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

A joy to listen to.

I could've sworn I knew the group, but I think I confused them with the KiNK. Not sure whether the English or the Bulgarians would be more offended by that slip-up. Admittedly was caught off guard by the lead's voice. Very reminiscent of this time, like if the Beatles decided to up their game. Not a fan overall. "Some Mother's Son" *almost* reminded me a fusion between Styx and Black Country, New Road. "Shangri-La" might've been my favourite track if they kept it as a mellow a capella, or at least made it stylistically similar to "Young and Innocent." Perhaps it's the harpsichord making me silly. Frankly, they should've leaned more into the folk British sound of the hat song. Nursery rhyme potential right there (it's my favourite track of the album). "Nothing to Say" is quite poppy but I could not stand the singer's voice there. I could see this being modernized by someone in the likes of Ben Rector with that bouncy piano riff (take that as you will, this is neither a positive nor negative comment). All in all, this definitely exemplifies the fall of the British empire! The sun has set.

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

There aren't any bad songs on here but outside of Shangri-La and Victoria, there aren't many that I'll go back to. 7/10

Australia is probably what they play during an MKUltra trauma based programming session while wearing a Mickey Mouse mask. I dislike the whole album, I need a brain wash to forget this. 1/5

Ugh, I hate this record. To be totally honest with you, dearest reader, I hate the kinks. Ray Davies’ desperate attempt to mimic the sound of the Beatles, to cash in on beatlemania, seems to be entirely overlooked and I don’t understand why. The lyricism is shallow, vapid, and boring. Every chord is predictable and uninspiring. It’s like some bizarro universe where the Beatles had no redeeming qualities, but made records anyways. Not something I ever care to hear again. 1*

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.

I liked the first song the way I like many Kinks stand out songs. The rest was flat.

Sounds very similar to many other albums from this time with no real stand out tracks.

The singing seemed out of tune on a couple songs. Some nice little riffs but overall not great

we have Tommy at home!

Pretty damn good! Frank told me to listen to this a few weeks ago so feeling particularly prepared, and a second and third time through i feel like i truly "get" it. The tone of Ray Davies is a little confusing but the story on Arthur is pretty clear. He loves Britain, its time to let go of the past. Telling the story through the lense of his brother in law works incredibly well, and is just the kind of stange humor that defines The Kinks. The story, concept, humor works and so does the instrumentation and song writing. I generally associate the Kinks with below average production/instrumentation, possibly by design, but the production here sounded great. I was pretty stunned by some of these songs, in particular the horns throughout. A year ago I bought a house that needs a lot of work, and spend a significant amount of time stressing, thinking, working on this piece of shit. Because of that, Shangri La hit a little too close to home (no pun intended). I gotta believe this is The Kinks best work?

Ray Davies is one of most intelligent songwriters of all time. This album has more depth than most novels, but the language and delivery is so simple and unpretentious that its hard to even notice how evocative it is on the first few listens. The way he describes war as 'someone killed some mother's son today.' Or how 'everyone walks around with a perpetual smile on their face' in Australia - or, in my favorite song on the album, the narrator in his old age talks about his youth 'I wish my eyes could see everything how it used to be. But its too late. So late' He's wry without ever being sarcastic; clever without being a wiseass, emotional without any sentimentality. I don't think rock songwriting as an artform has ever really topped this album. It can be debated, I think, if rock music is really the right venue for storytelling - and maybe the reason this album wasn't popular at the time is because most people just want to hear songs about love or having sex, songs that they don't have to think too hard about. But it you like art that creates a whole story to immerse yourself in - this is as good as it gets. Thats before we've even gotten to the quality of the music itself. Thats what brings this to another level. Every song is like a musical adventure, taking some strange turns along the way, and then usually ending in the same place it started, except changed somehow by everything it's done to get there. From an arrangement standpoint, I think its the best use of horns in any rock album - they always come in at the exact right time, usually the bridge, to subtly either lift the tone or otherwise take the song in a new direction. But they never overpower or call attention to themselves. This is a top 10 album for me easily. Ray Davies is absolutely a better songwriter than either Paul McCartney or John Lennon. He's way more ambitious and way more thoughtful. It's just that fewer people actually want that from music.

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.

Get excited every time I see a Kinks album pop up - seems like they’ve got some unexplored gems I need to dig into more. I’ve seen reviews talk about them on the same plane as the Beatles and Stones, and that comparison is starting to resonate a bit. This was a real treat. Yes Sir, Churchill, Nothing to Say stand out after a few listens but excited for this to be on more regular rotation.

I've read that this is the best Kinks album, but I'm not so sure. It's rather silly, with very old-timey instrumentals - it's personally not my favorite, but it's not bad.

Cool stuff. I know a couple of their tracks but nothing off this album.

Ujdzie. Nic specjalnego. Takie bezpieczne 3.

Sounds are interesting and I hear a lot of Pet Sounds influence. But historical narrative is uninteresting itself

mellow, political, nice

Very 60s, very English.

Fun

Skemmtilegt. Ekki nálægt þeirra bestu samt.

want to give this a 3.5. rounding up feels to high but i did enjoy it.

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.

Anti war stuff for the intro, fairly predictable now Shangri-La surprised me (in a good way) They seem pissed about WWII but it's not clear why (a little /s) The album generally gets better as it goes on from a weak / stereotypical start

Australia und Mr. Churchill Says: 7/10 Schöner, entspannter Soft bzw. Classic Rock mit nicen guitars

Never properly listened to the kinks but this was a great introduction, will be listening again

Just ok. I am a fan of the kinks. But this was just ok

Decent album but not a favorite. I liked the previous Kinks album better. 3.6 stars

Wow. The Kinks having an amazing and innovative concept album wasn't exactly surprising when I first listened to The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society way back in January 2024. But to listen to its followup, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), and find out that they actually have AT LEAST two of them? Crazy. It's a good kind of crazy though. I'm very happy. This album's great. This is my third album from the Kinks. Obviously, Village Green is a classic and is still probably my favorite of theirs. Face to Face was good but nowhere near the levels of Village Green. Arthur though? This one gets close. I do still think I like Village Green more, but it's a closer call than you might think. Arthur is just a very interesting album to me. As stated earlier, this one's also a concept album about the titular Arthur. Apparently his full name is Arthur Morgan, which is really funny to me because it makes me think of the funny cowboy game. This is now the second review in which I have acknowledged Red Dead Redemption 2 despite having never played the game myself. How neat. The story's pretty loose in terms of how it's told, but it seems like a nice story from what I can tell. The songs do a good job at feeling connected with one another without feeling repetitive or redundant. The songs are great, by the way. This album has the perfect blend of quirkiness and sophistication. I like it. Songs like "Victoria," "Australia," and especially "Shangri-La" make the album as great as it is. The songwriting is strong. As far as songwriting goes, this is definitely one of the best concept albums of the 60s. You know, if I had a nickel for every iconic concept album released in a year ending in 9 that mentioned Vera Lynn in its lyrics, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. So yeah, this album's fire. The Kinks have done it again! Good job Ray Davies. You made peak music again. Well, not quite peak, but it's close. Low 5/5.

I don’t think I’ve intentionally listened to the kinks before but I liked it

Sounds like a modern day Beatles album, but not as epic as The Beatles.

Not bad really— I’m just finding I don’t really like the Kinks (other than Lola). Take Australia, it starts out like a perfectly competent 60s rock song and then devolves into meaningless nonsense. And then the rest of the songs that are on wacky old instruments (kazoos, harpsichords and ragtime pianos)? Not for me

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

I love Kinks

Very nice

Meh

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.

Ear massage.

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.

Ehhh

- Literally one of the worst vocalists I have ever heard. - Lyrically dull and uninteresting. "Soldiers die at war. Have you ever thought about that?" - shite

I wasn't aware of this album before. A concept soundtrack album for a 1969 TV play. It's not bad, but nothing outstanding.

Really solid concept album. Some really clever lyricism and stark imagery, especially on songs like Yes Sir No Sir and Some Mother’s Son. That combined with some really catchy and fun music. If I could levy any issues, the album can get a little messy at times. The solos can go on a little too long, and the vocals can occasionally get drowned out by the sheer amount of stuff going on, but these are minor issues to me. I really liked this one. EDIT: Had to go back and give this a 5. Genuinely might be my favorite discovery from this generator so far. I really really like this album.

Never heard before. A good album though by 1969 it might have been expected that their sound would have evolved, it still sounds like classic mid 60’s kinks, it’s good but no white album.

Not fun or interesting

I love the Kinks!

This was fine. Super British, which I wasn't expecting somehow? Haha. It's fun but a little forgettable for me.

This was ok, but I'm just so bored of old records

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.

I see there are two versions of the album, one in mono and the other in stereo(because it doesn’t say mono). I’m going with the mono version because the album art matches what I was given to listen. Too call this album eclectic is obvious, but what is really interesting is this album sounds like it is from 1975-77, not 1969. Another example of the kinks following or even leading musical style changes but not chasing after them.

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.

Some great songs here, some that have not aged well, and some that must have frankly felt pretty weak even when first released. I like, but don’t love, The Kinks. This is one of their better albums, but it still retreats a little too often for me to a certain twee mawkishness.

Grown up kinks. A bit too complicated. Some ok tunes, Victoria and shangrila. Guitars good. Beatles already did it

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.

It was okay, a change of sound for the band, and a few standouts.

Quirky, has some classsics but gets a bit samey by the end

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

not a fan. 2/5

A number of good and a few great tunes

Ok, very Kinks witty but not my favourite of theirs.

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.

Simon bopped along in the car

Really like the drummer and how much you can hear him. Heavy production; very large garage band sound. Not sure if I would revisit. I’m enjoying the themes in the second half of the album more than the first half. Overall, I like the theming of the album, but the music is not my typical cup of tea. Overly jangly 60s rock doesn’t scratch my itch. It’s a very consistent sound throughout and not off-putting; it’s dynamic and I appreciated all of the different instruments and their usage.

Fun and quirky. Very much as you expect from the Kinks. Did not dive in on the whole concept album think, but I may go back and try to get more of that experience.

The Kinks are definitely one of my favorite finds from this whole 1001 albums project. Favorites from this album were Mr. Churchill Says, Victoria, Shangri-La, and Australia.

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.

Meh

gostei, mas Beatles é melhor

great

Sellasta mukavaa Beatles tyylistä jumputtelua, kyllä tällasta kuuntelee!

The best Kinks album. I will die on that hill. If I could give it a six I would.

Thanks to the Sonos devising it wasn’t going to connect to anything any more, I didn’t listen to this until the next evening and was only able to listen once before moving on to the next album. I liked it well enough but not enough for a 4. If you were considering purchasing a Sonos, don’t; you’ll spend almost as long trying to get it to connect and stay connected as listening to the dratted thing.

I loiked it

7/10

I didn't listen extremely carefully or all the way through this time but I liked what I heard

Really good album

Fire

Enjoyed this a lot

Arthur is not aging well at 55 years old. Wearing a rumbled out of style shirt, two stones overweight, and with a heart condition he sits in his rocker at Shangri-La complaining about how the war took his friends, the poor state of the economy, and his mundane job. This harsh critique of the British lifestyle by Ray is certainly 1001 List worthy, it’s just not an enjoyable listen. (2.2*s) They get better and we’ll be hearing more from The Kinks.

Another from The Kinks, really? There's maybe 2-3 good songs on this whole album, it doesn't deserve to be in the list. The more I hear from them, the less I like. Too hokey and carnival sounding. I did not enjoy. 1.85.

Too much Kinks here list and probably we ain't done I'm afraid. Arthur is the best of the albums so far but still meh. Again, I get a knock-off Beatles album feel here. I may be wrong but with the Davies bros debuting about a year after the fab 4, it's like they were taking notes or maybe they were all on their own and had same idea. "Victoria" was recognizable and "Shangri-La" takes top track spot. Will have to play it at the openmindz next gathering. Starting to feel like these guys should be The Stinks really. Please just send me their debut and be done...2.05 stars.

It's hard not to feel like The Kinks are over-represented on this list at this point. This is already the 3rd entry and I hate to say it but I fear we could be in for another. I don't mean to discount the talent of The Kinks but we've already been exposed to what it is they offer. While that has its place in music history, I don't personally feel like they deserve to be placed at the top of any legacy lists. For what it's worth I think Arthur was probably the best album of the bunch thus far. Even with that I'm not even sure it belongs on this list. It's a coherent concept album with the typical Kinks flair. There's some variation in style with some of their light humor mixed in. For my money I'd probably leave Arthur on the list and remove the prior 2 albums. Overall as I get further exposed to The Kinks it makes me only want to stick to the hits and avoid the rest of their collection. I will likely adjust my scores to prior Kinks reviews. 2.39 stars

I didn’t expect this to be as good as it was!

I liked this so much more than the last Kinks album that was up for review.

I guess I would maybe say unremarkable...? Not unlistenable, but pretty unmemorable.

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+.

It's fine but it never really goes beyond fine.

One of my favorite discoveries yet from this 1001 process. The Kinks are probably best known for being underrated and this album may be Exhibit A: a musically delightful album from top to bottom. It’s a concept album looking at life in post-war Britain, with big picture themes considered through the lens of everyday people. The opening song title fittingly refers to the empire (Queen Victoria) whereas the last song title is one man, our everyday hero, Arthur. If you listen to this back to back with Sgt Pepper it would not feel derivative, but rather like a wonderful progression. And if you listen to it back to back with itself…you will enjoy it more each time. At least that’s my experience.

This album is mystifying in the best way. The tracks are all strong and catchy and at the same time indistinguishable. The Davies make this album seem casual, as if they aren't even trying, while they capture your soul and have you singing right along with them. I don't know half of the people referenced in "Mr. Churchill says," but I bought in thoroughly. Absolutely brilliant album.

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

The Australia song was hilarious

3.5

So very bri'ish. It feels like the picked the wrong Beatle to idolize.

I gave it a 4 because they arent the beatles

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.

Sounds like they are copying the Beatles

I’ve liked other albums by these guys, but this one didn’t have the same edginess I like about them. It falls a little flat.

Better than I thought it would be. Still not my style. Pretty raw, which is fine.

Nice album

fun album

Fun Kinks-as-Beatles album. Really enjoyed it

Early Kinks always underrated

Really an excellent concept album. There are a few low spots but that’s just because the rest of the album is so good. Loved it.

A like a good concept album but for some reason this did not do much for me. I think it’s because it’s too British.

Ok, this is brilliant. I had no idea they were this good.

i love arthur yaaay

There are some good songs on here but it wasn’t as consistent as I had hoped, there wasn’t anything I hated just not so many that grabbed me.

Wanted to love this, but a bit twee and a few aimless tracks (Drivin', Australia) to be a real winner 😕

Super fun. Lots of stuff going on; gives you an idea why so many bands listed them as an inspiration. FS: Shangri-la, but lots to choose from. (Not Australia, though. What a dumb song.)

A real lesson for me. Cohesive as a collection in sound and style, but each song distinct. Musically a great time from start to finish with some 👌 guitar and drums with catchy and energetic arrangements. Lyrically some entertaining and incisive social commentary which in many cases is still relevant today!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Some tracks are quite good, while others don't really fit, resulting in an overall mediocre experience. Production/mixdown is horrible.

Great album, will definitely listen again.

Great album! Each track brings something different sound wise but weaves a story throughout. Favourites include Brainwashed, Australia, and Shangri-La. Big fan of the Kinks and this style of early rock. 5/5

Kinks bästa låtar är super men är inte med här. Så "bara" en trea.

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!

Ok, but not a patch on their other albums.

Don't mind a bit of The Kinks, but don't realy want to listen to a whole album again.

Good but not great

Really enjoyed this, nice rock and roll.

I guess The Kinks just aren’t for me. This sounded no different than half of the 60s British rock albums on the list, and certainly wasn’t revolutionary in any sense of the word. Don’t hate it, but can’t love it.

What a strange album. It certainly doesn't seem to hang together in any way, but I really enjoyed much of it.

A good album, didn’t blow me away though, but it probably deserves more time to grow

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.

This was my first listen to Arthur. I learned this 1969 album was originally conceived as a companion soundtrack to a now-lost television drama by the same name. It tells the story of a working-class man navigating post-WWII Britain. The album captures feelings of a generation that saw the empire shrink, promises fade, and modernization creep into every corner of their lives--parallels easily drawn in 2025 for multiple nations. There’s a raw edge throughout this record. Fuzzy guitar riffs, punchy drums, touches of brass, and intricate vocals carry each track’s tale. It teeters between stripped down garage rock (even though that term didn’t really exist yet) and full on theatrical storytelling. Tracks like "Shangri-La," "Some Mother’s Son," and "Young and Innocent Days" stand out. While the bombastic "Victoria" kicks off the record, "Shangri-La" builds from something quiet and nostalgic into a takedown of the suburban dream. The anti-war track "Some Mother’s Son" is beautiful, bleak, and haunting. And at my age, my favorite track was probably "Young and Innocent Days." It’s reflective and melancholic, yet beautifully underscores loss of youthful idealism. Despite commercial ups and downs, Kinks remained a band unafraid to evolve. Their relevance lies not in stylistic consistency, but in their ability to mirror contradictions of modern life across decades of shifting musical landscapes--and make great music while doing so. This album was foundational to their future. Five stars from this guy.

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

Not my favourite kinks album because I find it more falsely pretentious and less tuneful than the others

Great

Empire pop

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

Never heard of them before, and honestly wouldn't care if I never heard them again. Victoria and Yes Sir, No Sir are good songs but dragged down by the rest of the album that's mediocre at best and downright migraine-inducing at worst.

I’ve always loved the Kinks. Part of the 60s British Invasion. They have some great hits. Unfortunately, none on this album. I can see the timing of this album was during the Vietnam war, so the subject of several of the songs makes sense. Just didn’t strike a chord with me.

Very simple back then. There are some good, classic kinks songs, but none of them were on this album. Didn’t recognize any of the songs and I can’t say I really enjoyed any of it either.

I feel like this would go hard for people who like the Beatles.

What the fuck are you doing here? This album was noisy and boisterous, and not always in a good way. It was ok, but The Kinks are treated on this list like the Beatles. Come on. I don't care if I ever hear The Kinks again.

Come on, it's the Kinks. They're great. Not as appreciated as the Stones and the Beatles, maybe, but they deserve the appreciation. This is classic British rock.

Not my favorite Kinks album, but some excellent tracks on here.

Fun one. Enjoyed it.

Rather enjoyed this. Will listen again.

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

This early concept album is great and shows the satirical approach The Kinks often had. It's not as great as Village Green but great enough and maybe a good start if you'd want to get kinky.

ehh. I just could never get into the Kinks. I like Victoria, but other than that idk. They're fine.

This was a solid 60s era British rock. I was really only familiar with the big hits from The Kinks, so came into this one blind. Where The Kinks sound like the little brothers of The Stones and The Beatles, they do have their own little corner of this genre and era. Musically this was a well put together simple rock album. The lyrically content was probably the strongest part and even a bit ahead of its time. I will revisit this album because first, because I enjoyed it for what it is and when it’s from, but I feel that there are probably some layers to this one I missed. I look forward to digging into their catalog more as well. 7.1/10 #33/1001

Not a fan.

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

Not great. Where’s all the good tunes Kinks??

This one not as good as the other, not sure what happened.

9/10 Favorite Tracks: *Shangri-La*, Victoria, Mr. Churchill Says Least Favorite: None

Kinks' songs are like good poetry in their specific vignettes, but with more upbeat instruments and british accents.

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.

Victoria banger der Rest ok

Spoko początek. Reszta już niestety taka se. Otwierający utwór Victoria z jak poznałem waszą matkę jak najbardziej na plus.

Surprisingly enjoyable, variety throughout the album helped keep things fresh during the listen through.

Drivin' is horrendous every time it hits the chorus. I wanted that to end as quickly as possible. Music just doesn't click with me, found getting through this album a slog. 2/5.

Perfectly good.

Interesting

not my favorite kinks album

4.5/5.0: Excellent

I bet they were super fun live but this one's not really hitting. Also, for those who care: HUGE difference between the Stereo & Mono mixes.

Solid album. Not as good as the Village Green Preservation Society.

Not bad, though I need to be in a certain mood for 60's concept album/psychadelic rock

1969. Rustige muziek. Beetje kerstig ook, en dan hebben ze opeens het nummer Australia waar ze daadwerkelijk Kerst in noemen. Leuk voor een keer, maar deze komt niet op mijn afspeellijst.

Viktig historie. Ikke helt min kopp te. Litt mye fjas innimellom.

Flere gode sanger, men trenger flere lytt til for å lande på definitivt.

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.

6/10

Despite my best efforts over the years, and feeling like I really *ought* to like The Kinks, I've always found them unbelievably irritating. Put the sodding kazoo down. I can never shake the palpable arrogance that I can hear coming through the music of Kinks, Beatles et al. However some lovely songs also, so y'know...Swings, Roundabouts.

Second Kinks album in 3 days. Sgt Pepper’s vibe.

bootleg beatles. Victoria is a jam though.

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.

Fun,

Enjoyed this more than I expected - some nice weird moments and more anti-establishment then I gave them credit for

Great Album

'If he dies we'll send a medal to his wife.' Ray Davies effectually carries on the efforts of World War 1 poets like Wilfred Owen and Isaac Rosenberg, while also telling a story of Australian emigration and composing catchy, blues-heavy songs (check out Dave Davies's guitar work on 'Australia'). I have always found it ironic that the British band that in my opinion most aptly aped American music, w/ classics like 'You Really Got Me,' which did more than copy and paste African American artists, but actually presaged punk, came to export more Britishness than any other B Invasion clique. Conceptual after Sgt. Pepper but before The Wall, Arthur succeeds chiefly b/c, tho it's worlds from mine, you get the sense they really lived this thing.

The Kinks are a band I've heard a lot before. Not many songs from this album though and I kind of get why after today. While their sound is similar to their more famous songs there is something missing for me with this album. Nothing bad about it, just something missing for it to be really good.

Tremendo discazo. Lo amé. Ya había escuchado otros de los Kinks pero este me pareció glorioso. Un hit completito.

oh yes, great album with some Aussie nostalgia.

It's the Kinks. Social commentary with a beat. A couple of pretty decent tunes, nothing annoying.

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

4.5

- bra gitar og trommer - god rytme - vokalisten høres litt ut som han tilbakestående fra family guy til tider

Soundtrack to a tv show that never happened. British 60s rock. Really decent. Hints of Beatles. Some songs better than Beatles.

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.

19th C vibes ,height of the empire vibes. Farce probably better in the 60s. Shangri-la was good though

Surprised this came immediately after Village Green Society because I find it much less compelling.

It's OK. Some of it is listenable but in general Ray Davies either hits the bullseye or else missses completely. I love the sentiments, but just don't much like the tunes and his voice is a bit thin.

I'm not enough of a Kinks fan to willfully endure this album and enjoy it. There were a few decent songs but the vast majority had me fast forwarding to the next song before the song that was playing was over. 2.5/5

Some great songs on here but not that consistent.

Bit of rubbish on there but also some great songs, more interesting than I thought

Big fan definitely adding a couple songs to my playlists

Cross between Vaudeville and British 60s rock that oasis would love to cover b

Fun

This album was OK. Hints back to the Beatles era. The first song (Victoria) is somewhat catchy. The rest of the album didn't move me one way or another.

Bottom of the barrel 3-star, with the songs I liked/didn't mind balanced by aggravated me. The story behind the albums development being more interesting to me than most of the songs on it.

I guess without the twee, poignant backdrop of a Wes Anderson movie, I just don't really like the Kinks.

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.

The Kinks are a solid band with HITS. Theres just too many songs on this one. Liked Victoria, Mindless Child of Motherhood, Drivin.

Very Kinky Ok puns done. Listened 3 times now over the course of 3 days. I do like it, and I think Ray Davies is a great songwriter, but some of the tracks do seem a bit simplistic and banal. And some are overly long (Australia). [ironically my first listen was straight after spending 3 hours looking for and booking a flight to Oz... spooky], I don't think it's their best work. Still worth a 3 though

viiiiiiictoria

It was good.

A Classic!!

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.

- The Kinks are amazing. If you don't appreciate them, I can't help you. -

Fun record. Will listen again. High points were Victoria and Mr Churchill.

I have no interest in the vocals, a detriment to my enjoyment. The instrumentals were okay. 1.5 rounded to 2

Really fun album. I have heard about this album for years but never listened to it for whatever reason. I need to get my own copy now.

85% Best: Victoria; Brainwashed; Australia; Mr. Churchill Says; Nothing to Say; Arthur Must-Hear? Sure

Very classic rock, very British. Every song sort of blends together which is a good thing; it means the album is cohesive.

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.

Pretty kickass

Really good stuff.

I wasn't impressed with this album, but neither was I bored. Arthur being my third Kinks album proves they can be hit or miss for me. The good news is that Arthur was their seventh release, so the album wasn't their early pop sound that made them too similar to other sixties bands. The prior release, Village Green Preservation Society, explored more in regards to genres, which I greatly admired, which makes me rather disappointed Arthur didn't do the same. But at the end of the day, the album was pleasing, jaunty, and easy to listen to.

This was the third album from The Kinks on this project, and I think it may be my favorite yet. There's a lot of diversity in sound on this album. Whereas I critiqued them on past albums for maybe trying too hard to sound like The Beatles, they seem to do that a lot less here, and yet still find a way to be weird in their own way.

That The Kinks – chroniclers of the British experience (though, if we’re being honest, isn’t it just “English”?) – managed to put out a concept album that covers emigrating to Australia tickles me enormously. I suppose I hadn’t ever fully considered just how important a strand of the British psyche “going to Australia” has been (and for well over a century now); the lingering upside down uncanny, as if at some stage Britain’s history decided to pack up, leave and live out an alternative destiny at the global antipode. It’s a place that you lose people to. This is another absolutely solid Kinks record. There simply can’t have been a bigger chorus in all history up to that point as in “Victoria” – I will happily be corrected on the idea, but might it be the first big indie rock banger? It sounds stadium even sitting on the train, off to service my mortgage (Ray’s ongoing patronising of the routines of adult responsibility portends punk’s most petulant attitudes). Songs like “Yes Sir, No Sir” (a sort of Catch-22 come to melodic life), “Mr Churchill Says” (a codex for literally every guitar band in the 80s and 90s), “Brainwashed” (unbelievably stylish in every facet) and “Australia” (direct, wild; the sound of a promise not being kept) cement in my mind the idea that there was no better band active in the UK than The Kinks until culture pivoted to reimagining them through those guitar bands. Pairs well with sunshine, too.

It was ok

Klasyczny gitarowy album z 60', nic co przykułoby moją uwagę na dłużej. Dobry, charakterystyczny głos wokalisty

Excellent album start to finish. Can and have listened to this on repeat many times in the past. Would recommend to all ears.

Didn’t finish but I like what I heard - I am a bit of an Anglophile so the cultural references resonated - super fun album and the lead sounds a bit like Hendrix.

better album than the other kinks one we listened to recently. very fun.

Enjoyed it - kind of a shorter, poor man’s Tommy

Tore-ee-uh!

This was fun and Victoria is a real bop, but not interesting enough to revisit.

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

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.

It's the Beatles but a bit off. That's a bit facetious but it's kinda sorta a little bit true. I was looking for more than is here though sadly. Still enjoyable but it's not the white album of Abby road. I'll for the 100th time need to register to really get it. Maybe I won't even then but I'd like to give this another shot

Heh. The Kinks. So, this is a concept album, and plot is about a man named Arthur Morgan (rip) who moved across the world to the place a track is named after post-World War ii for better opportunities with his family, simple plot, but good nevertheless. Overall, I like it, everything comes together well, lyrics are simple but get the story across well, instrumentation is simple but grand when it need to be, very nice! Rating: Good ( Strong ☆☆☆) Favorite Tracks: Shangri-Li, Brainwashed, Arthur, and Drivin’

Not listened before Favourite tracks: Shangri-La, Drivin', Some Mother's Son

Just as good as anything the Beatles made during their prime. Flipping amazing.

The album was ok, but not exceptional. It resembles other music at the time.

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.

not my style

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.)

After listening to the album, I would say I liked most of the songs, my fav were Australia, Shangri-La & Nothing to Say. Unfortunately I wasn’t really a fan of the song Mr. Churchill Says, nor am I a fan of him directly. The overall narrative, melody and vocals, reminded me of another band called FEET, as well as The Rolling Stones. But yeah cool vibe, and piano section in Australia is dope!

Pretty boring.

1. These songs sound created for the purpose of delivering the lyrics. Songs created to serve as a vehicle for a narrative or lyrical theme, as opposed to those created first and foremost for their MUSICAL power and communication, frustrate me: Dylan, Carole King, Musicals, Opera. These songs almost always lack coherence and emotional integrity. They sound calculated and disjointed. I am drawn to music - harmony, melody, rhythm, instrumentation, performance. As a result, even when I TRY, I can't focus on lyrics until I am so familiar with the harmonic and song structures, arrangements, and performances that my mind can start to wander onto things it finds less magnetic. When the music is an afterthought, it is apparent, I grow frustrated, and I never process the lyrics. I literally just don't care; not because I'm willfully ignorant, but because my interests lie elsewhere. 2. It's a shame because Ray Davies is a masterful songwriter when he wants to be. This album is filled with great musical ideas. But, with the possible exception of Victoria, they are never developed. They sound tossed out to fit a lyrical phrase, haphazardly vis-a-vis all of the other musical ideas, and are left unexplored. 3. These lyrics are not very impressive. The concept is interesting and impressive. But Ray so often comes across as a person desperate to show off his wit. The problem is, I don't find him nearly as clever as he finds himself. 4. The end result is an album that presents like a mediocre novelty record in the spirit of, say, Monty Python. And quite frankly, Monty Python records are more enjoyable because those blokes were that clever.

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’

Uh yeah, kinky or whatever

Listenable

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

Starts off normalish on the first track then the second track kind of takes off. A little silly for my liking, even though it has an interesting cinematic concept. My problem is with the execution, not necessarily the idea in the first place. Of course Kinks fans would love this. I enjoy some of their singles, but this album doesn't do it for me. Australia and Shangri-La are both pretty good tracks for example. In general the second half is better than the first half. Well, at least until Princess Marina... ughh.

J'avais pas le goût d'écouter ça, c'étais bofbof la journée que je l'ai écouté

Un chef d'oeuvre. C'est l'fun sans bon sens. Après l'avoir écouté 3 fois hier, je risque de l'écouter encore aujourd'hui. 8 étoiles

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!

Album inclassable. En équilibre parfait sur le sweet spot entre le prog et le rock'n'roll. Un peu dans la même famille que Ram. Une fenêtre sur un univers parallèle où y'a pas de règlements quand tu décides d'écrire une bonne toune. Un peu comme dans les films de super-héros quand le personnage prend pleine conscience de tous ses pouvoirs. Depuis la sortie de cet album, on parle souvent d'un phénomène nommé le "Paradoxe d'Arthur"; principe qui veut que toutes les chansons d'un album soient meilleures que toutes les autres. Un son plus réconfortant qu'un feu de foyer en pantoufles. Ok, no joke, j'ai écris cette phrase avant d'arriver à Shangri-La et là j'entends : "Put on your slippers and sit by the fire". O_O Y s'est pus jamais rien fait de bon après ça.

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"

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

For some reason I've never listened to Arthur. Village Green was always my go to, and I enjoyed that so very much I didn't venture much further, beyond that and my best of CDs from teenage years. What a glorious record this is. I barely know any of the songs apart from the fantastic Victoria, but they are all very good. Real social commentary going on, extremely evocative, in typical Davies style. Some Mother's Son is fabulous. Shangri-la is the best song that isn't Victoria, and possibly the best Kinks song I didn't already know, why it's not on any of the best of compilations I've heard makes no sense at all. Even if it does go a bit Tales of Brave Ulysses near the end. She Bought a Hat may be silly in style but it's lyrics are heartbreaking and ring true, like much of Davies' writing. I am of the school that Ray the songwriter was at least the equal of Lennon-Mccartney, and probably Dylan too. Is it as good as Village Green? Probably not, but few albums by anyone are.

Yeah really good. Almost gave this a 5 but I think I’m just drunk.

Decent album.

Arthur was a fun listen, but I don’t know if I’d actually come back to look for it again. It was kind of a psychedelic meander through the English subconscious. I have to admit I have never heard and ode to Australia quite like this one. There’s a section in Mr. Churchill Says they fell into the pocket and just kind of grooved. Overall, I liked this album and I can see the pop culture influence for artist and years to come. I know Oingo Boingo are considered to be the Fathers of Alt-Rock, but I think that title belongs to the Kinks.

Random thoughts: * The Kinks records always sound of the late 60s/early 70s. Not sure why. Maybe because they weren't as mainstream and played as often as the Beatles and Stones. But they always sound tied to their era. * Opening track was fun and kinda sucked me in. * I think I can understand the love for the Kinks now better than I have before thanks to 1001. They don't hit as poppy as their contemporaries but have lots of quality and are interesting. I think I would have really liked the Kinks had I lived through their original era.

really good album

Some great songs, but they don’t feel quite as interesting and varied as contemporary releases by The Beatles.

On first listen, I got the feeling that if Monty Python and the Beatles were to embark on an LSD-fueled trip to narrate a bedtime story, the outcome may resemble "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)." This concept album intertwines songs featuring lyrics that, while at times whimsical, are also reflective and often sharply critical. It follows the tale of Arthur and his journey through a post-war Britain, and in his relocation to Australia. The album is as scathing criticism of classism and privilege, and stands out thematically as an early forerunner of the punk movement. The album opens and closes with the lively tracks "Victoria" and "Arthur," while "Australia" showcases harmonies and "Some Mother's Son" delivers a powerful anti-war message. "Shangri-La" and "Young and Innocent Days" are also strong tracks. Although the perception is that Kinks have been eclipsed by their contemporaries, their body of work is rivaled by very few. "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" is an fun experience, with catchy songs and compelling storytelling. My sole criticism would be that they occasionally indulge in their whimsy bit too much. However, this is also part of their unique charm.

Meh...

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.

Oh goody - more late 60s white UK bluesy rock beloved by real ale drinkers with beards.

This was pretty interesting, a little strange though. A fun listen overall!

First surprise is the opening track, Victoria, because I thought it was a much later Kinks song, but no matter, it is an excellent start to the album. And the rest of the album has a great sound musically and the lyrics are a satirical, almost Monty Python-like, commentary on the idea of Britishness and the ‘glory’ of the British Empire. For me, it is a much more satisfying album than the more celebrated “Village Green Preservation Society.” It’s, as you would expect, quirky as only the Kinks could be, and there are some really nice touches, like the Beach Boys harmonies in the background when ‘surfing’ is mentioned in Australia. The instrumentation and arrangements are excellent, particularly the guitars and horns, and the drums have a Keith Moon/Mitch Mitchell freedom to them. I’m sure I have listened to the album before but this was a pleasant surprise.

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

Some really nice tracks. Didn't recognise many. Didn't fully know what to expect

It was aight ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2/5

This one is ok. It's not as fun as the band's previous few albums. By this time, their penchant for high concept has started eclipsing the actual songs, but there's still some good ones here. Key tracks: Victoria Drivin' Shangri-La

Loved it

Really Liked this one

This is the greatest advertisement for Australian tourism I've ever heard. Jokes aside, it's a decent concept album detailing post-war England. A lot of professional critics were putting this album on the level of the Beatles and The Who, and I just don't personally see that. Maybe a little bit in the production, but this stands alone on a peg just below those other British rock bands from the 60's in my opinion.

3/12, 25%

Very good. Heard songs I knew differently

The Kinks are always welcome in my listening life!

._.

No