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

I think this was a solid display from the Kinks. I enjoyed the album and would listen again, but nothing staggeringly awesome.

Got a soft spot for the Kinks. Lovely album, not quite a 5 stars but right up my street.

8/10. Maybe 9/10, love a good concept album

Something decently memorable from The Kinks. 7/10

Rock sesentero

It works overall as a concept, even though I was hoping it was based on, or inspired by, the Dudley Moore comedy of the same name and featured a guest appearance by Christopher Cross. It's still a pretty good album to listen to whenever you find yourself caught between the moon and New York City.

Bons Rocks Soltinhos e WCS. Nothing to say tem um bom riff.

Kinks are pretty good

24th May 2022 Listened while packing up the flat for the big move back to painswick! Really enjoyed this, mix of country and sunny funny lyrics

I liked this a lot.

very good!!! i have underrated the kinks for too long and it ends now

That was a joy!

Probably one of the better concept albums out there. Great 60s rock, a very fun listen that I see myself visiting again.

I see why so many people like it.

Is great, but a little repetitive

Rocking good time.

I really like but don't love the Kinks. They tend to get lost in some space between the Stones and the Beatles. Village green is there best but this a good listen.

4.5

It was a very fun listen all the way through. Different songs felt like the Beatles and others felt like Bob Dylan and others felt like something completely different. Would listen to the album again.

grande banda. estamos chegando nos lançamentos quentes daquele ano.

amo álbums de virada de década como esse: uma mistura de ref q soa mt bem

Fun, clever

Rock sesentero. Ningún megahit. Un 4.

Yeah its good. The kinks are the sad depressing beatles but also still upbeat

Overall pretty good, there were a few tracks that I liked, and a few that I wasn't such a huge fan of. I think I would listen to this album again, but probably not until I ran out of albums that I liked better. My favorite track was probably Mr. Churchill Says, but I also liked Plastic Man, Shangri-La, and Yes Sir, No Sir.

This is not the Kinks album I was expecting, and indeed it was a nice surprise! This album gets off to a rocking start with 'Victoria' and carries through with an interesting story. Not my favorite Kinks album but an enjoyable listen nonetheless.

Got some strong Beatles vibes from some of these tracks. Quite liked it on the whole.

Pop-rock sesentero sencillo y elegante. Canciones sencillitas, pero con buenas melodías. No muy guitarrero y en su punto de instrumentalización correcto. Para escuchar casi en cualquier momento

The Kinks have a lot in common with The Who. Started out as a garage rock member of the British invasion, represented the 60s mod culture in Britain, and shifted their focus in the late 60s to more pop-like rock. When I think of 90s Britpop, it is these two bands that I hear the strongest comparison. Arthur is a member of a string of fantastic late 60s Kinks album. A concept album centeres on Arthur and his life during and following WWII, acting as a commentary on war and the promises Britain made. Its operatic sound and style of storytelling is eerily reminiscent of Tommy. Even elements like the instrumental of "Mr Churchill Says" reminds me of some instrumental tracks on Tommy. Most of the tracks don't take themselves seriously. I couldn't see myself liking "Drivin" for example, but it's goofy and fits in well with the rest of the album. Maybe it's a reaction to being kicked out of United States, but there is an inherently British sound that I'm not sure how to describe. For example, "Yes Sir No Sir" has a marching band sound that just screams Britain to me, not sure why. The harpsichord too in several songs, like "She's Bought a Hat like Princess Marina." Either way, it's very accessible and works well as a pop album, with a bright mood and engaging subject matter. Lacks any hits beside "Victoria" which explains the lack of commercial success, but then again Tommy suffered to same with "Pinball Wizard." Favorites: Victoria, Australia, Shangri-La

It's surprising how many of their songs I already knew.

Enjoyed this more than I expected I Would

Another classic! This is an excellent intro to the kinks for those who only remember "You Really Got Me."

A good album with some real classics!

The Kinks, ik word er altijd wel blij van. Leuke, gekke nummers die ook nog eens goed in elkaar zitten. Misschien wel de leukste band uit die tijd..

Sounded like a beatles record tbh. No skips, but nothing really stuck either.

Frábær plata. Leiðinlegt að þeir hafi verið á sama tíma og bítlarnir. Mikil áhrif greinilega, sérstaklega á brit pop en líka harðara rokk.

Good stuff. A little Beatle-y and that’s not a bad thing.

You know... we really don't get a lot of concept albums anymore. I feel like this album at least deserves a bit of love for that. Narrative aside - the album is a fun and harmonious listen. The tunes are fun. Almost Brian Wilson-esque at points (wonder if there is some cross-seas inspiration going on here?) All that and the Python-esque art makes for a fun and interesting concept album that I enjoyed having on in the background. Doubt I'll take any of the songs with me going forward, but enjoyed meeting them once.

I'm guessing this is British... Of course I'm familiar with the hits but I've never taken a deeper dive into The Kinks, especially not this far back. I'm certainly game. The first song, Victoria, has already completely won me over. Old-timey British Invasion style rock'n'roll. I've never heard any of these songs before but I love this whole album immediately. Cohesive but also varied. Fun, catchy, super clever, occasionally silly, definitely with a point of view. Brings to mind the Beatles at their best. I'm planning to listen a few more times to more fully absorb the concept/story. I can already tell the more I listen to it the more I will like it. Two thumbs up!

wistful, melancholic, Ray Davies reflections on suburbia and and Englishman's place in the world

First Kinks album I've actually listened to straight through. I actually quite liked it.

Solid songs with enough variety to be interesting despite how long it is. Very 1969.

A lot of awesome Melodies throughout. Good instrumental tones throughout as well. Remains fun and memorable throughout its run time

Witty social commentary over a unique and unpredictable sound. Each song has an uplifting sound, but still one of a kind with the degree of experimentation. Even the melancholic songs like Some Mother’s Son have fun instrumentation. Good album overall.

Great energy, unique melodies and beats, a truly good album. Good positive vibes I dig it overall.

This is my Kink.

It's all things british distilled onto 1 album

This curious concept album sees Ray Davies imagine the life of a carpet layer called Arthur. As such, catchy album opener aside, there’s no real hits to be found here, but it is a solid album which showcases Davies’ song writing skills and is a jaunty, smart and engaging curiosity.

Kurzweilig, typisch für die zeit aber trotzdem besonders

Super Stimmung, Stil. Keine Ahnung, kanns nicht beschreiben. Aber taugt mir

Enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. It's fun!

For years I'd wondered why The Kinks were so lauded, but it turns out this is it. Their legacy echoes through the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. The album itself paints a picture of Britain at a particular point in time, where things didn't feel so great, to the point where a young hopeful Brit might uproot their entire life and move to the other side of the world, in search of a better existence. Arthur is about what's left behind and also the things that you can't ever leave behind. Well crafted pop, including the scorching opening track "Victoria".

Tussen Beatles en beach boys, sferisch proto hippie

The Kinks are just fun, and this album is no exception.

Jävla pangplatta, alla låtar har 'klassikersound' härlig range på låtarna och lyckas ändå pricka alla sound snygg utan att något sticker ut som speciellt dåligt eller bra. Rolig galghumor(?). Bra ljud också. Fattar inte hur Arcade Fire lyckades fucka upp det så mycket när detta album släpptes 1969. Mer eller mindre ett perfekt album i sin genre, saknar dock någon magi som jag inte kan sätta fingret på....

Kul! Aldrig hört en enda låt förut, men gillade den!

Never listened to this album before it was really good. Gotta love the kinks, when they go rock and roll theres nothing like them. 4.5, almost a 5

Nicht ganz durchgehört. Ganz gut

A twee, but endearing album. The full on pop songs are great and they're lots of invention going on, but just a few too many song that could be themes to a kids TV show.

This was yet another weird one. Seems to be pretty ambitious conceptually, lyrically and also in terms of song-structure. But I honestly just didn't pay attention to the lyrics at all as I listened while working. Perhaps that means I didn't do it justice. But it is what it is. There were some things I really liked. The aforementioned ambition in song-structure in particular. The instrumentation was generally really good too. But I didn't like the vocals and the album was just a bit too psychedelic and a bit too weird to merit a 5.

Another cool album

Ja!! Ni har så rätt!! Brittland suger!!

Whimsical, dense and very enjoyable. I like the trick where they write two songs and put it into one

Really enjoyed this. Catchy songs, interesting lyrics and a connecting theme. Apparently this was recorded as a companion to a TV play that never got made, about a carpet fitter based on Ray Davies brother-in-law. Glad the album didn't get buried along with the TV show. 4/5.

Classic British Invasion sound. Apparently they were banned from touring in the USA? Did not know this.

This is my first Kinks album, before this I've only known a few of their songs (Lola, You Really Got Me, Sunny Afternoon, etc.) It's a really great album and I love the political commentary of the lyrics.

Perhaps one of their best concept albums, could not contrast more starkly with the pomposity of The Who's Tommy. (7/10) Favourite Tracks: Shangri-La, Victoria

Also classify in section Roadtripping 101 - great album through and through

Noice

A solid rock opera. It reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' as it deals with themes of British class and identity especially in the wake of the wars. The instrumentation was simple but effective. I was not aware that the Kinks made any more conceptual work and I was pleasantly surprised to find a textured album full of social commentary.

Another classic

mmm, kinky

The kinks might be the most underrated band of all time

When I was 9 our local library had records available to borrow. Since The Who's "Tommy" was rudely already checked-out, I knew of The Kinks and saw "Sleepwalker" so grabbed it. I remember trying so hard to like it but didn't get them at all so sort of forgot about the band. Looking back, their hard rock phase was mostly pretty lame. Also around that time my older cousin for some reason had some serious hate for the band - "worst band ever!" so at that age you take that stuff seriously. Anyways I've never heard this album before so what the hell, let's give it a go... "Victoria" is just a great single - funny that I thought it was released much later than 1969; I must be familiar with the later live version. This has a very British sound to it (shocking, that, being that they're...you know.....). Being a huge fan of The Who I started hearing some similarities to the early Who period and ... um, this is better? Like...much better?? "Shangri-La" would sit comfortably as one of the best cuts on "Tommy" - easily. As hard as I've tried over the years to really like "Sell Out" by The Who (and if I'm honest most of their pre-Tommy albums), even just upon first listen of this album it's far superior in songwriting and recording. Concise, excellent variety not only between songs but often times within a song - the instrumentation is also endlessly interesting...e.g. harpsichord on "She's Bought a Hat..." and "Young and Innocent Days" ... the heavy "Brainwashed" which rocks with horns ... another song that sounds like The Who but better than The Who (if only the Kinks had sold this song to the Who it would have killed with those musicians) Upon second listen I'm understanding why Pete Townshend always praised this band. This is great. ...reeling, I am currently re-evaluating all my priorities and potential misconceptions in life. 8/10 4 stars

Really like this album!

Really enjoyed this albom. Fits together nice

This was a really solid concept album. It has excellent writing and each song felt like it contributed to the themes of the album. There are also some great guitars on here too. Fav songs: shangri-la, Churchill says, drivin

#4 Awesome!! Never thought saying the same word so many times in a row could sound so cool!

Very good. I would listen to Victoria on my own

I liked this album. I was very surprised by the number of songs that I knew. Although the production value may not be that good. Often times saturating microphones with sound, it just adds to the raw rock sound of the kinks.

I like the Kinks, I feel like I’d have enjoyed this more if I’d paid more attention but it was perfectly pleasant to have in the background

Best: Mr. Churchill Says, Brainwashed Worst: Some Mother's Son

A tad McCartney and Beatles-esque, but really good guitar work and string arrangements.

gret ig pls listen again

Great early psychedelic/rock! I will need to listen to more of their music.

Not as potent as their previous work or following work, but definitely a staple of classic rock that inspired herd rock and heavy metal in years to come.

I enjoyed this one all the way through. Consistently great from song to song despite variety in style, complexity, subject matter... Each song is also it's own experience without taking away from the overall album. Definitely worth another spin!

pohodová hudba na styl The beatles, některé písničky uspávací ale dokážu si představit že to poslouchám na cestě v autě nebo doma při relaxaci.

Fun! Shangri-la is good

Solid Kinks album. Can't beat some Ray Davies.

What a good album!

Had never listened to this before. I love The Kinks and some of the songs are ones I will definitely be adding to playlists. Will absolutely listen to again. Not as good as Lola vs. Powerman 5000 but still great.

Pop de guitarras, cercano a la psicodelia a veces, con riffs pegadizos y limpieza vocal. Conceptual.

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Victoria; Yes Sir, No Sir; Some Mother's Son; Shangri-La; Nothing to Say; Arthur; This Man He Weeps Tonight*; Drivin' (Alternate Mix)* Cutting Edge: Mr. Churchill Says *: On the Deluxe Album Overall Notes: Very very strong 4. Love the lyrics on this album, and each song has at least one good musical/lyrical moment. A lot also had moments that I could've done without, but really enjoyed this album as a whole.

The whole album is good and interesting, but songs 4-8 are all stand outs. Just start with Drivin and listen right through to Mr. Chruchill Says. Victoria was supposedly the hit, and I dont get why, its kinda boring. She Bought a Hat... was also an annoying song that mostly felt like filler. Really really good drums for the time (still standout to this day tbh) all throughout.

A good variety. Sounded like the Beatles A LOT in parts but definitely had its own thing going on.

Interesting album. Thought it was really good. I haven't listened to the Kinks a lot, but I see their appeal. I really liked Australia and Victoria.

Leuk album, maar wat lang waardoor het tegen het einde eentonig wordt. De eerste helft was wel heel leuk.

Fun discovering this one. Will definitely listen again

Not great, but a lot of happy vibes so I'm thankful for that

Late 60's in top form.

this is a lovely record. a bit twee sounding in places for my tastes but love the harpsichord in the back end of the album. great songwriting and lovely guitar sounds too.

Really good album! Cannot rate it five as there are much more epic ones imho, though worth giving it a listen for sure

Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Bangers: 15/20 Innovation: 15/20 Emotional response:16/20 =75 Loved it

Muy bueno!

Awesome. Such a flippin good band. Shangri-La is one of my all time top Kinks songs

No particular song stuck out as being really good. The album was just a vibe, maybe like The Beatles but not as good.

Ben ik de enige die opviel dat dat lied Victoria in de soundtrack zat van himym?? In die aflevering waarin hij Victoria weer tegenkomt op de architects ball??????? Xx

First time really listening to the Kinks - groovy stuff. Victoria, Australia, and Shangri-La were super catchy.

Underrated album & glad to enjoy it here. Always loved Victoria and Drivin

I enjoyed this album. In some places it sounds really dated, like they were trying to knock off the beatles, but the songs that didn't fall into that pattern were really good.

Quite progressive concept album. Full of catchy melodies and wit with a homage to England.

An interesting romp through British history as told by the seminal Kinks. Gets better with repeated listens; will be returning periodically to this one. 7/10

Really brings back the Vietnam protest era...

Expansive - victoria is a classic. Overall big fan of the Kinks in general

Fun!

Great album!

Would be some good road tripping music to bring you a little taste of nostalgia each time you return to the car after a pee break in Taco Bell. Consistently has a spunky beat that keeps you bouncing in your seat. I would also listen to this while sitting on a beach wall in the late 90s. People are around you smoking cigs while kids play with beach balls that smell of warm plastic. The pavement distorts the air above it as heat rises and the temperature slowly cools as night settles in. Somewhere between The Strokes and The Beach Boys. I love the mono recording that gives off an old scratchy, vinyl album feel. Not surprisingly, this sounds exactly like of one of my favorite songs Sunny Afternoon, the Kinks certainly have a recognizable brand.

Ambitious for any year, and it's frankly embarrassing I've never heard of it until now.

Cómo ño

Great shit

Kinks are in my second tier 60s Brit rock

Lots of great stuff here.

Funky British rock

Fedt album. God energi og meget CCR agtig

I feel like the recording quality is kinda ass, even for 1969. Maybe it sounds better on vinyl, idk, but it sounds super dated. Honestly I’m not in love with it, it’s very art rocky, maybe even rock opera-y, almost proggy? But it’s not gripping me, might need another listen.

As much as I have touted "The Kinks Are the Village Green..." as my favorite album of theirs, the Kinks gave something more polished and musically focused with Arthur. The stretch of albums the Kinks released between 1967 and 1971 is a superb output, and Arthur feels like something that worked well within their sixties appeal but still more ambitious in the narrative aspects than many of their contemporaries would pursue. Ray Davies has always delved into British culture in such a meaningful yet punctual way. The band sounds like they are having way more fun than they did on "Village Green." Favorite tracks: Shangri-la, Victoria, Arthur, Mr. Churchill Says

Great melodies.... amazing band. Quintessentially British!

I would say old school pop-rock. Solid album, but nothing special.

Three and a half out of five

Big fan of The Kinks. This album is good! Sounds like if The Beatles were good.

Not too familiar with later Kinks. I guess this is a concept album. The standout is Shangri-La. Weirdly I met an Arthur today.

More interesting in concept than in execution. The lyrical content seems like something I would be very excited by: an exploration of post-WWII Britain and how the decline of the empire affects everyday people. They take a lot of interesting angles on this concept too, digging into military life, consumerism, the class divide, and more. However, the actual music is very hit or miss. On this album, The Kinks play a mix of straightforward rock n' roll and gaudy Vaudeville-adjacent sounds, and the former is definitely my preference. The incessant quirkiness of the latter type of tracks really started grating on my nerves after a while, even if I could recognize the talent and musicianship behind them. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood during my listen, but when such a high portion of an album irritates me like this, I can't give it many props, in spite of its ambitions.

Dud can't sing. Tunes are mostly fine though. I you're into the 60s you should enjoy it. 5/10

Does not grab me as much as it did when I was younger. Still enjoyable and soaked with nostalgia.

I wasn’t impressed. Similar to the Beatles

Cute, inoffensive, easy to listen to, nothing special

A bit quirky, occasionally biting lyrics, fun and varied instrumentals! I had a good time with this!

It's pretty good.

How are there 4 Kinks albums on here. Come on you don't need 4 by these guys. Also this isn't as good as Village Green.

60's British rock commentary? I dig it. I think these guys heard the Beatles or vice versa?

There were some good songs on this album, some not so much, so my rating is a mixed 3.

The album art reminds me of older bands that relied heavily on the album art to sell their sound, in this case we've got some de Chirico (maybe Dalí) influences, we're working on image building through symbols. I'm right down the middle with The Kinks in general, but this was better than I'd expect with the artwork, I might even buy a copy at the right price. The effort is just slightly better than your -average- Beatles album, but it doesn't really compete with the stars. Same '60s rock and roll sound, slightly more edge/punk energy, but totally average by today's standards. 3/5

So the kinks are on here quite a bit. And I understand why.... they are essentially a Beatles knock off and so if the Beatles are the absolute kings of pop rock, this cover band version of The Beatles should obviously be interesting to listen to. And I'm not saying that they're bad but the Beatles exist, and these guys essentially are copying their sound. Several times I found myself wondering whether or not John or Paul wrote the song that I was listening to. Either way if the Beatles didn't exist, this would be groundbreaking and original and truly a fantastic album however, Sergeant Pepper's exist, and this is a mediocre knock off of that sound.

Kinks é subestimado, mas não por este disco.

Not entirely my cuppa

A bit dull.

598/1089 - I didn't like this at all but it was well made. Probably the most memorable Kinks album I've had so far. I like how crispy the drums sound.

Pretty good album! Nothing too crazy about it but it was good

Pretty good! I'd say around 3.5 stars. Some songs have "We have Beatles at home" vibes, but there was still a good amount I enjoyed here. Outside of the chorus of that Drivin' song, which was REALLY painful to listen to. Oh well, one outlier out of the bunch isn't bad at all.

Good. Quaint, sometimes rockin'. Good songs.

It was fine. Very British, very 70's. Had some good cuts.

Some people think The Kinks are overrated. Others think The Kinks are underrated. But because I am intelligent I know The Kinks are rated exactly as they should be.

They got me closer to liking a Kinks album this time, by having more of a rocking sound paired with pointed lyrics in the first half (plus I had to reckon with having liked Victoria for a long time before now anyway). But then the songs are running too long and the vaudeville and the aimless nostalgic pining and all the usual suspects came back round and Ray was singing more and they show themselves right back in the foot. I respect trying to make a sprawling concept rock opera out of the British 20th century, but a) that’s a harder challenge than I think they could pull off and b) it’s just reflective of a sort of introspective Britishness that I don’t care for in the Kinks still even when it has less nostalgia ironic or otherwise.

Kändes bra i början, men blev för mycket tveksamheter efter ett tag och då föll det något.

This album impressed me with its concept & the actual song content. Just shy of 4 stars.

Solid Kinks album, some really good songs and some ok songs

Decent album - definitely sounds like others from the British Invasion of the 60s.

Classic Kinks sound, but not for the casual listener. This is for the ardent Kinks fan.

60s rock is hit or meh for me, never bad. For me, this one was meh. 3/5.

Enjoyed the witty lyrics. Some songs were a bit grating but easy listening overall

I think this was a solid album. But it doesn’t surpass the album with “You Really Got Me” and it’s not something I would go back to.

Muy aprobado, subió un poco la vara de todo lo que me venía recomendando, casi siempre si es viejo, funca.

Like the other Kinks album I've gotten, it's fine.

Um disco de rock ‘classudo’ que trás uma história real conceitual sobre pessoas e eventos reais. A receita que a maioria das bandas de antigamente faziam e que hoje é muito pouco explorado. Musicalmente uma obra muito bem feita, é bom sem ser chato e repetitivo e te prende do começo ao fim. Uma baita indicação pra todo mundo que gosta de escutar algo “novo” e “velho” ao mesmo tempo.

Escuchando 2019 Remaster Buenas Guitarras en Victoria. Me gusta Yes sir no Sir Siento que es muy de epoca, asumo que los Beatles y The Beach boys como mayor influencia. No siento que sea algo que te rompa la cabeza o disruptivo sobreviviente al paso del tiempo, pero los temas son lindos de escuchar, estan buenos y la banda es muy solida. EN MrChurchillSays hay algunos arreglos que me hacen acordar a Geese, salvando muchas distancias. No me gusta usar la cantidad de reproducciones como parametro o vara para calificar una cancion, pero entiendo porque hay un bajon de escuchas post Mt.Churchill Says. Shes Bought... no se siente como todo lo que lo precedio. Cositas de OctopusGarden o Maxwell SIlver Hammer, pero no es lo mismo young and innocent days igual mejora muy bueno el album. No creo que busque ser innovador pero si es una gran referencia de un sonido de epoca y a que punto se habia desarrollado. EN niningun momento se me hizo tedioso o muy repetitivo, no lo hice prestandole atencion a las letras simplemente a la musica en general. AUnque por arriba las canciones no se me hicieron tremendamente profundas, seguramente me equivoco pero bueno. De los 3 albumes hasta el momento el mejor que escuche. Si Al green fue un 3, Nirvana fue 3,2 y esto es 3,5. Manana decidire si es 4 o 3

Yep, enjoyable offering from The Kinks

I like the kinks overall. This seems very much like a Grateful Dead style, and sound from back in that day. It was fun enough style, for that style.

Catchy stuff. But when I saw it was by the Kinks, I was excited, then listened, and it was disappointing for the band that did Sunny Afternoon and You Really Got Me.

Don't really know anything about the Kinks besides the name and their top couple songs. Reading the history of the album is interesting though. The first song is a sort-of love letter to the England of the past, while still examining its faults. I really like the second song though. I always love confusion and loss personified, and the horns are very fun as is the song change about halfway through. "Some Mother's Son" was a good and very sad, it gives me big David Bowie vibes. "Drivin'" is very Beatles-esque. Its a good song but doesn't blow my mind. "Brainwashed" has a fun intro and very 60s guitar. I continue to really like the horns on this album, and the guitar is finding a more "rocky" sound. The end of this song in particular is soo modern and ahead of its time. "Australia" was a good fun song, the horns here gave me big like High School band energy, but in a good way. "Shangri-La" is a good philosophical take on suburbs and cookie cutter comfort. "Mr. Churchill Says" is a good historical song with fun guitar. "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina" is a song about British materials values and snobbery essentially, its a very Beatles-esque song again. "Young and Innocent Days" is another modern sounding song. "Nothing to Say" is about a complicated relationship with a father its seems like, the guitar is very Chicago in parts. "Arthur" is a fun and sweet song and a good ender. Overall, this is a fun album, I really enjoy the guitar, the horns, and they have a good theme for the lyrics. I can see it being ahead of its time and helping to inspire other things. But it is just good and doesn't blow my mind. 3/5 Favorite Tracks: Yes Sir, No Sir; Brainwashed; Shangri-La Least Favorite Tracks:

интересно былл познакомиться с кинкс в целом, но не прям мое

Not a bad thing, just no a thing. Muy simplon.

not to shabby

6.5/10

findi bis etz s coolste womer vo ihne gha hend. victoria kenni sogar. und some mother's son glaub au. brainwashed huuere geile giti sound uiii. australia findi gad recht nervig wells afoch immer australia singed. shangri la checki wieder baut seehr cool uuf. nice.

Kinks eru alltaf góðir, en mér fannst vanta aðeins húmorinn og pönkið sem er í bestu lögum þeirra. Ekki viss um að nenna að hlusta á þetta aftur. Það sem mér fannst skrýtið var hvað söngurinn og lögin minntu mikið á Paul McCartney. 3,5

fun album and worth a listen

alter Britpop 🤷

Highlights: Victoria. Very Beatle Like. 3.2

Ok. Usual kinks fayre.

6/10

i think maybe it's because i experienced 3 months of being British since listening to the other one, but i liked this a lot more than The Village Green Preservation Society. more human in its storytelling and more loose with its sound. deserves to be one of the 1001? uehhhhh sure

It got very British and very 60’s very quickly.

A fine album, but without any outstanding songs.

An American has about as much license to review the Kinks as a suburban white boy has to review Chief Keef. But when I see Ray Davies hailed as a better songwriter than Lennon/McCartney online I must don my cowboy boots and ten-gallon hat and go to bat for people that write actual songs and not trite political snark over sparsely arranged/imagined tunes. I’m really being too hard on ol’ Ray, this is a good album. It's just that I used to listen to it a lot and nowadays I often wonder why. The production always annoyed me. Maybe it says more about me than about the album that my favorite songs are the slickest and most Beatle-like, “Mr. Churchill Says” and “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina”.

Brit Rock 1969, was supposed to be tv play - cancelled, Rock opera Victoria Australia Nothin to say

I like Victoria. Not the biggest fan. Australia is a long song I like Shangri-la I think its a 3 star album for me. I like she bought a hat like princess Marina. I like Arthur

Liked more than I expected to

lyttede til det i baggrunden og lagde ikke rigtig mærke til det. så det tegner godt i guess, haha. gode guitar tunes.

Kind of annoyed that this one is on here, to be honest. Victoria is one of the greatest songs ever, so this gets a 3 just based on that, but everything else is just so, so meh. This is the Kinks' Bossanova. Anyway, there's way better stuff by the Kinks themselves that's apparently not on here - Muskwell Hillbilly in particular is about 100 times more fun.

Think these guys might be British

Veerrryyyyy of it's time

Its ok. Don't know if I really get the Kinks, its pretty innocuous music to me

Хуй знает что-то про Черчилля и короля Артура

3. Some fun songs.

First Kinks album, never even heard of the band before. Ok, the first thing I have to say is the year, 1969. This album is nearly 60 years old and it does feel it. Starts off strong with Victoria but then it goes down the very British pop/rock scene of the 60s and 70s and I just do not vibe with the vocal style. I don't mind the songs too much but the vocals and the lyrics just don't do it for me. Over the course of the first 4 songs each song got less and less impressive. They didn't feel fresh, they didn't do anything different. Ok, 5th song in and that's not like it, driving beat, get some brass in there and jazz that mother up! Australia had some bad bits then some much better bits. They do much better when they stick to the instrumentals. I feel like they would have done well transitioning this record to a mainstream prog rock record and focusing on the instrumental work, but then I have to remember King Crimson did their first record this year too. Same with Shangri-La, and Churchill, better towards the end. "She bought a hat..." Starts off like a bunch of year 10s singing in assembly once it catches some drive it improves dramatically and the drum solo was great. But then whilst it sounds like it's going for fun, kazoo and all, it doesn't make up for we are 9 songs in and the best one was the first one. The finish to the record like the songs is better, it starts and finishes well but the middle is about better than what I'd think as alright. Maybe was more pioneering for it's day but to me feels dated. ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 rounded down)

I really like this album in particular “Victoria”, “Australia” and “Shangri-La”. The kinks have some amazing songs! I read somewhere that the Kinks and the Small Faces had “something”. The Beatles and the Stones just had it….

fun album! my first rock opera too!

Like the kinks. Album was good. But no stand out tracks for me.

Fun listen.

Buen álbum, gran influencia. Líricamente hablando tiene algunas canciones preciosas, pero se me ha hecho un poco repetitivo.

Beatles influence clear

I love the Kinks, but the bourgeois nostalgia and neuroses of postwar Englishmen are simply never gonna grab me. Fortunately the music is inventive; if I'd grown up on music-hall and early 20th c. English song stuff I'd appreciate it even more. Village Green I love, this one I admire from afar.

Ganz cool. Ich mag, dass der Dance hall Sound von den Kinks auf ironische Weise adaptiert wird

Another album from the 60s

A really lyrically heavy album to say the least, even though the listening experience is not bad per se(quite the opposite), i dont feel the songs have individual replay value so i dont see me coming back often About the music itself, instrumentals light out what would be a heavy listening, i cant really remark anything as nothing is sticking out for me, a nice 1 time listening but nothing more

Lo escuché muy de fondo

don't understand much the concept of the album it's fun to listen

A good album that I probably won’t come back to because I’ve never been in a mood for the kinks

Wouldn’t reach for it but not bad

I really wanted to like this more, but it's just okay. You hear stuff from the Kinks and think they are just a hair behind the Beatles or Stones, but then you get into their albums and see they are actually quite far behind.

Pretty enjoyable folk/pop/art rock, with great songwriting. Instrumentally the album was very good too.

Some of these tracks are weirdly long.

This is a fun concept album, and the music is good. I was hoping for something to really hook me. Maybe I'm just too removed from the UK experience.

I had super low expectations for this, but the songwriting won me over. Objectively, they’re worse at every thing The Who do instrumentally but their songs are better.

- When the music is fast or crunchy (such as "Victoria" or "Brainwashed"), I do not mind the sound. I also appreciate this very much being a "working man"'s collection of messages. - But, unfortunately, much of the album is just incredibly derivative of what the Beatles had already pushed into the atmosphere at least two years earlier. And it all feels insubstantial to boot.

Quite enjoyed this, somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but rounding down.

Ok

There were parts I enjoyed quite a lot. Others, not so much. On the whole I could take it or leave it.

Beatles contemporaries always just kinda sound like the Beatles don't they? An album made for a movie that never came out is an interesting origin

What an opener, Shangri-La decent too

Good stuff in there .

The Kinks are an interesting bunch. First, it should be noted that already at this album's release, The Kinks were already at 6 album releases. They were truly music generating machines. This album sits pretty well with me. It's that classic rock 60's early 70's sound. It had a good mix of flavors. This pick for the day was also nice because I hadn't really given The Kinks much deeper of a dive than their commercially successful hits. It was fun to take a trip back in time with the band. Victoria was a rocking track.

Interesting, seems like it would be fun to see in person!

Omg this was so British! I know the kinks but maybe only 1or 2 of these songs. I think Victoria the first song was my favorite

okay

A fine album, very beetlesesque imo but a few weaker entries. Top songs: Victoria, Yes Sir, No Sir, Shangri-la, Mr. Churchill Says, Nothing to Say

Not bad. Always down for a concept album. Some of the songs are a bit too frisky and British, which is very fitting for the concept. High 3 for me since I don't see myself revisiting.

Less punk than I expected.

I'll show these guys a Kink or two

I really liked the start with Victoria, yes sir no sir was ok, then kind of meandered between not jumping out to me and some gems. Brainwashed and Shangri-La were good in different ways, Princess Marina and Mr Shoemaker's Daughter gave that wacky rock vibe that is fun for me, but at other times just didn't land.

I appreciate what The Kinks are doing, but I don't always need 50 minutes of them in a row. They got a little experimental in this album with tracks like the 7-minute-long Australia, and I respect that, but I didn't particularly enjoy the execution necessarily. Some enjoyable stuff on here though: Victoria, Arthur, and She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina all had me vibing.

3.5/5

I usually don't note this, but this one's Englishness really stood out. English soft rock from an another time, with some really interesting song writing, but I really did not feel the need for this right now. If I was a little more artsy maybe I would have liked this more.

Still not completely sold on the Kinks.

The Kinks' *Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)* is a quintessential "everyman" concept album that captures a distinct, nostalgic charm, particularly in its stronger first half. Tracks like "Brainwashed" and "Australia" stand out for their infectious energy and masterful instrumental interplay, offering a compelling blend of tight vocal harmonies and creative, free-flowing musicianship. While the record leans into a classic, Beatles-esque aesthetic that feels both familiar and engaging, the experience is somewhat uneven; the production quality occasionally falters—most notably on "Shangri-La"—and the latter portion of the tracklist struggles to maintain the momentum established by the album's sharper, more melodic opener.

I really liked the first Kinks album on the list... and I like music that speaks truth to power... which leaves me wanting to like this album more than I did. But I found many of these songs repetitive and lacking the melodic hooks that I liked on the first album. Case in point, Australia was pretty good... but then seemed to drag on after the first few minutes. There is probably potential there... I would probably like this more after a few more listens, but I'm finding that I'm not interested enough to invest the time.

Expectation: -> This is our second Kinks album. I'm good with that. After listening: -> The Kinks make some fun music that I certainly enjoy. There isn't a song here that I dislike, yet also none that blew me away. Happy to have experienced some more 60s tunes from this popular band. Track ranking: Son Yes Sir Nothing Churchill Victoria Shangri-La Brainwashed Hat Drivin' Australia Arthur Young

3/5 Favorite Song: Arthur

Didn’t interest me

A pretty good listen! There’s not a lot here I really feel the need to come back to, but I can understand why this was important enough to include.

The Kinks are a perfect example for me of a band that I actually "kind of like" but can not do a whole album at once. I am a big fan of several of their songs and I do like the way they change things up and have a good range, but somehow when it is "all at once" it gives me the feeling of just wanting it to hurry up so that is a negative. Otherwise I do like the Kinks and think they deserve a place in music history as a highly regarded band. Nevertheless, for me, they need to be a in a playlist so I do not get too stuck on wanting something else in between.

Another day another blind listen. ——— I’m loving the repetitive sounds of Drivin and Australia. Really good. ——— This was a very fun listen. It felt very mature and ripe. The songs were fresh and unique, yet there is a musical theme across all that ties the work together. I enjoyed it. there were many creative moments that took the unexpected route and in a successful manner. and great politics! —— Poem: I find night lost in a day the blindsiding crime committing side of time and space the hunger that promises to meet you, swerve you at every other of life’s curb THE ROAD IS CLOSED TODAY, GO FIGURE IT OUT FOR YOURSELF, TODAY. I forgot it was June the twenty first could not start in time my chase of the never ending horizon of summer’s tail

I always thought “Victoria” was a love song. I didn’t take the lyric “she’s my queen” literally, but it’s a wonderful song nonetheless. “Drivin’” is good, as are a few others. It’s interesting to take a musical trip through English history, I like the concept. While a lot of it is very British pop of the period, I think the constraints of the concept hurt the music a bit.

This album had completely passed me by. To be fair, I probably only really know the Kinks as a singles band. Ray Davies, of course, is the great English songwriter.

Good band in their days. Not one of their better album. I prefer them better with their tracks such as You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night. A good album.

2,7/5

listened before

Not bad, they definitely hit more for me with the more upbeat/energetic stuff. Once they slow down, I lose interest.

Never listened to this Kinks album. Is this their political album? Not their best, not sure why its on this list. 3

RATING: 7/10 HIGHLIGHT: Shangri-La LOWLIGHT: Nothing to Say

Definitely more political than I expected. Sadly "Brainwashed" is still just as relevant now as it was then.

Kinda fun, music for boys

Kind of repetitive at times but had a good vibe. Like the folky influences to it.

Kinks were like, "What if we were Monty Python?"

Нормально

I mean, more beatles, eh? 2.5, rounded up

Surprisingly like the beatles but a solid 3. The kazoo was a nice touch.

It was fine would listen to again but not high on my list

Just having Victoria on this album raises it two stars

Me pareció una buena sorpresa, es rock and roll pero experimentando con diferentes tonos y expresando diferentes emociones por medio de las melodías Esto tiene que ver con el soundtrack de una serie que no se dió Llego a creer que realmente pudo haber sido un exitazo solo por la música de la serie misma Mi favorita fue Brainwashed, que es una megainfravalorada Tienen unas algo aburridonas, pero no al punto de saltarlas Muy en la nota del rock británico de ese entonces, de hecho diría yo que probablemente era un buen referente ahí, a pesar de que ya en ese entonces habían otros referentes de muchísimo peso

the beatles??? t is wel leuk ! dit is beter dan the beatles

dit klinkt echt beatles achtig maar dan beetje anders?

Pretty fire, captures british identity pretty well (in the white upper middle class perspective). Some bangers on here even if the beatles and beach boys influence is pretty heavy.

I am not sure how much I like it. It has good moments but sometimes is also really slow.

nice one mate!

Unexpectedly jammy and real high energy at points. Mr. Churchill, Brainwashed, Shangri-La, Yes Sir No Sir, Nothing to Say are stands out for me. While parts sound extremely dated and do not hold up, other parts of the album are surprisingly modern sounding. There is an air of urgency that the 60s carried which resonate with today. This urgency can be felt in some aspect of any decade which is a difficult thing to capture artistically without sounding corny. However, the innocent flower child aspects of this album do come across as corny and naive. Which thankfully, are sparse within this album. Overall, I enjoyed the album which gives it a solid to mild 3/5.

3.5

Very British Invasion. I was not overly impressed by any track, I felt like I was listening to a movie soundtrack. I don’t think I’d ever heard most of these tracks before, Nothing to Say seemed really familiar. The one thing I will say, this album was much more cohesive than all the other albums by the Kinks. They seem all over the place later on.

megusto eh, vibes a geese 3/5

Might be the most late 60s thing ever. A British Concept Album / Rock Opera about Britain and how everything had gone to crap. Not unenjoyable, and Davies is a damn fine songwriter, but living in Australia, which is the Land of Milk and Honey on the album, the thing does hit a bit differently

I mean, it was fine.

Couple a nice ones. not my fav

A fine, average, good album from a great band. They're a vibe.

Good folksy rock doing my favourite thing: criticising the British Fave track: Victoria

There’s a track called “Australia” that’s a song about Australia. Pretty funny. 3/5

Nepaliko didelio įspūdžio, labiau toks pasalokamasis

good

STOP THE WAR!

This is a nice album, great melodies and solid hooks - as to be expected from the kinks. but my God does it not sound like a Beatles clone sometimes.

The first song sounded like a 45rpm record playing at 33 — Ray Davies has that kind of voice, slightly flattened, very English, almost accidental. Once I confirmed it was playing at the right speed, I settled in. Arthur is a concept album about the decline of British working class life. It has ambitions. It also sounds, for long stretches, like Status Quo at a slightly slower tempo. The theatrical moments are there — occasional bursts of something more interesting — but they keep getting interrupted by perfectly competent rock songs that don't quite earn the concept they're supposed to be serving. Easy listen. Nothing stayed. 0815 — which is a German expression meaning "completely unremarkable," and I think Ray Davies would understand it even if he hasn't heard it. 3/5 — fine, Arthur. You're fine.

I like this more than the last album

This is the most 60s British rock I've ever heard

I need some more standalone songs to justify the concept.

Lyrics are depressing

pretty good album! at first i thought it was a hit run of the mill 60s classic rock album but it's actually quite fun. i liked shangri la and australia, and yes sir no sir.

The start was a bit of a let-down, but the second half of the album really reminded me of The Beatles. Three stars…

There’s something about The Kinks that makes me respect them a little more than the Beatles. I think it’s because I kind of think that they believe what they are saying more than the Beatles? Don’t crucify me though, I literally cannot care about either band less. Hence the down the middle score.

No es de mi gusto

Had a whole thing typed out and lost it. Overall, the album was fun in places and not so much in others. When their lyrics and sound lean in to something more upbeat, the instruments and Davies' vocals shine (such as in "Victoria" and "Australia"). When they attempt something more somber however, they lose a lot of their flavour and seem to mistake 'somber' for just plain flat. Overall, still an enjoyable album; I need to listen to more of The Kinks.

I think im very very mixed on the Kinks. In my head I like them a lot more than when I sit down to listen This one started off so well. But by the end im counting the minutes. Its fine, but it feels a bit meh It being their 4th, and hopefully last, album on the list feels like overkill. Yes Sir, No Sir is great

Very fun, heavily Beatles inspired

Solid, but doesn't resonate much with me.

Not bad. Pretty representative of the era.

Kinky

beatlesy but punkish

On the whole the Kinks fall short of being ranked among the great rock bands of the 60s and 70s. They had a number of great songs, but were never up to the gold standard of other bands of the era.

Leuk om naar te luisteren

A écouter d'une oreille distraite

C'est pas méchant, mais c'est pas marquant.