Face to Face

Sounds more and more like The Beatles every time we get one of their albums, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Going with a three because it was a fun listen even if not many songs stood out.

I definitely enjoy the Kinks. I like their vibe. I like their sound. I like "Lola". If that song was on this album it would give it an extra star. This was still an enjoyable listen though.

solid

Very much a 1960's album. Really good songwriting. Just a good album

This sounded a lot like the Beatles, but without the affection and nostalgia I feel for the Beatles.

The Beatles but... I don't even know. Cool album.

It’s very good, it’s fun. But a little dull.

Another Kinks album! It's a kind of an album of observational songs. It's not bad, but really of its time.

More wacky 60s music. It’s not good is it

Just regular sixties stuff

I had these guys are heavier and punkier in my head. I liked Rainy Day in June, rest was fine but agree that Dandy was complete crap.

I didn't really get much from this record. I like some of the early Kinks, it's a little more of a folk bent, and I like some of the later Kinks, it's a little more rock and roll. This is decidedly mid.

Just groovy enough without suffering from being overtly psychedelic.

oh, well - one great track, really: Sunny Afternoon. The rest is a a mixed bag. They've done better after, and they are no comparison to the Beatles.

Great background Beatles-esque music. Pretty good active listening, though the albums is same-y.

Solid

Interesting baroque take on rock’n’roll packed with the sort of English eccentricity you’d get later from Pulp and Blur. Forgettable songs, but still fun times three.

That's not my taste in music - But ok

A couple of really high peaks but quite a lot of nothingness

Interesting that this album is included, first it's early in their catalog, second it only has one hit with "Sunny Afternoon", and the minor "Dandy". It was good if you enjoy The Kinks. Nothing stood out as cutting edge or enduring with only 1 radio track you still hear today, very modest listener counts for a 60 yr old album, and it sounds dated. Favorite, "Rainy Day In June". This one gets in for song writing, maybe? It's worthy of 3 stars but wouldn't make my T1001 list by any stretch.

Kind of insulting to get an extremely British band on the fourth of July. Oh well, at least the album’s not bad. Best song: Sunny Afternoon

Love The Kinks!

A very dated, yet endearing listen. The Kinks continuously strike me as a stereotypical British band. If you think of British pop, it’s them. Just listen to Holiday in Waikiki or rainy day in June.

I enjoyed this album—it’s a bit on the long side, but it holds enough variety to stay engaging. Had a few standout tracks I’d happily keep in regular rotation. Overall it gave me a playful and welcome escape from the reality of modern life.

For this era and genre I'm more an Animals kinda fella. What can I say? I just like it a little more raw and a little darker. The Kinks stuff is all very cheerful and hence a lot of the songs usually end up sounding kinda juvenile and silly to me. Jaunty, even. I probably need to lighten up. Sorry, Ray. I'm sure when this record dropped it was an exciting time and I am willing to bet cash money that The Kinks were a riot to see live in their heyday. Today, a few of these tracks seem like good options to include on a mixtape for a friend for when they drive around in the summertime in their Chevy Impala. Standouts include "Party Line"; a fun and kinda goofy throwaway novelty track at best, but still worthwhile. The more psychedelic tracks on this album tend to be stronger. "Rainy Day In June" is solid, aside from the overwrought sound effects. "Fancy" is great, though it does end too soon. It would have benefitted from vamping it out for like 8 minutes for full-on psychedelic effect. And of course "Sunny Afternoon" has that inherent staying power that the more popular hits The Kinks wrote are totally known for. Totally inoffensive and listenable, but aside from "Sunny Afternoon" not particularly memorable either.

It started off fun and interesting. I realized I was half listening towards the end though. The Kinks are pleasant enough and the songs are nice and brief.

Quite the story! Has the rawness of sound from it's era, but otherwise enjoyable.

Ok...nothing special.

É um bom disco! Roseselsa Quietsea II.

Easy to listen to but nothing really jumped out here. Was hoping for a little more.

The only song I knew from this album was “Sunny Afternoon” and it was definitely my favourite. I heard some similarities with other artists from that time, especially the Beatles. I think it was too long for me and I’d have enjoyed it more if they culled a few of the mid tracks to make a more cohesive experience overall.

Prefiro os albuns seguintes, mas aqui já se observa alguns lampejos do que viria a seguir, em faixas como "Too Much On My Mind", "Rainy Day in June" e "Sunny Afternoon". Um disco que mostra a transição do rock'n'roll para o Rock que vinha acontedendo com muitas bandas nesta época.

Fantastic and retro

# Playlist Track - Sunny Afternoon # Notes - Uninspired, at best. - Album is too long and too littered with ill-developed ideas. I only had access to the Spotify version with a bunch of extra tracks, but all of them feel unnecessary and half baked.

For 1966, I bet this was both super and duper. For 2025, it's fine, but I don't love it.

Ujevn plate, neppe deres beste. Men noe bra.

I usually love the kinks but this album was just ok nothing really special about it.

It’s decent, but nothing really stands apart from other britrock albums of the time.

Does every album from this time just sound like the beatles? Or did the beatles sound like everyone else.

nice to listen to

It's fair to say that Ray Davies wrote some of the best songs that came out of the 1960's. Lola, Waterloo Sunset, You really Got Me, Sunny Afternoon - ok so Lola was 1970. On Face To Face it's like he's writing songs based on just stuff that happened to him the other day. He heard a strangers' voice on a phone call. Ah Party Line. One of his session musicians pissed him off. Session Man. A girl he saw at a disco. Little Miss Queen Of Darkness. Holiday In Waikiki. Did he?? Lucky bastard I can't decide whether it's genius or just filler. I've only had time to listen to this album once so I'm going to go away and listen to it again before final judgement. In the meantime it gets a 3.

All of these Kinks albums are starting to blend together. I can't tell whether their music is inventive or just generic. I quite enjoyed 'Sunny Afternoon' a lot, and there were definitely a few decent songs, but I can only listen to so much British Invasion music before it all starts to sound the same.

Sunny Afternoon is a really great song from an album that reminded me a lot of the Beatles. But, I didn't much care for their swing; something about the lyrics just didn't do it for me.

Not bad, but far from my favorite Kinks record. I can see why it’s historically important, and I though some of the songs were quite good, but overall just felt underwhelming.

Nice cover, very colourful and 'flower power'. Thing I find with this era is that I never know what band is playing, as a lot of music from that time all sounds same-ish. Most of the tracks were fairly mundane, but not in a bad way. It was only when 'sunny afternoon' started playing that I recognised the single track that I had heard before. 'Dandy' seemed ok as well. I followed some of the lyrics and a lot was about wealth.

3.4 1x bonus track edition (58m)

Some vintage 60's Brit Rock. The Kinks are kind of quirky. I think if I were a teenager or twenty something back in the 60's I would've been into the Kinks. But I'm not 20 anymore and this definitely is not the 60's.

I’ve been all over the place with the Kinks and this one felt pretty average. It was fine but did not feel very inspired or creative to me.

fav song: I'll remember Not sure if I'll return to it but it's a good album!!

3.3 Fairly good. I've had a lot of 60s this week - traffic, the byrds, beach boys. This probably the best of the lot. So much like the Beatles, but not so much that it's a carbon copy. Still think 60s is overrepresented on here, but can't argue too much against this inclusion.

Again, fine, but I don’t like this sound that much and can’t believe I’ve already gotten three Kinks albums. The keys on “You’re Looking Fine” get this from two to three stars.

Love big of ray davis

Decent album. These guys wee making music for a VERY long time.

6.25/10. It's alright. Most of thee sound the same but that's not all a bad thing. Immediate neuron activation when Sunny Afternoon played cuz of Wes Anderson.

Some great tracks here. Not a lot to say outside of happy to have listened to a full kinks album now.

At this point The Kinks still occasionally sound like a Beatles knock-off though less and less so as their British pastoral quality and their taste for observational quirkiness begins to find expression. The period fascination with harpsichords gets expressed, as does the 12-string thing. Rainy Day In June is a decent attempt at something darker though Ray Davies’ songwriting is not well suited to grandeur. Sunny Afternoon is a highly memorable song but not enough to redeem an otherwise rather lightweight album. Fun fact: What is a party line? If you’re too young to know what a party line is, you’ve missed either a great irritation or a treat for people watchers and nosy neighbours everywhere . A shared landline such that you could find a conversation already in progress whenever you lifted the receiver, it could go either way. For a songwriter who focussed on people watching vignettes is a perfect gift.

It's good, but it's not close to their Arthur album.

Good

This was a fun album! I'm not sure if it's a classic, but I really enjoyed listening to it today. It put a spring in my step on the way to work! The bonus tracks made the album drag a little, but that's not the KINKS' fault!

obviosuly some great tunes but they only worked to bring it up to a 3

Basic Kinks. They've got better albums. Sunny Afternoon is an all-timer though.

Starting to tire of the 60s

It’s interesting that critics view this as the first concept album with its observations in English culture, social classes, and the music industry. I find it to be an upbeat album with great musicianship. The songs are short but the lyrics have a sense of satire on certain songs. Favorites include “Dandy” and “Session Man”.

Enjoyed the album, but still have that same criticism. Fade outs before the songs feel finished. Would love to hear the full takes of many of these songs.

Recently I have been listening to the music that changed the trajectory of the charts. In a time when the top spots were reserved for Bobby Vinton and Pat Boone, in 1964 along came The Beatles and changes everything. Along with this brought in the British Invasion. So by the time we get to 1966 (when the music is about to make yet another shift in the 60s) I feel albums like this sound just like another British band trying to get that hit Beatle sound. There are some good tracks, but I feel we need to hear some of that more raw Kinks when they first burst on the scene.

Not a bad album, but it is from a transitional period for the Kinks. They did much better work before and after this one.

Fun, but bothing that amazing. Might listen to it again.

ok

cute - rainy day in june is very nice

beatles lite

Still not a fan of this lot but I think their better albums are around the corner - we'll see...

Mullakin tuli Beatles tästä mieleen. Aikansa tuote. Ihan kivoja pätkiä ja autoa ajaessa taustamusiikkina meni hyvin, vinyylisoittimen lautaselle tämä tuskin päätyy.

No tää pitää laittaa aikansa konstekstiin ja ollu sillon kovaa kamaa. Muutama hauska ränttätänttä vieläkin

Aikautensa kuuloista britti poppirokkia. Beatleswiboja. Löytyy tältä bändiltä vähän rouheampaa soundiakin myöhemmiltä vuosilta, josta pidän enemmän.

Ihan menevää rantarokkia mutta ei päätynyt soittolistoille.

Some nice ones, but not enough to enjoy the album in its entirety.

It’s fine but the other three albums of theirs on the list clear it in every way, why is this here

Wow, totally off my radar, but genuinely very good. They simultaneously remind me both of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, although not as polished as either of them.

Didn't blow me away, wasn't bad either

This one had me Face to Face with the Little Miss Queen of Darkness while on Holiday in Waikiki on a Rainy Day in June.

Not exactly my cup of tea but feels pretty cool and experimental for the time it came out.

Straight mid

I only learned of party lines a few years ago. I was excited for the Kinks. But ultimately disappointed there was no Lola or Apeman on this album.

I feel like this is just before they really started being a band that I love, but the seeds are there

It's okay. I don't love it, but its not bad.

Pleasant enough, but I think once I'm done with this list of albums I likely won't be listening to british invasion music for the rest of my life.

Parmi la pléthore de groupe pop rock au accent psychédélique, The Kinks se démarque du lot avec des albums bien construits et des tounes plutôt catchy. Seul bémol: c’est mixé comme le cul, tout est au premier plan, ya vraiment aucune profondeur, guys! Comment voulez-vous battre les Beatles avec ça! Vous serez jamais au top chart les mecs!

It was good.

Some songs are Beatley, some are Stonesy. Overall, the album is more of a curiosity than something I’d choose to listen to again. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could.

5/10 - it was just boring and all the sounds sounded the same and a product of the time

Simpel gezegd heeft dit album best veel liedjes (14) waarvan er misschien 2 à 3 enigszins indruk maken. De rest van de tracks zijn prima te luisteren (ondanks dat het wel wat oud klinkt), maar het is toch wat vergeetbaar allemaal. Tussen de 3 en de 4 in. Ik hou het vandaag op 3 sterren.

Definitely found the second side of this album more interesting than the first. The rock songs on the first side, though all solid, got a bit repetitive but the second side really changed it up. Fine precursor to Village Green.

Thus far our oldest (3rd album into a long-ass career) and 4th early-period Kinks album ... it's often more of a challenge getting through early rock albums due to the rough mixes and this doesn't buck that trend. As for the songs I didn't know - it's nice in the exact way I'd have expected: a collection of polite-ish British...Kinks songs. It's fine - meaning I'm not sure I would go out of my way for this outside of a few tracks. I very much enjoyed their next few albums about to follow much more, as both the songwriting and production show improvement. You can see where they're about to go on this album even if many of the songs are pedestrian. Highlight: the easy answer maybe due to familiarity: "Sunny Afternoon" 5/10 3 stars.

...

I mean its better than most from the Britpop explosion but like... there can't be that many more now, can there (yes, yes there can be) 7/10

A few good songs. Not wild about most of it.

Some classic kinks like Sunday afternoon (which tbh isn’t that great) and some others that I had a pretty tepid reaction too. Overall just ok

Only 868 albums to go until Robert Dimery grants me permission to die

Not the best Kinks. I liked other albums way more. This one, other than a few fun songs, kinda went in one ear and out the other.

It's a really good album but I don't think it is an essential listen. There are some real flashes of brilliance, but those flashes just sound like Beatles imitations anyway.

3 maybe 4

Harpsichord, innit?

21 nummers??? WAUW en dan nog steeds onder het uur blijven. Tiktok muziek uit 1966, best wel indrukwekkend eigenlijk! Dit is dus gewoon al het 3e album van The Kinks, en ze zijn nog niet onder de 3 sterren gekomen voor mij. Best indrukwekkend als je bedenkt dat dit niet echt mijn muziek is normaal gesproken! Ik denk dat ik The Kinks best wel goed trek omdat je gewoon het plezier hoort. Niet alles is even goed, soms is de zang gewoon echt slecht, maar ik heb continue het idee dat deze gasten zelf het tenminste ontzettend naar hun zin hebben. Dat is iets wat ik dus echt mis bij heel veel bands! Ga wel zeggen dat ik dit het minste album vind dat ik tot nu toe van hen heb gehoord. Dit is echt gewoon te langdradig en niet 'raar' genoeg. De piano klinkt nog wel nice op de achtergrond maar toch vind ik het allemaal vrij meh. Het zegt denk ik genoeg dat ik na de eerste helft geen nummers meer heb opgeslagen, daarvoor was het allemaal te veel van hetzelfde. Sunny Afternoon is de 'grote hit' op het album en eerlijk? Ik snap het niet, het haalt alle persoonlijkheid van The Kinks er uit voor mij en is eerder een soort Beatles achtige kloon dan dat het echt iets unieks is. Gewoon niet voor mij, dat kan natuurlijk ook! Het is nog steeds niet slecht trouwens, ik vind dit album gewoon prima, 3 sterren voor redelijke middelmaat, ik had gewoon op iets meer gehoopt na 2 best goede albums. FAVO: Dandy, A house in the country

3.5

The Kinks! Another band from rock’s earlier years often noted as very influential for years to come. I definitely cannot argue with that. I feel this has a rawer sound that some other rock acts from this time. And because of that, the rawness feel intentional, rather than a by product of poor recording equipment. In all, a very enjoyable album with catchy hooks that I could see myself occasionally coming back to.

Los Kinks siempre son simpáticos de escuchar, pero tampoco saco mucho de esta escucha. Me ha gustado, está bien, pero no hay nada nuevo que destacar. Canción destacada: Sunny Afternoon

Heel erg jaren '60. Toch heb ik me hier niet echt aan gestoord. Het meeste is meer een vergeetbare 3. Al heb ik nu wel Dandy...Dándy in mijn hoofd. Een vergeetbare 3 dus. Wellicht het meest haalbare in dit genre.

While the recording quality is sustainability poor, representing this period, the sound is different enough from other contemporary music to enjoy.

Better than their really twee stuff. Best song wasn't on the album, just the extras: I'm Not Like Everybody Else

A Kinks album which I’m familiar with apart from the big hit single Sunny Afternoon. This is so quintessentially English it smells of toasted muffins and Earl Grey tea. It also sets the standard for the rest of the album. I’ve decided that I do not have enough of the Kinks in my life. When this album was released there were so many other groups around which I preferred The Kinks slipped the net. As this is the third Kinks album on this list I am grateful to the 1001 Gods to reintroducing me to them and realising what I have missed. 3/5 8/3/25

Sounds like a bunch of mid tier Beatles tracks I like the Kinks, but there's not much here I'd remember after it was over.

No tämä on Kinksia ja 60-lukua tämä. Mukavaa kuunneltavaa, hyvin taitavaa, keveää mutta ajateltua ja uudistavaa. Ei edelleenkään silti mun genre, jotta jaksaisin innostua. Mikään biisi ei nostata, että ”jes!” Siksi en melkein uskalla antaa kolmosta… mutta muuhun verrattuna ei niin plääh.

Party Line on kova biisi yllättävällä mollikoukulla, ja House in the Country on rock and rollia, jota ei voi kutsua muulla sanalla kuin "ilahduttava". Kaiken kaikkiaan levy saattaa olla bändin paras, vaikka vetonaula Sunny Afternoon ei ylläkään Waterloo Sunsetin tasolle (vastaväitteitä ei kuunnella). Miinukset: B-puolen täytebiisit; bändin perusolemukseen kuuluva taipumus 60-lukulaiseen hupailuun. 3,5

= The Beatles This band wants to be the Beatles so bad

Not my favorite Kinks

Okay.

Nice

Only heard Village Green in full before, and from this album Sunny Afternoon. Face to Face is a good album but I'm a Village Green girl 3/5

Nice to listen to album. Like listening to a Beatles record if you didn’t know any Beatles music. I feel like I’ve heard similar albums from similar artists so I’m not sure why this one is singled out but I’m sure it’s my lack of knowledge.

3. Nothing stood out to me.

I like the Kinks, they're fun. But beyond Sunny Afternoon, a lot of the songwriting is like if a youth pastor got stoned and tried to write Beatles songs. That said, it bops. If you turn your brain off and/or get stoned, it's fun.

Classic Kinks - good but on the second tier of the British bands of the time.

The Kinks are kinked—like mean-spirited Beatles. Here for it!

Good, not great. Fun to bop to.

Pretty good, but held back by a limited sonic palette.

Oh look—a concept album. You can’t convince me that Party Line isn’t a Beatles song.

Turns out, The Kinks have a million songs. I'm a Kinks fan now.

good

Meh, it’s ok. Sunny Afternoon is great but not sure there’s much else here

I'm generally in The Kinks corner, but that album kinda dragged for me. I agree with Magilla's assessment of the first and second half. I wasn't really into anything till around Rainy Day in June. I liked it more after that, but didn't connect with much. Sunny Afternoon is a true classic, and it makes the album. I just wish more songs lived up to it. Album Cover (A-) The 60s you say?

Decent, except for sunny afternoon which is outstanding 3.3

quite fun listen, wasn't super aware of the kinks but definitely ahead of their time. 6/10

Very 60's as expected. Not really my style but the album is fine.

Decently poppy 60s rock album. Not the best, not the worst.

The Kinks heeft een speciaal plekje in mijn hart, en dan vooral door hun individuele nummers, en niet zo zeer om hun volmaakte albums. 'The Village Green Preservation Society' en 'Arthur' daargelaten, want dat zijn sensationele concept albums. Dit album is wat dat betreft meer typisch in hun discografie. Het kabbelt lekker voort. Meer filler dan hits, maar de hits zijn ook wel echt heel erg raak. Ze zakken voor mij nooit door een ondergrens, en de albums scoren daardoor altijd wel minimaal een 6,5 (t/m Lola versus Powerman), maar echt speciale dingen laten ze over de gehele lengte van een album niet zo vaak horen. Over de gehele lengte van hun discografie echter wel, maar dat is een ander verhaal. Deze krijgt een 7, omdat het wel een belangrijke plaat was in aanloop naar de 'Summer of Love' psychedelia explosie, en omdat hij het wel lekker deed met het zonnetje in m'n smoel. 7/10 Highlights: Rosy Won't You Please Come Home Too Much on My Mind Sunny Afternoon

Perfect voor een namiddag in een lentezonnetje. Onder een dekentje op een koude woensdagochtend werkt het dan toch niet wat minder. Maar dan toch, Face to Face is erg Beatlesque en even verplaatsend naar 1965/1966 is dit een straf plaatje. Misschien wat softer dan ander werk van the Kinks, en niet elk nummer is raak. Maar the Kinks is kwaliteit en dit was gewoon wel vermakelijk. 7,5/10 Highlights Sunny Afternoon

Fine. The Kinks are great and I love some of their albums, but not this one. This album has a few good songs on it but overall it did not grab me and was a little boring.

I wanted to like this way more than I did, it's the Kinks! I think it's time to fess up that I only really like those original singles. The era of Kinks get a ton of praise for song writing, which I don't dispute, but they're not all that much to listen to.

First time listen to this album pleasant surprise.

Pleasant enough

I like the Kinks quite a bit. The funny thing about it is that their music, bass lines, and harmonies all work well together all while the vocal style sounds like they are just half-passing it. There's an irony there. Good stuff.

Some cool moments, but a lot of same-y songs.

Sounds like all the other Kinks albums. I'm thinking the maker of this list has a Kinks kink. 3/5

I haven’t been much a fan of the Kinks albums I’ve gotten previously; while there were some tracks I found annoying here, too, there were also some that were surprisingly enjoyable. Maybe my favorite of theirs so far. Best tracks: Sunny Afternoon, Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home, Fancy

Solides Sixties Album mit klassischem Beat und einigen Pop-Elementen. Neben dem Paradesong „Sunny Afternoon“ stach noch „Dandy“ hervor. Es ist aber kein Album, das überdurchschnittlich zu gefallen weiß.

This album was fun. It came out a few months after "Revolver" and the Beatles influence is definitely there. "Party Line" VERY easily could have been a Beatles tune. Unfortunately I feel like the first half of the album doesn't sound as well as the back half/deluxe songs (Specifically from "Sunny Afternoon" to "Big Black Smoke"). "Dandy" wasn't good at all lol. "A House In the Country" is soooooo good tho. I am torn on this album because I feel the first half isnt GREAT, but then it keeps getting better the more you listen. I think I like earlier songs by "The Kinks" more overall. Actual rating 3.5 Liked Songs: "Party Line" , "Session Man" , "A House In the Country" , "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale" , "Little Miss Queen of Darkness" , "Sunny Afternoon" , "I'll Remember" , "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" , "Dead End Street" , "Big Black Smoke" , "Mr. Reporter"

Average album by an average band, placing comfortably somewhere in the (lower) middle of the list presented by whoever. It was entirely okay, but I forgot everything about it couple hours after listening.

3.25

Huh, Second Kinks in 4 days [no.418 and 415\ and in a ting of 2s and 3a - bore ass albums.Doesn't break the trend, however this is much mire poppy and upbeat - early Kinks as they try to find their voice. Surprises within, Sunny Afternoon pushes it to a 3

I would listen to this album over and over. I love the sixties vibe. No standouts, but very enjoyable to listen to.

This album was okay. Nothing really jumped out at me. 3 stars

Sounds just like The Beatles to me. It’s not as interesting as their later album (…the Village Green Preservation Society), so it doesn’t do a lot for me.

I was surprised at how catchy the first third of the songs in the album were, but then they started getting very generic. Overall, it was an okay album and it would have been even cooler-sounding back in the late 60s when it came out.

Definitely felt the Beatles vibe on this one. It was decent.

Like others who commented i feel like I heard a Beatles influence in the music and themes, however the album does stand on its own. The lyrics, in general, are above grade with a couple of exceptions.

seems to me they kept getting better on the first few albums, and this means this one wasnt that big of a deal, at least for me. its funny that this sent me their 3 almost consecutive albums in reverse release order

Not bad but didn't particularly love. Another album that reminds me of the Beatles.

Pretty stock 60s rock to my ears. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't too memorable.

the kinks are all right 3/5

It's fun to imagine young people listening to this back in the day, and their parents shaking their heads in disbelief.

Not my favorite stuff from them, but pretty enjoyable nonetheless.

Couple great songs, mostly mediocre overall.

I’ve always been aware of the kinks but never really listened to them that much. I didn’t realise how much they sounded like the Beatles! Good vibes

1966 was a good year for writing songs about taxes huh. Most of the 60s music that is nostalgic for other folks my age because their parents are core era boomers is lost to me. "Sunny Afternoon" has ended up in my nostalgia wheelhouse bc Jimmy Buffett covered it on his 1994 album "Fruitcakes" which was one of the first CDs my dad bought.

A very psychedelic sound so maybe this was ahead of it’s time for the 60’s. Pleasant but kind of one note for me, I can’t really pick out any standouts.

Interesting as a pseudo concept album, wish they could have had more control over production to lean into the tying everything together.

Totally fine.

A solid album though sounds very much like many of it's contemporaries. No complaints though. 3/5

It's good, but The Kinks have just done so much better.

Good album. Nothing objectively bad about it, just nothing that really sets it apart from the other 60's Brit-pop. 3/5 Might listen again

The Kinks are another version of The Beatles, and this album is no exception. Nothing on here is earth-shattering. It's a mid-tier album. Favorite Song: "Rainy Day In June"

I only knew Sunny Afternoon from this one, but pretty good stuff.

Was getting Beatles vibes from this one, it felt fairly average.

Some British punk music for sure.

3 - not bad, just feels like a beetles copy

Este disco me hace acordar a los Beatles. Tiene temas realmente muy buenos, pero otros un tanto básicos.

Quintessential Kinks: reminiscent of Big Pink from the Band in that it's music from the people, improved upon and altered, and returned to them with good faith. I always forget they're actually brothers but I love that. Very fun, very light, wildly impactful 3.5/5

I wonder to what extent it's familiarity, but Sunny Afternoon is head and shoulders above the other tracks on this album. The rest are good, but not memorable in the same way. A solid 3.

I’ve heard better Kinks records. This was just okay to me.

I should like the Kinks more than I do but I don't so what can you do? This record is fine, most of their records are fine they just never blew me away with any of them

I was just sad i wasnt listening to the beatles

kennt man ein kinks album, kennt man alle

Kinks are a classic. Never heard any of these tracks. Take that back I know sunny afternoon. Seems pretty typical for the mid sixties. I’m sure there is some importance here but not interested enough to research. Also I’m not listening to the bonus tracks. So there.

Whether I actively listen to them or not, The Kinks are no doubt a very important band in the history and evolution of the 60s British Invasion. But they weren’t always as highly regarded for their creativity as they are now. Which is where this record comes in. It took a couple years and quite a few albums for them to really make waves in the industry as songwriters. I was not initially aware of this, but they were actually quite successful at the beginning of their career, especially with You Really Got Me, and even released five albums in the span of two years. But Face to Face was definitely the turning point, because they’d be on a roll from here on out until the beginning of the 70s. Much like the band Small Faces that I spoke about not too long ago, The Kinks were also a big part of the modernist youth subculture that was growing at the time. From the brief amount of music I’ve heard, I’ve learned to embrace and even appreciate how unapologetically weird this band tends to be. Even down to the conventions of their album names, they represent the quirkiness that ran rampant in this decade. And this carefree nature allows their creativity to really flourish. Best example I can give is that they are one of the few bands I’ve heard who can make the harpsichord not sound ridiculous and out of place in a rock context like this. I guess I don’t really have gripes with any specific aspect of this. Sunny Afternoon is a standout song, and feels oddly nostalgic and familiar for some reason. But of course, like many records before it, this falls in line with that same sound that has become far beyond saturated for me. So I don’t know if I see myself coming back to any other part of this. Rating: 6/10

It didn't stand out much. It was okay

Quite a few good songs but not as consistent as their other albums

fairly standard stuff, pretty foundational psychedelic shit. Somewhat repetitive in places but would go insanely hard as the soundtrack to like a sunday barbecue. 1.) too much on my mind 2.) dandy 3.) sunny afternoon

Middle of the road fare. Some enjoyable tracks, some real clunkers. Nothing that really stands out against other 60s britpop as new or innovative. Solid 3

Love the Kinks, but I'm not crazy about this one. I'd rather listen to some of the singles rather that the full thing.

Ok, but would not listen again 3/5

Waffles are better than pancakes in almost every conceivable way, they have structure, and pockets for butter and syrup, along with an excellent uniform crispiness. Then you have pancakes, which seem to attract a large following while being the inferior batter. Given the choice between the two it’s an ez choice. However, I’m not going to turn down pancakes either. The kinks are pancakes.

I actually kinda mess with this one, or at least some songs on this one. Session Man is a very fun meta song without getting too lost in its own joke. I think I’ve heard Sunny Afternoon a few times before as well. Some highlights, some songs shouldn’t have made the cut, but at least there are some memorable, very Beatles-inspired moments.

Two greats and some other good stuff.

Ok

197/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

This album surprised me. I enjoyed it. I didn’t expect to.

Pretty mid unfortunately. None of these songs stand out to me at all, in fact they are pretty tedious to listen to. Sunny Afternoon and I'll Remember are the best songs on the record and sadly they're at the very end. 3.

60s britpop overshadowed by the greats. Alright, just had me in the mood for The Beatles.

Not my favourite The Kinks album by a long shot. but still not bad. "Sunny Afternoon" brings it up to a three.

Enjoyable. Helps me connect the dots with 60s and britpop and garage/indie rock of the 90s and 00s. I really liked it. Quirky lyrics. Sunny Afternoon an obvious highlight but other good songs on here. I like the Britishness of it.

Chipper, poppy, dated

Kinks on parhaimmillaan, ku ne vähän revittelee. Tällä levyllä sitä oli vähän (ehkä normaali määrä, ei oo levyt tuttuja). Vähän jäi laimeaksi, mutta letkeydellään ansaitut 2,5 tähtee = 3

Jangly 60s power pop with a bit of Dylan and a bit of psychedelia and a lot of Beatles. Mostly bright and uptempo with short songs and pitchy lightly fuzzy guitar but some tracks with drones and slower folkier sound

Doesn't sound like The Kinks. Fairly generic Britrock.

No real big hits on this album but it was a pleasant listen. Pretty good overall maybe a 3.5

Classic band, ok album.

Reminded me a lot to the Beatles. But I guess I'm a bit older now. 6/10

I liiiike this. Like beatles and pink floyd combined in a way

Another britrock band with a good album but no standout tracks. You might even think you’re listening to the beatles if you’re not paying attention

First Kinks album on the list I quite liked.

So very British. I wish I had the lens to look at these guys when they released this. It seems like they just went with safe Beatles mimicry, but it could be something that stood alone.

Holy harpsichord, Batman!!! From what I’ve been exposed to so far, The Kinks clearly write great songs. I support their British-focused psychedelic efforts more than The Beatles, that’s for sure. That said, this is still veryyyy much a psychedelic record, and sounds very distinctly stuck in the mid-‘60s. So even though I like the Kinks in general and like parts of everything on here, Face to Face still fits within an aesthetic and vibe I generally hate. That vibe forces them to add in flourishes that I genuinely find distracting, and it makes for a hard listen overall. Not to say it’s all negative; there’s elements to every song here that I like, and there’s some songs that I’ll be returning to frequently (“Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home,” “House in the Country,” and “You’re Looking Fine”). Most of this record is just songs that I like but don’t love, though, with some songs I straight up find annoying – “Dandy” and “Fancy,” in particular. Side B is especially rough on my ears, but does end strong. Face to Face is strong, but I wish it was stronger. It’s clear this is a transitional album, and that’s fine, but that results in spotty growing pains. Growing pains are fine once I’m sold into being a completionist for a band, but not essential. Face to Face is good, but it’s not going to make you a Kinks Konvert. I’ll probably revisit this once I finish their entries on this list and decide to dive into the Kink’s full discography, but even though I now know it’s good, I also know that even on a revisit, it’ll never be my favorite record by them.

I love the Kinks. This is not their best album. It’s an ok album. Just like mayonnaise is ok.

Yeah this is cool. Very Beatles/Monkees feel. I’ve never heard this album but I dig it.

Decent album

Kinda like the Beatles but not as good

Party Line sounds so much like a Beatles song but also it's hilarious in that wondering if "she's a she at all" would come back during the internet era. Wonder how many people who listen to this nowadays even know what a party line is/was. Holiday in Waikiki is pretty good. Can't say any of the rest of this was memorable; it mostly sounds like Beatles songs (which is unfair; The Kinks are not a derivative band by any stretch but still.)

Started off great with the first track then it mellowed out a bit throughout the album but I thought it was still a good listen. I was expecting something a bit more from the rest of the record. It ended off solidly with the two last songs though. Best - Party Line, Session Man, Sunny Afternoon, and I'll Remember Worst - no bad songs (although some were a bit of a drag) 3.00-3.25/5

Kinda fun. Liked Little Queen of Darness and Sunny Afternoon the most. Some of it was too 60’s for me though.

It's all good.

This was ok, i liked sunny afternoon

This was not my favorite Kinks album. For some reason it didn't grab me.

I like the Kinks and their brand of Cockney 'kitchen-Sink' dramas. Very 60's and influential although it's not 100% my cup of tea.

I was reading other reviews and came across this review which I felt couldn't describe my feelings better so going to copy here! "You could be forgiven for forgetting that you're not listening to The Beatles or The Rolling Stones or any of a half-dozen britrock bands. There are some bands that are just pillars of a time and place. The Kinks seem to just bounce around in the in-between spaces that aren't occupied by the greats. They don't offer anything really new or unique to the britrock scene. They're just sort of filler. Not that the album is bad. It's not bad by any measure. There's a lot of good stuff on here. There just aren't any tracks that stand out. In every case, someone else did it better."

This is good, especially for '66, but it's got a lot in common with a sandwich. Party Line and Sunny afternoon are massive highlights, but the inside of the sandwich just gets a bit bland after a while. There's a lot of good here, and an insane amount of creativity that makes this enjoyable to listen to. There's just some drag with tracks like Dandy and Rain Day in June that just get annoying on second listen. Some of the second half is fairly forgettable, and I don't really have a desire to come back to this one.

This album is fine it’s just somewhat simple. Lots of harpsichord. My favorites were Party Line, Session Man, and Sunny Afternoon.

Bien. Estilo The Beatles.

I dig this energy! Some of these are familiar or maybe just been ripped off over time. Glad I finally got to listen to it!

Good, not particularly my style but it was good

Pretty good. Got early Rolling Stones vibes, esp on Holiday in Waikiki. Not bad overall, ran through it twice. Don't think it'll be on the regular rotation, it's a smidge droney on some tracks for me.

Sounds old, somewhat Beatles-ish. Typical 60’s sound.

Perfectly fine 60s pop rock by why listen to this when there is far more interesting stuff out there from this time period. Sunny Afternoon is an utter classic though 3.5*

I am a big fan of a large handful of Kinks songs, but have never really sat down with an album - and from what I can tell this probably wasn’t their biggest or best albums. A few lyrics and tracks come off as a bit outdated, which felt unfair to judge them on, but I don’t get that feeling from some other music from the same era. Definitely some gems in there that bring up the scorecard though - namely ‘Sunny Afternoon’ which is a bit of an all time classic in the Lovesey family lore if you ask me. That song will always remind me of boiled eggs and salad cream in the garden at Wickery Dene and High Street 😆

Fun 60s rock and roll album.

Grandfathers of britpop, jangly and eclectic, and one with Sunny Afternoon, one of the best pop songs ever. Damon Albarn took notes while listening.

I have a coworker who claims that the Kinks would've been bigger than the Beatles had they not been banned from America... I have a hard time disagreeing. The music here is catchy, but I definitely think the psych-pop of the Beatles went a bit further, time wise, than the baroque stylings here. The music is well-written, but I'm still not fully won-over by the Kinks. Favorite tracks: "Holiday In Waikiki", "Sunny Afternoon"

This album is an okay listen but nothing really stands out for me so I guess 3 stars or C seems a suitabie rating.

Listenable - a couple of standouts. An old work colleague said this was her favorite band, and I didn't know much about their early stuff other than 'Lola', but 'Come Dancing' was a fave of mine in 1983. They seemed like a fun band.

Set aside Sunny Afternoon and it's a lovely summary of when the beat boom was just going a little psychedelic, which in the Kinks Kase was bringing their inner music hall and its tradition of social observation and humour into the mix. Solid 3.5.

a little jaunty and more upbeat than what I've been getting, its fine brit pop. it also has a couple weird songs which makes things interesting. Session Man amd Holiday in Waikiki in particular. nonsensical but why the hell not?

Pretty standard classic British pop music. Dandy stands out!

Fine. Casual fun listen, not bad at all but also no stand outs

Blueberry Pancakes

Rock historians have credited the album as one of the first rock/pop concept albums, with the loose common theme of social observation. I never liked the idea of something being a concept album just because the songs have a common theme. In my mind, a concept album tells a story. By that reasoning, any guy that sings songs about getting with a girl could call it a concept album. Saying that, (and I am a fan of the Kinks) a lot of the songs just don't stick out for me. "Sunny Afternoon" is catchy but I knew it from before. Most of the others felt kinda forgettable for me, and that's NEVER good. But the 60s Kinks never grabbed me anyway. I'll give it three because it's still the Kinks, but it just doesn't stand out for me at all.

Really not sure what to make of this album. I love the hard rocking songs from the Kinks that marked their earliest work (You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night) and I also like their poppier A Well Respected Man that came out just before this album. This is more like the latter. It sounds a lot like the Beatles to be honest, though not as good. Still good, but great? No. Very good? I can't decide. They mix in more instruments and stylings like the Beatles and they do some harmonizing too (though maybe that's more layering Ray Davies' voice than pairing it with Dave Davies). Reading up on the album it is apparently an early concept album and part of the psychedelic movement. The former I dispute, as I just hear disconnected songs about British life (Britpop for a generation earlier). The latter may be why I don't like this as much as other work by the Kinks. Party Line and Dandy have fun and edge to it, and Rosy Won't You Please Come Home is decent in between those two. But I don't know how I feel about the rest of side one - too much harpsichord and weird effects? House in the Country was a nice rocker, and got me back to feeling the good vibes from the first 3 songs. And then side two - Holiday in Waikiki was okay but felt like what you get when you try to put the Beatles and the Beach Boys together. Fancy felt like they were absolutely trying to emulate the Beatles and show they could play other instruments. I don't know if I like it or feel like it's a ripoff. Little Miss Queen of Darkness sounds a lot like Sunny Afternoon, which isn't a bad thing because the latter is a good song. But why so similar? Like side one, they close well with I'll Remember. When I step back, I feel like I'm not hearing novel sounds on this album. But then I might be forgetting how much the Kinks shaped other bands of this time (not the Beatles, but Badfinger et al.) and that I'm remembering a whole genre after the fact when they were key in creating that genre. I definitely liked the album more and more on each listen. But I think it's a 3.5. I listened to a couple of their next albums and think I like them better, even though they further depart from early Kinks sounds. So I'm going to save higher scores for those later albums.

The Kinks are a fantastic Beatles cover band. That’s not completely an insult. It’s 1966, if you can emulate the best band in the world this well, you should. Party Line really sets the tone, Sunny afternoon is so deep in the playlist, it’s a bit long over 7.3/10

Quite enjoyable jangly Beatles inspired tunes

I was familiar with Sunny Afternoon, it was a song I learnt as a teenager playing guitar, and I had a particular liking for Dead End Street. An alright album of classic British rock but not worth a repeat spin.

Sunny Afternoon

Cookie cutter 60s stuff, but an enjoyable listen nevertheless.

very much beatles-esque. not a bad thing, but i've heard better from the kinks. my favourite songs off of this album would probably be little miss queen of darkness and sunny afternoon.

An album that does many things. Most of them right. None of them exceptional. Very Beatles-esque classic 60s Rock, Psychedelic Rock, a mixture of both and a rather unique Kinks sound, especially in "Sunny Afternoon", which is the clear highlight of the album for me. However, when there are 20 tracks on the first disc (I didn't even bother with the second), the quality of the album overall is inevitably diluted and it appears bloated.

Pleasant pop not super inspiring

Some songs are great while others are just okay

I'm real done with basically all the britpop on this list. It's fine, but I'm not listening to the whole album today.

Great album for the time, varied. Not the best Kinks album. Sunday Afternoon is a classic

The Kinks make me think of my dad, so this album is kinda comforting, even if it’s not really what I’d normally listen to.

Alright, The Kinks have always felt a little derivative to me though, like a more meh version of The Beatles

Pretty basic. Too many songs.

Okay. Thought it would be better. Seems like a left turn influenced by the beatles left turn but not as successful

Enjoyed Sunny Afternoon but the rest are just "ok".

This is so much like the Beatles, I can't tell who ripped off who lol Nice album though, and I think one of these songs was in Juno?

Solid album.

party line most exclusive residence for sale sunny afternoon

Listenable

I prefer their stuff that rocks a bit harder, but this has some nice songs.

This sounded familiar but not sure why (maybe all Kinks music sounds familiar)?

This is the first of 5 albums consecutively released by the group considered by many, myself included, to be the group’s peak. This is by far the weakest of the 5 but still has many fine moments, especially Sunny Afternoon, perhaps the finest example of Ray Davies’ chronicling of middle class British life in the 60’s. Albums 2-3-4 of the 5 are part of the 1001 albums, so hopefully we’ll get them down the line. They are all masterpieces.

Okay, not *everything* on this sounded the same, but I was nervous for maybe the first four or five songs, and “Mr. Pleasant” both sounds like a kinks song and has the perfect name for a kinks song. Entirely pleasant, 3.5, couldn’t bring myself to give it a 4.

4/10/24. Very Beatles-like, or perhaps I'm realizing this was the dominant sound of Rock in the 60s UK, but the Beatles get all the credit for it. Very good production and arrangements, Sunny Afternoon is a standout for me.

This is British Invasion, "Beatles Lite" stuff. I like the Kinks' sound and this is not their best work, although I do like some of the writing on here.

- eh - sounds very classic but decent energy

- they tend to sing about mundane stuff - enjoyable and British - nothing I’d really come back to

I have some trouble with this simple early era of rock/pop from the 60s, but this was a pleasant enough listen. Definitely heard 'Sunny Afternoon' in various places before but it's nice to put a band and album to it. Songwriting is good but it blends together a bit by the end.

I feel like this may not be their top album but I don't know them that well. Some good sound but not the tightest album. Sunny Afternoon is a classic.

I don't know what it is but this album feels hack. Okay, this is satirical. I'm not like Everybody Else is a catchy tune. This is Where I Belong is pretty good. Now I'm just depressed, nothing that they are pointing out with satire has changed and this came out in 1966.

I have always liked the Kinks and have an album of theirs as it is. This one is from WAY before I tuned in to them, and serves to make me think of how underrated I myself have made them. I have a couple of late 70's early 80's albums, but this is their third and it is from 1966 (no wonder the Beatles feel to it). It makes me kind of feel bad for not paying more attention. Well, better late than never!

Perfectly fine very English sounding 60s pop with some great highs (Little Miss Queen of Darkness, Sunny Afternoon) and some dull but inoffensive bits of lava lamp music (You're Looking Fine). Not my favorite bit of the Kinks catalog, but an appropriate soundtrack for Sunday morning coffee

Not my band. Really heard sounds like John Lennon and The Rolling Stones. Karen said she saw a Kinks show in the ‘80s.

I'm not a huge fan of the psychedelic period, but these guys could harmonize well. Enjoyed a couple of songs; the rest sort of merged together.

This reminded me of my childhood riding in the car with my dad. Don’t know if he played this album but it sure feels like it. Another 3 star.

Ive always felt the Kinks were a second tier Beatles. This album like all the others are very good. Still I feel they became the Minks once the beatles were out of the picture. Thos is a really good album very easy to listen to and flowing amazingly. By 1972 I feel they became a better band without the beatles pressure. Was a different kind of pressure all about taking the vacant spot. They did well I like em but this album its not my favorite. Still aweso E and freat musicianship from all members. Really good band

As my daughter said as we listened: Why does every band from the 60s sound like The Beatles? Just because!

I get it. Kitschy, easy to understand pop/rock. It feels like a less sleazy version of the Rolling Stones, a bit. A precursor to Vampire Weekend.

Interesting. They sound a lot like the Beatles and the Monkeys. I liked it

Apparently this is what music sounded like in the mid-60s. I'm not sure who was writing for whom and whether the path of musical inspiration only ever went in one direction. Anyway, I really liked a few tracks on the album. Sunny Afternoon is one of my favorites. I was also pleased to hear Dandy again. But all in all, it's not enough to get into the higher ranks. 3/5

2.5 Great Value Beatles at it again

Nice rock

150 albums. I wasn't sure I'd get this far. This is actually the first 50-album milestone where I've gotten an album from an artist I had already gotten! 50th was my first Def Leppard album and 100th was my first T Rex album, but Face to Face is not my first album from The Kinks. I listened to Village Green Preservation Society about a month and half ago and I really liked it! So, how does Face to Face compare? Well, it's definitely an earlier album of theirs, that's for sure. It kind of gives of similar vibes to earlier Beatles work. It's good, but not nearly as groundbreaking and top-notch as later work. There are things that I really liked about Village Green that are here in Face to Face, but in a way that isn't as refined as it would be in later work. There is a variety of songs in terms of writing and sound, but there aren't as many songs that truly stand out. In fact, the only song on this album that's really seemed to make an impact is Sunny Afternoon. That song is great, and there are other really good songs too, but this album isn't really anything spectacular. I like the sound and singing, but as stated earlier, it does feel a bit too similar to early Beatles. The writing is quite good. I do like it. Overall, while Village Green is still a much more noteworthy and better album, Face to Face is still a solid collection of songs with a loose theme to tie them together. High 3/5.

3/5. Much better than I was expecting, it's happy-go-lucky energy through me off but most of these are just well written pop songs. Short and sweet. Although not game changing for me, this was enjoyable and was nice to hear something that felt unique despite the overabundance of same style of music from this era.

I get that the Kinks are "important," but not sure I got this album. Looking forward to revisiting it and hearing Something Else and Village Green Preservation Society, have enjoyed those in the past.

I know many of The Kinks' hits, but haven't ever spent time with any of their albums start to finish. So far, this one is classic late-60s pop rock. Lots of stuff that I like about this. 3/5

Old timey 60’s pop from one of the bands that shaped the sound. A decent listen but I’ve never been a big Kinks fan.

Solid! Definitely wouldn’t mind this being played somewhere.

A more mello verion of the Beatles + CCR. Soothing and relaxing music. Not something I would listen to again.

It was Ok - I liked ‘Rainy Day in June’ but that was about it

Sunny afternoon is great, everything else was ok.

So a few albums ago I listened to The Clash and reflected how it reminded me of U.K. Mod rock from the 1960’s. Now The Kinks Face to Face album is generated and it to a great extent confirms that thought (at least to me). The ‘punk’ of the late 70’s and early 80’s was kind of a rehash of this rebellious mod vibe. That being said, The Kinks have some classics but this album as a whole is just okay. I have a hard time accepting it is one that one must listen to.

Like Sunny Afternoon, could leave the rest of this

2 brilliant, classic Kinks Song, Dandy and Sunny Afternoon and mostly disappointing other songs in a style the Beatles did it much better.