The Kinks - Arthur: Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire

[nosebone]

Great album, and this tune especially from the very underrated Kinks:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt0IXkIVvo4

[polmico]

No argument here, though I can't see the video you're posting here at work. They're all great tunes on that album, though. I think I'll listen to it tonight.

[mogrooves]

For me, their last really good album....

[JKL2000]

It's prog?

[nosebone]

It's prog?

what do you think?

[jglfan]

Great album. God it came out long ago, I remember I bought it at Sears! I love most of it, Driving is a bit boring. Some Mothers Son was my fav.

[JKL2000]

what do you think?

Not sure as this is in the main forum but it doesn't seem like it'd be program.

[Oreb]

Great, great album.

The deluxe edition definitely worth getting: IMO The Kinks material from the 60s is always best heard in mono.

[JIF]

For me, their last really good album....I have to disagree with you. Soap Opera is a mother of a rock opera, and Lola Vs The Powerman ain't too shabby either.

[Joe F.]

I have to disagree with you. Soap Opera is a mother of a rock opera, and Lola Vs The Powerman ain't too shabby either.

I'll have to disagree with you (somewhat). A Soap Opera is my least favorite album of their '70s releases. Preservation and Schoolboys in Disgrace on the other hand...

Agreed that Lola vs. The Powerman is brilliant.

[JIF]

I'll have to disagree with you (somewhat). A Soap Opera is my least favorite album of their '70s releases. Preservation and Schoolboys in Disgrace on the other hand...

Agreed that Lola vs. The Powerman is brilliant.What was that about Preservation and Schoolboys In Disgrace? I've been wanting to get a copy of those. Which cd versions are the best?

[Joe F.]

What was that about Preservation and Schoolboys In Disgrace? I've been wanting to get a copy of those. Which cd versions are the best?

I'm no audiophile.

I own these on vinyl and have had a few different copies on CD. Currently I have the most recent version of Preservation (on Koch), Act 2 being my favorite. Schoolboys I have the Rhino CD from a while back. I have no problems with the sound on this. YMMV.

[JIF]

I'm no audiophile.

I own these on vinyl and have had a few different copies on CD. Currently I have the most recent version of Preservation (on Koch), Act 2 being my favorite. Schoolboys I have the Rhino CD from a while back. I have no problems with the sound on this. YMMV.Is Koch the label that released The Kinks hybrid cds?

[Joe F.]

Is Koch the label that released The Kinks hybrid cds?

Yes

[chalkpie]

Are these the best Kinks albums(?):

Face to Face
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground part One
Muswell Hillbillies
The Kinks are the Village Preservation Society
Something Else by The Kinks
Arthur or a Decline and Fall of the British Empire

[wilcox660]

Much love for this!

[polmico]

Are these the best Kinks albums(?):

Face to Face
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground part One
Muswell Hillbillies
The Kinks are the Village Preservation Society
Something Else by The Kinks
Arthur or a Decline and Fall of the British Empire

Yes.

Arthur is the best of the bunch.

There are songs on Lola that bring me to tears.

Muswell is all sorts of drunk.

Village Green is pastorally pleasing.

FTF and Something Else are entirely pleasing pop.

[chalkpie]

Yes.

Arthur is the best of the bunch.

There are songs on Lola that bring me to tears.

Muswell is all sorts of drunk.

Village Green is pastorally pleasing.

FTF and Something Else are entirely pleasing pop.

Thx...cheers Matt

PS - what tunes on Lola?

[polmico]

Thx...cheers Matt

PS - what tunes on Lola?

"This Time Tomorrow" and "A Long Way from Home." One night, a long time ago, I was rather ... affected and lonely, and this back to back shot of pathos particularly punched me.

The memories remain.

For what it's worth, I got into The Kinks when I lived in Athens and breathed every second of the Elephant 6 southern psych scene I could: Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo, Summer Hymns, etc.

[Mister Triscuits]

"This Time Tomorrow" and "A Long Way from Home."

Don't forget "Get Back in Line" and "Strangers." Whew.

[moecurlythanu]

Never bought any of the Kinks 60s albums, but always liked the tracks I heard. (And I think I did have a Best Of.)

Don't sleep (no pun intended) on Sleepwalker and Low Budget, two albums from the late 70s or thereabouts. Both are excellent imo.

[chalkpie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erhio9iZpSU

This is a phenomenal tune. That melodic line stays with you for hours.

[jake]

Don't forget "Get Back in Line" and "Strangers." Whew.

And Rats - love the bassline in that - John Dalton rules.

[jake]

Are these the best Kinks albums(?):

Face to Face
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground part One
Muswell Hillbillies
The Kinks are the Village Preservation Society
Something Else by The Kinks
Arthur or a Decline and Fall of the British Empire

Well I also love the two Preservation Act albums - and I really love Everybody's in Showbiz Everybody's a Star - lotsa great songs on the studio half and some great fun on the live album.
As far as the best - between Muswell Hillbillies and Lola depending on my mood.

[bigjohnwayne]

I love Mr. Churchill Says from this record.

Ray Davies is the man.

[Bungalow Bill]

Are these the best Kinks albums(?):

Face to Face
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground part One
Muswell Hillbillies
The Kinks are the Village Preservation Society
Something Else by The Kinks
Arthur or a Decline and Fall of the British Empire

I suspect I'll be in the minority here. I was in high school 1979-1983 and, I knew all of The Kinks popular radio singles, but I'd never heard an album straight-through. (I was just getting into albums then.) The first album I listened to start-to-finish was Give the People What They Want, which I still love - it might just be nostalgia but the combination of smart writing and punky attitude won me over. "Art Lover" is REALLY scary until you know what Ray's actually singing about. And "Better Things" is beautiful.

I subsequently made a long journey through The Kinks' catalog. I prefer the Sleepwalker through State of Confusion era (including One for the Road). I can listen to Misfits, Low Budget and GtPWTW at any time. I jumped off after SoC although I've heard Word of Mouth (OK), Road (meh) and To the Bone (pretty good). I also liked Ray's Other Peoples' Lives quite a bit.

I never listen to the first three (UK versions) but the singles from that era are stellar.

Face to Face gets a lot of praise but I never warmed to it. That said..."Sunny Afternoon" is probably my favorite Kinks song.

I like Something Else but IMO Village Green is the strongest, most satisfying thing The Kinks came out with up to that point. I don't dislike any of the songs and and I love how pastoral it is in light of the big psychedelic happenings going down at the time.

I have to confess I haven't spent a lot of time with Arthur or Lola. (This thread will help me rectify that!) Lola is worth the price for "Apeman" alone.

I get hugely back on-board with The Kinks on Muswell Hillibillies - there's no song that I skip when I listen to it. Ray sounds pretty close to the edge, lyrically, but he always keeps this wry, fragile, charming but dark-edged veneer to his songs.

I was much older when I found out about the theatrical concept albums. I've heard each several times. They're flawed, no question, and probably over-ambitious, but I honestly was and still am impressed but what the band did in that four album run - a true adventure into making "progressive" music. Adding the horns was a stroke of genius. The albums deserve way more consideration than they get. My favorite is probably Schoolboys.

I'll try to rank the albums (top ten) but it's hard.

Give the People What They Want
Misfits
Muswell Hillbillies
Village Green
Low Budget
Something Else
State of Confusion
Sleepwalker
Schoolboys in Disgrace
Lola

I've never listened to a Kinks album that didn't make me come away happy about something on it...

[Jerjo]

I have to give some props to the live album To The Bone. It lurches between an arena show and an acoustic performance at Konk but man, there is just some stellar work on it. "I'm Not Like Anybody Else" is just defiant and the sweetest version of "Days", with Ray singing the intro acapella before the band swings in.

[chalkpie]

Diggin Lola and Village Green today. Nice.

[Udi Koomran]

Dave Smith from Guapo is a huge Kinks fanboy
I only know and love the famous obvious ones Waterloo Sunset , Sunny Afternoon , Lola , you really got me , all day and all of the night , autumn almanac
Frankie care to compile a favorite Kinks songs list ?

[yoyiceu]

They had many great albums, particularly in the sixties, but for me Village Green reigns supreme. One of my favorite albums ever, by any artists. And 15 songs!

[Levgan]

Glad to see some discussion about The Kinks here – they're my favorite 60s band bar none. I agree that the run from Face to Face up to Muswell Hillbillies was their strongest. My top 20 songs by The Kinks would be:

Autumn Almanac
Mr. Pleasant
Dead End Street
Sunny Afternoon
Shangri-La
Alcohol
Village Green
Apeman
Well-Respected Man
Till the End of the Day
Two Sisters
Harry Rag
Some Mother's Son
Rosy Won't You Please Come Home
Waterloo Sunset
Do You Remember Walter
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Set Me Free
Lazy Old Sun
You Really Got Me (well duh)

Also of note: Cardiacs' cover of "Susannah's Still Alive" (the only cover song they ever did?) KILLS.

[arturs]

I suspect I'll be in the minority here. I was in high school 1979-1983 and, I knew all of The Kinks popular radio singles, but I'd never heard an album straight-through. (I was just getting into albums then.) The first album I listened to start-to-finish was Give the People What They Want, which I still love - it might just be nostalgia but the combination of smart writing and punky attitude won me over. "Art Lover" is REALLY scary until you know what Ray's actually singing about. And "Better Things" is beautiful.

This is my early experience with the Kinks as well. I still love GTPWTW. Great hooks and writing. It is surprising how popular they were in the suburban USA at the time. Constantly on rock radio. Most of my friends owned "One for the Road". I knew every minute of that thing even though I never owned it.

I then bought a UK import 2LP compilation of all their 60s classics. I thought that was the greatest thing ever. Days. Waterloo Sunset. Wow! Somehow my HS friends wouldn't go there with me no matter how many times I played those LPs for them. They just wanted the OFTR Kinks.

But, at the time, all the concept albums were out of print and never got radio play. So I haven't heard them to this day. Will have to rectify that...

NB: Just Googled the Kink's discog. They never charted in the UK after Something Else! in 1967. :O Strictly US success after that point. WTF?

[Mister Triscuits]

NB: Just Googled the Kink's discog. They never charted in the UK after Something Else! in 1967. :O Strictly US success after that point. WTF?

Hard to believe that's correct. "Lola" and "Apeman" both went Top 10 there as singles; how could the album they were from not chart at all?

[arturs]

Hard to believe that's correct. "Lola" and "Apeman" both went Top 10 there as singles; how could the album they were from not chart at all?

Yes it is hard to believe. But an independent source tells the same thing. Even though the Kinks had several singles charting in the 70s, no albums charted in the UK. Several later compilations charted...

http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11246/kinks/

[JJ88]

It gets worse; Village Green and Arthur also bombed on release. That link shows that they never had one new album in the UK chart after Something Else. Just best-of after best-of. Their big-time resurgence in the US during the 70s and 80s must have made up for it- good for them. God knows what Pye and RCA were doing here.

Anyone looking for a best of, check out the 2004-ish 2cd The Ultimate Collection. I'd have preferred a fully chronolgical approach across two disc rather than each disc being chronological (it's loosely hits on one disc, album tracks/B sides etc. on the other disc). But they pretty much completely nailed the track selection- it encompasses their work for Pye, RCA and Arista, most don't. Good sound too.

[polmico]

I suspect I'll be in the minority here. I was in high school 1979-1983 and, I knew all of The Kinks popular radio singles, but I'd never heard an album straight-through. (I was just getting into albums then.) The first album I listened to start-to-finish was Give the People What They Want, which I still love - it might just be nostalgia but the combination of smart writing and punky attitude won me over. "Art Lover" is REALLY scary until you know what Ray's actually singing about. And "Better Things" is beautiful..

I don't own anything past Muswell. At some point, I need to fix that. I suspect I've been saying that for years.

Anyway, apropos of basically nothing, here's The Melvins covering The Kinks (that's Clem Burke of Blondie on drums):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Q9dZTbQtg

[Jerjo]

A friend just sent me this. A half hour of The Kinks circa 1973. Pretty damn big band you had there, Ray.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed-A2X9AF0A

[Vic333]

They have so many great songs, but I don't feel the Kinks ever made a truly great album. Perhaps I just lose patience with some of their stuff.
Arthur comes pretty close.