
I quite like The Kinks, even though I think this is their first al in I’ve listened to in full; I know them mostly from their hits. Very catchy album overall, but it still sounds very much of the time.
Loved it, just like every The Kings recorde
Catchy and fun album, did enjoy 😁 Fav tracks: Johnny Thunder, Big Sky, The Last of the Steam-Powered Train
Yeah I just didn’t like this at all.
Decent, pleasant album with a distinct late 60s sound. It sounded a lot like The Beatles at times, though.
A sound that didn’t change through the decades.
Too boring, too British.
Holy cow 2 hours and 45 minutes. Some of that is live versions and different mixes...but a ton of music here. That said....this is about as generic 60s music as it gets. No songs that really stick out and make me feel like this is a hit. If you like the stereotypical 60s music sound (Beatles, Monkeys, etc) this will be right up your alley. If it's not...this is a lot of music that you won't enjoy. It's fine. Not sure that this is an album that anyone NEEDS to hear before they die. But definitely sounds like a very specific decades music.