Reviews (page 3 of 9)
Loved this one. Ahead of its time
I’ve now listened to a lot of kinks albums on this platform, they’re all decent, but I wonder now which albums will appear on the 1001?
Some classic tracks here - Sunny Afternoon, I'm not like everybody else. They occupy an odd place the Kinks - almost up there with the Stones and the Beatles, but not quite
A classic from the good old times!
no fue tanto mi estilo, algunas joyitas pero un poco olvidable
have i only be listening to the 60s albums this generator has been giving me lately? yes. do i care? no. is this peak? also yes. very nice to listen on a sunny day. give the kinks a try unless you're allergic to fun
It was an okay listen, but crazy how much the album list is dominated by British bands from the 70s, 80s.
It’s hard not to like the Kinks. Far more English than the Stones or Beatles. They can be more of an acquired taste but worth the effort. Sunny Afternoon is a classic. This album really is a transition from their early records to the Ray Davies dominated late 60s, early 70s classic records.
This album somehow threads the needle of being genuinely interesting social satire while not becoming a slog to listen to. I'm a sucker for baroque pop and you can see on this album the Kinks transforming from another mid-60s pop rock band to something much more unique and creative. It's very evocative of its time and place in a music landscape that often tried to be as broadly appealing as possible.
This is a really great album
Liked very much this
I was unfamiliar with a lot of this album. But then the Kinks have such a huge discography that’s to be expected. To me it’s nothing less than a really good, fun and very listenable album. There’s great musicianship, catchy grooves, and a good energy overall. 3.5 rounded up.
Only other kinks album I’ve listened to was something else, enjoyed that a lot so was expecting more of the same, but this fell a bit short for me. Didn’t seem to have that “quirky” upbeat sound. One or two stand out songs, other than that a bit under average
This is the third Kinks album this generator has given me. I know what to expect from the Kinks by now, so this record shouldn't be much of a surprise for me. This album consists of the simple, bite-sized pop songs the Kinks are good at writing with some remnants of their early garage rock grit. The songs are far simpler lyrically than on Arthur or Village Green, but they still show a decent amount of lyrical ability. It's a fun little record from the British Invasion era, not being hugely demanding to listen to while also showcasing a good amount of songcraft. It's not a life-changing masterpiece(few records are), but it's still a good album that is worth a listen.
We don’t need 4 albums from these guys. Why do we need another, lesser Beatles?
It's good, solid. Not remarkable to me.
Party Line - very reminiscent of early Beatles, uptempo and catchy Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home - shows signs of their later work, the harpsichord reminds me of Supersonic Rocket Ship Dandy - feels like they are reminiscent of the Beatles again, but more of their less popular songs Too Much on my Mind - very basic song, but enjoyable Session Man - slightly harder than anything else on the album so far, much more high energy Rainy Day in June - reminiscent of CCR’s “Have you ever seen the Rain “ but lower energy House in the Country - clearly inspired by the Beatles again, sounds like a song off their first album
Sure some of the songs feel too short and like half-finished ideas than fully fledged songs, and some feel inconsequential, but they're smart, fun, energetic, and show a band more than rivaling The Beatles.
This was really good although devoid of a lot of hits.
Part Beatles, part Stones, part Kinks. I enjoyed this, but didn’t love it. I give it a strong three stars.
es como los beatles
This is when The Kinks, at least as I know The Kinks, became The Kinks, and it is an absolutely lovely album. Vivid, varied, lyrically interesting, an album that encapsulates who they are.
I think I’m allergic to dates sounds, especially on albums longer than 35 min.
Hyggelig knippe låter, dette
Høres litt ut som Beatles uten x-faktoren. Hørte gjennom to ganger for å gi den en ordentlig sjanse men kjedet meg litt.
Her e det ingenting å pirke på. Ikke Kinks beste, men fortsatt skyhøyt nivå. The Kinks e undervurdert og oversett. Burde vært mye større. Æ går hardt ut og genierklære Ray Davies.
Helt ok! Kan ikke huske en eneste låt i farta, men ingenting i veien med det.
Greit nok, mye rart og mye interessant (og noen kjedelige låter), men det virker ikke som at ting henger helt sammen.
Nice album I liked party line and most exclusive residence for sale the best. Plus the instrumental in You’re Looking Fine was great 👌
I've liked "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" for a while, but this as a complete work did not particularly interest me
Fun album to listen to. I love Sunny Afternoon, which is also on the soundtrack of Wim Wender’s Perfect Days along with other cool songs of the past.
I think I overlistened to this type of music
A bit poppier Kinks
One song worth returning to. I hate when songs end by fading out. I listened to this after The Strokes album and it's just like a worse executed concept
I was wondering when I was gonna get a Kinks record. I figured that with the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones getting multiple albums in the 1001 Albums books, the Kinks would be right behind them for inclusion. In fact, we get to skip past their early beat music years and into their more experimental period, incorporating more inspiration from baroque pop and music hall, with a strict self-imposed adherence to English music and culture. The result is that Face to Face is a very opulent-sounding record. Embellishments like the harpsichord and Mellotron enhance their psychedelic, hook-driven songs with a more grandiose stance. Tracks like "Rosy Won't You Please Come Home", "Too Much on My Mind", "Session Man", "Fancy", "Dandy", and especially "Sunny Afternoon" have that extra oomph to their instrumental compositions, as the Davies brothers traded vocals in their witty musings on their homeland's culture, social norms, commercialism, and the music industry. Of course, the band still knew how to rock out on cuts like "House in the Country" and "I'll Remember", with the kind of musical showmanship that seemed expected of them. It is a testament to how competently each band member played and how polished the production was. That said, I don't think every song clicked well for me. The album started on a rather odd note with "Party Line", as Dave Davies sang about wanting to meet this woman he spoke to over the phone, wondering what she looked like and whether she was a she at all. It's a rather daft observation compared to most tracks on this record. I feel like they would end up covering this bemusement and confusion over a possible woman better on their later hit, "Lola". Similar sentiments could be said for the underwritten tracks "Fancy" and "You're Looking Fine", even if I dug the sitar-esque guitar playing of the former. Still, I had an overall good time with Face to Face. It is an important step in the Kinks' sonic evolution, and I expect their English-oriented experimentation and songwriting were further refined down the line.
meh, like all Beatles clones it was low variety. Not terrible, but neither good.
Mid except sunny afternoon
fairly boring apart from a few. Perhaps more boring than your average 60s filler
This was a first listen for me - I'd only heard Sunny Afternoon before (which has been one of my favorite songs since I was little). I loved the album as a whole. Rainy Day in June was a particular standout and may be one of my favorite songs the Kinks,
Interesting concept, immediately recognizable Kinks's sound. I shall listen to it again with more attention. For now is 3.75 / 5
01) Party Line - 7,0 02) Rosy Won't You Please Come Home - 7,0 03) Dandy - 7,0 04) Too Much on My Mind - 6,5 05) Session Man - 7,0 06) Rainy Day in June - 6,0 07) House in the Country - 6,5 08) Holiday in Waikiki - 6,5 09) Most Exclusive Residence for Sale - 8,0 10) Fancy - 6,0 11) Little Miss Queen of Darkness - 6,5 12) You're Looking Fine - 6,5 13) Sunny Afternoon - 10,0 14) I'll Remember - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,96 (70/100) Current ranking: 489/845
This is where the Kinks really took off into their own direction. Somehow I only now caught how The Jam were paying homage by opening All Mod Cons with Girl On The Phone.
The last of the four Kinks albums in this collection for me, but the first chronologically, and only now do I see that the editors chose, somewhat enigmatically, to include four consecutive albums rather than a sampling across their decades of albums (presumably to denote their "classic period"). This album is definitely not as distinctively Kinks-sounding (and "Holiday in Waikiki" sounds so derivative of the Stones' "19th nervous breakdown"), nor as interesting lyrically from the slightly later Kinks albums in this collection, and suffers from fairly poor recording/production quality. In addition to their big single "Sunny afternoon", the best of the lot might be "Dandy" (perhaps it sounds so much like a later Kinks tunes like "Autumn almanac"), "Rainy day in June" (mainly because it's an interesting departure for them), and "Fancy" (for a little psychedelic Kinks), but overall, and with the utmost respect to Ray Davies, this doesn't strike me as an album I particularly needed to hear before I die.
I latched onto the Kink Kronikles early in my listening life so I missed hearing their songs in their original habitat, and this project has been great for that. This album feels so ahead of its time; I can't get over that it came out in 1966. I love the diversity of influences which somehow cohere to keep the Kinks sound and expand it as well. The standouts are Sunny Afternoon and Fancy but each track is at least pretty good.
fun album
This is my platonic ideal of The Kinks sound, think there will be a string of kinks albums in this period that I will really like 4.5
This is my first time listening to a Kinks album start-to-finish. The one track I'm quite aware of is "Sunny Afternoon." It's one of those fun and quirky tunes from this era. Other than that, this was a fun listen, and I'm glad this site made me listen to it, but it's merely good, not great.
Ok
Imagine a young wes anderson having this blow his mind
Like a zanier version of the Beatles. Favourite track: Too Much on My Mind
I do like The Kinks
Not bad, I went and listened to a bit more after
Not much to say to be honest, pretty neutral on this one
Пока слушал проникся и кайфанул.
# Album Name: The Kinks # Artist: Face to Face # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Very 60s vibe which i like. Relatively short album ~38 mins. Couple of decent songs. One banger. Mainly fillers. # Top Tunes: Rosy / Party line / Sunny Afternoon # Would I listen to it again? Hmmmm
God bless the Kinks. Favorite track: Sunny Afternoon
These songs all sound kind of like I’m at a carnival. It’s hard to take them seriously. They almost sound jokey. I admittedly didn’t listen closely to the lyrics, but I’m not inclined to go back.
approvo
Never really figured out why I don't love The Kinks. I should. And I like some of their songs. But mostly it s just sounds like "60s" to me and there's better music from the 60s
The kinks do not disappoint.
This album isn’t really my thing but I liked the vibe anyway and I liked a couple of songs. My favorite was Sunny Afternoon.
Nice early punkish/ beatles influenced stuff. Meandered a bit but I guess that's kind of the whole feeling.
Solid and fun! But I think I’ve said this previously of The Kinks, I basically just want to listen to the Beatles or Stones instead. Sunny Afternoon an all-timer though. (3.5 stars)
Not super memorable, but fun! 3.8 stars
Best way to enjoy 60’s music
If Len Houmous ever offered you a kinky face to face you better be prepared if you said yes. Who knows how many of Len Houmous’ children are now running around unaware of their genetic musical talent! 2.3 7/14 House In The Country
Eh some okay songs
interesting to think ive now rolled all the kinks albums that are on this list, u'd think theyd have more considering the absolutely chronic british-centric perspective! this semi-transitional album was meant to be a bit of a larger and more ambitious statement, bridging the songs together with conceptual sound effects that would have made its own kind of LP-Wide Aesthetic Statement well before sgt pepper....i have to imagine a lot of kinks fandom is caught up in What Could Have Been. in any case, its a kinks album! which means i like it but feel a bit inherently distanced from it in terms of attitude and approach. ray davies is definitely coming into his own on this record (consisting entirely of originals for the first time in their career), and his worldview and aesthetic is already so fully formed its impressive, if kind of depressing to think how little it progressed over the next few years. ray is a real anti-hippie, interested in starkness and mundanity over flights of fancy, interested in moderately regressive nostalgia rather than a strange new future, interested more in being lyrically striking than melodically striking. he'd do p much all of this in a stronger and more specific ways over the next few records (in particular this one's b side feels really spotty, sunny afternoon excepted), but its kind of illustrative as to why he's never Had My Heart as much as most of his contemporary. still, if u love his whole thing, it rly takes its first full flight here...kind of inspiring!
LO MEJOR TE AMO THE KINKS ERES LA MEJOR BANDA DE LA HISTORIA
This album was definitely ahead of its time, being one of the first rock concept albums. It embraced the psychedelic rock movement before it fully took off and also had a strong baroque pop influence. The album is also known for incorporating modern studio techniques and a lot of experimentation, which really sets it apart.
Not so bad
Kinks are fun, they bridge that Beatles to good music divide of the era
Another UN-BEATLES- esque album, if Ringo sang lead. I prefer "Something Else By the Kinks" to this one, but same stars. No bangers, but some good riffs.
It's fine but not memorable.
Aight aight, it's OK. Not my cuppa
I’m pretty sure the kinks have a link for transgendered women. Or they’ve experienced one too many interactions with transgendered women. They sure do sing a lot about them. This record is too long. I didn’t need to listen tot he deluxe portion of this or disc 2 - it’s the same as disc 1 but in stereo. I like to judge these records as they were recorded if available. Kinks have a lot of Beatles parallels- arguably just as good? Not by me, but if someone wanted to have that argument or debate, I could see their point of view. But Beatles are just better.
Highlights: Party Line, Dandy, House in the Country, Holiday in Waikiki, Most Exclusive Residence for Sale, Little Miss Queen of Darkness, Sunny Afternoon, I'll Remember Compared to the previous Kinks record I got on this list (Arthur) this one sounds more like your typical 60s pop rock. That being said it's a fine example of it. I liked it but it wasn't as good as the Beatles.
Chad to chad 4.5
It's like The Beatles but not The Beatles. I dig the retro sound and groovy psych vibes. Instrumentation is well produced and the songwriting is quality. Haven't really been familiar with The Kinks until this record, but I like what I hear and will look for more.
I like a bit of The Kinks, but I didn't love this. "Sunny Afternoon" is a classic no doubt, some songs were pretty decent, but the rest was just not bad. Better than most of the other 60s generic garbage on here though. 4.
Perfectly fine and enjoyable.
Good shi
Generic 60’s rock album
Had the Beatles sound but a little cheekier
actually pretty decent, better album than the last one and also contains a number of memorable songs
Another great listen. Probably not the most ground-breaking album for The Kinks, but still a solid offering of overtly British pop-influenced rock. I’m here for it.
sure, that's interesting enough. doing several different things, none of them are super compelling individually but it's a fine package. i do love the vocal harmony writing in this style and era.
Unbearable Album with some bangers and interesting bits carefully sprinkled in
Songs from This Album started my introduction to the kinks back in the 70s I remember the storytelling sort of songs with the British feel that this album brings. Overall a great album.
Not for me. Perhaps the later albums will suit me better. It was just too much 60s British, almost comically so.
It was ok 3/5
Not bad. Mid. I don't like the production from 60s rock bands like Kinks and Who, bit too scrappy, gives me a bit of a headache. Good song-writing. Wicked drumming. 6 / 10 Best track/s: Holiday In Waikiki, Sunny Afternoon
reminds me of The Beatles. pretty cool tho, love the vibe.
Многапесен Простые, легкие, битловые Что-то для семейного прослушивания Есть хиты, но переслушивать не стану
beatles sounding mf
It insists upon itself
Lowkey gutes Halloween Album
Es gibt so wenig so konsistent gute Alben mit dieser Anzahl an Songs. Ganz wenig nicht so catchy, einiges erinnert an andere Songs von anderen Alben aber das sind nur kleine Anmerkungen bei hohem Gesamtniveau. Und noch zwei, drei Überhits dazu- und Soundeffekte von Regen und Wasser! Can’t ask for much more.
I wanted to like this more than I did.
I appreciate how influential The Kinks were but I just can't get into their music. It's too boring for me and the vocals are annoying
Sometimes too focused on being the Beatles, but they've some really nice stuff when they're their own band
The Kinks rule. It's like if the Beatles had some stink on 'em. If I heard this album in a vacuum it might get 5-stars but it's hard to put out of my head just how good their future work ends up being.
The Kinks are real story tellers on this album. The lyrics are just as important as the musicianship, and all together makes a excellent listen. There is only one well known track on this album but you won't be disappointed with any of the songs. Great stuff from the mid-60's! 4⭐️
Bouncy but dull, almost non-descript. I expected the album to be more interesting but it was cautious and vanilla.
A fun album, some songs in it makes you double check the name 3/5
Ok no me dio para terminarlo, medio mid
This feels very early 1960s. It has one really good song, one pretty good one, and the rest are just all right. Top tracks: "Sunday Afternoon," "Rosy Won't You Please Come Home"
--Party Line...fun Meet the Beatles-esque rock --Rosy Won't You Please Come Home...sounds like it was recorded through a tin can. not a fan --Dandy...the rough production works much better for this one --Too Much on My Mind...Brits do love their harpsichord --Session Man...see above. mocking session musicians? sympathizing with them? who's to say? --Rainy Day in June...my first reaction was that it was boring. kind of grew on me by the end --House in the Country...this one grooves. vocals are a little weak --Holiday in Waikiki...has a Big Bopper "Chantilly Lace" feel --Most Exclusive Residence for Sale...a decent ditty --Fancy...ren faire slop --Little Miss Queen of Darkness...filler ditty --You're Looking Fine...decent bar rock --Sunny Afternoon...this was the hit single? interesting --I'll Remember...the high end of this album sounds very tinny. kind of ruins it
My favorite 60s band besides the Beatles. This album is great but it’s not as great as Lola vs powerman, kinda kinks, or self titled kinks. Curious if the others pop up on the 1001. Sunny Afternoon is an all time jam.
fun, upbeat, classic. Not something I'd just throw on, so not full rating
meh don't need this much old Kinks, like the Who their old sound gets old quick
This is like an old rollercoaster. A steady click, click, click, and then you are moving quickly forward, sometimes going up, other times on a scenic flat, or downhill. Occasionally, you are on a different ride altogether.
THere’s this question i like to ask my fellow film lovers to prompt discussion around the lunch table - take way the three top films for any director and evaluate their career? it works on two levels - first - what are a given director’s best three films? some seem obvious but that is the first step. it is best to stick to tradition here (ie - Coppola is GF1/GF2 and APOCALYPSE NOW - you can argue the CONVERSATION should be included but not matter how great you it is - RUMBLE FISH is not making the top three.) so once you remove the top three the real debate begins. Some directors re an embarrassment of riches. Let’s take Scorsese. Remove TAXI DRIVER, GOODFELLAS and THE DEPARTED (as noted above - i am arguing for the relative merits of THE DEPARTED over RAGING BULL or MEAN STREETS but that’s the point - Marty’s only academy award is for THE DEPARTED so let’s just go with it). Once you remove those three you have RAGING BULL, MEAN STREETS, KING OF COMEDY, WOLF OF WALL STREET, AFTER HOURS and COLOR OF MONEY still on the table. Those would be quite a career for anyone and does not take into account the other ~15 films that most directors would take in a heartbeat - really everything except NEW YORK NEW YORK which is/was a cocaine fueled mistake/experiment that i respect but find unwatchable. Compare that with Peter Bogdanovich (RIP). The early days are hard to beat - THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, WHAT’S UP DOC? and PAPER MOON are masterful (shout out Polly Platt who would vacate her role here leaving him to languish). That’s quite a three move run at the dawn one’s career that would certainly seem to indicate future greatness. but instead we get things SAINT JACK, A SAINTLY SWITCH (utterly ridiculous) and HUSTLE (the story of Peter Rose). MASK is fine NOISES OFF is a serviceable translation of an excellent play. But you really get a sense of who he was as a filmmaker versus someone like Scorsese. There is really no comparison. This is not to take away from the works that PETER B created that will live in the cannon. it’s just that you see an artist differently when you track their career. It elevate someone like STEVEN SODERBERGH who has done a lot of quality films over a long period of time ever if not all of thew hit. What does all that have to do with this album? It’s a top 10 KINKS album but probably the lower half of top 10 (for me) - but still better than 95% of the albums on this list. Simple baroque pop that feels lived in. The Kinks do so much with so much less.
A fun vibe, but, not something I'd listen to again.
the hits are perfect, the others really good
Pre revolver kinks were better than pre revolver beatles
not bad
Its the kinks. They are the cool band tk like i guess but they have music to back it up. If the beatles never came along I think the kinks would have been that timelines beatles. Now this record in particular is pretty good but not perfect. I hate to constantly bring up the beatles but its similar with both bands how I feel about the really early stuff. Its good but not in the same league as the later stuff. Its more simple and metered. Its just a touch less interesting. But still very good. Sunny after noon is the song here. And its so damn good. I was also partial to house in the country. Anf everything else in between is good but maybe not that standout for me. The guys make good music and its high quality from front to back but maybe not all that memorable for me. Still very good ill let you know
it’s nothing that i haven’t heard before. quintessential mid-60s album. i like the sound fx in rainy day in june. interesting think about the role they played in shaping the sound of that period, just for me to say it sounds generic.
Alright, definitely didn't stand out to me as much as Arthur.
I realize this is the precursor to Blur et al. Apart from that, it's neither offensive nor noteworthy.
I could’ve sworn I had already had a Kinks album but apparently not so this is my first time listening to them. I really liked this one, I enjoyed every track on it without anything blowing me away until Sunny Afternoon. Bloody brilliant song. Top Track - Sunny Afternoon
sunny afternoon 1966 united kingdom rock
Dead end street and Sunny Afternoon are familiar and enjoyable. The rest of the album is good but doesn't stand out for me.
Solid kinks , low 4/5
One really strong track, otherwise quite pleasant.
I’ve always been very fond of the Best Of Kinks compilation I listened to countless times as a child, and have only recently dived into a couple of their albums. Sadly as it stands I’m resigned to preferring them as a singles band, with a bit of the magic I feel from Sunny Afternoon being missing from the LP as a whole. It's not a bad listen by any means, but I always had them pegged as a category above.
Face to Face is definitely not as good as Village Preservation Society for me, it’s a low 4 still though, some delightful pop songs in here and will revisit just doesn’t grab me as much
Not bad, I can hear their influence on lots of other bands.
I wish this album was a little darker sounding. I’m having trouble rating it. I kinda think I would choose the stones over this.
I liked a lot of the storytelling songs at the beginning of the album.
- Fine. It didn’t blow me away but it also didn’t make me want to skip any songs either. - Standout Songs: Fancy, Sunny Afternoon
Good not great
Perfectly fine. Doesn't excel in much but doesn't do anything wrong. I like Sunny Afternoon alot though. 6/10
Classic 60s album. Always very upbeat and positive throughout so enjoyed for that reason but also incredibly dated and doesn’t really stand up next to some other albums. Would rate 2.5 but go with a 3 for nostalgia.
A 60s rock album through and through, great bops
The Kinks know how to spend a Sunny Afternoon. Always underrated.
Love "Sunny Afternoon", but the rest of this album is very forgettable. 3/5
Do these blend together for me a little bit? Yes, but I enjoyed the time I spent with it. Awesome storytelling, moderate to industrial strength tambourine use.
Overall rating by me: 6/10 Songs added to playlist: ,,Party Line", ,,Holiday in Waikiki", ,,Little Miss Queen Of Darkness", ,,Big Black Smoke" Notes: Funky and cool, sounds very modern for a 60's album. I just know some twee aesthetic girl would be thrilled to hear it.
Not as cool and louche as the Stones, not as finely-crafted as the Beatles. Pretty pedestrian affair aside from Sunny Afternoon.
i love these types of songs
Not bad, but other similar bands of the time did it better. 3/5
Das befreiende Album, mit vielen Hits, aber auch viel Gedudel
Tolle Lyrics. 60s schwingen mit sind aber in ihren Elementen nicht übermäßig genutzt worden (Orgel etc.) Klingen aktuell. (Jetzt weiß ich auch woher die heiterkeit ihre Inspo für "mit dem nachstbesten Dandy" hat...) Bin Fan.
All Killer, No filler. Nicht nur für Sunny Afternoons.
Always nice to hear some British Invasion-era pop. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. That’s just good ‘60s psych rock, what can I say? Pretty tightly written, pretty well-sung, pretty well-performed across the board, with a really nice instrumental flair that bends some of the baroque tones of the era with a bit of Beatles-y vibes. It’s also an album where you don’t really need the lyrics as much, with the instrumental vibes just carrying it along, though a lot of tracks feel really elevated by those lyrics. These are smartly written, with just a bit of political bite to them that gives the album some needed depth. It’s frustrating that some of the complaints of 1966 still feel deeply mirrored in 2026, but the more things change, the more they stay the same & all that. I think the music speaks for itself, so I don't really need to type out too much. I’m mostly at a 4.5 due to some little things (a few bits of repetition, some occasionally weird mixing, some overlap of subjects, a rather one-note final track), but it’s a pretty easy bump up to a 5 from there. I think this is the best Kinks album we’ve gotten so far – granted, the 621 days since we got “Something Else By The Kinks” (literally the title of the album) might have something to do with that, but I do think it’s an improvement over the two we got super early on. It’s not the most impressive album, but it’s a consistently strong 38 minutes without a bad track here, and I’m glad I heard it before I died. Hence, a 4.5 bumped up to a 5.
First listen
Enjoyable 60s, with a few more psychedelic tones here and there. All around great album, will definitely give it another listen.
Almost every song sounded like someone walking with jangling keys
Fun album.
Highly parochial and backwards looking sixties stuff. Nice enough melodies but nothing interesting.
I liked "Little Miss Queen of Darkness", "Rainy Day in June" and "Sunny Afternoon". The rest I could take or leave. Three stars.
I’m indifferent to The Kinks. It’s ok, but nothing more. Small doses are fine. Sadly, this was a bonus edition, which was longer. That was not ok.
Just really boring.
Zuviel 60s
Great album. Favorite songs: Holiday in Waikiki, Fancy, Party Line
In a list full of British things this is the Britishiest
didn't listen to all but liked what I heard
Wow, I'm actually really shocked by this album. I really really liked it as a whole. I got 6 songs in and was really truly hoping something sexist or awful wouldn't pop up, and guess what? It didnt! Which feels like a huge win for the 1960s. I loved the sound overall, except Holiday in Waikiki didn't really click with me. "Rosy Won't You Please Come Home" is so sweet and sad, "Session Man" was fun af, "Rainy Day in June" was so atmospheric, I loved it! the fact that they had thunder in the background. "Little Miss Queen of Darkness" was cool, "Sunday Afternoon" I swear I've heard before, and ending with "I'll Remember" is iconic. I really didn't expect to like this so much, it's literally a vibe (almost) the whole way through, It's fantastic! I've not had an album spawn here that I've liked this much and I'm feeling generous. 4.75/5
Not their strongest, but at this point, they have a floor of 4 stars. 4/5
Beatles clones
Very Beatlesy
Personally I like this mode for the Kinks better than their more conceptual work from the late-60's/early-70's. Songs just for the sake of songs, rather than being a part of something grander. Not that I don't enjoy concept album, I do a lot. I just don't think the Kinks are the best suited band for that. Great sunny and quirky atmosphere. Key tracks: Party Line Dandy Sunny Afternoon
nice enough
348/1089 - It's okay. I thought the sound effects were a bit too loud and didn't sit well in the mix.
A fine rock Album. Fav: Sunny afternoon
The Kinks are just awesome
First song lowk reminds me of Beetles! Ooo, Rosie please come home is sooo groovy and sensual. Fav so far, Little Women
Another album full of background music. Nothing bad, nothing stands out. It sounds like the Beatles, only without anything that made them special.
Kinky 60s love for ya
Great band with some really good tunes here. Should be up there with the rest of the 60's pop.
Peak 60's Kinks. This one is right in my wheelhouse - mid-60's rock and roll that's starting to dip their toe into new waters like psychedelic and concept. It gave me similar feels to a Rubber Soul. Definitely an album that I'll be visiting again.
There are far better Kinks albums out there, and I'm sure we're going to come across a few of them. But even an okay Kinks album is better than most.
Face to Face is the warm-up to the Kinks' insane five album run. They're still in the process of throwing off their merseybeat roots and looking to the Beatles for inspiration. The songs sound great, the talent is definitely there and the production is much more ambitious than ever before but the writing hasn't quite found its groove yet. But it wouldn't be much longer before Something Else dropped. Favorite Tracks: Party Line, Holiday in Waikiki, Sunny Afternoon, Little Miss Queen of Darkness
it’s okay, but i’ve heard better from some 20 something’s opening for the opener
It's alright.
Very listenable
Love The Kinks, Village Green is among my favorite albums. This was great
Very Beatles like. Very good. Favorite song: Rainy Day in June.
2.5 not my thing
Maybe this was overhyped for me but I feel like they're not quite there yet on this album; the tunes are mostly good, the production is good enough for the era, I get the droll vibe, and yet something leaves me cold. I have never understood the hype for "Sunny Afternoon." Honestly, the expanded edition with all the singles from the era was revealing because most of those are better than most of these album tracks.
What are these reviews dismissing The Kinks as not standing out from the Beatles and the Stones? Have you listened to the lyrics, to the weird nasal tones of Ray Davies, to the economy of their arrangements? Whenever I hear them I always think I should be listening to them more often.
Like if the beatles were enjoyable
This is good. I can hear the evolving humor, wit, and finesse of the Kinks. I’m not a huge Kinks fan, but their influence on Rock and Punk and my childhood are undeniable. I really appreciate the humor they brought to their craft. A 4.
Kinks är bättre både före och efter den här skivan
Så jävla mycket bättre än Stones! Inte Kinks bästa platta men man hör att storverk är på g redan här. Mysig ljudbild, skönt driv.
Kinks, ett band som passar nästan alla tillfällen! Sunny Afternoon är ett mästerverk, annars blandas genomgående hög kvalitet med några få transportsträckor här. Stark 3a!
Less på året 1966 nu och har fortfarande ptsd efter att ha lyssnat på UK-versionen av Stones-plattan igår, som bland annat ersatt ”paint it black” med en riktig skitlåt. Men över till Kinks. Gillar detta! Däremot väcks en större fråga: Varför känns vissa saker från samma period daterade och fast i sin epok, medan annat känns tidlöst? Jag kanske framstår som Beatles-runkare, och det är ju en korrekt beskrivning, men det är så jag tänker kring alla Beatles skivor från rubber soul och framåt (typ). Tidlösa, inte ”60-talsplattor”. Det här: till största del en ”60-talsplatta”, med några undantag, som ”dead end street”. Inget fel med det, bra och mysig, men ofta inte mer än så.
tralligt!
Oväntat med en disslåt mot studiomusiker! Bättre än senaste Stones helt klart. Gillar texterna som sparkar vitt och brett. Men det här 60-talssoundet har jag lite svårt för. Men helt OK! Finns absolut ingen anledning att klaga på att Zombies, Stones eller denna är med på listan – när man lyssnar mer på 60-talet förstår man bättre hur överlägsna Velvet Underground var sin samtid.
Not listened to this album before and tbh found it a little bit music hall / cheeky chappy for my liking. I do like the Kinks - but slowly realizing I'm a greatest hits fan rather than an album guy.
Face to Face I’ve always thought that the Kinks best period started from Something Else and I’ve always tended to lump this one in with the earlier, patchier albums. Listening now that's unfair as this is a very good album, you can hear the roots of the next few albums on here, the focus on vignettes in a more observational lyrical style and a softer style, with more baroque, music hall and contemporary influences, such as the droning, Indian feel on Fancy. Like most Kinks albums around this time the production isn’t great, with the same tinniness, but like those other Kinks albums the quality of the songs transcend it. Party Line is a great bit of jauntiness, and a nice opener and Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home is a very affecting bittersweet tale, perhaps an influence on She’s Leaving Home, but with a slightly sharper edge. Too Much on my MInd is rather lovely, the keening riff mutating into an excellent, melancholic, introspective harpsichord-driven track. I’m not always that keen on mid-60s psychedelic harpsichords, but I think they’re great here, they work well with the style of compositions and also with Ray’s voice for some reason. They reappear on Session Man, which I really like, especially the rhyming scheme and subject matter. Rainy Day in June has a Lola vs Powerman feel, particularly the drums and is a superb, mournful track. It could probably do without the sound effects though. House in the Country is a nice rocker, with a hint of Spencer Davis group to it. Holiday in Waikiki definitely carries a hint of 19th Nervous Breakdown, but I really like the lead guitar sound. The aforementioned Fancy is great, and a real highlight. Little Miss Queen of Darkness is interesting, I like the picked guitar and the drums halfway through - I’m not sure if the volume fading up and down is deliberate, but it does feel akin to some of the production shoddyness they suffer from. I’ll Remember I really like too, a great chorus and a nice rocking bounce to it. And of course Sunny Afternoon is rightly a classic, and one of those songs it's easy to gloss over from hearing it so many times, but it is absolutely superb, music hall verses matched with the brilliant descending riff before the excellent refrain. It’s a much better album than I remembered, with a slightly sad, melancholic feel running through much of it, which makes sense, post nervous breakdown, and it sets up many of the themes they would look at in coming albums. Having said that I don’t think it’s quite a 5, I wouldn't put it on the same level as Village Green, Arthur, Lola, Muswell Hillbillies or even Something Else, so it's a high 4. 🦋🦋🦋🦋 Playlist submission: Sunny Afternoon is of course fantastic, but I’ll go Rainy Day in June
A notable album for moving away from the amped-up RnB of the early singles and into English character observation. With the advent of the Arthur and Village Green albums, this initially feels unremarkable in retrospect - but is a surefire grower with each listen. It doesn't feel it has the importance of Village nor Arthur; but there's a real ramshackle charm here, as well as some of their best album tracks. I went from feeling this a 3, to nearly a 4 to an actual 4.
Between Lola and wondering if the girl on the phone is a man I think their kink is chasing. Anyway. This is mostly good. There’s a couple of big lulls that really slow the momentum. I like the kinks fun and goofy, less painful.
A Solid Album. No kinks noticed
It's good. All I can think of is Wes Anderson though, even though I don't think he used any of these songs specifically. very british.
Good sounds
- 1 nummer toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
A great little 60s record here
Like it’s ok psychedelia but after a lot of those it gets slightly boring. 3 stars
Power man better
Nightmare.
It's decent... But not my favourite Kinks album
Not quite The Kinks yet.
would have given a 3 but had to skip a couple songs
Fine. Actuakly a bit boring.
Who can't like an album that has 'out of sight' in its lyrics! I like The Kinks and there are some good songs on it, but there must be stronger albums than this that could go on the list?
3 Beatle-ish smooth fun. Sunny afternoon and Party lane are complete bangers
This has a very late Beatles feel to it, which probably isn't a surprise given when it was made. Some of this is decent, but mostly I didn't think any of it was amazing. Really didn't grab me at all. But not bad. Pretty average.
2.43
A great album but nowhere near as good as the one we had earlier this week!
Expected hard(er) rock, but this album was more along the lines of pisstake rock. The unexpected hint of satire is something they wear well though.
60s rock, yay. Concept album, poppier than their previous stuff. Sound like the Beatles.
For a 38 minute album, that was a very long listen.
Kinky
Maybe I’ve never listened to this all the way through until now? Shame on me. But as suspected, it slaps.
the kinks
Lowkey a vibe🤷♀️ not my go to music but she has nice groovy vibes. Very silly :D
Loved it
it’s quite an okay, solid album. songs i particularly enjoyed; rosy won’t you please come home fancy little miss queen of darkness sunny afternoon sunny afternoon i had heard before and it’s a great propah choon! i listened to the stereo mix as it sounded much better to me. 3.7/4 it’s quite tricky to rate tbh, it’s almost a 4 but a bit low for an average 3. 🌕🌕🌕🌖
Undervalued British Invasion band from the 60’s/70’s that doesn’t get enough love.
It's alright
Buen album de rock con melodias pop eclécticas.
Fun album by a great group.
On this album Ray Davies' songwriting ranges from good to great and covers ground from straightforward rockers to more music hall-inspired fare. His portrayal of the characters in these songs is sharp, vivid and imaginative and the topics he touches upon are relatable. The band's performances are solid and energetic also. However, the production on this record is unfortunately fairly cruddy and at times sounds no better than ratty garage rock. That might have been fine if this was the type of band that was merely pounding out three-chord numbers but it doesn't do justice to Davies' increasingly sophisticated and detailed songs.
4-
These guys may be the most underrated band of all time or at least in the conversation. Unfortunately, they got away from what they do best on this one. Although it’s still good, they’ve had better outings.
Getting the Kinks out (and playing them). ★★★★
Standout Songs: Dandy House in the Country Holiday in Waikiki Sunny Afternoon
As with sooo many albums on this list: Partly good, partly not. So again it's a 3.
Quoite Kinky
Classic Kinks.
This was fine. I thought I knew who the kinks were but I guess not. Very 60s and kinda generic.
British Invasion is a big deal, I get it
So mid. I hate to be so reductionist but they really are a discount Beatles with less lyrical skill. I've got no nostalgia for this so it does not land. I love the cover though! That's a 5/5.
3 out of 5. Probably my favorite Kinks album so far, really enjoyed how each song came together here.
Album review 011 Face To Face by The Kinks (1966) Rating 2/5 1966 was the year we saw Pet Sounds, Revolver, and Blonde on Blonde released. I can’t help but compare Face To Face with these, which maybe a bit unfair, and feel this isn’t a truly great album. If we were still in the 60’s (or even in the 90’s for that matter) I’d likely rate this much higher but almost 60-years on, Face To Face now sounds very much a product of its time and has little to excite or interest me.
Most of the songs sound like Paperback Writer
Hørtes ut som The Kinks
These guys sound like a cooler Beatles. I definitely relate to Too Much on My Mind. Good stuff. This is a 4 for some early 60's jams.
So cool Sounded whimsical
Classic 60s UK rock sound, nothing extraordinary (well maybe except the overused harpsichord). 6/10 Favourite Track: Sunny Afternoon
It’s your standard 60s post-Beatles rock. Not bad, didn’t love it.
Great
I don't dislike The Kinks, but this is very much what I expected this album to be. Very jangly, very 60s. Some lovely instrumentation at points, some classic songs, not a huge fan of the vocals.
'Hubby's gone away / And while the cat's away / The mice are gonna play.' The Kinks's Rubber Soul, tho as a lyricist, Ray Davies was more biting and deliberate than either Lennon or McCartney, e.g., compare 'Session Man' to 'Paperback Writer.' It seems to me that The Kinks were the first to see that 'conceptual' music could most easily get going from a satirical and/or critical perspective, preferably in relation to commercial society/capitalism: 'Why should he care if he is hated in his home / 'Cause he's gotta a house in the country, / And a big sports car'; 'And I can't sail my yacht / He's taken everythin' I've got.' As such, the most soulful/bluesy tracks like 'Rainy Day in June' and 'You're Looking Fine' unfortunately feel out of place. Still, nice.
devo approfondirlo (non sono manco riuscita a finirlo) comunque in generale godibile alcuni pezzi mi sono piaciuti un sacco tipo rosie won’t you please come here e too much on my mind, altri invece molto meno tipo dandy e holiday in waikiki… capiamo
Non c’è nessuna canzone che mi ha colpito però quando sono arrivsto a sunny afternoon che infatti è la canzone piú famosa del disco, mi sono gasato perché la sapevo
Not my cup of tea
Back when I was a teenager and all about the Who and the Stones I really neglected the Kinks. I wish I'd given these guys more attention, this is some really good shit.
I love the harpsichord! Sunny Afternoon is here; one of my favourite of theirs
3.5 for me
To me, just a typical Kinks album. One above average cut - 'Sunny Afternoon', one very lame throw-away 'Holiday in Waikiki, the rest average.
teccet
Album 962 of 1089 The Kinks - Face to Face (1966) Rating : 3.5 / 5 A nice slice of that signature Kinks sound I’ve really come to enjoy during this project. This one is considered their first true “concept album,” with Ray Davies turning his focus toward social commentary and the complexities of British life through character sketches and little snapshots of everyday people. To give the full concept its due, I’d need to sit down again with the lyrics in front of me - but even on a casual listen, the charm and craft come through. Musically, it’s classic mid-60s Kinks: catchy melodies, clever arrangements, and that mix of rock, pop, and wit that keeps them from sounding like anyone else. Nothing felt out of place or forced, and even if a few deeper points went over my head this morning, I still enjoyed the overall trip. It’s a thoughtful, well-made album that shows the band stepping confidently into a new creative direction.
3.5
Best Song: I'm Not Like Everybody Else. Ignoring the "pick me" energy, there is an intriguing energy in the build-up to each chorus. Worst Song: Rainy Day in June. What a terrible idea to have just a loud thunderclap in the middle of the song. Even if the recording technology of the time had been good enough (it wasn't), what gimmicky move. Overall: I did not like the first Kinks album offered to me by this list. I did not like the subsequent Kinks albums offered by this list. I did not like this Kinks album. I hope I receive no more Kinks albums.
admittedly, never went too far into the kinks discography, but i knew the big songs on this album. But i fell in love with other tracks that i havent heard. This album feels so far ahead of its team, and holds up very well.
Decent album
Face to Face, an album focusing on the loose common theme of social observation, is often regarded by critics as one of rock's first concept albums. Their first album consisting entirely of songs composed by members of The Kinks. "Sunny Afternoon" was the big hit. Apparently Ray Davies had suffered a nervous breakdown before recording began. Another all time fave of mine by The Kinks.
Kinda reminds me of what would happen if The Beatles had Boh Dylan in the band. Probably one of the better albums in the baroque pop/Psychedelic rock genres. Still not really my thing, a little too antiquated for my ears now.
Die Musik und Titel kannte ich zum teil, Der Band name nicht, Sehr schön ich geniesse es und tanze
Pleasant listen. Sunny Afternoon is a nice track
This is the first great Kinks record, a giant leap forward from Kontroversy, which was the first glimmers of where Ray’s writing would go. I don’t think there is a weak song here, but also it’s not quite at the level of Village Green, which is the perfected version of this record, and imo the pinnacle of The Kinks. One thing that leapt out at me was Holiday in Waikiki, which sounds a little like a first draft of Heroes and Villains. I’m sure BW heard this and was inspired. But also Ray really nails the vibe of touristy places and how fake it all is. Another thought is that Damon Albarn must have listened to this 1000 times because it sounds like a lost Blur record
Fun. Enjoyed listening to this
Different from other Kinks stuff I've listened to before. Kind of dragged on by the end
Why have I never heard this album before?! Loved it from start to finish. Some of the instrumentation sounds a bit dated but can’t argue about the quality of the song writing. Echoes of George Harrison on some tracks too.
Jako loše. Veselim se nekom dobrom albumu for a change. 1/5, 1/10
Masterpiece
I love The Kinks - they're the quintessential eccentric band. This is by no means my favourite album but still full marks from me. Can't go wrong with Ray Davies' songwriting - he's more consistent than anyone else.
Sunny afternoon
This is a pretty generic sounding album. Nothing to hate, nothing to really love either.
Kinky
This is #day455 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's the first of four albums by The Kinks, yay. "Sunny Afternoon" is probably the most memorable cut here; the rest feels like mid-'60s Beatles-lite pop rock. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day456.
Highlights: Holiday In Waikiki, Sunny Afternoon. In a nutshell: just fine and dandy I dunno how The Kinks do it. They make 60s baroque pop tolerable, they still rock out as hard as The Who and they are good at writing songs. We are still in the era of record companies forcing artists to churn out two albums a year. It's not my favourite Kinks album, but still good. And Sunny Afternoon is one of the best songs of the 60s. Full stop. Overall: 5/10
OK, not every song can be a Sunny Afternoon but great to hear where The Kinks changed tack and launched themselves into British rock history 😁 And to discover where Blur found their Country House!
Fun and relaxed vibe and ahead of its time (I think) but a bit background music-y for me today.
Not my fav, but not awful.
Early Kinks, like early Beatles, can only take you so far.
1.5
No real stand-outs for me, but an overall good record. The sound of the Beatles and the versatility of the Rolling Stones - these are both very high compliments, but it is also to say that they don't have as strong a sound as the Stones or the versatility of the Beatles.
They were as good as the Beatles until the Beatles took music to new places.
This is my third go-round with The Kinks, following Arthur and Village Green. They’re still as jangly as ever. There’s good jangle and bad jangle, and this is just somewhere in between. I think the harpsichord threw it off for me as well, making it sound dated and Renaissance Faire-esque. I did like some of the lyrical concepts and wished the execution would’ve been better or perhaps even more modern. There are a couple of songs I quite enjoyed and would listen to again. Overall, it’s just a middle of the road album I wouldn’t revisit.
Its ok, some good stuff, some average and some mediocre.
Might even grow to a 5.
This is the first time I have listened to an actual album by this lot. And on the whole it's was rather good. Ray Davis is one hell of a wordsmith, and his songs are social commentaries really. The phrase that comes to mind is that they are the jam of the 60's and 70's, except the Kinks had talent. Now for a score. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't exceptional. Is it worth a 4? No I don't think so. 3
Completely unremarkable and very dated
I do like the wild frontier of 1960's experimentation. This is another perfect example. Sadly there is just not the hours in the day to listen to everything on a regular basis. Perfect for a Monday afternoon.
Love the Kinks. Album off to a strong start, steady songs throughout and of course Sunny Afternoon is a classic. Better than Something Else By The Kinks, but not as great as The Village Green Preservation Society.
The kind of 60s stuff that I find very boring.
Jeg troede altid, at Kinks, Byrds og Monkees var mere eller mindre det samme. Havde ingen ide om at dem her var sådan et fedt psychedelia band. Jeg er 1 fedt Kinks album fra at komme med et ekstremt hot take om Kinks vs Beatles
Elsker de der barokke træk. Endnu engang positivt overrasket over en Kinks plade fra 60erne.
Sounded super nice. I really liked it even though it lacks bangers.
The Kinks? I thought this was the Beatles. Or the Monkees. Or any one of half a dozen crap British pop bands from the era. This does not belong on the list.
Alright, but not as good as the last Kinks album.
Kind of an unremarkable Kinks album
60's England, clearly, did not put out a lot of quality rock bands. I haven't forgotten about the Rolling Stones or the Who, but with competition like The Kinks, I completely understand why people latched onto The Beatles. Boring as shit. There are some decent vocal performances, but I can't stand The Kinks. "House in the Country" sounds like a Stones ripoff
Would give this a 3.5 if I could. Always liked The Kinks and this has some great catchy pop tunes but overall album was too long