Face to Face

The Kinks have a great 60s sound with their personal edge, that no other group had. They were The Who before The Who. Good album.

Loved the vocal harmonies in this one. Good not great. But definitely an album of the times.

Not a bad follow up from "The Kink Kontroversy" A nice little album that fits nicely between "Kontroversy" and "Something Else" Especially with some pf the song arrangements as they carry a certain theme throughout and The Kinks at the time were going from the furious early sixties sound to a more poetic storytelling kinda thing with more focus on a quaint English feel!

I love Ray's stories and Sunny Afternoon is just a masterful song.

This was a very enjoyable listen. I love this sound of the Kinks, very sixties pop, but another example of a band of that era reaching a little further into musical creativity. I appreciate the interesting lyrics. "Most Expensive Residence for Sale" is a good tune with a wry story. "Sunny Afternoon" is a song I have always enjoyed, and it fits very nicely in this context. I was happy to listen to it again. I hope we get to listen to more of the Kinks.

So far my favourite kinks album as a whole

This is the third "Kinks" on this list and I believe that I'm turning into a fan.

Though it is certainly vintage, I really enjoy the sometimes cheeky, very British simple rock and roll with folk stylings. Ray Davies delivery is perfect for this.

perfect slice of post-beatles pop rock. the only track i don't like is "rainy day in june". my favorite is "most exclusive residence for sale".

Still one of my fave 60s rock acts. Always fun to listen to the Kinks

Love them, reminds me of the Beetle's

Love the Kinks.

Yeah pretty much what the kinks are great stuff

Nice late 60s British Rock sound

Great early-ish Kinks. Much more enjoyable than their 80s work. Subject matter all over the place but sound is strictly Kinks. Wasn't aware - oddly enough - that Sunny Afternoon was one of their pieces. Enjoyed, but didn't add.

Perhaps the first rock concept album. This album finds the Kinks taking on a softer sound and more socially observant lyrical focus. 1966 was a banner year for rock albums but I think this album compares favorably and contrasts well to the heavy hitters of that year, mainly Pet Sounds and Revolver

Solid. Didn't dislike any song. In the same vein, didn't LOVE any song except maybe Rainy Day in June, Sunny Afternoon (which I had already known and adored), and Most Exclusive Residence for Sale. Still a good overall album, but I'm sure they have better.

Very enjoyable album, solid from start to finish.

Not too shabby for 1966, I can hear how this record is beginning to break some of the conventional molds of rock and roll for the time. I think the Beatles were venturing much further into unknown territory at the time but the kinks were certainly holding down and exploring their own thing

A fun album from 1966 that sounds like a fun album from 1966

Far out duuuude

Very listenable with sharp, clever lyrics. Smarter than it should be.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Party line, dAunny afternoon, Mr. Pleasant

Un dels discos clàssics de pop dels '60 més innovador i refinat. Lletres una mica fosques i intimistes, però melodies inoblidables i arranjaments de primera. També, és clar, temes com 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Dandy', 'Party Line'...

Nice collection of 2-3 minute 1960s guitar pop songs. Social commentary and story telling of everyday life. Some odd sound effects and bit of a medieval vibe in some places. I've never dug beyond The Kinks' famous singles, but it seems their back catalogue has depth. 4/5

Good classic Kinks album, real raw sound

Quite elegant, with an essential preciosity that blends with the airy vocal harmonies with linear melodies and energetic instrumental interventions.(7/10) Favourite Songs: Sunday Afternoon

Very early Beatles. Always confuse these guys with The Shins... unsure why.

More Beatles-y than I expected. I liked approximately 60% of the album, but Sunny Afternoon is one of my all time favorite songs.

Very 60's rock. Is nice and relaxing to put on in background. Fav was "Sunny Afternoon"

Yes

Reminds me of Beatles and the Zombies. Lots of different genres and songs, very catchy and not one bad song.

in some cases i have been known to forgive britishness

Really solid Kinks album. It's no "Arthur", but the mod spirit is there.

Not my favorite Kinks album but still great!

Got it already. Will relisten later. Already my favourite Kinks album.

Ewig nicht mehr gehört aber ist ein absoluter Grundpfeiler für die moderne Musik und ein spaßig zu hörender Teil der British Invasion

Nice bit of mum music

Very sixties but good fun

Sounded like the Beatles

Not bad, a little too vintage for my taste, but some good songs. I liked She's Got Everything.

Solid, couple of the big songs on there and all the others were good too... Again, spotify gives you the 'special edition' with all the bonus tracks mixed in :( don't think it listened quite as intended

Love the Kinks

I liked it!

Fantastic, can really hear the influence they've had on so many bands, as good as a Beatles album easily. Just missing maybe one more banger to be a 5

Cute

Very, very nice. Interesting mix between cheerful and thoughtful songs. Good lyrics.

It has the same roller coaster quality that a lot of albums from this era do with all the sub three minute songs, but there were some really good songs on there. After listening through this, I feel like I need to listen to some more of The Kinks. Really the only reason this is getting a four from me is because I would rather have fewer longer songs than a crap ton of short ones. When you have that high of a volume of short songs I feel like there will feel like there are more bad songs than there actually are and the good ones are a little less memorable. Favorite tracks: “Rainy Day In June,” “Little Miss Queen of Darkness,” and “Dead End Street”

Pretty solid, I enjoyed this one

Fun album. I should really get more into The Kinks.

kinks ei ollutkaan tuttu, mutta toimii.

good album

First rating, personal scale may change

yo this is actually sick. just hella fun and random. didn’t listen to all the mixes but I’m sure I got the rough idea you know? some of my favourite kinks songs x

funky

Rainy day in June and Sunny Afternoon are my two faves

It's so weird to me that we don't see The Kinks as equals to the Beatles. Their music is just as good, but their lyrics are probably more mature. Very interesting.

Pretty good rock album. Need to give the Kinks a bit more of a chance.

Really enjoyed the sound-- very Beatles/Bryds-esque

Familiar British pop rock, a la the Beatles

Never heard the album but top quality.

I loved it on a rainy day!

I liked it a lot more now than when I first listened to it. While not as varied as Something Else or as conceptual as Village Green, has a lot of quintesential Ray Davis style songs. Also, rosie won't you please come home is beautiful. Closer to a 3.5

Good 60s album

Nice album. One unforgettable song and the rest, a good listen.

This is about as quintessential a Kinks album as I can imagine. With all songs written by Ray Davies, the group had absolutely found the sound that you are likely to associate with them by this point, and even if the only readily identifiable song here is the iconic "Sunny Afternoon," there's no way anyone could ever listen to ANY of these tracks and not immediately recognize it as an effort from the Kinks. I have no beef with the 1001 albums list including four Kinks LPs, but I do question the choice of having NO selections from the 1970s or later. These guys continued to evolve for at least two decades beyond their most influential 1960s stuff--and even had some pretty big hits with songs you might have heard of called "Lola" (1970) and "Come Dancing" (1983). I understand the instinct behind recognizing their early, most influential stuff, but to ignore all efforts beyond that seems strange.

Love The Kinks

No denying that when you think of the 60’s, there’s a good chance that these guys are what’s on the stereo

Sort of like a dime store beatles. totally serviceable, but not the best by any means.

I liked it. Nothing super special, but any easy listen.

Good album, the kinks were such a different band

Ihan hyviä ja vauhdikkaita biisejä. Stemmalaulut myös erinomaiset, kuten The Kinksillä aina.

3 Honestly, I think this list has convinced me that I’m not the Kinks fan I thought I was. I genuinely enjoy a lot of their hits, especially the stuff from their early garage rock days, like You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night, but after this, Arthur, and Something Else, it feels like I’m missing something. It seems the group softened their edges a bit starting with this album, and while I’m sure there’s an argument to be made that their songwriting evolved and matured in doing so, to me, it has now resulted in three albums with a couple of good songs and a lot of unremarkable, forgettable ones. Like, I genuinely have no idea what this album did differently than the aforementioned ones to earn its own spot on this list. There was nothing on it that I disliked, but after multiple listens through, the only track that I would call a standout is Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home, for no strong reason in particular other than it simply struck me as enjoyable each time it came on (I guess it’s about the brothers’ sister eloping to Australia). Beyond that, there’s only one additional song I feel that I can even recall, and that’s Sunny Afternoon. Once again, it’s not a bad little tune, but I have no idea why it’s the group’s fourth most popular on streaming (more than Waterloo Sunset and A Well Respected Man, really?) Despite the innocuous name, I guess it’s a satirical jab at the one-percenters who “suffer” from taxes, which is a sentiment I certainly respect, but it doesn’t translate into an especially interesting song. Clearly, I missed some kind of memo on The Kinks, so if someone could fill me in, that would be great. In the meantime, after three albums’ worth of material, they still sit firmly as a Greatest Hits type of group for me.

Favorite track(s): Rosy Won't You Please Come Home, Too Much on My Mind, Rainy Day in June, Sunny Afternoon

This was alright. I think I'm a bit fatigued by continually writing "the Kinks are a better singles band than albums band". And it definitely applies to this one too

1031 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

This was fine. I wish this band excited me more. Sunny Afternoon was great but everything else seemed fine. Not bad at all, just fine,

3 - decent

My but Ray Davies and Dave Davies can write a catchy pop song. Sunny Afternoon hints at how much more he was capable of.

If you could bottle swinging sixties London. This would be part of it.

Category is: campy deadbeat dad in 1966 who drives an obnoxious convertible chic. I do think it ends in a high note though.

the bombs going off in rainy day in june is a fun/dark twist. this album is kind of like the zip bid dee doo wop of the 60s.

This was ok ! This was very middle of the road for me.

J’avais hâte d’écouter un album des kinks. Ils me sont toujours sympathiques mais je suis quand même moins pris que sur l’autre album Sunny afternoon : cool Me pleasant : un peu drôle 6/10

Always good.

It's more Kinks. I preferred their albums Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur elsewhere on this list. This was fine but it just washed over me. Not unpleasant but didn't leave much of an impression.

Completely forgettable rock album

I liked some tracks, overall lukewarm. 2.5

A few nice songs in here. I wasn't familiar with them but they seem to be The Beatles if they never broke into the US

Kind of a fun album. I'd maybe listen to it again.

뭐라 쓰지

Beautiful classic

Nice average Kinks album. The 60’s swingy sound you’re used to. Average overall, but there’s Sunny Afternoon, so that’s a plus.

Oh it's so british

The Kinks usually rock. This one… doesn’t. I hate to say it but over and over I kept thinking about songs being “Beatles lite” or “stones lite.” Give it to me in my veins once they’ve hit their stride

I love the Kinks and it pains me to give this a three, but some of the songs washed over me a bit. Lots of enjoyable stuff though.

Sounds like a soundtrack to a Wes Anderson film. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've heard at least one of these tracks in his films. Anyways, decent record.

Love the Kinks

not their best work

They sound like the Beatles, but not necessarily in a bad way; a decent listen

pretty standard 60s stuff

On their fourth album, The Kinks attempted to move away from just being a singles band. While this album feels very cohesive, it is ironic that the main highlight is the hit single "Sunny Afternoon" and nothing comes close to the heights on that song. If this album was full of songs as strong as that, then this would be an all-time classic for me. The songs have personality, but are ultimately forgettable. Moving away from being a Beatles clone, they embraced baroque pop with full force. I can see how bands such as Blur took influence from this. I'm a bit fan of the follow-up record, and this just sounds like a weaker take on that album.

Wikipedia calls everything a concept album it seems, didn't really see that here. It was fine, though. I tend to associate the Kinks with a rougher, more garage rock sound, so hearing their later work that leans more artsy like the Beatles was somewhat interesting. Makes you wonder how big these guys would've been without those aforementioned Beatles around.

kenn würkli meega wenig vo ihne. schono cool de erst song. hm. alles immer churz und mega knackig. und so dandy zb herzige song aber nöd viel meh. rainy day in june het afoch donner hobbala?? little miss queen of darkness isch fun! sunny afternoon isch seeehr cool. meeega britpop irgendwie? au s einzig woni scho kennt han.

öppe s vierte "one of the first concept albums"🫩 bi rosy ghörtmer fest de barocki ihfluss hahaha uii nei dandy findi ziemlich schrecklich, sehr chinderlied sessionman hani zerst auno denkt, dass en chinderchor singt aber han mi glaub tosche (tüscht??) house in the country isch jz nöd direkt en banger aber es halt das 60er-flair wo mich halt abholt das chline "drumsolo" bi little miss queen of darkness isch na cool? iwie findi alles eifach chli langwilig hmm de ahfang vo sunny afternoon chunntmer bekannt vor I'll remember isch chli wenig für es lied aber grundsätzlich na cool ganz ehrlich, han villes eifach chli langwilig gfunde. vlt isch au eifach villes ah mier verbii will es isch instrumentell glaub villsiitiger als ichs jz wahrgno jan aber jo, knapps 3

Decent old pop rock, Sunny Afternoon is obviously a summer classic and there's a lot of other pretty good stuff here, it just ends the same thing all these old 60s albums with a bunch of songs that didn't need to make the album at all

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.

Transitional Kinks. Fun stuff, though most of the songs sound like rough drafts of Dedicated Follower of Fashion. Sunny Afternoon is by far my favorite, but Rainy Day in June and I'll Remember are close.

3/5. There are a number of tracks on here that really sound like “Help!” era Beatles songs, such as the opener “Party Line.” But it still manages to be enough of its own thing to where the album doesn’t just feel like a cheap clone. The obvious highlight is the albums biggest hit “Sunny Afternoon” which has a great vocal melody. But I also loved “Rainy Day in June” and “Most Exclusive residence for sale.” But there are some stretches that just feel like pretty typical 60’s pop stuff, though overall I liked my time with this one.

Perfectly good British pop/rock from the 60s. I like The Kinks well enough, but this didn't stand out to me as especially amazing.

Fik endnu en Arh ha da jeg hørte not like Any body Else ( bonus track) kun hørt den i Kellermensch udgaven. Det var et fint lyt. Ikke noget særligt ud over den.

Da jeg så det her album var min første reaktion: Er det virkelig nødvendigt med 4 Kinks albums på denne liste? Efter at have hørt albummet er mit svar: Nej, det havde været helt fint med bare dette på listen. Det er ikke fordi jeg syntes det er et helt fantastisk album, men det er langt bedre end de første tre jeg har hørt med dem.

nice

Showing its age. I don't care much for whether it was significant or not, because it just sounds very expected and middle-of-the-road.

Sounds like a very stereotypical mid-60's Beatles clone... only a bit better. I hesitate to give it 3 stars, because I didn't like most of the album. But I gave the Beatles 2 stars, and "Rosy Won't You Please Come Home" is a great song...so 3 stars, but just barely.

***A good easy listening album

I know I say this more than I should but this is just a poor attempt at doing The Beatles. Which is odd to me because I didn’t think of The Kinks as a Beatles knockoff. I also don’t really think they are, it’s just this album. But sticking with the formula works as well. I’m not blown away by any means but I’m not hating my life right now either. Choice cut: Little Miss Queen of Darkness

Fun skiffle

The Kinks are one of my favorite bands of the era. This album though, with the exception of Sunny Afternoon (which it being June as I write this, was very appropriate to listen to), is a bit of a slog. The Kinks made more fun and powerful music before this, and then really came into their own after this. I see Face to Face as a kind of boring bridge between two great versions of this band.

5th Kinks album so far and I still feel very meh about them. They don't do anything well enough or unique enough to justify 5 (potentially more) albums on here. This is temu Beatles but still a pleasant enough listen.

Given it came out the same year as revolver, it’s no revolver

#982. The hits from The Kinks are pretty solid, but this is not a band where I want to listen to an entire album. It's tolerable, but I don't really care about it in any way. 3/5: it's ok

This album received lukewarm reception from critics? Why? It's the Kinks, yo. Just pure, high-energy, well-played 60s material. Nothing legendary or groundbreaking, but nothing particularly disappointing either. We get our first taste of "baroque pop" in Rosie Won't You Please Come Home, which features prominent harpsichord and a few low strings that are quite far back in the mix. The vocal falls a little flat – this usually happens when the melody is played simultaneously by both guitar and voice. Still, a decent tune. Dandy is clearly the best song up to that point, accounting for the hilariously spirited wailing on vocals, active acoustic guitar, and fun groovy atmosphere with a few interesting chords here and there. It seems the Kink boys took my message to heart, because the next song, Too Much On My Mind, is another acoustic guitar track – this time a ballad. Pretty good. Session Man, despite literally being of the 60s, comes across as a pastiche of the decade – and nothing else. It fails to avoid being, well, boring. Rainy Day is similar. There's little soul to speak of, nor are there any interesting elements – at least until halfway through, where we get some thunder SFX. Not nearly enough to let the track shine, though. We pick the quality back up in A House In the Country – very rock'n'roll inspired with its distorted riffs, grungy-yet-melodic guitar solo, gritty vocal delivery, and that distinctive piano part you hear all over the place in 50s rock. The next two songs, Holiday In Waikiki and Most Exclusive Residence for Sale, take a similar direction in terms of sheer musicianship – but are also slightly weaker because they lack hooks. Unfortunately, artists get this wrong constantly. The song Fancy breaks the pattern of bog-standard rock pieces, which I appreciate. Kind of sounds like a Beatles filler track. But hey, Beatles filler tracks tend to be pretty swell! Then we have Little Miss Queen of Darkness, a bizarre countryesque honky-tonk track that works better than it should. Nothing spectacular, just good ol' guitar Americanism. Then there's You're Looking Fine – a spirited performance with a sort of Lennon-like rock wail. Of course, everybody's waiting for Sunny Afternoon, the track with the most legitimately catchy rhythm. Turns out a swing, a decent melody, and well-composed backing vocals can work wonders. The lyric "lazing on a sunny afternoon" was surely an inspiration, if indirectly, for Queen's Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon about a decade later. I'll Remember is a solid closer. Indeed – unlike many of the songs here, there is a chance "I'll remember" this one! 3/5 Key tracks: Dandy, A House In the Country, Sunny Afternoon

The band decided that the world needed some mellow tunes to calm themselves with. But they joined it with irony. 3.5/5

3,5

Oli vähän hätänen kuuntelu, mut Kinks toimii aina! Pitää ehkä kuunnella vielä vähän tarkemmin tää, koska tosiaan osa levystä meni vähän ohi.

Iha ok kahen pennin Beatles. Vähän inconsistent musta et osa biiseistä oli tosi fillereitä. Pari hyvää biisiä. Emt onko yliannostus kuuskytäluvun pimpelipompelia.

Ihan ok levy. 3/5.

spoczko miły rock and roll takie typowe 60’

There are parts of this record that I like a lot, but I don't find it to be The Kinks finest hour at all. The (very) loose concept of "social observation" is not anywhere close to a real concept or rock opera like the better Kinks concept records and the songs aren't really strong enough to stand alone either. It's an ok record.

sharp, well-sung little songs, kind of a companion to Parklife in its short-story approach to class and mundanity in Britain but subtler and more cohesive than that record, to this one's benefit. nothing that blows my socks of but there is real sturdiness and craft here, hoping to be wowed by the Davies crew a bit more next time but not complaining!

Average, sounds dated now

This album is like a pleasant afternoon picnic with your girlfriend. You're both pretty low on money, because you have moved out of home and rent is expensive. But it is sunny, and you are both aware it has been a while since you have gone out and done something together. The sun is shining so you've gathered the ingredients for a picnic in the local common. After a few glasses of buttery chardonnay and some crackers with camembert and quince paste, you're blissfully walking home along the quiet streets, admiring the trees that line the pavement.

Huh. Sounds okay.

I enjoyed this one. The beats and vocals were fun. Definitely a more fun album for a 60s band.

Excepto el Sunday Afternoon que me he guardado, el resto se me ha hecho repetitivo. No está mal, pero no es imprescindible aunque entiendo que una vez habría que escucharlo entero.

Another Kinks album, this one pretty boring if you ask me. 2.6/5

Always enjoy the Kinks. Pleasant album I've revisited over the years.

Was very long and a little meh. I may be getting burned out on 60's rock.

Not bad, but after two Kinks albums, I just don't think they're for me

Again, not their best

This has a Scooby-Doo energy to it for some reason and I can't fully explain why

It's ok, was really hoping for more fun the Kinks

Standard fare Kinks. Which is a good thing.

Of it’s time jangly almost naive 60s pop Maybe it’s Ray Davis voice that just sounds so 60s.

Kinks album #3 for me! I remember liking both Something Else and Arthur more, but who knows, that could change. Happy to report for the 3rd time that I still haven't heard any Kinks songs I don't like. I particularly like Rosy Won't You Please Come Home, Rainy Day in June, and Fancy. And the way he pronounces chord pro-gresh-ee-yun.

It’s ok. But I don’t know that it needs be on the list

I feel pretty ambivalent to this. I’m starting to get 1960s and 1970s rock fatigue. It’s starting to blend together for me.

Fine but very derivative 60s pop rock. Nothing too interesting, but overall inoffensive. Makes me glad to hear how The Kinks evolved to a more mature sound on later albums. Top tracks: Rosy Won't You Please Come Home, Sunny Afternoon, I'll Remember

I am not sure what I want to say about this...finnneee? I suppose

I can't help it - most Kinks songs sound like children's songs to me. I know - it goes well with some of the (good) lyrics but I can't get past that merry-go-round sound. Davis' voice doesn't help. The Kinks have a few songs I like but they're not on this album. A generous 3 because they were influential so the album may deserve its place on the list.

It was alright, nothing stood out to me

The Kinks have better.

Started out slow but I eventually started enjoying it.

6 - AVERAGE

just because a band is good doesn't mean we need to put every album of theirs onto this list

3,5

They sound so much like The Beatles

Playful kinks! They almost always are right? They seem to be having fun here. It comes across maybe slightly patchy to me - there were definitely bits I engaged with more than others, but generally it felt pretty high quality and had the individual voice that I appreciate from the kinks.

Alright in terms of this generation of music, pretty much just like the Beatles

2,5

No notes. It's a good album.

Bring back party lines! 3.5

Some really good moments but overall just solid background today at least. A 3.5 rounded down because

Sunny Afternoon off this album has been on every one of my nice weather playlists basically since I started using Spotify, but I've never heard the rest of this album. Unfortunately, the bulk of this album is just generic English rock-and-roll for me. Lot of these songs could've been The Beatles and I'd have no idea. I don't hate the genre, but I do get bored if the band in question isn't adding anything particularly unique/interesting to their take on it. This one fell into that bored category for me.

7 / 10

fine i guess but mostly makes me wish i was listening to Rubber Soul instead

This is interesting to me more as historical artifact than music I will ever listen to. That said, I liked it a little more than I expected. Not terrible.

I don't dislike it, but it's fluffy in a way that was ultimately adapted better elsewhere, particularly Rolling Stones.

Not as timeless as other Kinks albums

Enjoyable tunes from an innocent era

ok

Very good Kinks album.

I’ll never understand baroque pop but this is a good album. Pales in comparison to all of its contemporaries but it’s still solid the whole way through. They obviously have strong musical inclination and they wrote like three of the most famous songs ever? But idk every hit they have there’s a cover of that I like more. Little conflicted, cause my only complaint really is that I wouldn’t listen to this on the day to day except sunny afternoon but it’s all good. Count this as the highest three I guess.

A cute but pretty mixed lil' bag. They're clearly past their rough garage and straight-to-your-face rock 'n roll era, but it's just before Ray *really* saw the light and decided to join the league of Great British Songwriters. I'll take those harpsichord jams, baroque progressions and Sunny Afternoon(!) any time at all, but I'm not quite so sure about all those little ditties that sound like they could have been by the Beatles on an off-day.

First of all, I really like the album cover. I think that this somehow perfectly fits the feel of the album as a whole. This gave me the same sort of feel as a slightly edgier, yet also more party-like, version of The Beatles. I had a lot of fun with this album, with none of the songs really missing. The lyrics are well-crafted throughout, keeping you interested. The only thing I found is that the songs start to become a bit 'safe' after a while. They found a really solid sound for the album, but there's not much variety or risk at all. I think the songs are a good length, and so is the album as a whole. 'Party Line' was a really great opener, introducing the vibe The Kinks were going with, as even the slightly more meaningful songs have a slightly upbeat feel to them. Favourites: Party Line Session Man Sunny Afternoon

good album, sunny afternoon was a banger

Once somebody decided to turn that fucking harpsichord into firewood this album took a turn for the better. Not at all bad, but that baroque-pop-bollockness really damages the score for me.

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 I've never heard a Kinks song I didn't like, but on an album without the drive of some of my favorite kinks hits and much topographical difference between songs, this album felt a little flat for me. Pretty much the definition of 3 stars in my book, which sounds meaner than I mean it. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

Enjoyable but not memorable. Tbh reminded me of Fingertips a little bit at the beginning?

Album 950. The end is in sight. But the grind continues. I don’t know how many more “yeah it was alright”s I got in me. Please list, give me a good album this week

nice

How I'd imagine a sunny day in England during the mid-sixties would sound. A little long for my taste though. I'd prefer to listen to the Beatles Rating: 6.5/10 Favorite Song: Sunny Afternoon

Decent 60s rock

Lowest rated Kinks album for me. All others have been 4 stars.

Liked it better than Beatles somehow. Still not a fan of the era, but this is not bad.

No sabria como definirlo, y eso m gusta M gusta el final como conclusion

A bit more stripped back and primitive than some of my my favored kinks records, but still a good time nontheless.

If you ever get worn out from the extensive catalogue The Beatles put together, you can find some more of their style right here with The Kinks. And you'll be alright for just about 40 minutes, and that'll probably be it. There's no big massive highs here, and it's hard for me to describe it as anything but a pull from the deep well of britpop. I'm missing a bit of the thematic cohesiveness that I found in some of The Beatles stuff, and the mixing is just alright, even for the early 60s, although it is supported by some interesting effects, like the thunder in Rainy Day in June.

Better than the Beatles.

Number: 93 Date: 04/05/2026 Artist: The Kinks Album: Face to Face Year: 1966 Genre: 60s Pop Rock Rating: Notes: Before: ======= The Kinks are great but they have way too many albums on this list. It has been said but bears repeating, just so you know, in case it gets a poor score, “An artist shall be represented on The List by no more than one album, except where multiple albums by that artist demonstrate materially distinct artistic character and historical significance. Where two or more albums by the same artist are determined to be substantially similar in style, scope, or cultural function, only one such album may be included, with preference given to the earliest released work.” During: ======= So, I'm 7 songs in and it's going to get a less than stellar score. Not only because of The Policy, but because I don't like it all that much. It seems the album does mark a major shift in their music style which is a good enough reason to include it in the list, given that this is The Kinks were talking about. I have no problem including 2 or even 3 albums in this list, from The Kinks, but I surprised that there is no representation of their earlier work here. 3 Party Line 3 Rosy Won't You Please Come Home 4 Dandy 3 Too Much On My Mind 3 Session Man 3 Rainy Day In June 3 House In The Country 3 Holiday In Waikiki 3 Most Exclusive Residence For Sale 4 Fancy 3 Little Miss Queen Of Darkness 3 You're Lookin' Fine 3 Sunny Afternoon 3 I'll Remember ----------------------------------------------------- 3.12 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 3 my personal rating 2 suitability for this list 3 impact ----------------------------------------------- 2.7 composite rating

Its okay 2 or 3 good tracks some just too close to the Beatles for me

Classic rock and roll.

Good, but it kinda drags sometimes. Not much else to say. LCD is usually pretty reliable stuff to put on.

Of all the bands who were in direct competition with the Beatles, The Kinks are one of the ones that makes the most sense to me. Although I don't necessarily know that this is entirely a good thing. Face To Face sounds like a response to The Beatles' developments in pop music, and the result is a collection of great songs, but it is still a collection of great songs that, at times, has a hard time coming into it's own identity. In my opinions, it's the same problem with some of the earlier Rolling Stones records and certain moments in The Who's discography. Both bands, as well as The Kinks eventually did escape the gravitational pull of The Beatles, and then, in my opinion, start making their most interesting work (a notable exception is The Beach Boys, maybe the only Band playing the same ballgame as The Beatles who ever got them (artistically) against the ropes with Pet Sounds). That being said, this is what you'd think it is, it's a slightly psychedelic, lushly produced, and well written pop and rock album of it's time. The long and short of it is that The Kinks were keeping pace, but I don't think they had really cemented their legacy or defined themselves in the way that they would on future records. Although, my overall impression here is positive. Ray Davies can still write some great pop songs, and The aesthetic is very enjoyable. Its a solid listen.

I don’t know a ton about the background of this band, but honestly, they seem like a bunch of stoner himbos who think they’re making extremely profound music when in reality they are producing absolute mids for the time.

Decent.

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

It was an okay listen, but crazy how much the album list is dominated by British bands from the 70s, 80s.

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

Part Beatles, part Stones, part Kinks. I enjoyed this, but didn’t love it. I give it a strong three stars.

Høres litt ut som Beatles uten x-faktoren. Hørte gjennom to ganger for å gi den en ordentlig sjanse men kjedet meg litt.

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

I think I overlistened to this type of music

A bit poppier Kinks

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

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

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.

fun album

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

Not much to say to be honest, pretty neutral on this one

# 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

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

Nice early punkish/ beatles influenced stuff. Meandered a bit but I guess that's kind of the whole feeling.

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!

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

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

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.

Perfectly fine and enjoyable.

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.

Lowkey gutes Halloween Album

Sometimes too focused on being the Beatles, but they've some really nice stuff when they're their own band

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

not bad

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.

Dead end street and Sunny Afternoon are familiar and enjoyable. The rest of the album is good but doesn't stand out for me.

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.

Not bad, I can hear their influence on lots of other bands.

- 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.

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.

Not bad, but other similar bands of the time did it better. 3/5

Das befreiende Album, mit vielen Hits, aber auch viel Gedudel

First listen

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.

Very Beatlesy

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.

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

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.

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.

Like if the beatles were enjoyable

Kinks är bättre både före och efter den här skivan

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!

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.

A Solid Album. No kinks noticed

Like it’s ok psychedelia but after a lot of those it gets slightly boring. 3 stars

Power man better

Not quite The Kinks yet.

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.

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.

Lowkey a vibe🤷‍♀️ not my go to music but she has nice groovy vibes. Very silly :D

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. 🌕🌕🌕🌖

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.

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.

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

This was fine. I thought I knew who the kinks were but I guess not. Very 60s and kinda generic.

3 out of 5. Probably my favorite Kinks album so far, really enjoyed how each song came together here.