Record Reviews

KINKS ~ ARTHUR (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 273227 (Barcode: 602527322742) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 - 1969 Released: 2011 This is the 7th album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Quaife´s replacement John DaltonFind albums by this artist is heard on this album for the first time. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, that in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album continues the new phase for the group, which developed a completely unique approach to writing music, which now included elements of Psychedelia and other influences. The lyrics were full of social commentary and concentrated on British society, history and way of life, often being quite sarcastic and critical. Although not a concept album as such, it was conceived and recorded as a soundtrack for a TV movie, which eventually was never made. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, alternate takes, outtakes, mono and stereo versions and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

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KINKS ~ AT THE BBC SANCTUARY 602527972183 (Barcode: 602527972183) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1964 - 1994 Released: 2012 This incredible Box Set compiles the BBC radio and TV recordings by one of the greatest British Pop / Rock groups The KinksFind albums by this artist, captured for posterity between 1964 and 1994; a thirty years period of superb songwriting and performing. The BBC vaults prove yet again to be a seemingly endless source of musical delights and perhaps the most important archive of British music history, which has absolutely no parallels. The sound quality of these recordings, as usual with the BBC recordings, is simply superb and often better than or at least as good as the studio recordings by the same artists done at the same period. Considering the fact that all these are live recordings, with no overdubs, re-recordings and other studio tricks, they are the true mirror of the performing skills of the artists involved, which is an invaluable historic testimony. The Kinks, led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (the group´s principal composer) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist were of course an incredible band, which created a massive amount of fantastic music and overshadowed most other British acts by their talents, quality, versatility and artistic consistency. Ray´s outstanding composing gift puts him on a pedestal of the most creative British songwriters of the Pop / Rock era, equaled by only few others and vastly superior to many others, who are (in retrospect) more popular and successful. Both The Kinks and Ray Davies are vastly underrated by music critics and fans alike, mostly because their music was always more complex and sophisticated than that of their contemporaries. These BBC recordings present a wonderful chronological sequence, which shows the group developing rapidly from young and energetic rebels to masters of their trade, with ever more stylish and complex artistic outlook. They wonderfully combined the British wry sense of humor, social awareness and other subject matter, which was often avoided by other Pop / Rock artists and were always faithful to their own musical ideas, avoiding fads and fashions and managing to stay aloft. This Box Set is an excellent opportunity to take another look at The Kinks and perhaps finally grant them the respect and admiration they so much deserve. This is a Limited Edition item (including 5 CDs and a DVD), so it will be probably out of print by the time you read these words, but if you are a true Pop / Rock music lover, and you can lay your hands on a copy of this Box Set, don´t hesitate even for a heartbeat before grabbing it. It is bigger than life!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD+DVD 6 Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ FACE TO FACE (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 277262 (Barcode: 602527726205) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1966 Released: 2011 This is the 4th album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, that in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album presents a new phase for the group, which developed a completely unique approach to writing music, which now included elements of Psychedelia and other influences. The lyrics were full of social commentary and concentrated on British society, history and way of life, often being quite sarcastic and critical. Although not a concept album as such, it points the way towards the future release, which will be concept albums. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, EPs, alternate takes, outtakes, mono and stereo versions and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ KINDA KINKS (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 275632 (Barcode: 602527563268) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1965 Released: 2011 This is the 2nd album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, that in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album presents the group crystallizing their unique style and voicing and moving almost completely to performing original songs written by Ray. The Kinks were amongst the first British groups to perform and record self-penned songs and this album includes only two covers. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, EPs, alternate takes, outtakes, mono and stereo versions and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ KINKS (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 275627 (Barcode: 602527562742) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1964 Released: 2011 This is the 1st album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, that in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album presents the first steps of the band, performing a mixture of covers of Rhythm And Blues material and original songs written by Ray. The Kinks were amongst the first British groups to perform and record self-penned songs. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, EPs, alternate takes, outtakes, mono and stereo versions and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ LOLA VERSUS POWERMAN AND THE MONEYGOROUND / PERCY (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 888430895928 (Barcode: 888430895928) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the eighth and last great album by the British Pop / Rock legends The KinksFind albums by this artist, formed and led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist. For this reissue it is coupled with the next, ninth album, which was a soundtrack of the movie of the same name. Placing the two albums together into one package makes perfect sense, as they were recorded only a couple of months apart and stylistically present almost inseparable musical ideas. As all the Deluxe editions, this one also includes a plethora of bonus material, most of it previously unreleased. These were the last two albums The Kinks recorded for the PyeFind albums on this label Records label and for their next album, the true swan song called "Muswell HillbilliesFind albums with this title", they´d switch to RCAFind albums on this label Records. Even if The Kinks were already past their creative apex at the time this music was recorded, they were still one of the best Pop / Rock bands and songwriting talents on the British scene and this music lost nothing of its quality and vitality over time. The songs from this album, which were released as singles, remain in the collective memory of the 1960s / 1970s generation as an integral part of its life´s soundtrack, your humble scribe included. For The Kinks enthusiasts this is an absolute must, for others, who still appreciate great music created before the collapse of Culture, definitely something worth investigating and remembering. This is a nice remaster and archival piece of history of the music that is no more.

Updated: 29/01/2019Posted:

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ MISFITS BMG 4099964062373 (Barcode: 4099964062373) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1977 - 1978 Released: 2024 This is a reissue / remaster of the 17th studio album by the seminal British Rock group The KinksFind albums by this artist. The lineup includes vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist, his brother vocalist / guitarist Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John GoslingFind albums by this artist, bassists John DaltonFind albums by this artist / Andy PyleFind albums by this artist (who replaced Dalton) and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, nine written by Ray Davies and one written by Dave Davies. Four of the songs were “leftovers” from the recording session for their previous album “SleepwalkerFind albums with this title”. It was the last album featuring Gosling, who was with the group since 1970. The album, same as its predecessor, marks the return of the group to the “conventional” song oriented output, which followed the period of complex concept albums. In retrospect it is an excellent collection of songs, which emphasizes Ray Davies’ songweaving talents, which is amongst the finest in British Rock history. It’s a pity that this new reissue does not include the bonus tracks included on the earlier reissues. Overall, this is a mostly forgotten classic album, which is well worth being remembered. The Kinks where one of the most important British Pop / Rock acts and never recorded a bad album.

Updated: 18/01/2025Posted: 18/01/2025

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ SLEEPWALKER BYG 4099964062397 (Barcode: 4099964062397) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1976 Released: 2024 This is a reissue / remaster of the 16th studio album by the seminal British Rock group The KinksFind albums by this artist. The lineup includes vocalist / guitarist / songwriter Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist, his brother vocalist / guitarist Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John GoslingFind albums by this artist, bassist John DaltonFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all written by Ray Davies. It was the last album featuring Dalton, who was with the group since 1969. The album marks the return of the group to the “conventional” song oriented output, which followed the period of complex concept albums. In retrospect it is an excellent collection of songs, which emphasizes Ray Davies’ songweaving talents, which is amongst the finest in British Rock history. It’s a pity that this new reissue does not include the bonus tracks included on the earlier reissues. Overall, this is a mostly forgotten classic album, which is well worth being remembered. The Kinks where one of the most important British Pop / Rock acts and never recorded a bad album.

Updated: 15/01/2025Posted: 15/01/2025

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ SOMETHING ELSE (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 273214 (Barcode: 602527321417) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1967 Released: 2011 This is the 5th album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, that in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album continues the new phase for the group, which developed a completely unique approach to writing music, which now included elements of Psychedelia and other influences. The lyrics were full of social commentary and concentrated on British society, history and way of life, often being quite sarcastic and critical. Although not a concept album as such, it points the way towards the future releases, which will be concept albums. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, EPs, alternate takes, outtakes, mono and stereo versions and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ THE EP COLLECTION VOL. TWO SEE FOR MILES 329 ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Kinks need no introduction of course - they were a top band for a long time and dominated world charts through the 1960s. Led by the Davies brothers, they penned one great song after another, and those songs were not only great melodies, most had a pretty sarcastic social message as well. This is a collection of 12 of their mid-60s EPs with 28 tracks - pure gold!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ THE KINK KONTROVERSY (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 275628 (Barcode: 602527562858) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1965 - 1966 Released: 2011 This is the 3rd album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and is definitely one of the greatest composers of the British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist who played the lead guitar for the band. Similar to other great British Rock Bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, which in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album marks the transition of the band from their initial cover-performing Beat group into a bona fide Rock band, performing their self-penned material (by Ray) and embarking on an illustrious career. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds a whole CD worth of bonus materials, including non-album singles, alternate takes and BBC sessions. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KINKS ~ THE KINKS ARE THE VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY (DELUXE EDITION) SANCTUARY 602527046792 (Barcode: 602527046792) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2004 This is the 6th album by The KinksFind albums by this artist, the seminal British Pop / Rock band led by brothers Ray DaviesFind albums by this artist (who wrote all their wonderful material and was definitely one of the greatest composers in British Rock) and Dave DaviesFind albums by this artist (who played the lead guitar for the band). The first lineup, which lasted for five years, included also bassist Pete QuaifeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mick AvoryFind albums by this artist. Similar to other great British Rock bands like The HolliesFind albums by this artist, The WhoFind albums by this artist and even The Rolling StonesFind albums by this artist, The Kinks were overshadowed by The BeatlesFind albums by this artist, this in retrospect is a great injustice, as they certainly were as good if not better than the Fab Four in every respect. This album presents the culmination point for the group, which developed a completely unique approach to writing music, which now included elements of Psychedelia and other influences. The lyrics were full of social commentary and concentrated on British society, history and way of life, often being quite sarcastic and critical. This is a full fledged concept album, as good as any of its revered contemporaries, but somehow was missed both by fans and critics at the time of its release and quickly forgotten. In retrospect it is an absolute milestone and an essential piece of Rock´s history. Always truthful to themselves and their fans, the Kinks wonderfully mixed raw energy and melodic sophistication, which lost nothing of its intrinsic power through the years. This new edition adds two whole CDs worth of bonus material, including both stereo and mono versions of the original album, non-album singles, EPs, alternate takes, outtakes, and other previously unreleased recordings. Absolutely brilliant stuff!

CD 3 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend