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

Opener, Victoria is a solid tune. Outside of that, another album that will soon be forgotten. Nothing adverse, just something that sound just like every other late 60's band. I couldn't tell when the album ended and the genre kicked in on Spotify. 2

3 I think I’ve mentioned this before, but The Kinks have a lot of songs I like, though wouldn’t necessarily say that I love, and what I would consider a better collection of hits than albums. Yet, it seems that they do, indeed, have quite a few critically acclaimed releases - and I just don’t really get it. Like, this is fine, but is it really a must-listen? Is it really doing anything I haven’t heard from the group prior? Granted, in this instance, it’s supposed to be a sort of concept album following the fictional character of Arthur Morgan (no, not that Arthur Morgan), intended to accompany some kind of film or television show that never ended up getting made, but I don’t really feel any sort of cohesiveness or structure here at all, in narrative or in musicality. Is there supposed to be a plot? Even if not, I couldn’t tell you a damn thing about the character of Arthur Morgan if I tried, even after listening to this four times through, so maybe it is the cowboy for all I know (Dammit, Dutch!) I’m pretty sure Some Mother’s Son is supposed to be about war, so maybe he’s a veteran? I digress, as far as the music goes, this is about as on brand as I would have expected from The Kinks. Less garage rock-y, proto-punk than I would have liked, but as I’ve come to learn from this list, the group grew a bit more Beatles-y, baroque in the late ‘60s. It’s not a bad thing, but I think it results in a lot of unremarkable, though listenable tunes. Only two songs really stuck out to me as highlights here, Victoria and Shangri-La, with the latter being one that I would go as far as to say quickly ranked amongst my favorites from the group. Unfortunately, if you’re doing an album play, you have to slog through Australia to get to it. (Anecdotally, I briefly questioned if the song accompanied the Call of Duty: Black Ops Shangri-La trailer, but I guess that was The Lion Sleeps Tonight). As a whole, this is fine, and it doesn’t wear out its welcome, but I’ve also certainly heard much better, more commentable albums - I don’t think I would go out of my way to re-listen.

I don't like this

Already need to re-listen, but I do like The Kinks.

Much more poppy and less punk than I would have expected. Jam band moments appear in some tunes. Reminds me of any the Beatles a bit, and very similar to a lot of British Rock from the time period.

I don't think k listened closely enough to really get caught by the story lines on the album Standouts Australia 3/5

Muito beatles demais da conta, bom pra dar uma viajada e relaxar, mas achei genérico.

The Kinks are interesting because most people know of them for their British Invasion hit "You Really Got Me" and really truly remember them for just that. But further research finds that The Kinks became more experimental as the years flew by. By 1969, they had already made a mark in the studio with their ability to paint concepts all their own. Here we have Arthur, an album that has a character at the center of it along with songs about said character. As a listener, I wasn't entirely paying attention for any signs of a progression within the story. I'm pretty sure that the concept within the record revolves around a character and his life but there's not a beginning, middle and end. I might be wrong but what I'm saying is that these songs are about Arthur and what his situation is like. Now the songs here are well-made and display loads of creativity although they may feel too loose structurally. There's a peak between the 3 track run of Australia, Shangri-La and Mr. Churchill Says; those 3 songs are 14-15 minutes of magic. I will highlight Australia for serving as a sonic precursor to The Strokes 30+ years earlier. The overall game changer about this record is that it lets me know that The Kinks are more than what I know them for. There's other records by them that broke them out stylistically and this is the first one that I got from them. I am looking forward to their other work, but as for this one, it's not one that I can give the full star treatment. By the end, I'm a bit jaded by the listening experience, but that might change in the future. The moral of the story today is that I learned that The Kinks have somewhat got me (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)

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

01.10.25 #6 Favourite tracks: victoria, yes sir, no sir, Australia. Rate 7.5/10

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

Nice work kinks

British droning and screeching

Disappointingly mid

all timer

I liked the concept album style and I've never really listened to The Kinks, so it was a good intro to them.

I love concept albums, and I love history, and I love the idea of the Br*tish declining, so I also love this album

No entiendo a los Kinks. Por algún motivo extraño, no aprecio su mérito y sus canciones me parecen todas iguales. No tienen una gran voz ni son grandes instrumentistas. Pero podría ser así y que me encantasen. No sé, intento buscar el motivo, pero no me gustan.

Too damn long

Interesting inclusion, I only really knew Victoria from this album before and it's not one you'd consider as full of hits - The Kinks have lots of classic songs but none of their most famous are on this. I suppose it's in the book because as a concept album it's notable. Ray Davies' songwriting is certainly well suited to telling whimsical stories about English people so i get that, although I can't imagine myself returning to many of these songs in future

Quite good actually! Creative, here an there psychedelic english rock!

I enjoyed it, but i dont think I'll listen again and I've got to trust my gut!

I always forget The Kinks are way cooler in my head than in reality.

The Kinks again! I'm pretty sure all we needed on this list was Village Green and Kinks, but sure- here we go- It's quite good! The sound of the Kinks is frail and thin. But the songs are good to great; "Australia" and "Shangri-La" are excellent. There is also an overarching story which isn't too hard to follow. My only real complaint is the double-tracked vocals and occasionally the "harmonies" go beyond the limits of tension into outright dissonance at times. Otherwise- high quality British invasion. THREE STARS

Nah

Okay. Fav was She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina.

Oh hey, this album shares a name (the first one, not the second one) with my son! I gotta be honest... I knew next to nothing about the Kinks prior to listening to Arthur. I think the first time I heard about the band was when my high school French teacher was telling us about a song called Kinks Shirt by Matt Nathanson, whom she may have had a minor obsession with. I've also apparently heard "You Really Got Me," but I never could have told someone it was made by the Kinks until today. I'm aware that I'm missing the context of several albums to be making a statement like this, but the Kinks often come across as a Walmart-brand version of the Beatles on AOTDAFOTBE. The LP was also released after every Beatles album (excluding Let It Be, which was recorded before Abbey Road), so I don't think it's unfair to say that that their influence is strongly felt here. With a name like "the Kinks," I was honestly expecting something with a bit more bite. That said, I don't think Arthur is a bad album at all! It starts off strong with "Victoria" and has a pretty enjoyable run of tracks from "Brainwashed" through "She's Bought a Hat like Princess Marina," which all felt like they brought something unique and memorable to the table. All in all, the LP isn't something I can see myself revisiting in my own free time (especially since a few more Kinks albums are coming up), but I'll probably show it to the kiddo someday for fun! Highlights: Victoria, Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La, Mr. Churchill Says, She's Bought a Hat like Princess Marina

This is fine, but some of this sounds like a Beatles ripoff. The first half of She's Brought a Hat Like Princess Marina's made me think I had somehow switched over to a Beatles album. Thought it was cool, might return to it or I might not. Or I'd rather just listen to the Beatles. But there's enough to make me want to check out some of their other music.

idk i wasn't really paying attention. nothing crazy and nothing bad. 5/10

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

Hear so many they're blending into one.

Everything works so well together here! Some of the best from the Kinks I’ve heard!

Good LORD they want to sound like the Beatles, don't they. Thankfully they got more independent later on. This album annoyed me.

Beatles-esque, but slow in places but overall quite nice

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.

Super political which was cool. It’s interesting to see them do this after having their biggest hit. TBH I think this was better written/produced than the self titled.

7/10 - I don’t know what it is but I kind of like the kinks. I was enjoying the first couple songs

Pretty good

Not the most exciting Kinks album to include here, but still the Kinks, I guess.

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?

Like beans on toast, it’s very British. For all of its praises, it’s just mundane and not my taste. It’s not as great as everyone says it is.

Really good album didn’t think I would like it so much.

(85/100)

I didn't really expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised. Favourite Track(s): Victoria, Australia, Nothing to Say Least Favourite Track(s): Same Mother's Son

I do like a lot of Kinks songs but this album is pretty dull. I'm going to rate albums lower going forward. If it does nothing for me but isn't excruciating to listen to I'll be giving a 2. This is getting a 2 for that reason. Stand out song - Victoria

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (great name by the way) was a pretty good album. Of the currently 3 Kinks albums that i have heard, this one is probably the best of the bunch. The main reason for this is the fact that the production got quite a huge upgrade over Face To Face and Something Else as it sounds a lot less grainy and way more crisp. This album still has a lot of the rough values that the other two albums had by using the guitars to get that sound and that is a good thing as i did enjoy that rough sound the other two albums had. The album also had enough going on as to where it didn't get tedious. This is easily the best Kinks album i have done so far. Best Song: Brainwashed Worst Song: Some Mother's Son

I didn't knew it. Absolutely awesome!

I only know The Kinks crowd favorites, but I found this album to have fun music and fun hits. Will certainly relisten to the ones I felt a connection to.

Favorite Track: Australia

I found it dated. It has not stood the test of time. It was pleasant enough but equally forgettable. It didn't however offend me just OK

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

Young and Innocent Days struck a cord with me

Complétement mon style, il m'a manqué un petit truc mais très bien.

I’ve had three Kinks albums and still no Lola. WTF??? The first two were early Kinks and were bad. This one shows them leaning more into who they became. Not great. But not awful.

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

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.

sounds like a slightly better evolution on the beatles. nothing for me, i fear.

Classic whimsy

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.

Love The Kinks, love this album: original sound, incredible lyrics, raw and folky guitars.

Banger Kinks

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.

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.

New Kinks. Less than 15 albums after my introduction to this band, no less. To recap, I love the band name and a few of the songs on Village Green Preservation Society, though I am as of yet unsold on this band. Maybe this album will be the one to put me over. Yeah, not bad. Much like Village Green Preservation Society, this music is very much my kind of deal, though I feel that there's something missing which keeps me from being head-over-heels for this band. That feeling likely stems from this album needing a few extra listens to understand - something I'm not closed off to in the future. "Victoria" is a solid opener. The songwriting and vocals are the tracks strong suit, though the plucky guitarwork gives the song a fun, bouncy energy. "Drivin'" has an equally good vocal performance with some very nice backing vocals. Again, those plucky guitars are pretty undeniable. "Brainwashed" is another good cut. The classic rock sound is pretty enjoyable, and I'm a big fan of the sudden shift down the middle of the track. "Mr. Churchill Says" is a rare track where the instrumentals triumph over the vocals. Those guitars are pretty great with how effortlessly they carry the song, though that isn't slighting the vocals in any way. I was surprised that "Australia" had a bit of a surf-rock sound going on, though that makes a good deal of sense with all of the dismal beaches that the UK has. The song is all over the place and doesn't have much focus, though I kind of like that about it. It captures the feeling of being on a holiday pretty well. Book time. Has many high points. Concept album. That's about it, really. Wikipedia reveals that his album flopped commercially, but was well-received by critics. Yeah, I'm in favour of this inclusion. It's pretty accessible while also featuring a good number of musical quirks that help to distinguish it from the competition.

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.

I had to drop out of listening to this as it was terrible, and I like 70s music!

Lala

Enjoyed every song. Just know they have better records coming, and a lot of sections are a little too Sgt. Pepper rip-offy.

A fantastically written pop rock album. It tries a lot of styles, both old and modern (for the time), and pretty much nails them all. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, and the lyrics range from nostalgic to the cutting satire of "Yes Sir No Sir". And yet, it leaves me a bit cold. Despite the consistency there are no exceptional songs - "Victoria" or "Australia" are probably the closest. It's almost as if the album is too well-written. This sounds ridiculous, but sticking so tightly to its formula of crafting a distinct sound for each song makes it feel a bit too calculated. There's no room for these songs to breathe, and the tightness turns into stuffiness. It doesn't help that outside of "Some Mother's Son" most of the topics seem approached from a distance rather than feeling personal. This is very close to a 4, but the fact I don't really care to hear it again keeps it at a 3.

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

Not really my thing tbh. I don't really love the kinks albums from this era they have a few good songs here and there but the album's as a whole experience are pretty boring 6/10 Favourite: Yes Sir, No Sir Least Favourite: Young and Innocent Days

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

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

Basic rock music, no inventing bicicle all over again. Simple riffs, familiar sounding while i have not heard it before

Trying (and failing) to not let VICTORIAAAA make me give a biased score

Solidno.

Australiaaaaa

Maybe I just didn't understand the album concept, but I didn't exactly find charm in the strange lyrics. I'm not going to say the album was bad because it wasn't. It was just as decent as many other British rock albums on here, but it dragged on for longer than I would've liked. It was a bit bland.

I like it. It's good and fun. However, not grabbing the same way the others have. Ya, just don't love it.

It was ok

Pretty great album. Very Beatles-esque

Me no like

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.

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.

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

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

Good classic rock. Beatles era rock that gets political. Good stuff.

A lot of really songs. Some misses. Vocals can be a bit weak at times. I liked it, but not enough to listen to it more

Pretty good. I'm not dying to hear it from start to finish again, but I could give it another listen.

Would totally listen again.

3,5

Hmmm. It's not bad. But it doesn't grab me, and say "turn it up." Or even play me again. 2.75 rounded up to a 3.

The Kinks are great, and this was an album of theirs I was not very familiar with, but I was just not in the mood to listen to this yesterday. I get the sense it might be a very good album. I'll give it a spin in a few days and see what I think. On a different day, it might have been a 4, but today . . .

Not their best album by a long shot. There's a few solid songs, but overall this was not anything I needed to hear . . . especially a 7-minute song about the pleasures of Australia or something.

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.

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.

#688. I liked a few of the songs well enough, I suppose, but I didn't really find much of it really compelling to be honest. It's tolerable is the best compliment I can think of for it. 3/5: I tolerated it.

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

Classic rock sound, enjoyable stuff. Particularly like yes sir no sir.

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

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)

C'était plutôt sympa, je connaissais Shangri-La que j'aimais bien. 3/5

I didn’t hate it. Few bops

I think its pretty good. Like the earlier tracks pointing out the pointlessness of war and fighting for your country. I think the juxtoposition of how sad lyrics and cheery music works better on some tracks than others. Some neat solo guitars as well. Think i appreciate it when I am listening to it but wont be returning to it too much. I would probably do 3.5 stars if i could but would be happy with a 3

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.

Kinda boring, not their best work IMO.

will revisit. listened to a few tracks. busy day.

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

Good

Relaxing and strangely beautiful, Wonderful!

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.

This was whatever and even annoying at times

This was a pretty interesting album. Cool story about an old empire and different stories. Instrumentals and lyrics were fantastic, but it was definitely a pretty sick album. Good background cooking music or kissing music kinda actually…

It was ok

It was good.

I like The Kinks. They reaffirm my faith in 60's music. "Permission to breath Sir"

It's rather long, and recorded in mono, and wasn't as engaging as Tommy, but it was definitely an interesting story and creative... not what I would normally expect from the Kinks. A little 60-ish for regular listening (along with the mono thing), but I definitely appreciated it... high 3.

This one felt like the Beach Boys but Australian. They talked about surfing like they do in the us, and Australia this Australia that. I wish it was put after a different album than yesterday, because it felt so similar. I wish it put on a different day because it’s all that I’ve listened to so far. I feel like I’m comparing the albums. I finished this one at least! And I got a lot of chores done.

Gets repetitive

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)

концептуальненько

shaggadelic

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.

New codes: important building block of music development - IMD. for Band - BBB Kinks Arthur: IMD, BBB

It’s awesome, makes me want to be british

Perfect

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

I like the stereo mixing (drums in one ear).

Really enjoyed this more than I thought I would based on the 2 other Kinks songs I knew...

didn't listened

Australia is obviously an exceptional track. Koselig from start to finish. This album gave me hope that the rest of the 997 albums we have to review won't be trash.

I still prefer the Beatles.

Strong opener, but it fell apart and I lost interest quickly after that. Too ambitious and proggy. 90 % of the songs should be two or three minutes shorter. Best songs: Victoria, Brainwashed and Nothing to Say

Musically I enjoy it. Vocals in my opinion lean on the other British Invasion bands closer to the Beatles, which isn't my preference opposed to others like the Animals or Hollies. Musically closer to bands like that opposed to a more simplified tunes like the beatles did well. Heavy blues influence throughout this album, I like the latter half a bit more.

i like it

Prettttty sure this might have been influenced by the Vietnam war??

глаз задергался, мне хоть вся планета будет говорить, что это хорошая музыка, это меня не переубедит. все что раньше 1980 для меня не слушабельно. это уже 60 лет назад почти, простите

Solid, you can hear many influences from ex. Beatles and other contemporaries but they are also very clearly their own thing. Easy listening but probably nothing I would regularly go back to.

Pretty good song writing. Its hard to determine whether these British bands are American or not off the first listen. But then the chorus of Yes Sir, No Sir plays and you're like ya these guys are British. Little corny but overall great sound and very listenable.

It's the kinks, it's ok, fun but also feels a little outdated for me. An interesting listen but won't repeat.

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.

I feel like my twenties were haunted by bands emulating this exact album. Not a bad work but not maybe worth a whole wave of music? Victoria is catchy as all get out.

7/10

A nice 60s rock concept album. The songs are all high quality, and for the most part enjoyable. The harmonies and singing are quite pleasing, and the instrumentals are pretty good.

Irgendwie extrem seltsam aber auch lustig wie geil ist bitte die Posaune in Shangri-La

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Best album so far in this journey.

3.0 Yes sir, no sir while clocking in at 3:46 seemed like it was a 35 minute song, it went on forever. There were a few standouts but not my favorite kinks album ( of whom I hold in high regard)

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.

I liked the album but I only really liked about half of the songs. I liked Austrailia, brainwashed, yes sir nor sir, drivin and some mother's son. I think that there was a clear message informed by the times this album was made and that I applaud. I did get it pretty quickly though which made the album start to feel repetitve in a way. Very British.

Trash

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

Boring and old, not a fan.

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.

British :(

Sick album title and way more nuanced thoughts in it than I expected.

47/1001 The Kinks - Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I think this album reinstates my belief that The Kinks are a singles band. Yes this is a concept album, but it needs to the tunes to carry the concept, which this simply doesn't. You have the one good song in Victoria at the start and then a couple of glimmers here and there, but nothing to interest otherwise.

Histórico. El mejor álbum de 1969 y uno de los mejores de todos los tiempos. Nunca se reivindicará lo suficiente la figura de The Kinks. Leyendas. Y este es su mejor disco.

I like the Kinks, but some times albums length of Kinks is bit too much. This is a decent pop record and it might get even better after few spins.

I have a soft spot for Kinks, especially the track Lola is wonderful. I think I bought a cheap collection of theirs way back when and fell in love with some of the tracks. I've heard some of these tracks before, but didn't know the story behind this album.

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.

I’m in a good mood today and this was pleasant. Hell yeah

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

instituutio massivinen mahtava instituutio bändi.. kaikki tietää kaikki tuntee ei voi kävellä kauaa kaduilla kunnes kuuleee "the kinks" ... institution... töissä jokapäivä joka ikinen saamarin päivä meikäläinen menee juomavesiautomaatille nauttimaan yhden paperimukillisen raikasta kylmää vettä siellä on jo joku muu ja kysyy hei hei1!! hei sinä!! ei edes tunne minua. hei sinä! the kinks, näitkö mitä eilen teki heheh luitko mitä meni tekemään... ja sanon kyllä helvetissä näin ja vedän nokkaan kun kysyi niin saatanan tyhmän kysymyksen. ja sen jälkeen keskustellaan vilkkaasti asiasta ja näin... institution... australia

Love this album - Kinks are a top band so this was an easy classic for me. Easy to listen to and talks about real issues in Britain at the time. Shangri-la is a favorite song. New appreciation for the title track too.

Much better in the moments when they weren't trying to be the Beatles

Definitely not the best kinks album

My dad was a fan of the kinks but wouldn’t play this one as he said they went weird. So cue my curiosity. I don’t know I think my dad may have been wrong I think it’s an excellent album. Tip top

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

when two brothers are freaks and they come together to make a band it’s beautiful

6/10

It was alright. You can definitely hear the early punk rock influence, which kept things interesting. "Shangri-La," "Nothing to Say," and "Arthur" stood out as the better tracks for me. Overall, it’s a decent listen with some solid moments, but nothing that made me want to hit repeat. Worth checking out if you’re curious about where a lot of later British rock got its sound.

beatles esque and good

Likely a gem from its time, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. While it’s not bad by any means, it feels a bit like a history lesson I didn’t sign up for.

Distinctive sound but no real bangers. Nice enough

I enjoyed this! Very solid 3/5 album. I would not be offended to hear it again but unlikely I’ll ever revisit

I’ve never listened to an album by The Kinks, and I’m not sure this was the best first one to listen to as it was a little light on recognisable hits. I enjoyed the lyricism (especially in Mr Churchill Says) and the feel of the album (especially in Shanghai-La), but I just wanted something which was a bit more memorable.

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

The Kinks are a band I always thought I'd enjoy, but as I delve deeper into music, they haven't quite lived up to my expectations. While their music isn't bad, it feels somewhat middle-of-the-road compared to other bands from that era.

Drivin’ added to repeat playlist

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.

Nice upbeat songs, even if they do have some strange lyrics

Fun

-Like the metaphors and storytelling about the military -Love the downtowny feeling of the instrumentals and vocals -Love me some incomprehensible words -Upbeat with some slower songs which I love

Bof j’aime pas

- another good road trippin album - “Victoria” is a good opening song 🙂‍↕️ - I liked the vibe change of “yes sir, no sir” - very monotone, nothing stood out or was too special - i like it but it’s “meh.” it feels like im trying too hard to find something memorable about it (other than Victoria and australia, i loved those two songs)

Some good songs, but too British for me

Bueno pero no increíble

Listened to the remastered version. Not the best but also not the worst either. Liked “Victoria”. Not really my style. Can totally agree that after some time this songs starts to sound the same

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.

2. rocky as any other well i am not enjoying but its not bad...

Pop rock sesentero elaborado e influyente

Lyttede ikke så meget

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.

Auch mit der Meinung stehe ich wohl eher allein, aber für mich waren die Kinks mehr eine Singles- als eine Album-Band.

i like it

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)

Not what I imagined The Kinks was? More folksy than rocky. Lacks bangers, but overall good.

The Kinks are great. They suit my style as a dedicated follower of fashion.

Great album.

victoria- 6 or 7 yes sir no sir- 6 some mothers son- 5 drivin- 5 brainwashed- 5 austrailia- 5 shangri la- 5 mr churchill says- 5 shes bough a hat like princess marina- 6 young and innocent days- 5 nothing to say- 5 or 6 arthur- 5

Classic Rock.

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

Starts with one of my favourite Fall covers...great start. The kinks have always been an edgier slightly darker version of the beatles, which I prefer. This album is really good. Like really good. I would actually like to own it. a few songs in I was saying definitely a 4, and now halfway through and on the incredible Shangri La and i am saying 5. This is fantastic. It is diverse, edgy, poppy and continually changing in tempo and style, coupled with great songwriting. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to that! 5 stars

Not what I was expecting

Victoria!!! Good album, i liked the beatles kind of vibe

When I was 15 I started identifying with socialism, I was radicalised through the increase in tuition fees and I wanted all my music to be righteous and reflective of my politics. My parents had a compilation of the Kinks on their CD rack which I absolutely rinsed and fell in love with. I wouldn't listen to the Beatles because they represented market capitalism whilst the Kinks... Well they represented my values much more in music. Over the years my politics and music tastes changed and I stopped listening to the Kinks, seeing it as cheesy, watered down, weak in its critique (if you bemoan consumerism in the 1960s then try living in the 2010s and 2020s!), maybe a bit tone deaf for where we are politically on the left these days. Later on I got deeper into postpunk and always enjoyed the cynical delivery of Mark E Smith in the Fall's cover of Victoria. I'd always sing along to Lola and Shangri-La in the club and at parties. But I never returned to the Kinks, almost as if it was a forgotten part of my life. A lot of music from the 60s (like rock and pop) I prefer to consume through compilations rather than studio albums. However I think missing the context of Arthur I really wasn't doing the singles justice. And now that I'm older and a bit more forgiving (although still more politically radical than the Kinks - and able to appreciate the Beatles despite their shortcomings as people!) it has been a complete joy to return to them. There's some really clever stuff in here that I had missed, Australia particularly was a highlight for me and I would never have appreciated the stripped back sadness of Some Mother's Son when I was a teenager. Brilliant album. Deservedly my first 5/5 on this listening project.

I'm going to be very honest. I didn't get it.

Pretty nice I think, was some time ago so can’t remember if it was three or four

Not their best, but good.

Classic sound.

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.

6/10

Victoria // Australia // Shangri-La // She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina // 3.5/5

I consider myself a Kinks fan but, like listening to the Beatles, don't always have patience for these British music hall jingles about working class heroes and ironic longing for the good old days of the empire. I prefer their rock songs about girls and just being a lad. Victoria is great song though.

Solid album, grew on me

hi my name is... arthur OR the decline of the british empire... whichever's easiest for you to call me

Interesting listen. Makes sense. Wish I had more to write.

Such well crafted songs. Not sure if it's the copy I'm listening to or the cold I'm dealing with but some of the tracks aren't as dynamic as I would hope. Fun and engaging opening track. Some Mother's Son was a delight. Not a big fan of Drivin' a very Paul McCartney like song. Ooo Shangri-la is a kaleidoscope of sound. Mr Churchill Says is a jam. I think this has some slight blemishes but it still has me so intrigued that I would love to give this future listens. Never listened to this before but came close to buying it once on reputation. Happy to hear it would have been worth it.

Great stuff.

First impression pre listen: There's a lot of classic rock on this list and this time it's "The Kinks". Don't know what to say about them really. I've heard their hits I guess, but never checked out an album. From what I hear they're supposedly underrated. Gonna be honest and say that I'm not really in the mood for '60s rock heading into it, but hopefully that changes. Got no real expectations. Individual track notes: Victoria Perhaps the most British thing I've ever heard. I like the chorus. The song sets up the concept pretty well. It's a decent intro to what's to come. Catchy song. Good 4/5 Yes Sir, No Sir The militaristic marching beat does carry some thematic imagery from the previous track. A solid take on autority and comformity. I like the parade-like horns. The lyrics are a bit on the nose, but it works decently. Decent. 3.5/5 Some Mother's Son Don't love the heavily accented vocals here. The backing vocals are pretty cool. It's a '60s antiwar song. Does what it's supposed to do. The theatrical framing does set it apart from others however. Fine. 3/5 Drivin' A bit wonky. Annoying chorus, the main melody is kinda unpleasant. Really don't like the guitar on this song. Obnoxious song, sounds drunk and disjointed. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Brainwashed Unremarkable. Don't have much to say about it. I guess there's some cool distorted guitar there. The mixing is kinda bad - might be the fault of the remaster. Makes the vocals kinda unintelligable. Average. 2.5/5 Australia Showtune sounding track. Would be annoying outside the context of the album. The concept makes the idea kinda work. I like the extended instrumental section quite a bit. It's decently psychedelic, and has this sort of sunny warmth which is right on theme. Good. 4/5 Shangri-La I like how it executes the buildup. The explosion of sound when the chorus comes in feels well earned. I love the implementation of the bass here. Has a great shift in energy. Fun and interesting song structure. The lyrics are whatever, though the language used does evoke a consistent theme however. Great. 4.5/5 Mr. Churchill Says I like the blueseyness of the track. The guitar is really smooth. Great switchup. The extended instrumental passage is a bit of a let down. Goes on a bit too long and lacks any sort of dynamism, gets stale and repetitive. It's a decently fun subversion of life during the Blitz I suppose. Decent. 3.5/5 She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina Obnoxious. Music to torture your eardrums to. Sounds like a mix between a psychedelic children's tv show song and an evil carnival ride. Kazoos should be banned. Awful. 1/5 Young and Innocent Days I guess it has a sweet and sentimental intent. I hate the drawn out notes in thr chorus. Not exactly an entertaining track. Drags all the way until the end. Dislike. 2/5 Nothing to Say I've got nothing to say. Average. 2.5/5 Arthur Really repetitive. I don't love the guitar here. Some of the vocal parts are mildly irritating. Long overstays its welcome. The claps sound bad. Dislike. 2/5 Final Review: Personally, this is a bit of a mixed for me. It's cleverly written, there's snark, there's irony and also to contrast quite a bit of bluntness as well. The witty lyrics that critisize British imperialism, the monarcy and the way of life in the UK, are mostly fun to follow along with. They usually come from unique perspectives that allow the tracks to stick out from the crowd. The themes and concepts remain consise and consistent throughout the album's entire runtime. But much of the impact is sadly lost on me as I'm not from the UK myself. Many references to pop-culture or British way of life is simply lost on me. The general sound of the album is rich and diverse. I really enjoy the ever-shifting instrumental palatte which never seems to remain the same from track to track. It has a unique composition which only gets more interesting the deeper you get. I don't however, always love the vocals on here. They're sung with a really heavy accent, and I don't always enjoy how much they draw out some of the notes. Othertimes its almost goofy, where you almost get this over-enunciated pronounciation which I assosiate with children's music. Pair this with a healthy bit of repetition and it can get a bit irritating on some tracks. And while it adds to the album's consistent identity, the vocals and the strange instrumental choices pair for some almost unlistenable moments. But I guess that's just one of the consequenses of such a unique songwriting style. Not everything is gonna click with everyone. I'll give it this however: It's a memorable album. From start until finish I can't recall ever being bored by it. If you're a bit more engrossed in the concept this could definitely hit harder. For me it's again, a mixed bag. Has high highs, and low lows. 3/5

Victoria: ⭐⭐⭐ Shangri-La: ⭐⭐⭐ Everything else: 🫠 and a stupid hat.

Ew, 60s music

The Beatless? I'm kidding, they're awesome

Tellement anglais, c’est un peu long sans beaucoup de changements. Sûrement qu’à un autre moment j’aurais été plus into it.

Victoria is pretty good. The next four are fairly dull - great last chord on Brainwashed though. Australia is pretty good - quite a Julian Casablancas sound. Mr. Churchill Says - not great but interesting having the air raid siren in it. She's Bought a Hat is okay? Not their nonsense-best. Young and Innocent Days is the best so far. Final two aren't great - just all in all not a P A T C H on the Village Green Preservation Society!

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.

Favorite track: "Brainwashed"

The upbeats in Victoria were very fun. Worst Song: Yes Sir, No Sir Best Song: Victoria, Shangri-La Added to Liked Songs: Shangri-La

They sound very similar to the Beatles. Fun concept album

Pretty good

It has its moments. Kind of a poor man's Beatles though. 3/5 #116

Like The Velvet Underground meets The Beatles with lots of great hooks.

Very enjoyable top to bottom. A fun blend of Beatles, Velvet Underground and a transitional period into modern sounding rock and pop.

#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

"Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" is the seventh studio album by English rock band the Kinks. Lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist Ray Davies construction this loosely-based concept album as the soundtrack to a Granada Television play (which never was produced). The plot revolves around Arthur Morgan, a carpet-layer, and his family's plight in the post World War II and is based on his actual brother-in-law Arthur Anning who moved to Australia with Davies' sister Rose. Other bandmembers included Dave Davies ( lead guitars, vocals), Mick Avory (drums, percussion) and John Dalton (bass, backing vocals, replaced original bassist Pete Quaife). The album had universal critical acclaim but also poor sales reaching #105 in the US. "Victoria" starts off the album with an acoustic guitar and that classic electric guitar. The bass and drums come in. Wow, great sound and mix. The vocal harmonization chorus. A grand sounding middle eight. A rowdy vibe and guitar solo near the end. A song about the grim realities of Britain in the 19th century and, of course, adulation for Queen Victoria. "Drivin'" lightens the mood. Bouncy with the bass. Oooh's and aaah's in the backing vocals. Ace percussion and drums. Taking his wife out for a drive to help her forget her problems. "Australia" starts out rockin.' Humorous vocals with a high-pitched Frank Zappa sounding backing vocal, Beach Boy-type harmonies and doo-wop ones as well. A tongue-in-cheek advertisement for moving to Australia as Arther's sin is moving there. A jazzy outro with a guitar jam, horns and piano. Side two opens with "Shragri-La." A melancholic guitar, Davies singing softly, horns and a harpsichord. The song explodes getting louder and then faster. It's about Arthur's empty life in the suburbs. What a ride! "Arthur" closes the album. This songvhas a country rock vibe with the guitar. Both Davies' brothers on lead vocals. They don't want Arthur to waste his life and love andcwant to help him. A communal ending with the hanclaps and harmonies at the end. This is just a fantastic album. The production, mix and sound are incredible: horns, harmonies, backing vocals and percussion. Each instrument is heard clearly. It reminded me of a Who album but maybe better with the complexities, details and pace and instrumental changes within each song. The lyrics are serious, sad and humorous. Absolutely no filler on this album. I really need to go back and listen to each of the Kinks' album from their golden age. This one might be their best.

Wasn't a fan

Pretty fun album. With a few very catchy songs. I enjoyed it enough to want to listen to it again.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Many enjoyable tracks.

The Kinks tried to get Len Houmous to join them. He simply said. Sorry - I’m too kinky, even for you guys! 2.5 1/12 Victoria

Meh. Never really liked the Kinks sound.

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.

Didn’t realized it was a concept album until after I had listed to it. I couldn’t tell It from listening to it (which probably why I didn’t rank it higher). Some of the songs were definitely a miss but did like "Drivin'" , "Shangri-La" and “Victoria”

i like the kinks. i do. and i feel bad for saying this, but a lot of this sounds like they are trying to sound like the beatles. to be fair, a lot of bands from that era tried to sound like the beatles. and not all of the songs on this album are like that, but many of them are.

I like a few dozen Kink songs but man, they’ve got a ton of albums with a ton of filler on them. Victoria’s an all timer on this one.

Solid

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!

Some good tracks on here.

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.

Victoria is a great song, a lot of the post-WWII England rock opera concept is kind of lost on me as an American listening in 2025

A kickass, anti-war, anti-capitalist, early Brit-rock ride. If the Beatles had a good drummer and were as politically subtle as a hammer to the face, it’d be this.

Easy listening.

I always feel like I should be more into the Kinks than I am, but I get why people love them. This album kinda sounds like Beatles-style pop but bluesier. Victoria is catchy.

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

One good song

2.7

I swear I'm not giving everything 5's, but the Kinks are the most underappreciated British Invasion band, and this is their best album, imo. Shangri-La is my favorite song of theirs, Victoria is awesome, Australia is epic, Mr.Churchill Says is the best McCartney-aping, and Some Mother's Son is the anti-war song that Roger Waters tried and failed to write for years. It's a 5.

I liked this whole album! I need to listen to to more of The Kinks.

I thought they were supposed to be more rock. Reminded me heavily of The Beatles and The Beach Boys.

Wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I didn't hate it either.

Cool stuff, probably was a fun live show.

a touch too noodly

there were some fun songs on here. nothing mind blowing.

3/5 solid album, a bit longer than I hoped for but they did good.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized The Fall were covering Victoria. This album was downhill after that.

Good album!

I enjoyed this one with a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. A joint or cigarette would have complimented the experience well. This wouldn’t be something I would play again often but I could see myself revisiting this every decade or if I start smoking again.

I gave this a 4 the first time around. But damn I enjoyed it even more this time. I found myself listening to it all weekend and singing along by Sunday. For that reason, I am giving it a 5 this time. These songs are very enjoyable right from jump. 1969 was a great year for music it seems.

I understand why the album is on the list. I understand that The Kinks are hugely important to the rock of the 60s and their influence on garage rock can be felt even as far into the future as bands like the Black Keys and The Strokes. But by 1969 when this album came out, their contemporaries had moved away from the tried and true sound of the early and mid 60s and were delving into sonically new sounds, pushing rock into newer directions. Although there are some very solid songs on this album, and it is easy to listen to, it does not speak to me.

This is nice. Lukewarm. It's "fine." It's just sort of... there. While listening to this album, I just kept thinking about if I would have liked it when it first came out in 1969 if I was alive then. I haven't done that with any other album yet, so it's interesting to me that I was hyper-focused on it. I feel like I would be super dismissive of this album for stuff like In the Court of the Crimson King, Abbey Road, Zeppelin, CCR, and Zappa. It's a concept album, and I LOVE concept albums. But in 1969 there were a good number of better concept albums by King Crimson or The Who or Genesis, and I'd have been too obsessed over those to give this a real chance. The fictional version of me in 1969 would have rated this a 1 or 2. But I have the hindsight of historical value, so I'm gonna bump that up to a lukewarm 3.

Really not into this one.

wouldn't have chosen to listen to this, but i do like it.

Pretty good for this genre but not something I'd listen to again and again. Album hangs together well - this generation knew how to structure albums! Australia is pretty cool - a song in 3 (?) sections ... enjoy the mid section guitar solo with jazzy brass and piano. Funky.

3.2

This is good. Very high-concept - very reminiscent of Odessa by the Bee Gees, or Tommy by the Who. Great songs, very late-60s production. I could return to this, for sure.

I like Orbital, but this album was strictly average