Reviews (page 3 of 9)
Never really go into The Kinks. This is an okay album, didn't really connect with me. Highlights: "Harry Rag" and "Waterloo Sunset"
...and something of a mixed bag, but raised to a 4 by the gorgeous and timeless Waterloo Sunset. Plus without this album we would never have had The Jam's version of David Watts, and then our lives would all be immeasurably poorer.
Not my favourite kinks albums far, but still a banger. David Watts, hilarious, Waterloo sunset, gorgeous.
Solid album. Silly songs are funny and the serious songs are good. I liked death of a clown, love me till the sun shines and lazy old sun.
So many Kinks albums, so many songs that are ... fine. So few truly distinctive or exceptional ones. Waterloo Sunset is a wonderful song. I love that song. But ... there's just not that much here to make me want to listen to this album again. I am very fond of the Kinks. One of my first concerts was seeing them in downtown Boston on the Think Visual tour. Grew up hearing them on the radio and liking them. But when I go through their classic albums, I'm generally disappointed. It's like Squeeze -- you already know all the good songs. The albums just add filler. That said, knowing David Watts initially through the Jam's cover, it was interesting to listen to it. Good song. Not sure I ever got around to listening to the Kinks original before. And it was interesting to hear the way, at a pretty early date (1967), they were writing songs that drew on a variety of styles. One song reminded me of Sky Children by Kaleidoscope (which I only know through a friend being very into 60s psychedelia), another of the Who (mod version), another of the Who (Tommy edition), one seemed derived from the Irish folk song Raggle Taggle Gipsy ... they jumped from You Really Got Me to rock as the musical form that can imitate all other forms very quickly. That is really interesting. But ... two really good songs, a bunch of ok ones, mediocre sound engineering, no really hot playing or soloing ... insert familiar bewildered questions about the list ...
Novelty songs! The Who found traction early with similar stuff. Enjoyable. I much prefer "You Really Got Me," which was on WBCN before band class this one time at Clarke Junior High... and on my secret pre-Walkman radio after lights out that year.
This was a nice first--first time I ever listened to an entire album by the Kinks. My connection with this band was mostly just hearing the songs AOR would play (Lola, You Really Got Me, etc) and knowing a kid in junior high who was OBSESSED with them. Later when reading about the British Invasion I would always hear Ray Davies lamented as a massively underappreciated songwriter. Listening to this record, it kind of makes sense. I enjoyed it and can appreciate the songwriting. But I can also see why they are a little more of an acquired taste. I don't know if it was the production, the mix, or just the band's style, but many of these songs seemed well-written but performed with very low energy. Also, Ray Davies just is not a great singer.
4 estrellas nomás espero que no me llamen sordo
all the people, so many people
this is the Kinks before they became The Kinks, (and before Dave and Ray Davies started punching each other out). Just go directly to the Final Cut, 'Waterloo Sunset"
Kinda OK, but started liking it more when I let it sit in the background while not paying attention to it.
Oh yeah, Waterloo Sunset is some great 60's pop. I felt No Return stood out as well.
It's obviously not bad music but it was a bit boring and not really my taste.
Extremely English, Extremely annoying, forced whimsy, the sound of taking mushrooms mistakenly thinking nursery rhymes and folk guitars and the renaissance and ripping off the Beatles worst tendencies makes a good combination. Tiresome. 1966-69 is so overrepresented it's a chore.
#898. I honestly can't think of anything positive or negative to say about this one. It is an album that I have now listened to, and that's about all I have. 3/5: acceptable
No private session for Spotify. Another pleasant album by the Kinks. Love Waterloo Station.
Wes Anderson is shaking!
This just sucks no other way to describe it. Are the Kinks massively overrated? I’ve heard two of their albums so far and they’ve both sucked.
This isn't necessarily a bad album, but it's a pale imitation of The Beatles and lacks a lot of the creativity they possessed.
I really liked the other Kinks albums we've heard, but this one seemed to just drag on.
ok
This was fine. Lots of shorter songs made this feel long. 2.5/5
Even if it's not the most musically complex, Something Else is a charming collection of songs always pleasant to listen to.
I was excited to listen to this. Waterloo Sunset is one of the all time greats. The album was pretty good, and would likely shine on repeated listens. Not a lot of stand out after just one spin.
fake ass beatles fucking kill yourself.
норм, но ниче не сохранил.
They sound exactly how they look ... Old. Honestly not my kind of thing 😔
Brit-Rock Circa the 60s: 12 million variations of "ooo girl, I love you girl, ooo ooo ooo". I appreciate that this era had to happen for what follows but it's not my favorite flavor. There's something clearly a little different happening on this one. The instrumental work is fantastic. Surprise harpsichord? Incoming mellotron! The bassist is very fun. The guitar on "David Watts" is borderline crunchy (that's a good thing). I'd like to dig it but I feel like I'm missing some important context that would take this from 'quirky' to 'brilliant'.
*Pretty strong album but the Kinks have several better albums.
Less interesting version of the Beatles
Is that the best Kinks Album? No. But after Baaba Mail and Big Black albums this was positively heaven. Plus one for being actual music.
There was a kid I went to HS with named David Watts true story
First off, The Kinks are a good band. They've got some great hits and they did a lot of experimenting. I just don't really like the baroque, chamber pop, theatrical stuff very much. And there's definitely too much on this one. "Harry Rag" is fun and "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" is a pretty great song. I prefer the more rocking Kinks. Let's call this a 3 and prolly not listen to it again.
4 estrellas solo por Waterloo Sunset, el resto 3
A good album. Not sure what I expected. It was my first time listening to the Kinks. I enjoyed it. It was a good album. Not sure I would go out of my way to listen again. I thought it was good and you could hear others who have been influenced by them.
If I were feeling better, I might have interpreted this differently. Some people are calling it whimsical, and it very well may have been, and that may have been the intention. I don't think whimsy necessarily translates well through time/culture, because we don't know what aspects of their time and place they are playing with. I just know that it sounds like a lot of other (what I think of as) corny 60's British music.
The Good: We are going to get Kinky! The Bad: No, wait, we’ve been duped, it’s Something Else... The Ugly: Finding out that the something else isn’t good music… I will have to do my due diligence real fast… allow me a second… This is the third The Kinks album I’ve been presented… the THIRD. To make matters worse, and let me do my due diligence real fast… allow me a second… I am missing one more album as there are four… FOUR The Kinks albums on this list… Mr Dimery, you bastard! My review of this album? Well, sounds like something from the ‘60s. You can hear those sounds that were on many other albums from the ‘60s… and I am starting to hate the ‘60s almost as much as anything that has been published since the ‘00s The album was just a waste of time for me. It did make me go through some of my older albums that I still needed to rate, and made me enjoy some imperfect albums that had sounds I had not listened to before… I am looking at the album Tank Battles… you know what I mean! Anyway, I am nervous about what album I will get dished out today after ranking this album a 2*
Det är för jävla trist tyvärr.
Vilken låt Waterloo Sunset är alltså. Dunder. Blviit ett fan av det sena 60-talet, speciellt The Kinks och The Zombies. Plattan som helhet är något segare än den förra dock och ah, den är inte ens i närheten av mästerverket Odyssey and Oracle.
är totalt neutral
Dålig tajming för Kinks. Extremt sugen på ännu ett pojkband från 60-talet och har därför svårt att kanske denna en ärlig chans. Eller?
eh i hate 60s music but this was decent
Some gems, but lots of “meh” moments 😄
I love the Kinks, but this isn't their finest work, really hoping they have at least three more in this list
This one is kinda like Ebby Calvin LaLoosh. I like the Kinks and although this isn't my favorite of their stuff, the whole thing is nice and listenable. Hovering my finger over the 4 button, pending another listen.
Waterloo Sunset does a lot of heavy lifting for this one, closing out in gorgeous fashion what is mostly a collection of the kind of theatrical ditties which are never my favourite kind of Kinks songs.
I like it, but was ready for the album to be over about 2/3 of the way through
British Rock! Dani loves. It was nice, a short album (35 mins!)
Perfectly fine, I liked some tracks and others just sound like another Beatles track, which is fine I guess. The Kinks aren’t a band that I’ve ever got into but there are tracks I’ll hear and think, this is nice. Lazy Old Sun really stood out on this album as my favourite, some cool psychedelic undertones, really appreciated the vocal delivery as well. 3 stars
Simple and direct (there's nothing here approaching four minutes in length) Something Else sees the Kinks struggling to find a hook to hang their baroque pop flourishes on. Waterloo Sunset is a standout, of course, but elsewhere, the quirky Anglo-centric antics are interesting without being too memorable. I'd say it probably misses more frequently than it lands, but it is still a solid enough offering as the band move away from their beat group beginnings. In-your-face drums and vocals dominate the sound, with spikey guitars only occasionally punctuating the warm, earthy acoustic backdrop.
the beatles if they were good
Really enjoyed singing along to this one on this mornings dog walk, some real classics from Ray Davies and the boys.
Waterloo Sunset maximaler banger, der rest leider mid
Classic Kinks. Short, cute songs about everyday struggles.
Enjoyed this more than the 'Arthur' album. Sounded more Beatles-like than the last one I listened to. Waterloo Sunset is a classic, also enjoyed Autumn Almanac, Afternoon Tea and Situation Vacant.
Classic
Decent listen, but did drag on a bit. Might have heard some of these but nothing stood out too much.. global rating is accurate for me, 3.25/5
aight
Just not my style at all
Getting some Herman's Hermits vibes!
By turns quirkily interesting and quirkily irritating, this is still an impressive set of pop tunes that seem to echo through to a lot of 90s guitar pop.
Dull
i dont relate to two sisters my sister and i are different but there is no jealousy and she is the best dk if im just not in the right mood but this isn't really doing it for me rn feel like i should be more into this than I am
two sisters mention !!! fun vibes, silly songs, i liekd 3.75 ish
I’ve loved The Kinks for nearly 30 years now even if my one meeting with Ray Davies wasn’t exactly a pleasant one. Odd and distant would be putting it kindly. Still, whatever I think of the man, there’s no denying the brilliance of the music. I was genuinely pleased to see Something Else by The Kinks come up in this challenge. David Watts is a superb opener, a sharp, melodic, and instantly engaging. It’s one I’ve always loved. Death of a Clown has a wonderfully haunting quality to it, full of melancholy and character. And then there’s Waterloo Sunset. Its quite simply one of the greatest songs ever written. The melody, the imagery, the emotion, its perfect. What makes this album stand out is its intimacy. It feels smaller and more observational than some of their later concept records, but that’s part of its charm. The songwriting is warm, distinctly British, and packed with subtle wit and quiet sadness. It may not shout, but it resonates. Favourite track: Waterloo Sunset — a flawless, beautiful song that never loses its impact. Least favourite track: None. I genuinely enjoyed everything on this album. Album artwork: A classic cover. Simple, colourful, and perfectly in keeping with the era instantly recognisable and full of character.
It’s very goofy but I like the intentional sampling of international styles. Could see this growing on me.
Really fun, twee, light album that was tailor made to be in a Wes Anderson film 3.5
It doesn't get more English
The absolute wall of text that is included on this entry in the book is insane. Music taste is subjective, but when you put anything under a microscope you can justify whatever you want. I did not hear an album rife with themes of coping and loss, but that's what the critics are waxing poetic about.
This is good. Fun listen and the Kinks are always great. Not sure I’d call this a “must listen” album though. Again, some catchy fun songs, excellent drumming and all around enjoyable. But nothing over the top special. I think some of their other work is more unique and iconic.
Chill tunes that aren’t tough to listen to, but also didn’t blow me away.
Not really moved by this. I love how cohesive and interesting the village green preservation society is, and most of the songs here didn't have any of that charm and interest that I found there.
Yea this just kinda sounds like a lesser Beatles ngl. 6.4/10
The Beatles were on lsd when they wrote sgt peppers, this album sounds like Sgt peppers were on lsd and wrote this. Weird album not terrible but maybe a little too out there crazy. When I think kinks I always think of that seen in the Bob Dylan movie where Bob Dylan’s like that’s the kinks man in his funny voice. Very unrelated sry.
I am giving up. This is just not it. In fact, it's putting me to sleep when I need to be awake.
It's got Waterloo Sunset, one of the 5 best songs of the 60s. Ray Davies is one of the best to ever do it.
Something else would not satisfy in the way the Kinks return you to an era goneby.
zwei bekannte songs: Waterloo Sunset und Death Of A Clown .. ansonsten 60er-geschrammel.
Sicher besser als die Beatles.
Well, I know what a Harry Rag is now
This feels like a short story collection. It’s songwriting in English tradition, as partly forged by Ray Davies himself. Quite a few of the songs have the feeling of musical theatre. It’s perhaps more interesting as a historical artefact than as music nowadays. But Waterloo Sunset is undoubtedly a 5 star song, one of the greatest ever.
1960's psychadelia which seems a bit dated. It's clearly from the time and was popular but it's not new and interesting now. The lyrics took a bit of research to understand too. I now know the background to David Watts and what a Harry Rag is.
Waterloo Sunset is one of the tunes of all time.
I nearly switched off during track 2, death of a clown glad I didn’t. I found it to be a very quirky album of the time. Once I got my head into the 60’s I thought, yeah , I get this. Not too bad at all.
Fine. Not for me.
Waterloo Sunset is a great song, but there are some duds on here too.
Meh. I mean, I like the sound, but nothing really grabbed my attention, except Afternoon Tea. The rest was just meh.
It was decent. I saw one of their most popular songs was on this album, but I didn't recognize it and it didn't stick out when it played. No takeaways from me and I won't listen to it again. It didn't seem like anything special.
3.0 - Ok
Good energy! I like the fun feel of it, but no obvious standouts.
Busy, color-saturated arrangements built from jangly guitars, fussy harpsichord flourishes, brass accents, and arch, overly expressive vocals move this psychedelic pop album like being trapped in a cluttered curiosity shop with the lights turned up too bright—whimsical in theory, but from start to end so insistently psychedelic and mannered that it becomes downright annoying rather than enchanting.
Incredibly bland and unoriginal
Pretty good
Gran disco
Not my favourite by the Kinks, whom I love. So fucking goofy.
This is my first Kinks album. I love the piano use and the sometimes morose songwriting. I look.forward to.more Kinks albums on the list.
It was ok. Not the masterpiece I was expecting though. Some good tracks, but plenty of filler.
2.5 (36:17 13 tracks, 5th studio album, 1967) English rock band I did not like this album on the first two listens, grew on me in headphones. Was walking in a forest preserve listening to Afternoon Tea and met a woman (the only person I talked to that day) name Donna – that’s a weird coincidence. Still giving it a 2 as I don’t love the end of the 60’s psychedelia and chamber music stuff that was so popular in its day, but ALMOST a 3. I want to like The Kinks as there are some songs by them that are so good. . . just not this album. This album continues the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influenced style defined by frontman Ray Davies' observational and introspective lyrics. The Kinks were brothers Ray Davies (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and younger Dave Davies (lead guitar, vocals), Pete Quaife (bass), and Mick Avory (drums, percussion). Lyrically Dave explores fame and deteriorating mental health (clow) while Ray explores isolation. The singles "Waterloo Sunset", one of the group's most acclaimed songs, and the Dave Davies solo record "Death of a Clown", both of which charted in the UK top 3. Something Else sold poorly and became the Kinks' lowest-charting album nonetheless the album was ranked No. 288 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Ray Davies assumed control over production after the departure of Shel Talmy; hence Something Else marked a change in the sound and production style of the Kinks. Davies felt unsure of his skill in mixing and recording the group's records, and later commented: "I feel that I shouldn't have been allowed to produce Something Else. What went into an album required someone whose approach was a little bit more mundane". Musically, Something Else features multiple different genres and stylistic influences, from the chamber pop of "Death of a Clown" to the bossa nova of "No Return". With the exception of the garage rock-style "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" the album was a departure from the hard-edged rock and roll of the group's earlier material, instead featuring mellower, acoustic baroque pop ballads, English music hall, and "tempered" R&B. Ray Davies' lyrics on the album deal with English-inspired subject matter, particularly the harpsichord-laden "Two Sisters" (a metaphor between the two brothers, Ray being an introvert and Dave an extrovert who like to go out and party), the lazy shuffle "End of the Season", and the sardonic "David Watts." The album includes three songs composed by Dave Davies, including the hit single "Death of a Clown". Favorite Song: Afternoon Tea All tracks are written by Ray Davies, except where noted. 1. "David Watts" – 2:40 2. "Death of a Clown" (R. Davies, Dave Davies) – 3:15 3. "Two Sisters" – 2:03 4. "No Return" – 2:03 5. "Harry Rag" – 2:19 6. "Tin Soldier Man" – 2:53 7. "Situation Vacant" – 2:43 8. "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" (D. Davies) – 3:23 9. "Lazy Old Sun" – 2:49 10. "Afternoon Tea" – 3:25 11. "Funny Face" (D. Davies) – 2:29 12. "End of the Season" – 3:00 13. "Waterloo Sunset" – 3:16
🤔
David Watts Death of a Clown End of the Season Waterloo Sunset
I love The Kinks. I wish they were as globally recognised as certain other British bands from the 60s. They are always a joy to listen to.
los birols
This album really is Something Else. Harry Rag, Afternoon Tea, Lazy Old Sun (where that sliding guitar or cello or whatever it is hits you like a beer bottle concussion), Love Me Till the Sun Shines, End of the Season....these would be other bands' best tunes and none of them even made it onto any Kinks compilations. And to top if off, you get Death of a Clown and David Watts! Oh, and I almost forgot the closer, Waterloo Sunset, simply maybe one of the greatest songs ever written in the history of humanity. One of our greatest achievements as a species. Waterloo Sunset was bringing me to tears even before I was old enough to understand anything about Terry and Julie. Sneaky bastards slipping this into the very end. Put out your Harry Rag, put down your afternoon tea and have a good cry. I'm typing this through my tears and I couldn't tell you why. That's why I love music. Fuck, this is a great album!
A fun Kinks album, and definitely worth inclusion in the collection (although I'm still not sure they warrant four albums total, but perhaps my final one ("Face to Face") is as good as the others?). Several strong tracks anchor the lineup, from the opening pair "David Watts" and "Death of a clown" to the grand finale (and best of the album) "Waterloo sunset", with other good songs in between, including "Harry rag" and "Afternoon tea". It's also interesting to see/hear the progression from earlier albums' rock orientation to their next album's "village green" theme/project (and apparently the song "Village green" was even recorded during this album's sessions). Something else, indeed.
This is getting a five on the strength of Waterloo Sunset, David Watts, and Death of a Clown.
Maybe just too much Kinks this week but this just feels like solid tunes.
It was alright, I’ve enjoyed other Kinks records significantly more though
What a fun early English pop rock album. The songs are short and there is lots of styles being blended that keep the album from getting stale. There is a killer 4 song run in the middle section from Harry Rag to Love Me Till the Sun Shines and the closing Waterloo Sunset is stellar.
I love love love the kinks. Each time a little more, and this album is one of their best. Their sound is a bit sloppy at times , but in my opinion that puts the center on the insane songwriting of Ray Davies. He is the most British writer of his era. He has the humor, the storytelling and an incredible composition ability. I think Face to face is a little bit better (and deseved a 5 from me, but I didn't know better when ranking it almost two years ago) but this one is not far behind Another high 4!.
Sure was!
my head nodded and my toe tapped. i am giving this an extra point because this is from 1967 and could EASILY be from 10 years later they were eating these pop songs up
this is kinda cute! but yeah idk i can't remember much but i didn't hate it!
Ehh. It was decent. Definitely got the beatles inspiration but overall it wasnt that good of an album. 2.5/5
Really enjoyed this. The Kinks are a band I need to explore further. Liked it more than Preservation, which I had early on.
Boring
Another rip-off Beatles sound which is the one of the worst I've heard. Again, too many albums not on here that should obviously be ahead of ones like this.
Love the Kinks, this album has some of my fav songs on it
same thing, different name. solid for its genre and time, but overall boring.
2/5
The Kinks are great. But this isn't their best. God save the Kinks!
- I was really looking forward to this because I thought I would really like it because I like a lot of the Kinks'(s?) songs, but it kind of bored me. I wasn't taken in by most of the songs... the melodies and instrumentation felt too simple/old-time cutesy and didn't hook me enough. - I liked Two Sisters, with its harpsichord and unique song subject matter. Some fun lyrics throughout the album. I also like Waterloo Sunset - catchy and wistful. - The singers' voices were forgettable. - The songs and album were both short, but everything still felt like it went on a bit too long. - I don't know... it's probably a 2.5 because I liked it more the more I listened to it, but I was still disappointed and won't reach for it again, so I'm rounding down.
A jumbled mess of styles and most of them rubbish. Was that a sea shanty, and a bossa nova beat amongst all the poor imitation of The Beatles?
The Kinks are not a band I got into, I have no idea why, they are great. I need to listen to them much more. But then again there are only so many hours in a day....
somewhere between the beach boys and the beatles there lies an uncanny valley where the kinks reside
Loved this
I've never understood the kinks hype. Whenever some music subreddit posts "what are the most underrated bands?", the kinks are almost always there. Do you guys really like harry rag or tin soldier man? Every song here just feels like them vamping between two chords and then some of the dumbest lyrics. They do have some great songs though, I think Lola and Destroyer are great, but I think this is my 3rd kinks album now and none of them had any songs I've really enjoyed. High 2.
I enjoyed this album from The Kinks! I didn’t think it was anything groundbreaking but I had a good time listening to this British psychedelic rock/pop album. Waterloo Sunset is the obvious standout track from this album. Overall, I enjoyed this album and would listen to it again soon!
Toooooo long
3.5
Cool 7/10
Great record. Working class concept record.
Wow! That was disappointing. I liked the Kinks but never listened to an album until now. Apart from Waterloo Sunset the songs seem very flat and the overall quite boring. The Jam's cover of David Watts blows the original out of the water. I'll check out other Kinks albums but this one is a hard no.
Meh
191/1089 a fine album, i preferred it over Village Green. I’m just not really into 60s boyband pop i don’t have much to add because my issues aren’t really with the quality or impact etc i’m just not the target audience. of course i did recognise Waterloo Sunset though and that was a highlight along with Afternoon Tea my score feels really mean but it’s completely down to personal taste and feeling 24/100
Has as strong a case as any for possibly being my favorite Kinks album. 4/5
Really enjoyed almost every song, especially loved Harry Rag. I liked the styles of the songs
*1967. British rock. *This is classic Kinks music - fun experimental songs that are very much Beatles-esque. *None of the songs were particularly memorable to me, but overall a solid album. RATING - 6.5/10
Like a British kitchen‑sink drama in song form: everyday lives, quiet desperation, wry humour, and bruised emotions tucked into perfectly observed pop. Ray Davies turns the mundane into something tender and devastating, making small moments feel uncomfortably real.
Meh
If The Beatles and the Rolling Stones had a baby but then that baby grew up to be the outcast of the family
Waterloo sunset is one of the best songs ever written. David Watts is OK. The rest is rubbish
The albums okay but Waterloo Sunset is the most beautiful song ever written so I have it an extra star
Great, quirky songs. Love his voice. Waterloo Sunset obviously one of the GOATs, perfect song.
Nisam ni znala da je Waterloo Sunset njihova stvar 😯. To mi je onako, dobra stvar, ostalo s albuma mi nije nešto, dosta su mix velikana bez nekog posebnog pečata. 2/5, 4/10
sounded like the beetlessss
I wasn’t that familiar with the Kinks, and I loved this album! A nice mellow vibe and lots of great melodies, I will add this one to my rotation.
Fun album overall, perhaps not the most memorable for me, but I enjoyed listening to it. Lots of Beatles vibes to it.
Me ha molado. Ha habido un momento en el que Lazy Old Sun ha estado a punto de ser uno de los mejores temas de la historia pero aun así buen tema. Waterloo Sunset otro temazo. Muy buen disco. Me están gustando los Kinks. Tendré que escucharlos más para saber si me gusta más este o el de Arthur. Tengo que investigar más sobre ellos para ubicarlos más o algo.
The Kinks have always felt like they are following the popular trends of the time, trying to fit in but never really believing in what they were doing. Their music isn't bad, but it is bland.
im partial to the harpsichord on this album
i just dont think its their best work PERSONALLY but many would disagree
Fun! Reminded me of some late 60's Beatles.
I’m so depressed and I wish I was d**d. This album was fine it sounds like kids music but not in a bad way.
Idealne 3, przynajmniej po dwóch przesłuchaniach. Nic mnie nie irytowało, nic nie zachwyciło. Solidny album. Takie typowe lata 60. Może jakbym dał mu więcej czasu, to bym znalazł w nim coś więcej, ale nie bardzo mi się chce po tych pierwszych dwóch razach.
It's fine, not a medicore 2 but close.
decent out put by them.
I had no idea that David Watts was written by Ray Davies! The more I hear them, the more I love The Kinks, and I've heard them all my life. Having said that, aside from a couple of tracks, I hadn't heard this album before, but it was awesome. Liked Songs Added: David Watts Death Of A Clown Situation Vacant Love Me Till The Sun Shines Afternoon Tea Waterloo Sunset
Never been a big fan of this band except for their hits. Would I listen to thus,ever,again? No. Was it horrible? No.
Kind of fun
it’s hard to listen to this without thinking of the beatles or wishing it was the zombies, but upon a second listen, i was able to hear the ways in which they were unique. cool instrumentation and fun, whimsical songs.
There’s some stuff on here that doesn’t work for me, but also stuff I really enjoyed. It all evens out to be a pretty okay album.
There was nothing I recognized, but pretty decent nontheless.
Wonderful discovery
never heard before but i love the kinks!! -david watts is sooooo beatles its uncanny wow -harry rag is interesting... -love me till the sun shines!!! -afternoon tea!!!!!!! -waterloo sunset so good 3.5/5
this is a fun silly album. it feels lighthearted. i really am enjoying no return. very soft and airy i like it a lot wtf is harry rag about its kind of impressive that they got 21 tracks out of a <hour album. many many short stories situation vacant is catchy lazy old sun is cute and catchy i like the radio feel and scratchy distant vocals end of the season is gorgeous waterloo sunset brings me BACK act nice and gently IS CUTE ASF!!!! SO FUN AND ROADTRIP!!!!!
It sounds kinda like a dream. With hauntingly beautiful lyrics.
Some classic Kinks.
Enjoyable British Psychedelic 60s Rock. It’s not The Beatles, but it’s not bad.
There's a heavy Beatles influence on this album and it overshadows the effort here. The Kinks music that became more popular in the 70s/80's was much more their own and also more enjoyable.
Good fun little album. Very 60s style. Some fun songs, some belters. Understandably influential.
There's one or two decent tracks here, and overall a good listen, if only once. That UK 60s pysche sound is very prevalent, with shades of The Beatles and Bonzos. I won't be going back though; just not enough music minutes left in my life. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 199 Already owned : 44 Purchased : 8 To buy list : 5 Nope : 142
An apt title given this is the fourth Kinks album I've encountered on this list. As I've said about Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, yes, it's a great record but if you're selecting 1,001 albums from the whole of human history, it seems a bit restricting to keep selecting the same artists. This is a perfectly good pop record by a band I like a lot, but I don't think it would make it on to my list of 5,000 most essential albums, so I can't for the life of me fathom what it's doing here. I guess the point is to review the record rather than the list though so, yeah, it's good. It has some of my favourite Kinks tracks on it but the instrumentals sound dated - more like background music to an old TV show. Not even an essential Kinks album.
I have to confess to being mildly disappointed, bookended by two masterpieces: David Watts and Waterloo Sunset, the rest fall short, but then that shouldn't be a surprise when they are so good. A good time listening for sure
My fav kinks project so far , intricate and smooth
idk I didn't like, like not even one song. I dont even remember listening to it, literally passed me by, im probably missing something dont know what...
The Kinks kind of sit in an interesting place as far as iconic '60s bands go. It seems to me like they had a hit or two, then were rewarded with relative commercial failure for the rest of their creative heyday. Which, I think makes people rally around The Kinks as an underdog story. After-all, the forgotten little '60s-band-that-could being rediscovered in the '80s off of a freak MTV hit does make for great rock 'n roll myth-making. Anyways, from what I've seen, Something Else is very well loved as one of the band's finest moments, so I'm interested in hearing if it holds up. And, for me, the answer is "kinda". I mostly know The Kinks for their earlier, garage-y hits, but there's (perhaps fittingly) very little of this on Something Else. They traded their earlier muscle for an art-y pop palette, more mature songwriting, and an occasional splatter of psych. And the approach here is enjoyable: the best thing I can say about this album is that it's varied, consistent, and interesting. A lot of these songs embrace denser arrangements and really colorful, fun songwriting. And from this jumping-off point, a lot of ground is covered. I am particularly fond of David Watts, Death Of A Clown, Harry Rag, Situation Vacant, Lazy Old Sun, Funny Face, and Waterloo Sunset. But, at the same time, I think something like Tin Soldier Man is a little annoying. But overall, this is a pretty good album. That being said, I don't hear anything here that makes me understand the cult that The Kinks have now. Although, I'm open to hearing more, and I know this was immediately before a string of well-loved concept albums that I'm interested in hearing (which is, in-turn, a few years before a string of universally hated concept albums that I'm not especially interested in hearing, but I digress). What The Kinks give here is enjoyable and interesting, but it's mostly just made me interested to see how far they took their sound during their creative peak.
i can’t remember. listened 3 days ago and couldn’t tell you a single thing about it. i didn’t hate it clearly, so that’s an extra point
Britrockas vėl. No return būgnai ir balsas kaip girl from ipanema lol.
I listened to this record several times yesterday. The music is really good, but I just don't connect to it. I'm not sure why. I actually find this album quite creative and easy to listen to. The album doesn't even sprawl or overstay its welcome, which made repeated listens possible. Maybe I just don't relate to it because it's so British. I think it has something to do with the tight focus on small, intimate "kitchen sink" moments. No clue. Morrisey was heavily influenced by the British kitchen-sink dramas, and I love The Smiths. But I just don't care that much here. I guess I'm not a Kinks fan. Three stars.
idk I just got bored. Not my fav
There are 4 kinks albums on this list... four!
Välillä mukavaa ja välillä tekee mieli skippailla. Kokonaisuus menee sinne mediocre kategoriaan ja helppo antaa 3
60-luvullakin on kyllä tehty monenlaista musaa, tää on suoraan jostain 40-luvulta. Annetaan nyt kakkonen kuitenkin kun tuskin tarkoittivat mitään pahaa
Onpahan ankeeta menoa taas, ei tapahdu biiseissä mitään. Ei muuta kuin kakkoseen.
Ihan oukki.
No nyt päästään taas omiin ihan lempibändeihin. Tämä ei missään nimessä ole Kinksin paras levy, mutta yhdessä tätä edeltävän Face To Facen kanssa tärkeä suunnannäyttäjä myöhäisempään tuotantoon. Tässähän on kanssa sama homma mitä tätä seuraavalla (omalla suosikillani) Village Green Preservation Societyllä, että aika rohkeaakin erilaisuutta verrattuna muuhun samanaikaiseen popmusiikkiin. Sieltä alkoi tulla jo psykedeliaa ja paljon raskaampaa musiikkia (mitä itseasiassa Kinkskin oli ollut etulinjassa aikanaan muokkaamassa), mutta tämä levy nojaa vahvasti perinteisiin tarinoihin, ja soundit on jopa aika vanhanaikaisia. Biiseiltään tämä on Kinksille tyypilliseen tapaan aika epätasainen. Suurelta osin levyllä on ihan hyviä kappaleita ja useampikin "huttu" -kategoriaan menevä biisi, mutta sitten vastapainona kaksi aivan mestariteosta. Autumn Almanac on huikea biisi, mutta erityisesti Waterloo Sunset on yksi kaikkien aikojen kauneimpia pop-kappaleita. Itsellekin iskee aina välitön Lontoo-kaipuu kun sitä kuuntelee. Selkeä nelkkukelkku, säästellään sitä vitskaa tästä seuraavalle Village Green Preservation Societylle.
Pretty alright, but sounds pre beatles, unlike the better kinks albums which sound post beatles
I like the Kinks. I do not like this album.
The Kinks are a sometimes overlooked band that should be placed below the Beatles and Dylan but right there alongside The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Byrds. They had great singles, good to great albums, and their own distinct offerings to the story of Rock and Roll. That said, they can sometimes lag behind in production quality and musical innovation. This album often feels that way even though it is known for its lyrical quality and storytelling style. Because it’s the Kinks it’s at least a 4/5.
Yes, this is something else. It is easy to recognize the greatness and playfulness of the Kinks, but this album feels like is a bunch of b-sides and almost great songs. Maybe it was, and they just released it anyway. Glad to listen, but I was immediately drawn in. Maybe as my love of the Kinks grows, the album will open up.
It's ok
04/01/2025 *1. david watts - already love this song <3 also love the cover by the jam. the lyrics are so fun :) bass is great! love the piano. 2. death of a clown - tinkly piano. guitar... very folksy/bluesy..... loving the female backing vocals. reallly great lyrics again - reminded me of the ending of the clowns by fellini :) 3. two sisters - loving the intro! baroque-pop harpischord! the strings at the end are reaallly nice. lovely lyrics again! *4. no return - kinda samba/bossanova-y!! the drums are really great, with the guitar and the bass as well! these lyrics are so sweet <3 *5. harry rag - military drums! bass is fantastic!! love the singing on this one!! loving the louder, rockier sound of this one. 6. tin soldier man - saxaphone? bass is really great again <3 loving the bridge. *7. situation vacant - loving the guitar on this one!! rockier again... organ? keyboard? is really nice. the chorus is soooo goooood. the lyrics are reallll great through the whole album. ending is really great! *8. love me till the sun shines - guitar intro is great! liking the louder, rockier songs more than the earlier twee-ish ones. bass is great as well. drum breaks are phenomenal!!! ending is great again! *9. lazy old sun - psychadelic!!!!! love the sounds..... tempo change? bass is great!! kindof choral backing vocals!! more tempo changes!?? love the trumpet? 10. afternoon tea - basssss!!! very twee.... still very nice to listen to, but didn't enjoy it as much as any of the other songs. 11. funny face - great intro! verses are alright, but chorus is great! bit too whimsy for me lol. *12. end of the season - bird sounds are nice :) the bass and piano together are sosososos nice :) his voice is so nice.... lyrics are fantastic!!!! *13. waterloo sunset - love this!!! great guitar, great bass, great voice, great lyrics!!!! really great ending for this album..... so sweet <3 really great album! listened to village green preservation society two days ago, wasn't expecting another kinks album so soon! although i really enjoyed it, some songs did drag a bit (too whimsical for me) compared to the other album, which didn't drag at all. loved the rockier songs especially :) started doing this thing to listen to music i wouldn't usually and a lot of it has been 60s/70s rock, which i listen to alot already!!! not complaining though, do not want to listen to another metal album anytime soon.......
класичне британське rnb, не можу сказати що альбом мене чимось зачепив звучить хорошо все супер, no doubt why is it classic але кайнда скучно лав зе лірікс
This is probably the most kinks of the albums I’ve heard of theirs.
Gonna have to revisit this one.
It was pleasant. I didn’t know any songs except Waterloo Sunset which I like. Nice, short songs.
Album 1007 of 1089 Something Else By The Kinks - The Kinks (1967) Rating : 4 / 5 At this point in the project, The Kinks have become one of those bands I can reliably put on and just enjoy. This album delivers more of that instantly recognizable Kinks sound I’ve grown to love - warm, playful, and effortlessly charming. There aren’t any huge, knock-you-over standout tracks here, but that really isn’t the point. The strength of this album is the experience as a whole. The songwriting is clever without trying too hard, the melodies are inviting, and those sometimes silly, sometimes thoughtful lyrics land just right. It’s the kind of record that doesn’t shout for attention but rewards you for giving it your time. This is comfort-food listening for me - familiar, enjoyable, and satisfying from start to finish. Nothing flashy, nothing forced, just another solid reminder of why The Kinks keep finding their way back into my regular rotation.
I like it, a good addition to Beatles-esque oldies
Nice, enjoyed it but not my fav.
I like it.
2.5
4.5
*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
"Waterloo Sunset" and "David Watts" are great, the rest is good. 3.5 stars
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
4.5
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 actually surprisingly really enjoyed this album and saved a bunch from it. Wasnt expecting it
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
The Kinks are just a delight. They could be the most quintessentially English group ever. When I’m listening to one of their albums, it always feels like their best one and listening to this today was no exception. It is so solid through both sides. The songwriting is superlative and the personality of the group shines at all times.
Another mind-boggling inclusion. No idea why this is on here. Village Green for sure, but Something Else...?
Tycker denna skiva håller bättre nivå än förra. Det är som sist bra i grunden. Det hålls hela tiden på rätt sida av "trams". Trallvänligt. Saknar kanske några riktigt bra låtar. Men helheten drar upp.
Den här tycker jag var klart bättre än Arthur, som vi lyssnade på sist. Här saknas de alldeles för putslustiga inslagen som jag irriterade mig på sist och de lyckas hitta en mer lagom nivå. Även om jag hade önskat mig ett par till låtar i samma klass som Waterloo sunset så är det ändå jämnbra och kul lyssning rakt igenom.
not their best, kind of annoying
Unfortunately, most of this album just has me comparing this band to the Beatles, which is a tough ask, though understandable for the time. I thought "Waterloo Sunset" was a standout track, but "Lazy Old Sun" reminded me way too much of "Strawberry Fields Forever" to enjoy it. All in all, a safe sounding British Invasion era pop-rock album
Fantastic album of very British rock and roll. Great stories. Great guitars. Great drums.
Listenable.
Una maravillosa colección de canciones. Más allá del eterno Waterloo Sunset. Death of a Clown está en la misma onda que los mejores Beatles. David watts es un gran comienzo pero mientras ellos cantaban esto los Stones preferían su Lets spend the night together. El piano sobre la que el tema cabalga es el que toca el genial Nicky Hopkins (también con los Stones). Two sisters mete ese clavicordio que le da una aire retro incluso hoy en día. Psando por No return, un tema semiacústico y ligero, llegamos a Harry Rug y Tin Soldier Man en la línea clásica de los Kinks. Buenas melodías y buena orquestación. Cierra la cara A Situation Vacant, un tema que va ganando hacia el final con esa maraña de guitarras. Abre dave la cara B con la potente Love Me Till The Sun Shines. Siguen con Lazy old sun, incluyendo el Mellotron tan de moda entonces. Si esta suena a Lennon, Afternoon Tea suena a Macca, con unos coros muy logrados. Cierran el disco con Funny Face, la extraña End of the Season y el maravilloso sencillo Waterloo Sunset. Un buen disco, pero es que el 67 es el mejor de la historia. En la versión extendida destaca Act gentle un beat de la British invasion.
This is an okay album, but I’ve really grown sick of the biases. Hoping for an album of non guitar based music from anyone but a group of white cis-male performers tomorrow!
one of my regrets is that i dont have any time to go to waterloo bridge to see the sunset the both time i travelled to england. as always the kinks have delivered a piece of stereotypical bri'ish artwork managed to capture the life of the country. but actually i wont come back to songs that are not waterloo sunset. 3.5/5
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.
I may be a fan of The Kinks. This is my fourth Kinks album and the lowest grade I have given them is a "3" and I'm wondering if I may have been too tough on them with the "Arthur..." album. This album was more baroque pop than the rock songs I thought they tended to play this early in their career. I really liked Love Me Til the Sun Shines, as I had not heard that song before. Really good album, and as always, I'm not sure we needed another Kinks album in the book this was a good one. My favorite songs were: David Watts Death of a Clown Two Sisters Love Me Til the Sun Shines Afternoon Tea End of the Season Waterloo Sunset
Baroque pop, short stories in short musical forms, I like it a lot
Fav: Waterloo Sunset Least Fav: No Return The Kinks always going off and writing songs about random people like Steve Edwards or Barry Glockenspiel
Interesting. Couple stand outs. Like how they didn’t feel pressured to appeal to public and stuck to ol British roots.
Waterloo sunset was fun but the rest felt pretty forgettable
Wouldnt put any of these songs on optionally but not totally offensive to get a 1
Probably sounded better when released. Couple of good tracks but nostalgia rather than really enjoyed.
Very meh, Waterloo Sunset an absolute tune though - no denying that.
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.
Very similar to the beatles but with fewer hits. Nice album.
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.
Great album. 4.5
Whimsical kinks but pretty basic
Only songs I've heard of theirs before was Lola and You Really Got Me, both good songs. And this album didn't disappoint. Starts off with the amusing David Watts. Death Of A Clown was nice. A little country, a little rock n roll, with a nice sad story. Two Sisters and No Return had really nice music. Harry Rag was an absolute blast Tin Soldier Man and Situation Vacant were really good. Lazy Old Sun was the only dud on the track, not sure what they were going for there. Afternon Tea, End Of The Season, and Waterloo Sunset are great. All in all, a total blast, had a lot of fun with the one. Best song: Harry Rag
Damn this is good…..
listened to those principle 4 kinks albums last year and really liked them!! they are i think a really fun and enjoyable band with tight and cool trax... waterloo sunset being the best track on this album of course
Would this album have made this list if they weren't the Kinks and/or from the UK? No.
overall okay, sometimes boring, nothing that changed my life.
Did not realize the Kinks did Davis Watts originally
I was in a bad mood when I listened to this. Mayyybeee on a better day this could have gotten a 4. But nah. 3.
Pleasant.
It's... fine? Listening to it made me think I was listening to a Beatles cover band that was trying some original music.
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.
I remember liking some of the Kinks' stuff. None of that is on here.
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
Good album
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.
Great stuff
Would rather listen to something else tbh
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.
Good album. Missing a little something special. Prefer Village Green and Arthur over this. Still a good listen though. 3/5 Might listen again
Alrighty, the second album of the Kinks on this list. I have put quite a lot of effort in rating Village Green Preservation Society but feels like today I am not in the mood to put as much effort into this one. So the only song I knew is Waterloo Sunset but on the 2nd or 3rd re-listen, the album opener - "David Watts" is also quite cool.
Little like the Beatles but less tight
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.
3.1 2x
Tasteful 60s folk psychedelia, a well made album all around - albeit a bit dull at times (to me).
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.
What an amazing encapsulation of what the evolution of rock and roll was going through at that time with its particular mix of sub genres it delved into. A little garage rock, psychedelic, R&B. Highlights: "Lazy Sun" and "Afternoon Tea"
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
Just goofy enough to be charming
This is #day462 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here we are with something from the late '60s again, Something Else, to be precise. My second Kinks album in just a week, I think. I get the band's influence and all that, but alas, I find this music hard to care about. If I'm in the mood for the '60s, I'm more likely to throw on some Beatles from the same year or a few Woodstock artists. This is another 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day463.
Hi I’m a band in the 60’s and we’re gonna be so quirky to name ourselves “The (blank)” because wee LOVEEEE the Beatles but Theres a hole in the market because those “losers” have made more experimental music so we’re gonna make the same slop as they did just… 5 years later. I don’t really like this type of music it’s just at least with the Beatles that they are special cause they created this vibe, and these guys didnt.
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.
3 stars because it seems innovative for the time, but sounds so dated.
Listened Before? N This album is another mid-60's British pop/psychadelic work. It's fine. Very similar to others of the time. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Waterloo Sunset
Je l’ai écouté deux fois d’affilée 🥺
I often forget about the kinks but listening to them makes me feel pretty good. I like bands that do that, sometimes.
some tunes on this to be fair aye
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.
Powerman by the Kinks is still my favorite album. But I always love a new Kinks discovery.
Sounds like the Beatles, but worse.
Whimsical rubbish
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.
Really enjoyed this!
This was ok. Some good songs, some average songs.
A nice little album. Didn't enjoy it as much as Face To Face. This one seemed a bit more boring in comparison 4 ⭐️
Pretty dated sound, but some interesting stuff here
pretty ok, very Beatles vibes
Liked it better on the 2nd play through, think harry rag is my favorite song. Jake's comment about "beatles at home" still very amusing, but I enjoy the album more if I can avoid comparing them with the beatles directly.
Rock-Beatles
If only The Beatles had drumming this good
I know half dozen kinks songs, none of them on this album. Seemed a little goofy maybe, or like a budget Beatles. Pretty mid
I like the Kinks, I really do. Bu this? I don't think was one of their best efforts.
Good group. Good music.
Didn’t listen to full thing but enjoyed what I heard
Waterloo sunset er klasse. Resten av albumet kommer ikke opp på samme nivå.
I feel like I should like the Kinks more than I do. There’s four of their albums on the 1001 albums list. This is the third one I’ve had, ‘Arthur…’ and ‘Face To Face’ being the other two so far. And just like those albums this one is hit and miss, probably more miss than hit to be honest. The Kinks just don’t resonate with me the way I hoped they would.
Very progressive for its time, still I prefer their later works
A bit like the late Beatles.
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.
Some groovy, Beatles-esque tunes, but only one great one: Waterloo Sunset.
Solid album, interesting music one hit the rest was fine. Enjoyed listening, but would not need to do it again, but it did enjoy it.
Hard carried by Waterloo Sunset
Wat een kale schelle bende dit. Het klinkt regelmatig alsof je een LP onversterkt luistert door je oor dicht bij de naald te houden. Het enige wat lekker klinkt is de hihat. Het zal wat kort door de bocht zijn van me, maar ik snap niet waarom je hier naar zou luisteren als je ook gewoon Sgt Peppers aan kan zetten bijvoorbeeld. Of Boudewijn de Groot. Ik denk dat ik niet genoeg Leo Blokhuis heb geconsumeerd om dit op waarde te kunnen schatten. Het allerlaatste nummer van het album is wel de moeite waard, maar daar kunnen we niet teveel punten voor toekennen. Ik vind dit een magere 2 sterretjes.
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.
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.
Decent album, stands up to the test of time