Reviews (page 4 of 12)
Loved. But I did know that I like the Kinks. Big Lola and Sunny afternoon fan. Feels like the wrong time for this album. I need to listen again in the summer and do a full deep dive
if music never moved on from this sound i think i would be okay. my name mentioned?? ❤️🩹🥀
Pretty good album. A lot of The Kinks on this list.
Really nice. Though it's an interesting choice. 4 *
Hell yea finally some Kinks! This is one of their best albums in my opinion. All of their trademark whimsy and wackiness. Favorite track: Shangri-La
The evolution of the Kinks from a blatant Stones knockoff to something psychedelic and unique is fascinating. Still not the most original album in the world (Ray Davies added Hendrix and Barrett-era Floyd into his knockoff mix), but it's enjoyable and interesting.
The creative genius of Ray Davies; Quay Street carpet-layers and more!
I've only listened to greatest hits of the Kinks before. The album was good. More experimental than I expected. Aspects of the sound quality and music are a little of the era, but there's a lot going on.
16.12.25 3,5/5
I like it! I admittedly don't know much of Kink's material save for the big songs. This album's pretty rambunctious. I need to come back to this and listen again and probably check out more Kinks. They're cool. Def got some proto-Punk shit going on.
Nunca había escuchado a los Kinks tampoco. Justo los tenía anotados ya que estos días estuve escuchando a los Small Faces por enterarme un poco del rollito mod. Shangri-La es increíble. El resto del disco voy a tener que escucharlo más para formarme una opinión. Pero bastante bien, me mola el rollo.
Of course a musical about a middle aged carpet-layer moving to Australia after World War 2 is a folky, poppy, droll music hall classic. So weird.
have always liked the kinks for some reason
I really enjoyed this album. I thought it was strange how a lot of the songs seemed to change so much partway through, but I liked it. Loved the instrumentation. Occasionally thought some of the songs were a bit too long or repetitive, but overall I enjoyed it and would listen again. Fav song: Victoria Least fav: Drivin’
Generally enjoyed this, some bangers on her and good vibe overall but can get a little weird at times. Really nostalgic though. Specific rating - 4.4 Fav song - Victoria Least fav- Arthur
I know people who think The Kinks were the best British band of the 60s and 70s. Albums like this help me appreciate how they may have felt like a viable alternative to the other two; there's a bit of a punk feel to a lot of it, tho maybe in that art student way that is self aware and sometimes a little cute. I found these songs compelling for their energy and satire. Even when I thought things were weak or off, I still felt a draw to the imagination behind it all, wch is no small thing.
pretty good?>
another kinks album where i know zero of the songs going in, but overall this was better than most of the others we've had on this list so far. favorites: victoria, australia, shangri-la, mr. churchill says
honestly pretty tight. feels like a particular brand of wacky alt rock but before they'd invented most instruments. favorite song is Yes Sir, No Sir
Rating: 7/10 Not bad at all! Fun and weird, political lyrics in classic albums like this are usually a plus. Fun highlights early like Victoria and Some Mother's Son along with the more progressively driven Australia and Shangri-La. Starts to fall off for me a bit in the last few tracks until Arthur finishes off strong
Victoria is a banger and the rest of the album does not quite match it. Although after a few listens the rest of the album did grow on me and there are some great guitar hooks and lyrics. The production sounded really ropey to me - with everything sounding quite muffled and fuzzy.
One of the greatest opening tracks to any 60s album. The guitar parts are perfection, the melody exquisite, the sarcastic nostalgia biting. There's enough in the way of quality tunes here. 'Brainwashed' is one of the great Kinks album tracks. Punk energy. It's an interesting one. Many tracks not as immediately accessible as the singles, and the circuitous melodies take time to come through. But those, alongside the wry observation of a dying empire, although not inventive in terms of production, stills feels relevant today. This is a an album waiting at border control to get into 5 territory, but just falls short.
An album about realizing something may be wrong from inside the belly of the beast. As timely in 2026 as it was when it first came out. I dug the Beatles influence as well.
4/5, never heard anything by the Kinks before and I really liked it. There were some songs that were fantastic and some that were only okay. In many of the songs it felt like the lead vocal was too quiet and I couldn't hear it in the mix? I like 60's British rock so I think I'm biased towards this style of music.
My favorite Kinks album on the list, catchy songs, cool drums fills, and some nice guitar. I had somehow previously missed that super cool riff in "Brainstormed", which was later sampled by That Handsome Devil and thus activated my brain like a Pavlov Bell. Bit bottom heavy though, as the first half isn't that strong
Victoria is a pretty awesome song, the rest is pretty good for the most part Will I listen to again: 80%
Never really thought much about the Kinks, but I found this really enjoyable. I sort of wish I could experience it without being used to modern production values, because of course it has that 60s sound, but there is a lot good going on.
I always liked the kinks.. but I was just familiar with their radio played songs … I also had some “greatest hits” vinyl back in the day. I never just listened to 1 of their early albums beginning to end. I was surprised at entertaining this album was! Some of the music seemed derivative of other English groups of the time but still enjoyed it! 4 stars
Really powerful concept. Great parts every now and then but musically felt generic at some points. Can feel their influence over british music too.
I should really listen to The Kinks more because every time I do I like them. Most of this music was new to me but I dug the vibe. 4/5
Echt gute Musik, einfach alt.
Good, catchy songwriting. Never heard a Kinks album before, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. I will definitely be revisiting.
??? aber das ist ja echt nah dran an den Beatles und Konzeptalbum, love it! c
Pas mal bon ! J’étais vraiment pas certain avec les premières tounes, mais c’est un album qui devient de plus en plus intéressant avec les chansons qui passent.
Fun ‘60s Brit pop. Would recommend.
Solid album
That was pretty okay. Some real standouts (‘Victoria’, ‘Australia’, ‘Arthur’) and some Beatles influence (that hat song) and some doors influence (‘Mr Churchill’) and some middlin’ in-between songs, too. Ray Davies was the real deal and this was a great album that has (mostly) aged well. 3.5
This album was a pleasant discovery. I apprecaiate its irony and satirical tone.
I do not know the Kinks well but I really liked this album!
This is my first time listening to this entire album, though I'm certainly aware of the singles from it. This is an interesting and pretty solid album. I'd listen to this again. The production on the drums is rather good for this era, though it does tend toward the odd stereo panning which was also typical for this era.
Was surprised to hear this type of sound from the kinks
A fun, uplifting album. The band hits on political issues while keeping the vibes high. On tracks like Australia and Mr. Churchill Says the band gets to flex their muscles and just play, showing their true, "let's jam," roots. 12 tracks of fun that are enjoyable from start to finish.
Good songwriting/ story telling. And variety. Quality album - much better than I remember the Village Green album being- but may revisit that now. Usual quintessential English references - flask of tea and Gooseberry tart and Potters Bar (shout out to the Herts massive) references on Drivin’. Shangri La - great. Something a bit McCartneyesque on some of the vocals which is strange given the geographical differences. Can’t beat The Fall’s version of Victoria though. Didn’t really care for that song about the hat - strayed a bit into novelty song. I think I need to listen to The Kinks more.
Tracks 1-7 pretty perfect. Some of the rest is a little too 'cor blimey gov'ner' for me.
Gostei, achei um album leve de ouvir (apesar de algumas letras não serem tao leves assim), bom pra colocar enquanto ta fazendo outra coisa. A única que ja conhecia e que continuou sendo minha preferida foi some mother's son, curti Arthur também.
gente é IGUAL a beatles to chocada. legal mas eu preciso estar num mood muito específico pra curtir, tipo estar na rede de baixo das laranjeiras na casa da minha vó no interior com umas galinhas do lado. infelizmente hoje não foi esse dia 😔 destaque pra brainwashed as letras parecem interessantes mas n consegui parar pra prestar atenção :(
ótimo álbum, agradável. nenhuma é cansativa de se ouvir, sempre aumentam o tom durante a música. gostei bastante de 'Drivin' e 'She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina'. não conhecia a bastante mas com certeza retornarei
"Mãe, eu quero Beatles!" - "Nós já temos Beatles em casa, filho". Dito isso, são bandas da mesma época e movimento, o que justifica a grande similaridade do som. Não vejo isso como um problema, levando em conta que as músicas são muito boas. Apesar de terem a pegada do pop rock inglês anos 60/70, existe uma clara influência do blues americano, que dá mais peso e sobriedade em alguns momentos interessantes. Buscam muito a melodia. Trabalham muito o mix LR, assim como os Beatles, ironicamente, tornando a experiência de ouvir no headset ainda mais interessante. O álbum é dinâmico. Tem músicas animadas, calmas, lentas e rápidas. Muito bem distribuídas ao longo do álbum. O tempo de duração é excelente. Um álbum muito sólido. Uma pena esta banda estar na sombra dos Beatles. Melhor do álbum: "Australia". Pior do álbum: "Drivin'".
Recently I've developed a pretty good appreciation for The Kinks. What started with just a fascination with some of the songs I heard in the movie "Hot Fuzz" has really blossomed into full Fandom. It helps that Arthur is a concept album and I'm predispositioned to love any music with the faintest wiff of a narrative attached to it. The rough througline is right in the name as the album takes you through the highs of the Victorian era through the then modern day all with a bopping late 60s British invasion sound. I'll give a particular call out to the songs "Victoria", "Shangri-La", and "Mr Churchill says" as my three favorites on the album, though that last one less because I think it's a grand piece of music and more because its kind of silly and fun about a serious topic.
Pretty good. need to listen to it more to really know how good it is.
What a fun ride! Psychedelic rock slaps? Medieval psychedelic rock? Banger! I may like this album more than abbey road…
OH MY GODDD
Something you would listen to feel energize in the morning.
Alternate universe sgt peppers
Why didn’t anyone tell me this was so good?
Not a Kinks album I was familiar with but I quite enjoyed it
Old english rock. I had heard of the kinks and never listened but it was worth it.
The classic rock vibes were great, but I can never get on board with the minstrel pop.
Great album with wonderful melodies. Love Shangri-La.
Concept album aside, this is a fantastic collection of songs. The Kinks had really matured into a very interesting band here, with clever and very melodic songwriting. The concept album itself works very well too. It's just worth noting that almost every song here works just as well as a standalone song outside of the overall theme of the album. The Kinks had developed quite a distinctive sound at this stage, sounding somewhere between 60s rock 'n' roll and lighter folk (setting a template for future indie rock bands like The Shins). But there are lots of surprises in the music too (for example, "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina" catches you off-guard halfway through), and more than enough to keep your interest right to the end. A very different sounding band to the those who sang "You Really Got Me" or "All Day and All of the Night" (two of my favourite songs btw), but that's why we're still talking about The Kinks in 2025, because they evolved over the 60s and 70s to create some very interesting music, and this album is a perfect example of that.
Probably the most British album I've ever heard. Some of these songs are so bleak in the best way possible.
Had a good time with this overall! Shangri-La was my favourite track. Victoria is great too. Just a boot of a general bopper. (3.5 stars)
This was a fun album! Probably lyrically more so than musically. I am shocked as an Australian that I'd never heard of Australia before. Also adding the famous Churchill speech to music was surprisingly good. I assumed this was a protest album from the lyrics that I paid attention to, so interesting to find out it's more of a thematic story album.
Typical of The Kinks in the mid-late 60s. A good play for a weekend of something that isn't "the usual". Overall I like it.
Как обычно с the Kinks у меня - перевод текстов резко добавляет интереса.
In 1960s pop, it was often a very fine line between social commentary and outright sneering at people who have day jobs and live in the suburbs, and I'm not sure Ray Davies always walks it that well on this one. However, there are some great songs here, and Victoria is one of the Kinks' best.
Why the hell would you name your band "The Kinks"?! 4/5
Wonderful British Invasion album with strong themes of counter culture and protest. The trademark zaniness of that era in rock is present throughout with the implementation of kazoos and intentionally flat harmonies. Truly worth a listen.
Pretty damn good.
Great songs. Typical Kinks albums - quirky, smart, a little odd but always a good listen
This was a fun one! Reminded me of early Beatles.
Starts with s banger but nothing else truly matches it
Shiny guitars and defiant lyrics, the Kinks Regime.
Liked this more than the last Kinks album! Felt more cohesive with better hooks, plus I love that mid-late 60s sound.
i like the 60s vibe and the social critical lyrics
The subjects are a bit too topically British for me to fully appreciate. But it’s a fun concept album nonetheless.
I didn't listen to this album back in the day. The only song I'm familiar with is "Victoria". This is in the vein of a lot of concept albums happening (especially in England) at the time. This is unique among them. Kudos to Ray Davies for some brilliant songwriting and a great band performance. I'd give it a 5, but it sounds dated to me and, therefore, not an album I want to listen to on a regular basis.
Excellent. Really enjoyable
Great band throughout the ages. Sound of the 60’s--70’s. Great songs. Time tested.
good
Very good
I was never in England in the middle of the 20th century but this album makes me feel like I know what it was like. It’s got wit and charm and the Kinks’ ramshackle r&b is energetic and fun.
4 - great album
Solid
Never heard this album. It was fun! Some Beatles influence.
I really liked this album!! British angst with great baselines and fictional people - what more could you want?
I groaned when I saw another album by The Kinks pop up, as I didn’t really enjoy the last 2 I’ve gotten as picks. Yet this was a fun surprise. Off the jump, the first track had me grooving, and it just continued until the end. This was a really solid album.
Like taking a stroll through West-Notingham-Binghamshire-On-Kent
Those crazy Brits, always grappling with their national identity! I really liked this album. The band was very tight and the songs were very sharply written. Victoria is such a great track. Will definitely listen to this album again.
This is the weakest of the three Kinks albums I've heard so far, but still worthy of a four. Good fun.
The Kinks are a great band. They have a cool sound here. It does kinda overstay it's welcome after a certain point where it's like, "alright that's the Kinks."
One of those albums that grows on you every listen. In many ways, this is traditional, classic rock from the British Isles- however, it subtly subverts expectations in many ways, and the sound is really clever. Experimentative without ever seeming like it. Also, love the idea of an album that chronicles the British decline- they got it right! They need an updated version for post-Brexit.
Probably my favorite Kinks album. I like the whimsical nature the album flows through.
I found myself getting into this it's weird and wonderful with some pretty solid lyrics thrown in, it's a 4 because there's a few duff tracks.
Far more enjoyable than I was expecting.
hell yeah,, this was a vibe!!
Very good, as per. Simpsons: Yes
It’s no Village Green but it was solid.
Already need to re-listen, but I do like The Kinks.
01.10.25 #6 Favourite tracks: victoria, yes sir, no sir, Australia. Rate 7.5/10
Nice work kinks
I love concept albums, and I love history, and I love the idea of the Br*tish declining, so I also love this album
Quite good actually! Creative, here an there psychedelic english rock!
Thoughts before listening: The Kinks is one of those bands that I love almost every song I hear from them, but their catalog is so big I don't really know where to start. That means I mainly know greatest hits albums and Spotify playlists. It is always nice to have a reason to listen to one of their albums though because they tend to be very strong. Review: I love that there is quite a bit of British silliness and satire to what the Kinks were doing, especially with their 60s output. While certainly they were putting out extremely catchy rock songs, they were also filling their songs with political and social commentary while not afraid to play around with unexpected music styles. This album starts with a very recognizable song with "Victoria" and then follows that up with 11 more fun, interesting songs. 4-stars
Everything works so well together here! Some of the best from the Kinks I’ve heard!
Pretty good
Really good album didn’t think I would like it so much.
(85/100)
I didn't knew it. Absolutely awesome!
Young and Innocent Days struck a cord with me
Complétement mon style, il m'a manqué un petit truc mais très bien.
Some great songs on this one, and Victoria is such an awesome way to begin an album. Yes Sir, No Sir is so damn catchy, I couldn’t get it out of my head for hours afterwards. Some Mother’s Son and Shangri-La are a couple others that really stood out to me. I’ve always been told that The Kinks were just as good if not better than The Beatles and while i cannot definitively say I believe that or not, I’m excited to dig deeper
Love The Kinks, love this album: original sound, incredible lyrics, raw and folky guitars.
got some 60s rock here, from the kinks of course! it's always interesting to see these guys pop up in my radar again. really creative concept this time around, based on a story from a television drama script. like other albums by these guys, this one is pretty jaunty and... rockin', i suppose you could describe it. listeners can immerse themselves pretty easily into the shoes of arthur, his goals and his journey across the land. some songs are awesome, some are a bit of an acquired taste. for the most part though, i like what i hear.
This was a cool album. I liked the music, I liked the theme. At times it felt like there was a major Paul McCartney influence.
Victoria's the standout here. Album holds up as a whole, but the concept wears a little thin by the end. B+ relative to the catalog.
Good and consistent
Muy disfrutable, al igual que el anterior se los Kinks que me salió
Always great upbeat '60s rock n roll from the Kinks.
good album
Trying (and failing) to not let VICTORIAAAA make me give a biased score
Solidno.
I had not heard this and I really enjoyed it. I prefer the Kinks sarcastic yet upbeat tone over their contemporaries. Really great, catchy melodies and great musicianship.
Very solid Classic Rock album, quite good for what It is, the instrumentation is also diversed, and the concept is also kinda interesting. However, It has also aged kinda poorly in terms of sound, tone, mixing etc., other than that I had a fun time with this album. Top 3 tracks: 1. Australia 2. Shangri-La 3. She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina
Genuinely think that The Kinks are one of the coolest and most original '60s bands there was, and definitely not just the band that made 'You Really Got Me' (MY original misconception). In a way, their very diverse and, at times, scattered albums sound like a more extreme version of their pop-rock contemporaries, The Beatles, and dare I say, Ween before Ween. There's a theatrical, comedic, and snarky edge to the songs here, even a song like 'Some Mother's Son' that tackles quite a dark topic can't help but sound almost overly sentimental, purposefully so. The bangers are still here, though - for one, 'Victoria' is a genuinely incredible opener with one of the more earwormy choruses here. And I don't know what it is about 'Australia', but I swear to god the smoky vocals on that song sound like Alex Turner - and the shimmering arpeggios of that song are generally pretty ahead of their time. It also has this infectiously jammy outro after a very standard, yet earwormy, poppy progression early on. Oh, yeah, and I guess there's a concept here; apparently, this was soundtracking some play. The story wasn't very obvious to me, but then again, I don't think that was the point. It's moreso just a large clump of songs with some thematic constants.'Shangri-La' stuck with me quite a bit from the lyrical side, it seems to be describing someone that's so cozy in their comfort zone, to an almost imprisoning degree. A really fun listen, just like everything else I've heard from these guys up until now. They haven't missed.
Album assez calme dans l’ensemble Groupe très connu mais je n’avais jamais pris le temps d’écouter un album en entier. Résultat : j’adore la voix (très Jim Morrison), les instru sont top (très Beatles / Beach Boys par moment et c’est presque normal comme c’est la même décennie)
8/10 Eek, a concept album. Except the songs come first, so it's fine. Really fine. Victoria is one of my favourite Links songs.
Great album! Never listened to the Kinks much but I enjoyed the energy and vibe of this one.
Fun songs to listen to. Attention grabbing lyrics and skilled instruments. Got 2 new songs for me.
Easy listening and groovy
bisexuality 💥💥💥
Kinda chill, kinda vibey, has a nice mix of music, reminds me of the Beatles. 4/5
I need more time to sit with this but wow there’s a lot more to the Kinks than Days and Lola which are great songs. A lot harder rock than I thought. I need to listen to these narratives in the songs.
I like The Kinks. They reaffirm my faith in 60's music. "Permission to breath Sir"
shaggadelic
Really enjoyed this more than I thought I would based on the 2 other Kinks songs I knew...
I still prefer the Beatles.
i like it
Prettttty sure this might have been influenced by the Vietnam war??
7/10
Well I don't know what I expected but this sure wasn't it. I am not super familiar with The Kinks but I see Arthur and I think of knights, and this is more Beatles-adjacent. As I listen, it does sound EXTREMELY British. It's pretty catchy, they got some jams, but it's also sort of confusing I guess? I'm struggling to identify the vibe, although I think I'm getting closer as I get through it. Now that I'm at the end, I do think it's a good album! I don't know what kind of mood I'd have to be in to listen to it, but it's quality.
Поки що певно найкращий альбом, з тих, що мені траплявся. Кілька разів я навіть відволікалась від своїх справ, щоб звернути увагу на те, що пісня непогана.
This was an interesting album. It was not what I expected from a Kinks record. “Tommy” by The Who was an album from last week, and this reminded me more of that than the usual songs I’ve heard from The Kinks. It was also quite Beatlesque musically, which isn’t surprising from an album in 1969. I’m struggling to decide what I really think of it though. The songs were very listenable and some were even more than that, but there weren’t any that I remember more than others. And none I’ll save to a playlist. It’s a 3.5 but I haven’t yet decided to give it a 3 or 4 rating.
Compared to some of the absolute stinkers the Kinkers have dropped at times on this project, this one was pretty OK. Victoria is a great song, of course, and generally, it felt like they were keeping the Pearly King act to a bare minimum on here, focusing on things like 'writing songs' and 'singing properly'. They'll always lose marks for having demonstrated that they can write Victoria, Waterloo Sunset and You Really Got Me, but they choose not to do more of that for some reason.
Fav: Shangri-La Least Fav: Arthur More proof that having a main character called Arthur Morgan in a piece of media automatically makes it good
Overall: 8/10 So artsy and fun. Lots of beautiful melodies and it quite honestly felt like a broadway musical at times. I'd say there were a couple songs that I didn't enjoy enough to bring down the rating but it was overall a great time. Very worth listening to. Fav Song: Victoria Least Fav Song: She Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina
Some really hard hitting and emotional songs, especially in the first half. Felt it trailed off at the end but great overall.
American western beatles. Good songs, really enjoyed most of them. However there were some parts that i didnt like
Drivin’ added to repeat playlist
I was braced for more punk awfulness, but was pleasantly surprised by their Beatles-ness. I'm much happier to listen to an hour of social commentary of they're an actual melody involved.
Enjoyed that. Don’t really know what I was expecting (echoes of early 60s Beatles?) but I was pleased with what I got (echoes of late 60s Beatles?)
The first beneficiary on the rounding up system. Musically very good. Lyrically a bit all over the place, and I'm not a big fan of Ray Davies' patriotism/nationalism.
I once banged a bird called Victoria so this was a welcome reminder. Much like Victoria this was a solid performance, thoroughly enjoyable and something I will try to do again.
I love The Kinks, but their catalogue can feel a bit scattered. Many of their prime-era albums have one or two huge songs each, which makes a lot of them feel like solid 4-star records rather than all-time classics. That said, their singles catalogue is world class - their greatest hits easily outshine those of many bands who do have a clear 5-star album. If there are other kinks albums on here, I might upgrade one to 5 stars in a "Al Pacino Oscar for Scent of a Woman" kind of situation. Probably for whichever album it is that has waterloo sunset at the end.
A fine Rock Album. Sounds way ahead of his time. Fav: Young an innocent days
Great album but not perfect
Pretty good Good Songs: Yes Sir, No Sir / Some mothers son / shangri la
Ret fedt!
Banger-tungt! Et af de mindst overambitiøse konceptalbums jeg har hørt (jeg antager det er et konceptalbum? lyttede ikke rigtig til teksterne)
The Kinks are great. They suit my style as a dedicated follower of fashion.
Great album.
Very quirky concept album. Writing an album about your brother in law??? Interesting social commentary, especially liked Mr Churchill and Yes Sir No Sir. A lot of the songs are very goofy. I don't think I'm a massive fan of the vibe but can appreciate the talent at work. Ambitious for sure
Victoria!!! Good album, i liked the beatles kind of vibe
This album was a real surprise for me. I only ever knew the Kinks for “you really got me” and “Lola”. I enjoy those songs when they come and I assumed it was a two hit wonder situation. I was so glad to find that’s not the case and there’s a whole catalog to dive deeper into.
Favourite song - Victoria I would describe the album as whimsically tragic. I certainly enjoyed it. Victoria is a proper earworm. Some Mothers Son is pretty touching. She Bought a Hat is a good laugh. Didn't hate any song on the album to be fair but missing a couple more big hitting tracks to hit the 9. Also feel as a Scotsman i might not quite relate to some of the lyrics in the same way as an Englishman might. That crunching guitar sound is unreal at points.
Victoria // Australia // Shangri-La // She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina // 3.5/5
Solid album, grew on me
Interesting listen. Makes sense. Wish I had more to write.
Great stuff.
Good album. Love the concept throughout the songs. Bizarrely, some of the riffs on Brainwashed remind me of Jack White! 8/10
Brilliant. Creative, melodic, complex pop song structures.
#DÍA 21: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Buenas, he estado de vacaciones en la playa, así que voy a subir seguidas las reseñas de los dos álbumes que escuché durante dicho retiro. En primer lugar, fue el turno de Arthur de The Kinks, la primera vez que escucho nada de ellos y una confirmación más de que 1969 fue un año fabuloso para la música. Todo en ellos me recuerda en gran parte al pop rock que hacían los Beatles en este momento, solo que con un mayor sentido de unidad estilística entre todas las canciones y cierto espíritu punk que le da un encanto único al LP. Desde la canción de apertura ya se nos presenta una buen trabajo de melodías, armonías y una producción con un sonido claro y realmente brillante. La energía es de lo más contagiosa, pero pronto el disco presenta una de las canciones antibélicas más potentes que he escuchado: Some Mother’s Son, con una letra directa y que realmente refleja lo inhumano de la guerra. A partir de aquí el álbum se enfoca en el ámbito político y económico del Reino Unido de entonces, ya sea las promesas bucólicas de mudarse a Australia, letras que parecen querer iniciar una revolución obrera en Brainwashed o una sátira directamente dirigida a Churchill. Pero por debajo de toda esta carga crítica se encuentran unas melodías realmente encantadoras, unas armonías alucinantes propias de la música de esta época y un talento de cada miembro en su rol que es imposible de ignorar. Pienso que el LP acaba perdiendo ligeramente calidad en sus dos últimos temas, que aunque sigan teniendo un contenido lírico de calidad, musicalmente no las considero tan entretenidas como el resto. Aún así, poco puedo criticar, el mensaje está lanzado de una forma impecable y la música sigue sonando fantástica tras más de 50 años. Favoritas: Victoria, Some Mother’s Son, Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La, She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina Menos favorita: Nothing to Say #DAY 21: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Greetings, I’ve been on vacation at the beach, so I’m going to post back-to-back reviews of the two albums I listened to during that getaway. First up was Arthur by The Kinks — the first time I’ve heard anything from them and yet another confirmation that 1969 was a fabulous year for music. Everything about them reminds me largely of the pop rock the Beatles were making at the time, only with a more focused sense of stylistic unity across all the songs and a certain punk spirit that gives the LP a unique charm. From the opening track, we’re presented with strong melodies, harmonies, and production work with a clear and truly brilliant sound. The energy is incredibly contagious, but soon the album delivers one of the most powerful anti-war songs I’ve ever heard: Some Mother’s Son, with direct lyrics that really capture the inhumanity of war. From there, the album turns its focus to the political and economic landscape of the UK at the time — whether it’s the bucolic promises of moving to Australia, lyrics that seem ready to spark a workers’ revolution in Brainwashed, or satire aimed directly at Churchill. But beneath all this critical edge lie truly delightful melodies, dazzling harmonies characteristic of the era, and a level of talent from each member in their role that’s impossible to ignore. I think the LP slightly loses quality in its last two tracks; while they still have strong lyrical content, musically I don’t find them as engaging as the rest. Even so, there’s little I can criticize — the message is delivered impeccably, and the music still sounds fantastic more than 50 years later. Favorites: Victoria, Some Mother’s Son, Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La, She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina Least favorite: Nothing to Say
Good album, but weaker than The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. For this reason I give it 4 stars.
A jaunty Brit pop album. I really like the kinks and this was a fun one. Victoria, Mr. Churchill Says, and Arthur were the highlights.
I listened to this one a second time after learning it was a concept album. Some of the inspiration behind it was very sweet, even if the televesion program never came to fuition. I enjoy the mix of short tracks like Brainwashed with some of the jammer ones like Australia. Good album, and I still haven't heard any Kinks songs I don't like!
Better than I expected, everything else I knew of The Kinks was so self similar I was surprised to hear a bit of variety on this. The Ringo Starr vibes were a surprise and I don't know if they were a good surprise. Extremely regretting my 3 stars for Led Zeppelin 1. That should have been a 4 or 5 and now I liked this one, but I did not prefer it LZ1. I just made a balls of an early review and now every other album I look at is compared to it.
Pretty much every song on this album is great. You need to actually ~listen~ to this album, if you use it as background music it feels like another hour long set on the local golden oldies radio show. But when you take the time to listen to the songs, hear the lyrics, this truly takes off as a culturally significant musical piece
I liked this whole album! I need to listen to to more of The Kinks.
Good album!
wouldn't have chosen to listen to this, but i do like it.
A joy to listen to.
They were always in the shadows of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. They're better than the stones were at that time. Favorite song: brainwashed
Something this project has taught me about the Kinks that I didn't know before is that they are rather concept-driven. While the first album we reviewed from them was a ridiculous hokey pastoral bygone-that-neverwas that very much fell flat for me that was musically as annoying as it was conceptually, this album is a lot more interesting in idea and execution. As the name alludes, the central theme of the album is the perceived demise of the British empire and its cost on the everyman as told through the perspective of one main character, Arthur. Arthur lost a brother in World War I and a son in the Korean War. In the economic aftermath of WWII, he struggles to maintain a modest middle class standard of living for his family, and his living son plans to move with his wife and children to the colony of Australia in search of better opportunities. As Arthur grows old and lonely, he is left to reflect on the sacrifices made by his compatriots in the name of their country--by his brother and son, their lives, and by him and everyone else, the austerity measures and shifts toward globalization during and after the war--and wonder who has it really benefitted and has it all been worth it? The plot, at least, is pretty well spelled out in the album, and the last sentence there is my takeaway from it. The closing track, "Arthur", almost feels like it could've been an anthem for Brexit (if it stuck to its economic message and hadn't been hijacked by racist and conspiracy theorist wackos) written nearly 50 years ahead of its time. So thematically I thought this was a pretty interesting record that has aged remarkably well. Musically, it very much sounds like British late 60s-early 70s rock, which is famously not my favorite, but I'd say this is on the better end of the spectrum. The Kinks are kind of funny because they had so many different sounds throughout their career and some of them are really quite bad, but I found this album to be surprisingly quite good. 4 Paddington Bears/5
I really liked this…kind of goofy at times and fun, and catchy tunes with some really thoughtful and at times, somber lyrics that belie the accompanying melody. Many of the songs also have a Beatlesque quality, which works with me. I am familiar with the Kinks only via their top 40 hits. But I really enjoyed this album and will listen to it some more. I give this one 4 stars.
What a year for music 😂 Broken record here. I like this a lot. Big hit, memorable hooks, short length, felt alive and very analog. More of an album piece than a bunch of singles, so I think a handful of tracks need to have context to sound good Shangri-La sounds like a Velvet Underground song Mr Churchill Says is such a weird tune. It sounded like Neil Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - the guitar riff is damn close.
Fun
Skemmtilegt. Ekki nálægt þeirra bestu samt.
Dobro sam pretpostavila da će biti boljih Kinksa. Ovo je odlično. Neke pjesme su na nivou najbolje muzike iz ovog perioda, skoro da sam pomislila dati i peticu. Slušat će se opet svakako.
Decent album but not a favorite. I liked the previous Kinks album better. 3.6 stars
I don’t think I’ve intentionally listened to the kinks before but I liked it
Good stuff
My favorite of theirs for the time being. They're still more of a songs band for me, but this one is damn consistent. 4/5
Very nice
The melodies and song directions are interesting, but not always the most effective. The concept is really well embedded and still feels relevant. I will definitely listen to it again, it might become my favourite of theirs.
My favorite Kinks album we've listened to so far. I love that it's a concept album for a TV show that never got made. The Kinks are some weird fucks and do whatever they want, to varying results. I definitely would not have listened to them this in depth without this album generator. The extended jam on Australia fucking rips.
I love the Kinks!
An unexpectedly solid continuation of the 1964 Kinks sound I'm more familiar with. There are some great riffs, textures, and instrument playing here. Brainwashed has an excellent hook that I'm very surprised hasn't received more attention, on Spotify or otherwise. It wasn't a single, yet Shangri-La somehow was. (Don't get me wrong – Shangri-La is pretty good in its own right – but it doesn't have as memorable a hook.) I wasn't particularly paying attention to the lyrics in the first track, but the following song, Yes Sir No Sir, is about as lyrically direct as it gets. It hits home a heavily anti-British message that was unusual for popular music in the 60s, and for that I give it credit. Definitely more impressive than the hugely oversaturated punk genre of the following decade. As a general rule, the 60s did rebellion better than the 70s, and Arthur demonstrates that principle nicely. Victoria is a driven, country-influenced track that can easily hold its own against the Kinks' more well-known singles, not to mention other hits from 1969. The vocals and lead guitar mirror each other with a solid melody in the verses, the harmonies in the chorus are just excellent, the drumming is perfect for the song... The closing and title track is similarly great, mostly for having that same warm, energetic feel. Some of the tracks in the middle are a bit weaker – though still good – like Australia (which definitely goes on too long), She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina (lacking any memorable hook and instead opting for a weird high-pitched kazoo thing), and Some Mother Son (weird mixing makes it sound a little dated). Still, this album is a strong showing for the Kinks, and a strong 4 stars indeed. 4/5 Key tracks: Victoria, Brainwashed, Arthur
Amazing album. Never heard any of its songs. Their lyrics match the album theme, and it sounds so good.
Loved the energy on this one. At some point I was thinking it can be a 5, but a few days later it didn't stick as much. I need to listen again though.
Enjoyed this - given the year of release it makes sense as an album both influenced by what came before but also foreshadowing for what was yet to come.
I feel that this may grow on me with a few more listens and potentially be a 5 star album. I'm always a fan of concept where songs flow together, certainly an ambitious album with some really interesting songs.
I love the drums in 'Victoria', and the trumpets in 'YEs sir, No sir' as well as 'Australia'. Love the song 'Bought a hat like a princess' reminds me of an American carnival or something. Arthur is such a cute song to end the album on. I like the use of the other band members in the songs (whistling and the backup vocals...) and how half way through the rhythm of the song will change. My favourite song is definitely 'Mr Churchill says'
Strong 8 Love most of the songs, love the tongue and cheek commentary on post war England and the Monarchy. A few of the songs felt annoying at first but I've come around to enjoy them for that reason
another kinks album? I’m not mad. They are so good and I had no idea. I knew I liked what I heard, but they are even better than I thought. I knew “Victoria” somehow. I might have to do a kinks deep dive.
Certainly every bit as ambitious as The Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur is never really mentioned as frequently or as fondly. Which is a shame, because it is certainly cut from the same musical cloth as its celebrated predecessor and there are some top quality tracks on here, particularly the singles. It's as if the relative commercial failure of Village Green, the internal disputes and the US tour ban finally all came to a head and sucked some of the life out of this long player. It contains everything that makes The Kinks great - the jagged proto-metal riffs, alongside Davies' more whimsical, baroque stylings - the problem is, after hearing Village Green, you can't help feeling they are going through the motions here at times. The trademark modulations somehow seem a bit more predictable this time around, the themes a little less original and there is a little more reliance of vaudevillian pastiche and straight blues-rock when they paint themselves into a musical corner. Don't get me wrong, that isn't often, and this is still a great album, perhaps an overlooked gem even. Just not quite a five-star album for me though.
I loiked it
I didn't listen extremely carefully or all the way through this time but I liked what I heard
Enjoyed this a lot
I didn’t expect this to be as good as it was!
Would’ve been a 3 but the second half of the album brought it up to a 4. A lot of the songs felt a lil disjointed — like 3 diff genres in one song, which I didn’t like even if I liked part of the song.
Knotty and witty social commentary and musical gem. More messy than the Beatles, less bougie and pretentious than the Stones (amazing middle ground). Blueprint for so many Bands I love (GBV for example). Sprawling psychedelic pop marvels that don’t shy away from gritty textures. Nods to the bygone Victorian age - not only by virtue of the lyrics (perks and fall of the Empire and post-war England) but also when it comes to the feathery instrumentation (cembalo). Fades in urgency towards the end of the record; maybe it would have benefitted from a different sequencing (such as a somewhat more uptempo song to close the collection). Incredible and versatile record.
Has all the oddness typical of the Kinks, but really quite good for what it is. 4 stars or B+.
Very fun album. Sounds more like Rubber Soul than I would have expected.
I quite enjoyed that
Fun. Musically has energy and this draws you to pay more attention to the lyrics. Some references went over my head but I enjoyed the commentary on British life and attitudes
You won't hear me Kinks-shaming anyone here. In my opinion they've always been wildly underrated, the only enemy of their success being their own big-swinging intellect. Often writing up little cinematic dioramas within their songs or whole albums, their concepts can feel intimidating for a casual rock listener, but so rewarding. Having OD'd on their early albums and Village Green Preservation Society in my day, I've been going through their whole catalogue. This, like so many others, have been amazing to get acquainted with. Like many works in the Kinks cannon, I need more repeat listens before I comment about this album but that's not going to be hard to want to do.
Fun Kinks-as-Beatles album. Really enjoyed it
Early Kinks always underrated
i love arthur yaaay
Great album, will definitely listen again.
Whimsical music, and good sounding. This felt like I was listening to an alternate world Beatles. good-sounding. This was a great listen overall.
What a fun listen! I felt a lot of similarity to The Beatles at times, but then the next track would come on and I'd have to double check I didn't change artists! Some fun technical guitar work and all around a pleasant listen!
I really liked this one, I’ve always been a fan of the kinks, probably my favourite British Invasion band other than maybe the beatles(unfair match up though) but I’ve never actually heard this one. All the songs were great but my favourites were: Victoria, Mr Churchill says, Brainwashed(which felt weirdly punky for the 60’s) and some mother’s son. Overall 8/10.
I think I like the dude that sings do you remember Walter slightly better, they are both good though. I like the concept, although I don't think they were called concept albums back then. nothing much to say, I really like the band. Although I probably like this a little less than the village green preservation one. It has that quintessential Britishness, but is also making fun of the Jingoism and pompousness of the British Empire (big words). The more serious topics like the one about death and war are done well. Favourite songs: Victoria, some Mother's son, brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La, Arthur. Overall around 7/10
Great
Very much enjoyed this album.
Nothing entirely memorable along the lines of a "Waterloo Sunset" or "Lola", but the whole album flowed together nicely, great compositions, great harmonies, and Ray Davies is just a great songwriter
Not my favorite Kinks album, but some excellent tracks on here.
Fun one. Enjoyed it.
Classic British rock sound. A bit like the Beatles but less warmth and oomf. Some great guitar riffs though.
kinks, it seems i’ve grown quite fond of you 3.5
Fajniutkie! Będę wracać do nich na pewno
Enjoyed this a bit more than ‘Face To Face’, the other Kinks albums that I’ve had so far. There’s some of that typical cringe (you know what I’m talking about) that you find on heaps of 60’s albums, but generally there’s quite a lot to like here. Musically adventurous and lyrically incisive, the Kinks also really stretch out and groove on quite a lot of tracks. This is better than I expected. 3.5/5.
Interesting
Solid album. Not as good as the Village Green Preservation Society.
This is definitely not my favorite album by The Kinks, and the two before it are both 5 stars to me, making the comparison to this one tougher. I do think this is a great album and continues a lot of what The Kinks were doing, but it's not as great and, therefore, I have to give it a 4. It lacks some of the cohesive arc I felt the two before it had and also doesn't have any of their most memorable songs.
I really enjoyed this album; it got a little sleepy at times but solid most of the way through.
I love the sound of the kinks and their witty song writing style. I always thought they deserved more play vs the other British invasion bands of the era.
Enjoyed this more than I expected - some nice weird moments and more anti-establishment then I gave them credit for
Great Album
oh yes, great album with some Aussie nostalgia.
Cool Kinks album. Definitely underrated by most. Lola was the pinnacle, but this is top of the heap of concept albums. Edgy, entertaining, and great songs.
Прикольный, весенний такой альбом. Супер хиты Victoria и Brainwashed/ Некоторые песни слишком лиричны. Но надо отметить мощный гитарный саунд для того времени.
Pretty good, not the kinks' best
- bra gitar og trommer - god rytme - vokalisten høres litt ut som han tilbakestående fra family guy til tider
Another great record by an amazing band. The Kinks don't get their due. Should've been as big as the Stones or Beatles. They were way more talented the Stones and cooler than the Beatles.
Big fan definitely adding a couple songs to my playlists
Fun
I mean this was pretty fun. I enjoyed the concept anyway.
Better than most of the albums I've listened to lately playing catch up.
It was good.
In 69 zou ik dit album sowieso dik vinden, nu ook nog. 8.5/10 Energiek, solid, eigen sausje maar nergens saai of eentonig
I do like The Kinks.
Fun record. Will listen again. High points were Victoria and Mr Churchill.
85% Best: Victoria; Brainwashed; Australia; Mr. Churchill Says; Nothing to Say; Arthur Must-Hear? Sure
I forgot how much I enjoy the Kinks. Especially Lola Vs.Powerman…. Such a great album. This one is a new album for me and I really liked it. I’m a sucker for a good concept album. I will give it a few more listens as, in my experience, it takes a few listens to really develop a good understanding of the narrative. Solid 4 for me.
Really good stuff.
Enjoyed it - kind of a shorter, poor man’s Tommy
Encore!
pretty sick as far as hokey concept albums go
At the end of the 60s, many rock bands were beginning to veer into more experimental, heavy or glam rock styles, embracing the transatlantic explosion of youth culture's current rebellions. Leave it to the Kinks to create a rock album about England's past, with references to the great wars and Queen Victoria. Perhaps in part due to the Kinks being banned from touring America, they were looking inwards on this concept album and (unfinished) accompanying play. Surprisingly, "Arthur" had the most success from the American press, paving the way for the reversal of the ban and their future comeback album "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround". Although unsuccessful, it's excellent album bringing together a century of English history with an extremely modern sound. The lyrics are full of both criticisms and affection for England and the British empire. It's anti-war, and critical of quaint village life, and yet seems to show a significant reverence for their homeland. While the album lacks many distinctive singles (aside from the extremely catchy "Victoria"), it works incredibly well as a whole album. It's far less ambitious than other rock operas of the era but works less for its focused story and concept. "Arthur" is a wonderful hidden gem of the era.
Well the Kinks kick ass - and this one holds up. While it doesn't have a parade of hits besides Victoria and Shangri-La - hey, two transcendental pop songs is too little for the Kinks. It was a strange one for me though - I love the band, and this album floats in and out of interest - it's cool because it's thematic - a concept album if you will, but it's a little self-indulgent - and by now, self-indulgence has shown to not be popular with me. Yet, I canot but give the Davies' a pass for that - and even though it could have been leaner - it's still objectively good.
Great concept album. Some of the songs go on too long like “Australia” and “Shangri-La”. It’s just too bad the television program that was to accompany this album never came to fruition. It would been cool to see the whole story of Arthur.
As far as concept albums for a never-made TV film about a carpet-layer go, this is one of the better ones. (Magnificent. The biting cynical pop lyrics and song structure unwinding into impromptu jam sessions, and that late-60s rock instrumentation mixed with the brass section, chef’s kiss.)
Me gustaron las dos vueltas que le di el mismo día. Son muy buenas
Great album! Lot of variety in the songs. Love the songwriting and the message in some of the songs. Easy to listen to album. Favourite songs: - Victoria - Yes sir, no sir - Drivin’
Весьма интересный рок конца шестидесятых. Рекомендую ознакомиться с этим альбомом и найти в нем что-то свое, я в свою очередь нашел такие шедевры как Brainwasher (с мотивом, схожим с Free bird), Shangri-La (напоминающая своим вайбом битловские баллады) и многие другие треки, но уже в меньшей степени. Данный альбом примечателен своим прог-роковым звучанием, каждая песня серьезно меняется к концу, и порой сложно узнать песню, если включить ее не с начала, а с конца. Я считаю, что такая работа заслуживает хорошей оценки, звучание и концепты песен замечательны. Британские 4/5
Quelle aventure incroyable! J'ai été marqué par l'énergie du band dans cet opus (que je n'avais pas autant écouté que les précédents): on sent bien le band «live» en studio en pleine maîtrise de leur truc, le drummeur est en feu (ça ride, mon ami), la voix du chanteur n'est pas masquée et il n'y a pas des milliers d'overdubs. L'album est un peu long d'un bout à l'autre, mais c'est généreux à souhait; il y a beaucoup de surenchères (et on aime ça) et, dans la seconde partie, ça devient presque «prog» ou humoristique dans la façon d'enchaîner différents segments de tounes ensemble, sans justification évidente. Comme dirait Phil, on s'amuse!
Finishing off the 60s section of the book, it's The Kinks! Consistent af, also the clearest example of their influence on 90's rock/Britpop. Having similar whimsical stylings to Village Green and Face to Face makes the kitchen sink realism of "Princess Marina" especially stark. The title track being a country hoedown was unexpected, but a fine ending to an album. I wouldn't say I love it as much as Village Green, but I also haven't had a decade to think about it either HL: "Victoria", "Drivin'", "Shangri-La", "Young and Innocent Days"
Yeah really good. Almost gave this a 5 but I think I’m just drunk.
Some great songs, but they don’t feel quite as interesting and varied as contemporary releases by The Beatles.
Wasn’t familiar with this but enjoyed
3.5
Brilliant. Oh, and the horns!
very good
I like The Kinks but haven't listened to this one yet 17:02 - listened to this twice during class today, i like it a lot, big beatles vibes
I liked it , good lyrics, groovy.
Really Liked this one
Very good. Heard songs I knew differently
The Kinks are always welcome in my listening life!
Yeah, I really enjoyed this album. I think the only song on the album that I have heard previously was Victoria but there are plenty of others that come close to that track. Definitely worth more listens in the future.
Each Kinks album tells it's own stories and spins more tales than the average soap opera and should be rightly rewarded for such
Nice! Arthur Morgan ... lives in a London suburb in a house called Shangri-La, with a garden and a car and a wife called Rose and a son called Derek who's married to Liz, and they have these two very nice kids, Terry and Marilyn. Derek and Liz and Terry and Marilyn are emigrating to Australia. Arthur did have another son, called Eddie. He was named after Arthur's brother, who was killed in the battle of the Somme. Arthur's Eddie was killed, too—in Korea.
Not my favorite Kinks, but still a great record.
Fantastic songwriting, social commentary with a touch of nice drumming
Great music, I especially enjoyed the songwriting on this one. This is a very underrated rock opera album, in my opinion. It's easily up there with the ones most people consider best, but I don't hear music nerds gushing about it. 4/5
2nd best album....
Another interesting british art exposition in music. Likely some type of play interpolation in music. It is fun, light hearted with some engaging good music. I liked the varied types of sounds that came through. I heard some Grateful Dead and Van Morrison type sounds on the composition side of things.
I liked this a fair bit, it has some very vibes and I can easily find myself tapping my foot along with most of the album, but also feels like there is more to it than just a good beat.
Kinks. What’s not to like.
I need to listen to more of The Kinks
An album that's grown on me since first listen. I'm already familiar with Village Green, and this is another concept album in the same vein. And the theme's writ large on the cover. What I love about the Kinks is that they can perfectly ride the line between pining for a past that's long gone, and having a laugh at people who spending their time pining for a past that's long gone. On first listen, the vocals on the two opening tracks I found to be quite grating. But I didn't realize he was singing in character as a nostalgic, rather dopey Victorian. There also seems to be a bit of musical development here, too. There are a lot more jammy sections here. Though they don't go quite as far as the psychedelic contemporaries, it's still interesting to see. Fav tracks: Yes Sir No Sir, Some Mother's Son, Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La
Bra groove 7/10
Very fun songs, especially Victoria. Love the instrumentals across the record.
Chad. Ez 4.5
Very chad 4.5
Australia is one extra ordinary song of a super balanced, strongly composed album.
Lemppari: Shangri-La
"Australia" is such a banger. Loved the way all these tracks transform into something else halfway through.
Kinda beetles like but political, very cool.