Something Else By The Kinks

What am I missing? Really disappointing, was expecting more. Released the same year the Beatles released Revolver this sounds like an album made by children. Waterloo Sunset is the only really strong song. Everything else sounds like a collection of bad Beatles throwaways.

Whereas the rock bands of 1967 were submitting themselves to the bold, colorful psychedelic style of the Swinging Sixties, The Kinks were busy doing... Something Else. Remaining in their increasingly character driven world while others were exploring tantalizing terrains, The Kinks showed that they could still keep up with taut, often impressionistic compositions that highlighted the normal people that were left behind in the psychedelic boom. As the album cover suggests, they made quite the usage with the gray, drab lives led by those who were either idolized or sympathized and often wonders whether or not they deserved better. As an alternative to the much heralded Aquarian age, Something Else shines as an example of The Kinks' obvious greatness. Favorites: David Watts, Death of a Clown, Two Sisters, Harry Rag, Tin Soldier Man, Situation Vacant, Love Me Till the Sun Shines, Afternoon Tea, Waterloo Sunset.

Very chill, great atmosphere and just a bit silly. Reminds me a bit of the Beatles, actually. I very much enjoyed it.

The virgin Harry Rag vs. the chad David Watts

Perhaps the Kinks’ best album. Very sonically diverse

A really solid album from The Kinks which showcases Ray Davies' song writing talent. He deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as Lennon and McCartney. And whilst the album isn't replete with hits, it's an enjoyable listen nevertheless, with Davies' eye for observational storytelling holding your attention. Add to that a solid rhythm section and the excellent, under-appreciated Dave Davies on lead guitar and this is one of the best albums of the sixties. And, as if that isn't enough, the album includes Waterloo Sunset - a masterpiece, not just a great sixties record but one of the greatest songs of all time. This is Davies' legacy - a piece of music that will be talked about by future generations.

It should be in every sensible human's best interests to hate on the British, for they are the British, but the Kinks are the only band in Britain that genuinely make one feel any sympathy for the country. It's quite a shame that the band is merely a national treasure but they're all the better for their uncompromising approach to music. While everyone was playing baby tunes, they were pumping out hard rock riffs and then when everyone went psychedelic, they retreated into beautiful nuanced and bittersweet pictures of pastoral life. On this record, you get genius melodies and you get simple things. As you should.

Kinks have some great songs, but this album is boring.

Prior to the 90s I think I was only aware of the Kinks from Lola (I knew You Really Got Me but I don't think I knew who it was by). I came to the whole 60s psychedelic rock/British invasion/folk revival in my college days. A fine album though I think Village Green is still my favorite

i just love the kinks now i guess

The first of 4 classic albums in 4 years for the band. 3 “hits”, including one of the most achingly beautiful songs of all time, Waterloo Sunset. The lesser known songs are all still quite good. A no-brainer 5 for me. I bought this in a photo and camera shop in Wichita in (I believe) 1968 when we were visiting my aunt and uncle. The store had a rotating kiosk with a few albums on it — no clue why they had them in that kind of store.

I love The Kinks. Especially on albums like this where they weave a tapestry of these down to earth musical short stories.

So far I only new Lola by The Kinks. Nice to know not all of their songs are about a teenager losing his virginity to a middle-aged crossdresser. Nice album, a couple good songs, similarities to the trippier phases of The Beatles. Didn't know Waterloo Sunset was by them.

A lot of these songs sound like Beatles songs. I'm not saying they're knock offs necessarily, but they're like the Pibb Extra to the Beatles' Dr. Pepper. Overall passable I suppose. The low point was definitely No Return, which sounds generic and boring and has terrible mixing to boot. Suzanne's Still Alive, Harry Rag, and Tin Silver Man are probably the most notable and enjoyable tracks. I will probably not be listening to this album as a whole ever again, though.

Can't even remember listening to it.

I fucking love The Kinks.

I had to watch Yellow Submarine last week and it's a watered down version of that. Also, I'm not really a fan of the Beatles so overall: Kinda Butt

I think this is my 4th Kinks album. I only listened to the original 13 tracks, it's the right length at 36 minutes. I played it through several times. There's a lot going on. These songs would sound great in a giant beer hall with a bunch of drunk rowdies singing along. Solid album.

The Kinks albums have been one of the real pleasures of this list. Not quite up there with Arthur or Village Green for me maybe, but a wonderful album. 4.8 stars.

5 With the States as a impossibility, the Kinks turned their eyes toward British culture. Ray Davies's Music Hall-laden baroque Pop may have delivered the worst sales numbers ever. However, every track here was a single in waiting for the return to post-Summer of Love realism ("David Watts") and natural beauty ("Waterloo Sunset.")

The kinks really bring the whimsy

- They remain, even on this project that encourages people to LISTEN .... undervalued, under-appreciated and over looked. The Kinks are a gift to us .... -

WHAT AN AWESOME BAND,

Something Else by The Kinks I should listen to The Kinks more often. I did have a period about 15 years ago when I was really into them, and the run from Face to Face to Muswell Hillbillies, including this one, really is fantastic. I would assume this one is possibly a bit overlooked in comparison to the three truly excellent albums that follow it, and while it’s not perfect, it is a great album, with some pleasing oddities, and a nice mix of sincerity and sardonicism, ahead of some of the bitterness and cynicism that coloured them in the 70s. And any album with Waterloo Sunset can only be good, especially supported by some excellent songs like David Watts, Death of a Clown and Love me ‘till the Sun Shines. I like the slightly low key and whimsical tone, with obvious baroque, chamber pop and psychedelic influences, but it doesn't go in for big grandstanding musical gestures, or flower power hippie mysticism, and for all the harpsichord driven songs like Two Sisters there are little folky shuffles like No Return, and lyrically it focuses on nostalgia, sentimentality and generally empathetic and bittersweet pen portraits or characters and situations. For an album recorded after Rubber Soul and Revolver and contemporaneously with Sgt Pepper, the production and mixing is very haphazard, sounding quite amateurish at times, and really lacking a depth and richness. Some songs sound better than others, and generally the vocals, backing vocals and harmonies are all very good, particularly on Tears of a Clown, but the drums and bass and guitars are very up and down, and the mix is a bit all over the place, the handclaps seem excessively loud on Afternoon Tea, and the bass goes from a nice bright tone on some songs, to barely audible on Love Me ‘till the Sun Shines. It manages to overcome that because the songs are generally great, David Watts (the name of my cousin, co-incidentally), the brilliant oddness of Death of a Clown, Two Sisters and No Return, the musichall singalong of Harry Rag, the horn driven whimsy of Tin Soldier Man, the excellent Situation Vacant, the terrific soul influenced Love Me ‘till the Sun Shines, the woozy, slightly creepy psychedelic-folk of Lazy Old Sun, the classic 60s Kinks pop of the superb Afternoon Tea, the excellent Funny Face and of course the peerless Waterloo Sunset. Despite that, I’m not quite sure it is at the same level as Village Green, Arthur or Lola. It’s a superb album, but rated against them and perhaps a little harshly it is a very high 4. 🌇🌇🌇🌇 Playlist submission: Love Me ‘till the Sun Shines is one of my favourite Kinks songs, but it has to be Waterloo Sunset really

The essential Kinks album. Will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, and Googling what a 'Harry Rag' is...

Second Kinks album in two weeks. Still not an album with hits, but I guess they don't have as many "hits" as I thought. Like the first, this is certainly fine music. I admire it a little more for committing to this old timey music bit. It's less 1960s rock, and more 1860s saloon music. But aside from that novelty, I wasn't too impressed. At this point, I think I'm good on the Kinks for at least a few months. Favorite tracks: No Return, Death of a Clown, Situation Vacant. Album art: Pretty simple design, but I give them credit for again committing to the old timey music bit. The ancient-looking photos and layout fits the aesthetic perfectly. 3/5

Something Else opens with David Watts a fantastic song not so loosely based on a gay man that the Davis brothers both admired and envied as he was the dandy that seemingly every girl the Davis brother wanted to date was to hang up on David Watts ("all the girls in the neighbourhood try to go out with David Watts ... but can't succeed") but of course David Watts isn't romantically interested in any of the local birds. Something Else closes with Waterloo Sunset simply put - one of the most beautiful songs of the English language (if not the most beautiful) of the last 100 years. Masterful in all ways and as Pete Townshend of The Who called it "divine" as great as anything on Sgt Peppers and better than half the songs found on that groundbreaking statement of an album. In between you get 11 songs that range from absolutely great to "how can this song be this bloody brilliant- seriously, how?" - Something Else is an album you want to play again the second that needle lifts at the end of side two- careful though- Something Else just keeps somehow getting better with each listen so you of course keep on listening, and you keep growing and the clouds tickle going in one ear and out the other as a 1000 hands green and purple gently pull you down until your toes feel the dew upon the grass.

The original indie band. The original version of the Gallagher brothers relationship. The soundtrack to Wes Anderson (along with Mothersbaugh and Desplat). Waterloo Sunset. Five stars.

I have a hard time rating this between 4, 4.5 and 5. I think it depends on the scale and what I'm comparing it against. This isn't The Kinks best album, but it still has amazing songs and is one of the earliest examples of an album existing in the way it would for several decades longer, with a flow and dynamics. "Waterloo Sunset" is also one of the most beautiful songs ever, in my opinion.

I really like the Kinks - their greatest hits album is wall to wall bangers - and there are a few of them on this album. There is a notable drop in quality to the album tracks - but after listening a few times they are all working their charms. The sound quality /production is pretty dog shit tho unfortunately. Fav track David Watts.

Sometimes it’s astounding that so many good melodies lived inside Ray Davies’s head.

I put this album as the true origin of The Kinks as I grew to really love them. They already had released a number of albums and singles that were popular but it was on Something Else that I feel they kicked off the string of great albums that include Village Green, Arthur, Lola, and Muswell Hillbillies. I always felt that one of the things that really differentiated The Kinks from their other British Invasion counterparts is that Ray really embraced his British-ness. Not that other bands hid theirs but The Kinks always came across to a young me as very British which was interesting. I think it may have lessened their appeal to some but for me it was fascinating. From the catchy "David Watts" opener (which The Jam covered quite nicely on All Mod Cons) to the brilliant "Waterloo Sunset" that closes it, Something Else is a joy to listen to. I really must do it more often.

This is probably the most stylistically diverse album by The Kinks, released in 1967, at the height of the psychedelic era, in which they came up with something different than other top bands. It's whimsical and quirky and one of the most quintessential English albums ever. The lyrics are fantastic, the rhythm section and guitar work is really great, and it has one of the most beloved and well known English rock songs ever, 'Waterloo Sunset'. I may prefer The Village Green...or Arthur...a bit more but this albums deserves no less than another 5 star.

when it comes to british rock, i feel like these guys are just as historically notable as the beatles. very creative and catchy songs, especially in a time where many bands were kinda... stinkers. a true psychedelic inspired album that's simply wild and unafraid and not like... echoey warbly yodeling, lewis caroll-esque absurdism, backwards guitars and sitars. finally a real example of how psy-rock should be composed!! i've been looking forward to this day for a long time. some people may think this genre is an acquired taste but i think a lot of people will enjoy this one.

I am a really big Kinks fan and I love this album but I can also recognize that I don't think they are firing on all cylinders quite yet on this one. It's still great and I love the very baroque-y harpsichord on here. There are some great tunes and some that are a little out of character for them, which I appreciate them trying different things. Of course, the highlight here is 'Waterloo Sunset' but I also really love 'David Watts' and 'Death of a Clown' as well. I don't think there's a bad song on here, but I also don't think it's perfect either. I still love it to pieces though.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: The Kinks are the most British band of the British Invasion. The Who, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones all drew their inspiration from American rhythm and blues, where the Kinks wrote clever pop songs from a more distinctly English perspective. You can almost hear the tea kettle whistle in the background as they play. This is an utterly charming album, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Favorite: Two Sisters I had never heard this album and thoroughly enjoyed each short story/song. Would like to hear No Return without lyric track, as I really like the melody. Will definitely listen to this one again. Rather than ranking on married life, Davies turned it around in Two Sisters, I didn't expect it to go that direction.

I feel like I should know The Kinks better than I actually do. I’ve yet to hear a bad song by them, yet I still wouldn’t consider myself overly familiar with them. It’s fair to say that I’m quite looking forward to this album today. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Lazy Old Sun, Waterloo Sunset Favourites: Waterloo Sunset, Afternoon Tea, Tin Soldier Man This was such a nice, pleasant listen. I always expect The Kinks to be a lot more rocky than they are. Perhaps I’ve listened too much to You Really Got Me by Van Halen and confusing it with The Kinks’ original version. This was very light, summery pop rock with very lovely vocals. That said, Tin Soldier Man is instrumental and is also frankly lovely. Overall, I loved this.

Another baroque pop masterwork. I like how the two things people call it are just Something Else, which kind of makes it sound self-touting, all futuristic like, and the full title, which makes it sound ordinary, plain, just another release. But just another release by The Kinks still clearly makes a great album. Firstly, something I noticed was that as the album went on is that the first side feels less polished than the second. Of course, it doesn’t change the quality of the album; so many great songs; ‘David Watts’, ‘Death of a Clown’, ‘Two Sisters’, I’m really just listing the whole album here, aren’t I? The extremely obvious highlight is ‘Waterloo Sunset’; what a beautiful masterwork of a song. I also particularly like ‘Lazy Old Sun’ and its unique chord changes. What more can I say. The gods of baroque pop make a great baroque pop album.

Well, I already think Death of a Clown is one of the greatest tracks ever (show in for my funeral). But this album is a little bit of history, I mean it gave the world Waterloo Sunset. Sit back and enjoy...

These songs are wonderfully told vignettes, each with a distinctive sound, old-timey and modern at the same time. This gives us three consecutive Kinks albums from the 1960s, but I'm okay with that, as long as we get to hear more.

The last album produced at least partly by Shel Talmy, this album is a sardonic observational album that discusses and skewers British society. Musically, this album is all over the place. There are moments of baroque pop, bossa nova, music hall, and flashes of the harder edged proto-punk that typified their earlier work. Here, we see the Kinks really leaning into the more heavily conceptual work that would come to fruition on 'The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society' and 'Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

*Something Else By The Kinks* All in all I do feel this mainly feels like an album of fille... pretty darn good filler mind you, but filler nonetheless. I'd go as far to say, quite honestly, a good portion of the album kinda feel like the McCartney "granny songs" from Beatles albums of the time. (Again something I like very much, but wouldn't want an album full of them) This album starts off great with "David Watts" and ends incredibly with "Waterloo Sunset", but other than "Love Me Till The Sun Shines" and "Lazy Old Sun" I kinda have the same at arms length, too British feel I had with *Village Green* but I think even more so. (7.8) ★★★½

This is a great album, and probably my second favorite Kinks album. I think Ray and especially Dave really come into their own as songwriters here. They're branching out in terms of styles, but they still keep enough of that Mod sound intact to not come across like they're just trying to ape the Beatles. "Waterloo Sunset" gets all the attention here, and rightfully so, but there's a ton of other cool tunes here -- "David Watts", "Two Sisters", "Harry Rag", "Love Me 'Til The Sun Shines", and Dave's amazing "Death of a Clown", which is one of the band's very best songs. 4.5 stars

Solid Kinks album for the 60s. It’s not something else if you compare it to Sgt Pepper or the Hendrix Experience but it is something else if you compare it to 98% of everything from the year. The first half is mainly strong especially with the opening Jam-covered homo-tinged class commentary of David Watts song and there are a couple of supreme singles in the form of Dave Davies solo Death Of A Clown and wowzers Waterloo Sunset - just for extra clarification Waterloo Sunset is one of the toppermost songs of the 60s decade. A lot of the tracks in the second half are a bit grandma poppish and only kinda klassic kinks as opposed to kompletely klassic kinks which is the only KKK i approve of but overall still an approvable album thanks to first half and Waterloo Sunset salvo.

I knew The Kinks as the guys who wrote “You Really Got Me” for Van Halen, but I had never listened to a complete album. I would describe their sound as somewhere between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, with influences from Simon and Garfunkel—but without the clear and well-rounded overall picture of the aforementioned, and only occasionally reaching their level. “David Watts” is fun, “Death of a Clown” is actually not bad, but after that the level unfortunately drops and reaches its first low point with “No Return,” which combines the worst aspects of the Beatles and S&G. After that, it gets better again, but I won't describe it in detail—I think the principle is clear. I guess you could call it light and shadow—though there's more light than shadow. 3.5 for me.

Did not realize the Kinks did Davis Watts originally

Love the kicks. Love this album. I still put Arthur at number one Muswell hillbillies number two, and we have the Village Green Preservation Society as number three. I guess that makes something else number four. Four stars for number four.

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘭𝘴𝘦 captures The Kinks at their most melodic and thoughtful, steeped in the unmistakable sound of 1967 — baroque pop arrangements, wistful nostalgia, and that distinctly English charm Ray Davies made his trademark. Tracks like 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘰 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘵 are timeless, while the rest of the album drifts between music-hall whimsy and gently psychedelic pop in a way that feels both effortless and deeply of its era. Not every moment hits with the same grace, but when it does, it’s gorgeous — a warm, intimate snapshot of a band quietly operating outside the big Beatles–Stones axis and carving out their own uniquely British lane.

I’ve heard a chunk of 60s rock albums while doing this project and this was at the top for me. No it isn’t life changing music but it sounds good, you don’t want to turn it off and it’s the type of album you can let rock out in the background and nobody will be mad that it’s playing. Solid 3.6/5

some tunes on this to be fair aye

Change saturates “Something Else”: there’s this inbuilt nostalgia when they describe David Watts, or the clown and the silenced lions, the man forced to dump his job for the uncertainty of “Situation Vacant”, creeping into the song titles in the last stretch, season’s end, sunset; the chirpy rhythms feel like they look back to music hall, but with too much enthusiasm; the harpsichord is archaic on delivery; that sister’s charging around her domicile done up in her curlers, no longer jealous; and the dub-like bottom-end and fuzz of “Love Me ‘Til The Sun Shines” has this gleeful doominess to it, “ nice and smooth”. This record dates itself perfectly, transports me, redolent of “Blow-Up” despite sharing little apart from period and setting. Some slighter songs put it a notch below “Village Green”; still ace.

Showing early hints of the classic "Village Green" sound and themes, the highlights of this are timeless.

The Kinks - Something Else by the Kinks I love the Kinks. It’s a shame they didn’t make it big. They had the chops. They’re songs are unique with smart and often funny lyrics. They didn’t mind poking fun at themselves as well as everyone else. The Kinks recorded Something Else after Face to Face, which I also listened to as part of the 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Face to Face began the Kinks' change from the more straight ahead rock blues type of music that was popular at the time, to a more baroque pop and music hall inspired music, at least that’s what Wikipedia told me. To me, the Kinks moved away from the You Really Got Me kind of songs to a more Beatles-esque, more interesting and experimental type of rock music at the time. The Kinks still rocked, to be sure, and they still wanted to be really gotten, but they wanted to tell you more about themselves before they got got. Or something like that. Something Else had two hits, one was Waterloo Sunset and the other was actually supposed to be a solo single from Dave Davies, lead guitarist and sometimes lead vocalist of the band. It was called Death of a Clown and was released as a single under Dave Davies' name, but later it came out on Something Else by the Kinks. Something Else didn’t make a huge splash when it came out because the two singles had been out for months before the album was released. It’s weird because the '50s and '60s were more about selling singles, which in turn would sell the albums. That’s why you’d sometimes get an album with three really great songs and a bunch of filler. With no more singles to push the album, it kind of died on the vine. Also, the Kinks were banned from the U.S. for any number of reasons, so they couldn’t tour the U.S. to help record sales. However, Something Else has, in hindsight, been looked at as one of the Kinks' best albums. I really dug this album. It’s a perfect companion piece for Face to Face. The songs sound so different from other stuff from this time period and the lyrics are at times both beautiful and hilarious. I think you should look up the lyrics for both Face to Face and Something Else by the Kinks and carve out some time to enjoy a nice evening of great music. I really love that I’m able to dig into these Kinks albums and I hope they keep coming.

I really need to listen to this band more. Feels like a transitional record for them, but it’s still great.

Parts of this read far too much like many British 1967 albums that were intensely British-ised, piggybacking off the success of the 60s invasion, but failing to quite keep up with the rapid progress of artists like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan. (David Bowie's weak debut record is a good example of this, though he improved rapidly from there.) The instrumentation is very simple in many tracks; absent is the complexity we've come to search for in most late-60s pieces. At the beginning of the album, most rock elements are jarringly absent, including electric guitars and hard percussion (drums are used sparingly). Also, some of the songs just don't grab you. David Watts, Two Sisters, and No Return – along with Funny Face and End of the Season later – are shockingly mundane for one of the greatest bands of the 60s. The main highlights are the ones that get closest to the Kinks we all came to know and love back in 1964. Harry Rag, despite being just as intensely English as the rest of the album, is the catchiest track up to that point. It's the first genuine use of drumming, and the melody is pretty earwormy. It also commences a strong set of songs, continuing onto the rock-solid Tin Soldier Man, Situation Vacant, and Love Me Till the Sun Shines. The latter two feature excellent electric guitar parts. (God, I was getting worried.) Lazy Old Sun is bizarre, but has some interesting chords, so it gets a pass. And Waterloo Sunset is obviously a big highlight, if only because it's a fairly big hit with a nice guitar riff and pretty lyrics. It's what Bowie (1967 version) would've wanted. 3/5 Key tracks: Situation Vacant, Love Me Till the Sun Shines, Waterloo Sunset

Fairly indifferent to this UK Beach Boys. But I also hate clowns so a bonus there.

I was surprised by how low-fi this was, shows why the Beatles were such an outlier for their time. The songs were great, the performances could use some love. I'm finally publicly admitting: I've never gotten the effusive love for Waterloo Sunset.

Surprised I didn’t recognize any of the songs. This album is very on par with my usual music, it’s a fun album, but I don’t think it will make it into my regular rotation. I might go back and listen again to see if that changes

I'm fairly certain there is a correlation between the lyrical and musical safety of this album and the current state of that generation. I'm not surprised that the albums they grew up with, while innovative at the time, have a deep-rooted sense of conservatism. There's nothing that screams from this album that this is changing the status quo of previously held views in both the United States and Britain, and instead instils the same values and thought perspectives as they had at the time. This generation, when revisiting this album in their plight to resonate with a simpler time in their view. It would reinforce their opinion that challenging the glory days of these countries' diminishing empires would only worsen their standing in the world. Now more than ever, new thinking and perspectives are needed to bring these countries forward into the future.

The Kinks had some great, catchy songs and could crank out addictive riffs, but almost none of them are here. The praise for this album is confined almost entirely to the lyrical content and that's mostly because the music and production are nothing to write home about. "David Watts" is a cool little song. You should hear The Jam play it. Ray Davies took over the recording and mixing of the album and admitted that he didn't have the skills to handle it. The instruments are often muddy and the whole thing exhibits a real lack of polish. Certain types of music can benefit from a more relaxed production, but this isn't garage rock. The stylistic references (music hall, baroque pop, etc.) feel like relics of a past before musicians learned what you could really do with a guitar. Yes, the lyrics are clever and evocative. It's the delivery method that's a chore to get through (nowhere more so than on the grating verses of "Lazy Old Sun"). I know this is considered a classic album, but I would rather listen to almost Anything Else by The Kinks.

no more Kinks Please

Meh. This one's pretty boring, honestly. There's nothing that stands out as particularly interesting or unique and a lot that just sounds like low-budget rip-offs of other bands.

Fantastic album of very British rock and roll. Great stories. Great guitars. Great drums.

Great album. 4.5

Day 102, 13th record I own. Nearly 40 days since the last one I had in my collection! Only got this one recently and it’s a reissue from the 70s but a real first edition would be expensive. Love this band and their name still delights me. I’ve always thought of them as the outsider British group with the insider crowd being of course the Beatles, the Stones, and the Who.

If only The Beatles had drumming this good

Has all the funkiness I've come to expect from the Kinks 🕺💃

Do the Kinks ever miss? Perfect, perfect, perfect!

Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Tea, melancholy, and emotional repression — bottled and harmonized. Favorite Track: “Waterloo Sunset” — it’s what nostalgia would sound like if it were kind.

Great

exactly what i’m looking for, i love this style of music

I loved it. Like the album form of The Dubliners or Winesburg, Ohio.

Five Stars if only for Waterloo Sunset.

Better than the Beatles and Stones by a country mile.

# In-Depth Review: *Something Else By The Kinks* (1967) ## 📀 Overview *Something Else By The Kinks*, released in September 1967, is the fifth studio album by the English rock band The Kinks. Often regarded as one of their finest works, the album marks a transitional phase in the band's career, bridging their early riff-driven rock sound and the more nuanced, narrative-driven style that would define their later work. Despite its commercial underperformance at the time of release, the album has since been recognized as a masterpiece of lyrical storytelling, musical sophistication, and cultural commentary . ## 🎤 Lyrics and Themes ### Narrative Depth and Character Studies The album’s lyrics, primarily penned by Ray Davies, are a highlight, showcasing his knack for **vivid character studies** and **social commentary**. Davies explores themes of: - **Class and Identity**: Songs like "David Watts" critique the idealized British schoolboy hero, with undertones of class envy and latent homoeroticism . - **Nostalgia and Loss**: Tracks such as "Waterloo Sunset" and "End of the Season" reflect on the passage of time, loneliness, and the erosion of traditional English life . - **Domestic Struggles**: "Two Sisters" allegorically portrays the Davies brothers’ relationship, using the dichotomy between siblings to explore themes of freedom vs. responsibility . - **Everyday Escapism**: "Harry Rag" (rhyming slang for "cigarette") uses smoking as a metaphor for small comforts in mundane lives . ### Subtle Humor and Pathos Davies’ lyrical style blends **wit and melancholy**, often masking dark themes with deceptively cheerful melodies. For example, "Death of a Clown" (co-written with Dave Davies) uses circus imagery to convey existential fatigue, while "Situation Vacant" critiques societal pressures with a satirical edge . ## 🎵 Music and Sound ### Genre Blending and Musical Diversity The album’s sound is a fusion of: - **British Music Hall**: Tracks like "Harry Rag" and "End of the Season" incorporate piano-driven, vaudevillian melodies . - **Acoustic and Psychedelic Influences**: "Lazy Old Sun" experiments with dreamy, psychedelic textures, while "Waterloo Sunset" features lush harmonies and a iconic descending guitar riff . - **Rock and Pop Elements**: "David Watts" is a energetic rocker with a driving rhythm, and "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" leans into blues-rock . ### Instrumentation and Arrangements The band’s performances are refined yet restrained: - Dave Davies’ guitar work is melodic and economical, avoiding showy solos in favor of serving the song . - Session pianist Nicky Hopkins adds elegance with harpsichord ("Two Sisters") and piano ("David Watts") . - The rhythm section (Mick Avory on drums and Pete Quaife on bass) provides tight, understated support . ## 🎛 Production ### DIY Aesthetic and Clarity Ray Davies took over production duties from Shel Talmy (though Talmy retained a contractual co-producer credit), resulting in a **clearer, more intimate sound** compared to the band’s earlier wall-of-noise approach . The production emphasizes: - **Vocal Prominence**: Ray’s vocals are mixed front-and-center, highlighting the lyrical narratives. - **Acoustic Texture**: Songs like "Afternoon Tea" feature delicate acoustic guitar strumming and minimalistic arrangements . - **Experimental Touches**: "Lazy Old Sun" uses Mellotron and tape-delay effects to create a hazy, psychedelic atmosphere . ### Limitations Some critics note that the production feels **dated** in places (e.g., the bossa nova rhythm of "No Return" sounds contrived), and the album’s lack of stereo mixing on early releases may detract from its depth for modern listeners . ## 🧭 Themes and Cultural Context ### Reaction Against Psychedelia In 1967, as bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd embraced psychedelic experimentation, The Kinks doubled down on **Englishness** and **nostalgia**. *Something Else* is conspicuously devoid of psychedelic excess, instead focusing on grounded, relatable stories . ### Social Commentary The album captures the **tensions of post-war Britain**, exploring themes of class inequality, suburban ennui, and the decline of traditional values. Tracks like "Tin Soldier Man" critique conformity, while "Waterloo Sunset" finds beauty in urban isolation . ## 💡 Influence and Legacy ### Impact on Later Genres - **Britpop**: Bands like Blur and Pulp drew inspiration from The Kinks’ distinctly English storytelling . - **Punk and New Wave**: The Jam covered "David Watts," embracing its anti-establishment ethos . - **Singer-Songwriter Tradition**: Ray Davies’ nuanced character studies influenced artists like Elvis Costello and Jarvis Cocker . ### Critical Reassessment Though a commercial flop upon release, *Something Else* is now hailed as a **classic of the 1960s** and included in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . ## ️✅ Pros and Cons ### Pros 1. **Lyrical Brilliance**: Ray Davies’ songwriting is sharp, empathetic, and richly detailed . 2. **Musical Diversity**: The album seamlessly blends rock, music hall, and folk influences . 3. **Dave Davies’ Contributions**: His songs ("Death of a Clown," "Funny Face") add depth and variety . 4. **Influence**: Its impact on later genres is undeniable . ### Cons 1. **Inconsistent Flow**: Some tracks (e.g., "No Return," "Lazy Old Sun") feel underdeveloped or out of place . 2. **Dated Production**: The minimalist approach may lack the dynamism of modern recordings . 3. **Commercial Failure**: Its poor sales limited the band’s resources for future projects . ## 🎚 Conclusion *Something Else By The Kinks* is a testament to The Kinks’ artistic courage and Ray Davies’ singular vision. While it may lack the psychedelic grandeur of its contemporaries, it compensates with lyrical depth, musical innovation, and a deeply humanistic perspective. Its legacy as a cornerstone of British rock is well-deserved, and it remains essential listening for fans of intelligent, emotionally resonant music.

In the week where Terence Stamp died it’s appropriate to have Waterloo Sunset in the mix. The kinks are always whimsical and poignant and great artisans. WS alone is a work of art that deserves top marks.

I love The Kinks and this is one of their best. Ray's songwriting is in top form here: his empathy on Two Sisters; his chords on Lazy Old Sun; his cheeky wordplay on David Watts; and his everything on Waterloo Sunset. Plus Dave chimes in with three winners of his own. A classic, understated album.

Excellent

♫ As long as I gaze on, Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise ♫

I really like the Kinks - their greatest hits album is wall to wall bangers - and there are a few of them on this album. There is a notable drop in quality to the album tracks - but after listening a few times they are all working their charms. The sound quality /production is pretty dog shit tho unfortunately. Fav track David Watts.

Clean, tight, original sound. Great production for the 60’s !

This was a good dive into the Kinks, relaxing and peaceful

Relaxing to listen too 👍

Fantastic stuff.

I cannot get over how good this band was for such a long time. They deserve to be in the same discussion as the Beatles and Stones.

de david twat hani na cool gfunde! und funny vlt wett ich auchli meh wie de david sii death of a clown het öppis komisch veträumts gha im background gsang d perkussion isch nüt unglaublichs hahaha HAHAHAH mier passiert ständig, dass ich wett in spiegel luege aber denn id wöschmaschine lueg harry rag findi seeehr cool, de marschrhythmus isch mega tin soldier man isch na fun aber nöd meh luca wie hesch du das nöd gern?? fast jede song BANGT LOVE ME TILL THE SUUUUN SHINES ich weiss nöd ich find sie suuuper mengisch han ichs gfühl ghör ich en ahsatz vo punk (oder protopunk) und WOAAAH BAAAASSSS lazy old sun isch okkkk aber nüt unglaublichs ICH WETT AU EN AFTERNOON TEA für das, dass waterloo sunset anschinend es riese ding gsi isch, findis eifach so mega ok? WOBIII ICH HANS SEHR GERN aber iwie nöd megaaa crazy andersch als anderi lieder uf dem album? puuuh knaqqaaaaappp amene 5i verbii glaub. NOMAL LOSE

It's got Waterloo Sunset, what more do you want?

'Alweer een Kinks-plaat?' dacht ik. Maar het energieke en het simpele van dit album werkt heel aanstekelijk. Geen conceptgedoe, gewoon een stel aanstekelijke nummers en deze keer doet de maffe humor van Ray Davies het juist verrekt goed. En Waterloo Sunset is een evergreen. Dan ga ik ook niet moeilijk doen.

клево, очень клево, клоуна жалко((( 5/5

This is a great record. Ray Davis is a wonderful songwriter, catching that introverted, view of normal (British) life in the many varied ways, with the most gorgeous melodies. And the top, Waterloo sunset is just a pure delight, a timeless song, every time I hear that opening it takes me away, whatever I’m doing, however many times I have heard it. 5 Star, again such a great, eclectic record, the most British of the 60s British Invasion, and all the better for it.

“Waterloo Sunset” alone is an all-timer, but Ray Davies (along with his brother Dave) consistently delivers lyrics that both lampoon and celebrate English culture with catchy melodies.

Before today, I'd never heard a Kinks song I didn't like. And nothing has changed now that I've listened to Something Else! This was a great listen, truly delightful. I'm giving it 5 stars. Those 5 stars don't hold the same weight as some of the others I've had so far, but I enjoyed myself for 100% of the album and would absolutely listen to it again. And I'm in such a good mood now, what else is there to do?

A lost gem

An eclectic, fun and thoroughly English album.

Chronically underrated.

Love this album! I've liked lots of individual songs by this band, but haven't listened to this particular album. There was an a song another band covered, that I didn't realize was a cover!

5/5

I ripped this album from LimeWire when I was like, 15. And I remember the copy I downloaded was labeled as a Beatles album. I just believed that for years before I realized it wasn’t them. Anyway this is my overall favorite Kinks album and without doubt my most listened to.

One of my favourite albums from the "classic" period of the Kinks. It's got their wonderful signature songs "Waterloo Sunset", "Death Of A Clown" and "David Watts", but in all honesty, I'm equally smitten with quite a few deeper cuts as well here. There's the lively rocker "Situation Vacant", the (quite rare for them) psychedelic foray of "Love Me 'Til The Sun Shines" (penned by Dave Davies), the very moody and poetic "Lazy Old Sun", and the mischievous "Two Sisters", where Ray Davies uses the two titular characters to actually address in a metaphoric way the complex relationship he has with his brother Dave. Ray was a stay-at-home dad while Dave was the life of the (sixties) party around that time (and this is also actually hinted through the song Dave wrote all by himself for the LP). Quite a funny and elegant way to go "meta" here... I could split hair and say that a couple of cuts on side one play the "oh-so-quaint" card a little too much. But those less enticing tunes remain important for the album's concept, all about the daily routines of "normal" British folks: commuting from the "city", afternoon tea, typical self- deprecation, and so on... "Cool Britannia" has rarely sounded any cooler than this. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential" albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 82 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 395 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 229 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 295