Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

My kinks include, but aren't limited to: Ass licking Amputees Getting my balls stamped on GILFS Gorillas Smearing my shit into the eyes of my sister Getting my feet tickled Wearing a jacket made of toast and leaping off a diving board onto an angry sea lion. BBW gangbangs Dave Davies' solo work

I've said this before, and been threatened and abused for saying it, but I'll say it again. Ray Davies is a better songwriter than Lennon & McCartney.

This is where the Kinks start making all types of sense to me. A perfect definition of weird and wonderful. Loved all of it. Mr Churchill Says (absolutely cracking bridge), Nothing to Say and Plastic Man are the big highlights. His voice on Mindless Child of Motherhood is amazing.. Actually just his voice in general is crazy-weird-good-can't-explain-it at times. The Kazoo attack at the end of Hat Like is hilarious. Shangri-La, Yes Sir No Sir and Some Mother's Son are pretty sad. Some of the Stereo versions really bring them to life with headphones on, especially Plastic Man.

This is glorious. Biting social commentary with uplifting tunes.

What an album. Every song expertly crafted, lyrically poignant. Taking the time and attention to appreciate each songs individual charms and then how each on fits within the tapestry of the albums entirety. Brilliant!

The Kinks were on fire in the late 60s, god damn. An album criticizing Britain from the most British band to ever exist? That's my kink. Almost like a really really early "Let England Shake" by PJ Harvey (also really good and also on this list, by the way). Best songs: "Australia", "Shangri-La", "Victoria".

What a helluva album. A lot of fun, a fully realized concept, interweaving serious themes, and captivating me the whole time; That's a success! Rarely, I think, does an album get me so excited while listening but fuck, The Kinks did it here.

Top notch album by the best British Invasion pop group. Victoria is a banger of a song, and the concept of the album never gets in the way of it's enjoyability.

Very witty lyrics. Definitely a lot of references to war and being under the Queens rule vibe. I nearly thought that Sir Paul McCartney was in this band. Someone influenced someone.

At some point, it becomes hard to judge these early, folksy-sounding white guy rock albums because there's just so many of them. They all start to sound the same at some point so it begs the question - was this sound so instrumental to the formation of music that they have to appear on this list more than almost any other genre? Also, I guess I've had a different impression of The Kinks all these years because I thought more of their music would sound like You Really Got Me & Lola. Anyway, the record is fine. There are some good songs, like Australia and Some Mother's Son. But there's far too many albums like this on the list.

Could we please have The Kinks every week?

Rich and exceptionally well conceived and executed, each song stands on it's own merits while still contributing to the larger themes. Great melodies, kicking arrangements, humor and pathos, this album stands as a rocking testament to the Kinks' contributions to the genre. Having only ever heard Victoria prior to this listen, the album hit me from out of left field. I've never been so happy to get beaned!

This took a few listens for me to truly appreciate, but over the course of those listens, I became a bigger and bigger fan of this album. In classic concept album style, the songs weave together and tell the story of Arthur and his experience in a post-war Britain. There's so much to enjoy here - the bombastic opener 'Victoria', the cheeky, Beatles-esque 'Yes Sir, No Sir', the highly energetic and catchy 'Shangri-La', just to name a few. This is quality 60's pop rock, and is well worth several listens.

For a concept album, it has to be one of the best I’ve heard. I’m a sucker for these kinds of albums and the storyline kept me involved all throughout my listen.

What a fucking tune Victoria is.

Right off the bat, I love this album from first listen. As a The Kinks album, it’s amazing. As a part of 60’s British Invasion, it’s amazing. As a part of music as a whole and regarding its influence on future artists and records, it’s amazing. Everything about this record, from the silly tunes to the introspective lyrics, is amazing. The last record that made me genuinely feel this much emotion was In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. I started to realize what this album was all about during Yes Sir, No Sir, and it hit hard. Some Mother’s Son then really drove the point forward, offering some truly heartbreaking and poetic lyricism. The rest of the record continued to provide deep, clever words with easily digestible and lovable tunes. I also love almost any concept album, if it’s done right. It’s usually so creative and daring and offers true meaning to the record and what the artist is trying to convey. The Kinks have proven themselves not only remarkable in the landscape of British rock but also capable of doing their own thing and being even more daring and creative than their contemporaries.

A few classics but a not as magnificent as Village Green. Probably unfair as it's great but just not perfect [EDIT - easily upgraded to a 5* at the second opportunity. Hundreds of albums into this project, you can't be quibbling over the quality of something like this. Arthur has grown to be one of my favorite Kinks songs, and Ray Davies is undisputedly a genius blending the best qualities of Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan while entirely original and fucking hard as nails. England's finest songwriter? Dave Davies is up there with its finest guitarists to boot]

“She’s Bought a Hat” is like Sgt Peppers remixed for a Monty Python fanfic. I started just humoring this, but by golly, by the end I loved it. Not everyone can reinvent pop music like the Beatles; this takes a lot of inspiration from that group and shines with its own voice and whimsy.

Beginning was meh, middle had some decent songs then I lost interest towards the end again. It may have been a better effort at the time, there was depth to some of their songs but it weren't for me. 2*

Wow. That was fun. The Kinks are a band that fly a little under the radar. In this album, I've heard ideas repeated in System of a Down and of course Blur, to name a few. Why weren't they more popular or why did they not stay in the public eye as the Beatles and the Stones did? I guess a solid 4 for being the source of influences for so many more modern bands. EDIT: this is proto-punk -> 5/5

Oh yeah, un autre classique! Je me souviens clairement de la première fois que je l’ai écouté: ça fait presque 4 ans jours pour jours, je venais de rentrer à l’UQÀM et j’étais en plein dans ma phase prog rock. Mon prof du cours d’introduction au design (On t’aime, Sylvain!) nous avait demandé de créer des pochettes d’albums vinyles pour notre premier projet. Pour nous inspirer, ils nous a apporté des vinyles de sa jeunesse: King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Genesis, bref, c’était en plein dans mes goûts. Après le cours, on a dû jasé de prog pendant un bon 20 minutes, et j’en suis ressorti avec pas mal de suggestion, donc (roulement de tambour)…Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). Ouf, sacré intro, pis j’ai même pas parlé de l’album encore! Faque, c’est un album concept, pis le concept est pas mal explicitement écrit dans le titre, mais genre faut que tu connaisse ton histoire britannique du 19e et de la première moitié du 20e siècles. En gros, les différentes chansons agissent comme de petites leçons d’histoire d’évènements majeurs qui ont ébranlé les fondations de l’Empire Britannique, la menant à son effondrement social et culturel lors de l’après-guerre (qu’on a toujours dans le cul aujourd’hui) Cette grande Histoire est raconté du point de vue du peuple anglais, qui est à la fois spectacteur et acteur de ses évènements. On altèrne chronologiquement d’un soldat dans les tranchés vers une publicité qui vante les mérites de s’installer dans la belle colonie Australienne. Si tu dézoom, c’est plutôt assez du doomerisme-nationaliste comme concept d’album, des dudes qui pleurent sur l’effondrement de leur bel Empire colonial et la fin de leur période de toute puissance sur le monde. Ça le serait, sauf que TOUT l’album se passe dans la tête d’Arthur et de ses souvenirs du début du 20e siècle, qui est lui-même une metaphore pour représenter la soeur de Ray Davis, le parolier du band. Bon, ok, mais crisse, je vais où avec toute ses infos-là? Je voulais juste dire que l’album te présente la grosse Histoire à travers une multitudes d’autres petites histoires, qui reforme au fil du temps l’histoire de ta propre vie. Ça, c’est ce que j’appel un album concept, baby

I wish this had been generated on the weekend, I’d throw my original pressing of this record on my turntable, sit back, relax and write a lengthy and more in depth review. I’d probably follow up Arthur with Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround or Muswell Hillbillies and maybe some select tracks from Preservation. The point is, there are very few bands who had a run of albums as strong The Kinks did from 1966 to 1971. That they don’t get the same level of recognition as some of the other greats from their era is a disappointment to me, so I have no problem preaching the gospel of Ray and Dave Davies when given the opportunity. Maybe it’s because their songs weren’t quite as immediate or polished as their peers in the Beatles and the Stones, or because they didn’t have the same cultural impact in the US, but The Kinks’ well is deep. Much deeper, in fact, and worth returning to over and over. Some of their absolute greatest songs were only released as singles and didn’t appear on proper albums. Songs like “I’m Not like Everybody Else”, “Mindless Child of Motherhood”, “King Kong”, “Preservation”, “This Man, He Weeps Tonight”….like I said, the well is deep and exploring the bonus tracks on Arthur or picking up The Kink Kronikles or The Great Lost Kinks Album compilation albums on vinyl are more than worth your time if you like what you heard here. “Arthur” is probably their best record, though I am quite partial to “Lola…”. It goes toe-to-toe with anything The Beatles or Stones ever put out. You can be mad about that if you want, I don’t know what to tell you…it’s true.

I've owned and loved this record for 25 years. Hopefully I will get something I can explore soon.

Obviously a great album from a classic band. Though not one of their more highly appreciated albums, this is still a great album with some classics on it. The Kinks are often said to be the 'first punk band' and you can certainly hear elements that would eventually influence bands such as the Clash. The guitar parts in Australia come to mind. Lots of other interesting sounds mixed in as well. From the silly circus style music in "She bought a hat like princess marina," and some surf-rock like guitar mixed in elsewhere. I wouldn't call it a 'Rock Opera' in the same sense as Tommy for example, but it's still an interestingly tied together concept album. Favorite Songs: Victoria, Nothing to Say

Novo clássico. Álbum conceitual e história muito interessante. Destaque para Drivin' e Australia

I like the Kinks, but they are the most English of English bands, for the record so am I. So when in the mood it works for me but I can’t listen to them all the time because of it either. So I own all their albums between 64 to 72 and this is a favourite but don’t list to them anywhere as much as say The Beatles or Stones from the same time, still Ray David is a fantastic songwriter and today this is 4.5 Stars

I can forgive all the Europop horseshit because at least I got introduced to the Kinks

While I’ve never been a huge Beatles fan, this album made me realize that I do indeed like the Kinks more. There are so many great tunes on this album “Shangri-La”, “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marin” (with all its kazoo and washboard pageantry), and “Arthur”. They’re lyrics are fun, they’re hooks are amazing and they don’t lean too much into the lilting Britishness from the 60s that I struggle with.

Concept albums and rock operas are great when appreciated as a whole, but I think they are at their best when they can also be appreciated song by song. This is one of those. This is what Tommy wishes it could be. Just a really great album. The drumming on She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina is really good. I should get further into their music. Favorites were Victoria, Australia, Shangri-La, Mr. Churchill Says, and Nothing To Say.

great album I had never heard before. highlights include "Victoria" "Drivin'" "Shangri-La" "Mr. Churchill Says" "She's Bough a Hat Like Princess Marina" "Nothing to Say" "Arthur"

Interesting historical themes and a delight to listen to!

Concept Albums are my favourite concept!

As usual, I start an unfamiliar The Kinks excited and ready to rave, and I end it wondering what has eluded me. I enjoyed this, the opening is a banger and Australia’s outright is godly, yet I’m still not in love. There’ll surely be more opportunities in this list: I’ll try again.

Definitely one to revisit, and pay more attention to, especially the lyrics. A harder Beatles basically, with a cool concept. Catchy enough here and there

4.0 - Came to this one excited because I love Village Green Preservation Society. Great concept developed in the first 8 songs, which are lyrically amazing, catchy, bouncy and well produced. The Kinks come on facetious in a charming British way - there's a Monty Python feel here, reflected also with the album art. Standouts include: really, all of side A into "Shangri-LA" on the reverse side. After that, I felt an unexpected drop-off in quality. I don't know if I was burnt out or if the songs got worse, maybe both. In any case, the last 15 minutes are a bit of a letdown. All in all, I still like it a lot.

A concept album about a man losing his son whois moving to Australia at the fag end of the sixties?Typically great Ray Davies lyrics looking at the minutiae of life and pretty simply it also rocks. Best Tracks: Victoria, Brainwashed, Shangri-La

At the beginning of Victoria, the lead guitar part is echoed with delay in the opposite ear, which is a pretty neat sound. There are some moments on this album that remind me of The Beatles, like like the latter half of She’s Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina and Nothing To Say. If The Kinks hadn’t been banned from touring in the US for 4 years in the late 1960s during the height of the British Invasion, they might have been way bigger here. The Kinks are clearly British as they sing about countries of the British empire and Mr. Churchill. The song Australia drags on too long and I could do without Drivin’. This album grew on me. I was solidly in the 3 star camp, but after a third listen, I want to keep listening. So I’m keeping it in my library…for now. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The music was definitely solid. Maybe the narrative of this concept album hit a little more for the people of England in the 60’s, but I was born in New Jersey in the 90’s, so it didn’t quite resonate with me. Best Track: Some Mother’s Son

This album is pretty consistent and catchy. But since it’s 60s’ pop rock, it lacked some wow factor for me. Shargri-La is fantastic, though. It has these layered instrumental crescendos that I really like, but they’re uncommon in pop rock (they probably didn’t intend it to have that much distortion, though). 7/10

I can see the appeal, something a little too English for me

Nice easy listening - nothing too stand out but I enjoyed. I liked Australia and Shangri-La the best

There's something about The Kinks - not all songs - that seriously gets on my nerves. Songs like Drivin', for example, really get me in a bad mood. I think it is because of Ray Davis' vocals and the carnaval-esque sound. Many songs sound quite like Mont Python tunes but without the fun. Some Kinks songs are OK, on this album, Victoria, for example, but it's all too inconsistent. I'd give it a 2 but they were influential and have a signature sound. A generous 3 then.

Sends off early goofy Beatles vibes, but shallower somehow. Mellow easy listening, absolutely no standouts. 2.5 stars.

Yet another white boy rock critic cult classic... an overlooked gem of 1960s pop / rock opera, just like soooo many others we have reviewed as part of 1001 albums. I mean, it's pleasant enough (by design), but part of Dimery's obsessions with the (1960s) Kinks. I have not enjoyed any of the other Kinks studio albums on the list so far. I find the album tracks. But I hit a patch in the middle of this record where I really started diggin' the listening experience (especially the run of Brainwashed / Australia / Shangri-La). They were pumping out some recent 60s rock there. Great tunes and muscular performance. This cottage-scale rock opera is less ambitious than, say, Tommy, but it is also far less pompous and batshit crazy then most rock operas, which is something of a relief. There are too many 60s Kinks albums on this list, but this is the one most to my taste. That said, as an Australian living in the 21st century, I find Ray Davies' wistful nostalgia for a bygone England just a bit irrelevant and hard to connect to, so it's a bit of a non-committal shrug from me. I would still tend to recommend to any new listener to track down a compilation of the Kinks' 60s singles rather than any individual album. Now, _that's_ a great listen.

It was pretty sweet even though I didn't really think any song stood out

bit twee

By the second song I found myself surprisingly thinking "This is like a Beatles record written by Ringo!"  That's not a bad thing at all though. This sort of music hall /novelty aspect makes it sound really different from the rest of the music produced at the time, at least to my ears.  OK, there is a little bit of Paul as well.  All in all, a very British record with its own references and probably idiosyncrasies, which makes it a bit harder for me to get fully into it as, for obvious reasons, I lack the cultural background. 

While The Kinks is not really underrated, they're obviously overshadowed by their peers. And like the big names such as The Beatles and The Stones, The Kinks also went beyond the usual cheap pop-rock stuff and made daring albums later in their career. That is not really interesting or surprising. But the sound and the scope of "Arthur" certainly is. It's a concept album about war and politics in the UK. Interestingly, it was originally made as a soundtrack for a TV show, which was never aired. Aside from the tunes and the lyrics, the thing that fascinates me here is the fact that this "concept album" is so carefree and loose sounding. It sounds fun and light oftentimes. As of now, however, it didn't really stuck to me. It has a few stellar moments, especially in the instrumentals. But the tunes are ultimately forgettable for me. But I guess it's interesting enough for me to listen to it again.

This sounds like a real classic. No matter who you are, these songs are all very recognizable to anyone. Great album.

Not as good as Preservation Society, but some fun songs nonetheless. Davies LOVES TROMBONES

Kind of odd. Like listening to a Monty Python movie. Combo of The Beatles, The Doors, Benny Hill. Fun at times, but I could not listen to regularly I don't think.

The Kinks were really a singles band weren't they? None of those singles are on this album. I had to go almost half-way through the album to come to Brainwashed, a groovy garage number with a nice horn-line. Australia could have been alright if it was 2:50 instead of 6 interminable minutes and 46 seconds in change. It goes back to Jeeves and Wooster nonsense almost immediately after that (no shade on Jeeves and Wooster intended). Also the stereo image is a complete mess.

Such a pain to listen to. Not a single ear-worm, just the vocalists awful voice and uninspired music that I grow to dislike more with every additional listen. I do not understand the interest in the Kinks. The bar for "good rock band" must've been ankle high in the 60's.

No

Um I thought I lowkey liked the Kinks… I guess I don’t.

I wish I was one of those people who felt done with an album 3 songs deep, alas I am struck by an affliction that forces me to finish albums no matter how bad and boring they are I am currently halfway through but I need to vent by submitting my review now. No, the remaining half will not change my mind

Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire Overall 9.5/10 Good feel so far Up beat British Victoria is a great opener English Rock Yes Sir, No Sir is very good blend guitar peaks out perfect amount Overall the blend with instruments and vocals is well. 1969 Honestly just a happy album the SONGWRITING Is great They follow the Beatle queen vibe but do it in their way well Drums in She’s brought a hat like princess marina is fire Australia is also great The members of The Kinks when Arthur came out in October 1969 were the Davies brothers, Ray (vocals, guitar) and Dave (guitar), drummer Mick Avory, and new bassist John Dalton. John Dalton replaced founding bassist Pete Quaife, who left the band permanently in early 1969 Such a good closer too There was not a bad part of this album Although some parts could be made a bit better or just changed.

10/10

Staggeringly good album. I love the Kinks anyway but this is head and shoulders above anything they'd done to this point.

Still sounding great, I am a sucker for key/tempo changes and this has them in spades. Appreciated a couple of the slower songs a little more than my younger self did. Shangri-La still great but think the extended outro to Australia means it has been toppled as my creme de la creme here. Very British class consciousness, even the track listing can be seen as a comment on the class system, Victoria at the top, Arthur at the bottom.

Peak Ray Davies. Many would argue village green deserves those accolades, but for me Arthur encapsulated everything that was great about The Kinks. This album provides us with a wonderfully preserved snapshot of post-war Britain with its despairs, its imposed class structure, its regimented uniformity for the masses, and its dreams of escape to something better. One of the few concept albums which stand up as individual songs, it delivers an endless onslaught of wonderfully varied tracks, balancing the rock with the vaudevillian in a way that many others found difficult to achieve. For over 30 years it’s been firmly established as a go-to listen of mine. It’s never aged in that time. Fun, fun, fun. FFS, they even manage to effectively use a kazoo on “a hat like”! I could understand how a listener unfamiliar with the historical British references and social constructs of the age would find this album less accessible, and in that context the more experimental tracks might become grating, but as someone who “gets it”, this album scores an unquestionable maximum from me! Thank you Ray, you’ve given me so much lasting pleasure from this work of brilliance.

Simplesmente sensacional. Feliz em poder conhecer esse lado da carreira dos Beatles que eu não tinha ciência… Em um certo nível, Kinks e Beatles me parece uma “rivalidade” semelhante a Interpol e The Strokes: bandas contemporâneas com sons parecidos mas que uma fez sucesso e a outra fez muito sucesso (mas ambas excelentes). Dito isso, baita álbum com várias músicas muito boas. Yes Sir, no Sir me remeteu muito a Wings (acho que pelos metais), vibe indescritível! E se você não ficou com vontade de ir pra Australia no HINO do país, morreu por dentro. Com toda certeza vou salvar várias e ouvir mais vezes!

Classic by The Kinks. No mistakes here, 5 stars.

Briliant album. 10/10 Right off the bat. Was an interesting story through the British Empire from Queen Vicky to the Colonies and the many wars in the 20th centurary. Highly recommend a listen to this. Again 10/10.

Yes Sir, No Sir is a solid banger. Fantastic album.

This was great! There were times I got concerned with the music cause it was heading in a direction that I didn’t like, but they were quick to switch it up before it got to that point - what a wonderful surprise!

Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Kinks sind einfach dufte.

Great listen

Brilliant

I think this is my favorite Kinks album, it has the most of their English shtick that I love. It’s an album that not only I enjoy from start to end but it also influences a ton of music I love decades after. Listening back through their stuff, I think Kinks might be in my top 3 of 60s bands. 26th perfect album, 854 albums in. Rating: 5.0

The kinks are right up there with the who as far as I'm concerned. One of the Great British bands of all time. This album is proof. Every song on here is well crafted and well written. Four and a half Stars but I will give it five because four is too low.

By 1969, The Kinks had achieved something few bands ever do: four consecutive albums — from Face to Face through Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) — that capture the full flowering of a singular creative voice. And what a finale this is. From the moment “Victoria” explodes out of the speakers, followed by the sharp and sardonic “Yes Sir, No Sir,” you know you’re in the presence of peak Ray Davies — where melody, satire, and melancholy coexist in glorious disorder. Ostensibly inspired by the Davies brothers’ sister and her husband Arthur, who had emigrated to Australia, the album uses their story to frame a larger reflection on Britain itself: its class system, its nostalgia, its quiet disappointments. “Australia” is both hopeful and faintly mocking, a dream of escape that already sounds worn at the edges. The emotional centerpiece, though, is “Shangri-La” — a stunning, orchestrated portrait of working-class aspiration and entrapment. Critics accused Davies of sneering at his subjects, but the song is far too beautiful, too deeply felt, for that. Its shifting structure — gentle balladry giving way to aggression, then back to bittersweet calm — shows a songwriter in complete control of his craft. Even the album’s concept carries a quiet irony: the decline of the British Empire told through the life of a man named Arthur, echoing the mythic King Arthur himself. Not everything lands — “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina” veers off course — but by then, Davies has already secured his place among the greats. Arthur stands as one of The Kinks’ crowning achievements: humane, melodic, and quietly devastating — the sound of a band capturing the soul of a fading England, one perfect bridge and la-la chorus at a time.

"Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" is a 1969 concept album by The Kinks. It tells a story that uses the life of an ordinary working-class man as a metaphor for the sweeping changes in post-war Britain and the end of the British Empire. It follows in a consecutive line of excellent Kinks studio albums that starts with "Face to Face" in 1966 and arguably ends with "Lola Versus Powerman and the Money-go-round, Part One" in 1970. The key tracks are "Victoria", "Some Mother's Son", and "Shangri-La" but "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" should really be listened to as a whole, as "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". The album's quality overcame its commercial weaknesses, it had no major hits and the artwork failed to capture its brilliance. Nevertheless, for me it just warrants a five star rating, which is, admittedly, influenced by love of The Kinks' catalogue. Side one 1 "Victoria" (5/5) 2 "Yes Sir, No Sir" (4/5) 3 "Some Mother's Son" (5/5) 4 "Drivin'" (4/5) 5 "Brainwashed" (5/5) 6 "Australia" (5/5) Side two 1 "Shangri-La" (5/5) 2 "Mr. Churchill Says" (5/5) 3 "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina" (4/5) 4 "Young and Innocent Days" (5/5) 5 "Nothing to Say" (4/5) 6 "Arthur" (4/5) Total - 55 Average - 4.58 140/1001 72/140 albums reviewed were new to me.

A true masterpiece

Awesome album. Lots of war references which I need to unpack. Will buy and listen again.

Went into this not knowing anything about it other than Victoria, so I was pretty surprised that it lives up to Village Green. So many great songs on here, and good exploration of different styles. I never really appreciated how heavy their music was, for the time. Will definitely be revisiting this. 9/10

9/10 VERY impressed. a little confused at first, but i did some research and found out this was a concept album. made a lot more sense. a very enjoyable listen, but it also played to my emotions very heavily. it made me mad, made me laugh, made me sad, made me feel devastated. related to much to it and i’m not even british. revolutionary

all timer

Love The Kinks!! Such an underrated band. Every album of theirs is fantastic as far as I am concerned. This classic from the late 60s is no exception. Just great songs and music that flow together telling the story of Arthur and the life around him. Great stuff. Need to add this one to my ever growing Kinks vinyl collection.

The album is a concept album (before concept albums were really a thing). I think this helps it hang together well, It does contain the classic Victoria which is going to be a highlight of any album. All in all strong songs performed by the Kinks, what not to like?

Is it a Beatles knock-off or influence? Do I like this album or love it? The Kinks are an important band, and this is an enjoyable album.

Permission To Breathe, Sir 1001 Albums Generator 119 (09/16/2025) Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is the seventh album by British legends The Kinks, which came near the end of their peak period in the mid 60's through the early 70's. Somehow, The Kinks have always escaped me, even though I knew they were something that I would enjoy. And, lo and behold, I do quite enjoy this album. I was really blown away by this thing. Victoria is a great thematic opener and has a really catchy chorus before ending with this powerful climax. Yes Sir No Sir and Some Mother's Son are heartbreaking looks at the effects of war on both our young men and the women who love them. A lot of this album is about war. I associate much of the anti-war music of the ate 60's with the U.S. (because we were in Vietnam), so it is interesting to hear a British perspective on these same ideas. I love that the closing songs on both sides are these jammy tunes. Australia is wonderful and whimsical and Arthur is like country-ish? Both songs sound totally different from the rest of the album (and each other), but they are both awesome. Shangri-La is also unbelievable. If I were to criticize this album, I would say that the second half is slightly weaker. She's Bought A Hat... and Young And Innocent Days are both not quite up to the par of the rest of the songs here. However, this really is a fantastic album. I can't believe I've ignored The Kinks this long. 4.5/5 rounded up to a 5. Favs: Victoria Yes Sir, No Sir Australia Least Fav: Young And Innocent Days

I knew that I was going to like this when it was the Kinks, figured I would love it move when I read that it was a concept album. There is something special to me about concept albums. I feel that they can be potentially dangerous for bands where if the concept is not clear people might not understand what is going on. Great album.

This was a great album, although I have heard many Kinks songs I had never heard any of these and I enjoyed it quite a bit, I added multiple songs from this album to my playlist.

I still remember the first time I really LISTENED to "...the Village Green Preservation Society" and most of my memories of the band I knew for "All Day and All of the Night," "You Really Got Me," "Lola," and "Destroyer." This album is doing the same for that. THESE are what The Kinks should be known for, and not so much their garage rock proto-punk singles.

bangers.

Pretty great album. Very Beatles-esque

Would totally listen again.

I’m a big fan of the Kinks and this is probably my second favorite album. I’m a sucker for British cultural commentary pop from this era. Australia and Shangri-La take some time to get to, but are the heart of the record for me.

5/5 - You need to hear this because Ray Davies doesn’t get enough credit as a songwriter. Other than the leadoff Victoria, I had never heard anything on this album, and I loved every bit of it. Some Mother’s Son, Australia, Shangri-La — all so good, but I was into the whole concept of Arthur and the story of the lyrics. I clearly need to listen to more by The Kinks.

Kinks are grossly underrated and one of the bands that should have the majority of their discography featured on this list.

Franchement top, je connaissais le groupe et j'avais déjà un peu écouté mais c'était mieux encore que dans mon souvenir, toutes les chansons sont chouettes et vraiment différentes, les instrus sont top, je pense que je me re pencherai sur ce groupe davantage

Good

Relaxing and strangely beautiful, Wonderful!

Victoria - 5/5 Yes Sir, No Sir - 5/5 Some Mother's Son - 4/5 Drivin' - 5/5 Brainwashed - 5/5 Australia - 4/5 Shangri-La - 5/5 Mr. Churchill Says - 5/5 She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina - 4/5 Young and Innocent Days - 3/5 Nothing to Say - 5/5 Arthur - 4/5 Average score: 4.5/5 (rounding up)

I haven’t really listened to The Kinks very much but this was an extremely good introduction to them. Reminds me of The Beatles quite a bit. Every song was written very well, you can feel the quality of work put into every song when you listen to them. Definitely gonna listen to this album again soon.

It’s awesome, makes me want to be british

Perfect

Killer record. Without this there would be no Britpop at all.

strong start s meni jednom od najdrazih pjesama s himym soundtracka. tekstovi so good da su MENI bitniji od same glazbe, koja je također jako dobra. vrlo timeless jer su nazalost vrlo prikladni i danas, skoro 60 godina kasnije. banger za bangerom. ovo mora da je među boljim albumima koje sam ikada čula. jako dobro.