The Kinks
Reviewed on this page:
The Kinks - Kinda Kinks - The Kink Kontroversy - Face To Face - Live At Kelvin Hall - Something Else - The Village Green Preservation Society - Arthur - Lola - Percy - Muswell Hillbillies - Everybody's In Show-Biz -
Soap Opera -
Schoolboys In Disgrace -
One For The Road -
State Of Confusion -
Word Of Mouth - Think Visual - The Road - UK Jive - Phobia
The Kinks have a misleading reputation as second-rate British invasion rockers. Their best-known hits in the U.S. came early, before they refined their songwriting or, for that matter, really learned to play their instruments. Although the band's leader and songwriter (Ray Davies) quickly developed into one of Britain's most interesting lyricists, this occurred just as the band was fading into one-hit wonder obscurity here in the States.
It's a shame, because millions of Beatles fans have missed a chance to appreciate Davies' sentimental and thoughtful pop ballads, not to mention his impressive string of concept albums. And the Kinks catalogue is also fascinating from a historical perspective, because Davies' maturation fully paralleled that of well-known British contemporaries like Lennon, Jagger/Richards, and Townshend. It's a shame that Davies wasn't more fluent with chord progressions - almost every damn song is in one of the three keys that rhythm guitar players find the least challenging.
The Kinks' 1960s discography is messy, with a lot of uncollected single and EP sides and rarities that have cropped up on assorted compilation albums; there's also the failed late 60s Dave Davies solo album project, which has resulted in numerous bootlegs and one official 1987 UK release that I haven't seen.
About a decade ago Rhino Records released the band's first three albums on CD with a set of very reasonable bonus tracks, but those discs are now relatively hard to find.
More recently, there has been a major reissue of the band's albums through the early 70s. Some of these versions are worth tracking down: Something Else is beefed up with a half-dozen legitimate bonus tracks.
Most of them aren't, however, because they merely feature alternate mono and stereo versions of the original albums - anyone who wants to hear Live At Kelvin Hall twice in a row has got to have a serious Kinks addiction.
This page is only complete for the Kinks' initial, Pye records period (through 1972) because I simply don't have a solid collection of the later material, some of which is quite good (e.g., Sleepwalker). However, I do discuss several other albums from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and at least list all the other standard, non-compilation albums. All reviews are of British releases; strictly American LP's from the mid-60s are not discussed because they were assembled haphazardly and with little input from the group itself (like similar records by the Beatles and Stones).
There's a fantastic Kinks web site with all sorts of goodies, and a diehard Kinks fan at Columbia has put up a nicely done condensed history of the Kinks' recording sessions in the 60s. (JA)
Lineup: Mick Avory (drums), Dave Davies (lead guitar, backup vocals, some lead vocals), Ray Davies (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, some keyboards), Peter Quaife (bass). Quaife replaced by John Dalton, 1969. John Gosling (keyboards) added, 1971. Dalton replaced by Andy Pyle, 1978; Pyle by Jim Rodford (bass, backing vocals), 1979. Gosling dropped, 1979. Ian Gibbons (keyboards, backing vocals) added, 1980. Avory replaced by Rob Henrit, 1984. Gibbons dropped, late 80s. Many tracks through about 1968 featured Ray's wife Rasa on backup vocals.
 The Kinks (1964)
After scoring an unexpected hit with their third single, the mindless, but unforgettably riffy rocker "You Really Got Me," the Kinks were rushed into the recording studio by producer Shel Talmy to pump out an LP. Much of it consists of third-rate Chuck Berry and R & B covers like "Too Much Monkey Business," and the teenage Dave Davies is given the lead vocal on too many of them ("Long Tall Shorty"; "Got Love If You Want It," done convincingly by the Yardbirds). Talmy also had the group cover a couple of his own uninspired R & B tunes ("Bald Headed Woman," also recorded by the Who in similar circumstances).
But elder brother Ray contributed a batch of decent original numbers, mostly ripping off the Beatles as closely as possible ("Just Can't Go To Sleep"; "I Took My Baby Home"), and occasionally hinting at Ray's later brilliance ("Stop Your Sobbing").
Talmy recruited Jimmy Page to play rhythm guitar on a few tracks (not on "You Really Got Me") and a professional studio drummer to sit in for Avory, and also played around with amateurish effects like panning the lead vocal from one speaker to another, but it doesn't help much. The Rhino Records release features three bonus tracks, including a couple of incredibly Beatlesque, up-tempo love songs by Ray. (JA)
Kinda Kinks (1965)
Just a few months later, the Kinks spat out a follow-up album that was every bit as musically primitive as its predecessor, despite being completely dominated by frequently hard-rocking Ray Davies originals this time around (the raving, Beatle-inspired "Come On Now"; "Tired Of Waiting For You," a startling display of craftsmanship with great dynamic shifts and melodic hooks). At least this proved to everyone's satisfaction that Davies could write fast enough to keep up with a two-album per year schedule, as every major group in this period was required to do (see the Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, etc).
Completists will want this for the handful of classic tunes, but anyone else will find it annoyingly clumsy. (JA)
 The Kink Kontroversy (1966)
Bored with the grungey Beatles-derived love song format, Davies finally started experimenting on his third British LP, again recorded too quickly and stuffed with anthemic rip-offs of the Kinks' earlier hits ("Till The End Of The Day"; "Where Have All The Good Times Gone"). The major point of improvement is the lyrics; usually introspective and occasionally downright depressing, they point the way to later successes ("I'm On An Island").
With the band focusing on singles and EP's, some of the best material from this period was never released on a coherent LP, but is available on a fine Rhino Records compilation CD (Kinks-Size Kinkdom): the unjustly forgotten, creepily Eastern-sounding "See My Friend"; and the great character assasination numbers "A Well Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" (my rating applies to the original album). (JA)
 Face To Face (1966)
The rock industry was really heating up in 1966, and the Kinks were one of the few Invasion bands to keep up with the day's rapid musical advances. This effort marks a clear advance over the previous one, and even though it's still weighed down by some filler, it's quirky and clever. There are plenty of solid, anthemic hits ("Sunny Afternoon"), charming ballads ("Too Much On My Mind"), and precocious, pun-filled gems ("Party Line").
Some of the modest experiments don't work, like the clumsy Hawaiian steel guitar and goofy lyrics on "Holiday In Waikiki" and the overly snide "Session Man," but it's a fascinating period piece anyway: just look at the Indian-tinged "Fancy," close to the Stones' Aftermath, or "Most Exclusive Residence For Sale," the same sort of social satire that Simon & Garfunkel were playing with on the other side of the Atlantic. (JA)
 Something Else (1967)
Don't let the tritely hip pun of an album title fool you: this is a serious effort, and it shows considerable improvement in recording technique, songwriting ability, and overall versatility. Ray had begun to experiment with droning psychedelia ("Lazy Old Sun"), sentimental character sketches in the style of "Eleanor Rigby" ("Two Sisters"), and a rough, music-hall inspired Cockney sense of humor ("Harry Rag"), all of which would feature importantly in his work over the next few albums.
Davies' earlier, sneering character assassination formula is well represented ("David Watts"), and the record ends with a magnificent ballad you're sure to know - "Waterloo Sunset," an impressively complex composition and probably Rasa Davies' high point as a backing vocalist. Brother Dave also contributes a couple of fine rockers like the thudding, whiny "Love Me Till The Sun Shines." (JA)
Live At Kelvin Hall (1968)
Retitled The Live Kinks in the States, this is predictable fare; it's plastered from end to end with the screams of teenage girls, which covers up the band's minimalistic performance and occasional off notes. There's even a silly audience sing-along on the tail end of "Sunny Afternoon," and the girls inexplicably break into "Happy Birthday" at one point.
The remaining track selection draws heavily from the band's two 1966 albums, although of course there's a take on "You Really Got Me" - plus a bit of the theme from the Batman TV show on the high-voltage, eight minute rave up that ends the record. Fans will get a blast out of it all: the players are clearly having a good time ("Come On Now"), the song material is quite strong for this era ("A Well Respected Man"), and Ray's voice is in good form (perhaps some of the vocals were overdubbed). In all honesty, this is the best widely-available live record to come out of the entire British Invasion - competitors like the Beatles and Stones fell flat on their faces with similar efforts. (JA)
 The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
Having finally dumped Talmy, Ray produced his masterpiece - and the first of many concept albums. Focusing nostalgically but somewhat erratically on rural life in England, Davies is equally comfortable with epics ("Big Sky"; "Animal Farm"), straight-ahead rockers (the wickedly funny "Wicked Annabella"), humorous but biting slices of life (the upbeat "Picture Book" and "People Take Pictures of Each Other"), Alice-in-Wonderland psychedelia ("Phenomenal Cat"), old-fashioned love songs (the Latin-flavored "Monica"), and rock anthems (title track).
There's so much good songwriting here that it's hard to pick out only a few favorites - every lyric really has something interesting to get across, and the heavy-hitting musical hooks are endless. There isn't a misfire anywhere; the only drawback is Ray's limited repertoire of chord progressions and Dave's predictable pentatonic riffing. (JA)
 Arthur (1969)
The soundtrack for a British television drama, Arthur is a coherent description of a fictional working-class British family, full of clever and sarcastic lyrics and graced by sophisticated production values - harpsichord, brass, and sound effects are all used liberally, and the song structures rank among the most ambitious Ray ever attempted. The two A-sides are outstanding and solidly in Davies' anthemic style ("Victoria"; "Shangri-la").
But most of the other tracks fall into two very different categories: sarcastic war protests (the heart-wrenching "Some Mother's Son"; "Mr. Churchill Says") and giddy nostalgia pieces that deliver biting social commentary ("She Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina"; "Young And Innocent Days"). The only misfire comes when Davies for once lets the band rock out with an extended jam on the otherwise amusingly inane "Australia"- but they weren't musically competent enough to pull it off, and it eventually becomes a bore. (JA)
Lola (1970)
The twisted title track is probably the band's biggest hit, but it has nothing to do with most of the record, a concept album that condemns the rock industry ("Top Of The Pops"; "The Moneygoround"). The other excellent A-side is also independent of the theme ("Apeman," the best rock-song ode to evolution I've ever heard). Nonetheless, the collection holds together fairly well, rocks out when it has to ("Powerman"), shifts gears for a pretty ballad ("This Time Tomorrow"), and scores a few good jabs on the lyrical side.
As a bonus, Dave Davies is allowed a couple of entertaining head-bangers after having been banished to the singles market during the late 60s ("Rats"). Unfortunately, there's little new ground broken anywhere, and the band's arrangements and chord progressions have started to get formulaic. (JA)
Percy (1971)
A remarkably lame movie soundtrack. Ray is so strapped for ideas that he even includes a pathetic instrumental re-recording of "Lola." There are a couple of characteristically clever efforts ("Animals In The Zoo"), but mostly the band just shuffles along, frequently to the accompaniment of a nauseatingly tacky orchestra. Previous albums had used little or no orchestration, and although this had probably been because of financial constraints, Percy makes it seem to have been a clever production strategy. (JA)
Muswell Hillbillies (1971)
The first post-Pye album, and it's fascinating. Another concept record on the theme of working class English life, like Arthur ("20th Century Man"; "Uncle Son"; title track) - but far blacker. Life doesn't just suck, it drives you crazy ("Acute Paranoid Schizophrenia Blues"; "Complicated Life"; "Here Come The People In Grey"), not to mention leading you to alchoholism ("Alchohol"), landing you in jail ("Holloway Jail"), or leaving you with nothing but pathetic fantasies ("Oklahoma U.S.A."). Meanwhile, Ray's production devolves to a bizarre, laid-back acoustic ragtime sound - complete with accordions, trombones, frequent slide guitars, and, of course, a tinkling piano, courtesy of new Kink John Gosling. Mature, inventive, and strangely restful, it's a good companion to the earlier records despite the lack of a memorable hit. (JA)
Everybody's In Show-Biz (1972)
A double LP, with one disc live and another done in the studio. By now Ray Davies seems to have been fed up, both with his 60s sound and with the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. The studio stuff is a retread of Muswell Hillbillies, with the same sloppy ragtime/Delta blues formula being augmented only with a few touches like flute and steel drums.
There's no lyrical focus apart from entertainingly sarcastic, but essentially navel-gazing analyses of life on the road. And Davies annoyingly recycles chord progressions on tune after tune. Still, though, there is some cleverness - especially the moderate hit single "Celluloid Heroes," a Hollywood sendup that succeeds in juggling nostalgia and biting satire.
Meanwhile, the live material is largely drawn from the past two albums, with a brief instrumental "Lola" thrown in at the end as if to prove that Davies didn't give a damn about commercial success.
There are some interesting rearrangements like the haunted house take on "Alchohol," but the song material isn't their strongest. So if you're crazy about the last two records you'll surely want this one, but may the buyer beware. A horn section permanently joined the group at this point, beginning the era of an extended, travelling commune-like Kinks. (JA)
Preservation Act I (1973)
This was the first part of a concept album; I've read that by then, Ray had become more interested in the narrative aspect of writing rock operas than in writing tunes per se, with disastrous results - an argument that's well-supported by his other early 70s records. (JA)
Preservation Act II (1974)
The second part of the Preservation rock opera.
The band is Avory, Dalton, Gosling, and a horn section of Alan Holmes, Laurie Brown, and John Beecham. (JA)
Soap Opera (1975)
Another elaborately arranged big-band rock opera, this one about a show biz star maker who borrows the life of a regular working class guy.
What a great excuse for a whole album of deadly dull "a day in the life" social commentary ("Rush Hour Blues").
Dave Davies mostly stays out of the way of all the piano, horns, and group vocals, so even the more energetic numbers are polite and functional ("When Work Is Over"; the piano-driven "Ducks On The Wall," which is kind of fun).
They only approach the loose, bluesy Muswell Hillbillies sound in a couple places ("Have Another Drink"; "You Can't Stop The Music," with a rare guitar solo).
Several tracks try hard to be funny but aren't really (the genteel roots rocker "Rush Hour Blues" and stylish 1920s dance tune "Holiday Romance").
And although the melodies are pleasant enough, or even pretty (the wistful "Nine To Five"), nothing really sticks, and often the band's so mellow it's hard to pay attention ("Underneath The Neon Sign"; the piano ballad "(A) Face In The Crowd").
So the high points are roughly knee high: the treacly "You Make It All Worthwhile" has a pleasant chorus (and some irritating dialogue), the 50s sock hop tune "Ordinary People" is entertaining (same kind of retro thing Zappa was into), and the fairly functional rock song "Everybody's A Star (Starmaker)" really stands out in this company - at least it's got a catchy refrain, for once.
Same band as before, with another bunch of female backing vocalists (Pamela Travis was on the last record) plus June Ritchie, who gets some spoken parts as the wife.
The bonus cuts are three live versions - Dave really lets loose on "Ordinary People" - and a mono mix. (JA)
Schoolboys In Disgrace (1975)
One of Ray Davies' lyrically coherent concept albums, and like the others it's strangely lifeless. The band's performance is relentlessly professional and entirely unoriginal, with everything being a slick, retro retread - anthems (the lengthy "Education" suite), nostalgia ("The Last Assembly"), self-conscious comedy ("Jack The Idiot Dunce"), and piles of catchy rock songs ("I'm In Disgrace"; "The Hard Way") - at least they're louder this time.
The "concept" here is to evoke universal and commonplace schoolday memories, and as a result the "characters" and "plot" couldn't be less imaginative - even the record's best and most nearly sincere number ("No More Looking Back") has forgettably generic lyrics. It is a solidly produced piece of product, but there's nothing here to distinguish the Kinks from any other whitebread rock band of the mid-70s. (JA)
Sleepwalker (1977)
I've heard this a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it, with Ray finally giving up on concept albums in favor of generic, but enjoyable and high-powered arena rock. The title track was the closest thing the band had had to a US hit in years, although it didn't break the Top 40; "Juke Box Music" was also a moderate success.
Apart from an old greatest hits disc and their American debut album, this was the first Kinks record to solidly dent the Top 40, and for the next several years the Kinks were again big news. (JA)
Misfits (1978)
Andy Pyle (bass) replaced John Dalton on this record, and John Gosling made his last appearance. The big hit here was "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy," the band's first Top 40 single in years. (JA)
Low Budget (1979)
This was the first of three records in a row to go gold, marking another phase in the band's late 70s comeback. "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" was the record's big hit; "Catch Me Now I'm Falling" and "Pressure" were also memorable. Jim Rodford (bass) signed up at this point - he's still with the Kinks to this day. (JA)
One For The Road (1980)
The band's most famous live record and arguably the peak of their commercial renaissance.
The Kinks had been energized instead of ostracized by the punk movement.
So the double album is one big slab of hard rock, with blaring, distorted guitars and stomping rhythms (the lunk-headed "Pressure") - they turn up the knobs on everything ("Victoria") and narrow their musical range dramatically, apart from a couple moments like the mid-tempo ska/disco rearrangement of "Till The End Of The Day," or the keening synth on the gorgeous, seven-minute "Celluloid Heroes."
Ray does break out an acoustic at times, but it hardly reduces the volume ("20th Century Man") - practically the only really mellow number is the dull "Misfits."
About half the cuts are from the glory years, including a revved up "Where Have All The Good Times Gone," a straightforward "Lola," a lurching, thunderous "All Day And All Of The Night," and no less than three songs that were hits for other bands at this time: the wimpy "Stop Your Sobbing" (a breakthrough for the Pretenders), a pogoing "David Watts" (see the Jam), and the earbusting, obligatory "You Really Got Me" (who needs Van Halen?).
Instead, they lean heavily on 1978's Low Budget, with a mini-set including the bleary sing-along title track, the punchy but formulaic "Attitude," "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman," and the lilting, calypso-influenced "National Health."
Unfortunately, a lot of the more recent tunes are rote rockers like "The Hard Way," Low Budget's "Catch Me Now I'm Falling," and their 1977 B-side "Prince Of The Punks."
But the record is so admirably economical and hard-edged that it's the best place to go if you really want to hear the Kinks rocking out.
The band is Avory, Rodford, and two mostly inaudible keyboard players: Ian Gibbons (who continued as a group member) and Nick Newell. (JA)
Give The People What They Want (1981)
This was the Kinks' last gold record, as far as I can tell. The high-volume "Destroyer" and the wry ballad "Better Things" were both hits here; the clever and uncharacteristically light "Art Lover" was also memorable. (JA)
State Of Confusion (1983)
An important record for the band, with four major tracks.
The two singles were the Kinks' last major commerical successes: the Top Ten smash "Come Dancing" is a poignant sock hop-style memorial to one of the Davies' sisters, and the weepy "Don't Forget To Dance" is thoroughly enjoyable, albeit even more old-timey and encrusted by some tacky synth lines.
Meanwhile, the stomping, doom-laden title track is one of their most ferocious rockers ever, and the upbeat ballad "Heart Of Gold" blends in a jangly country-western vibe and some nice harmonies.
The rest is mixed.
There's an experimental, if somewhat drab slow-dancer ("Property") that features Trans-style geeky synths and lulling melodies, and the hummable boogie-woogie arena rock tune "Clichés Of The World" has ironically interesting social protest lyrics.
But "Labour Of Love" is instantly forgettable product;
the verses of "Definite Maybe" were lifted whole-cloth from the Yardbirds' "Over Under Sideways Down";
and Dave's vocal spotlight "Bernadette" is like any number of Paul McCartney rock 'n' roll shouters (Ray wrote the whole LP this time).
And the lyrics aren't always so solid, with a clichéd, heavy-handed, anti-Thatcherite rocker ("Young Conservatives").
Still, the disc is arguably their best of the 80s. (JA)
Word Of Mouth (1984)
There are some strong tunes here, but none of them cracked either the British or U.S. singles charts, and the album marked the beginning of the Kinks' final commercial slide.
The biggest numbers are really solid: "Do It Again" is a crafty rocker, great solo, great dynamics; the melancholy "Missing Persons" is pretty, if aimless; Dave's stately, mid-60s-style "Living On A Thin Line" is one of his best ballads ever, and his "Guilty" is a lively rocker that sounds remarkably like Midnight Oil.
Elsewhere they go with the usual rock formula, either so tepid they're toothless ("Good Day," with Lee Oskar-like harmonica), or so noisy they're noxious (Stones-style pseudo-punk on "Sold Me Out").
Lyrically, there's the usual mix of introspection ("Summer's Gone"), slice-of-life character sketches ("Going Solo"), and anti-corporate anthems ("Massive Reductions").
Most of this is harmless if unoriginal - the only serious low point is the grating yuppy workout anthem "Too Hot," with a smarmy 50's nostalgia arrangement.
During the sessions Mick Avory finally quit and was replaced with ex-Argent drummer Rob Henrit, who appears on more than half the tracks. (JA)
Think Visual (1986)
Another unimaginative rock record that recycles too many of the band's usual musical motifs - "Repetition" indeed.
But a lot of it is memorably melodic: "Video Shop" has charming lyrics and an amusing, if silly synth-ska vibe; the title track lifts a dull chord progression with a snappy beat and Dave's inspired guitarwork; Dave's sentimental "When You Were A Child" has a great vocal hook; and the best track, "Lost And Found," has a gentle, synth-aided chorus and some lazy sax in addition to the usual guitar histrionics.
And Ray does try hard with the lyrics, even if they're mired in nostalgia (the bluesy "Welcome To Sleazy Town"), wistfulness ("How Are You?"), and feel-good philosophy ("Natural Gift"), and often make the same political points he'd been pounding on for years (the loud, plodding "Working At The Factory," yet another record industry slam; title track, yet another generic corporate sendup).
Dave's other spotlight is a typically loud, Billy Squier-like rocker with a catchy chorus; it seems to have been left over from the early 80s ("Rock 'N' Roll Cities," with Avory on drums).
Although it's never unlistenable and often entertaining. the album did even less well than Word Of Mouth on the charts. (JA)
The Road (1987)
A live record with mostly late-era material like "Come Dancing," "Think Visual," "Destroyer," and "Give The People What They Want," the major exception being "Apeman" (Ray plays about five seconds of "Lola" as well). The rambling, autobiographical title track was cut in the studio, but the rest features crisp but often longwinded life performances that are lifted up by Ray's mischievous banter with the audience. It's harmless, solidly-produced stuff, but only a serious fan of the Kinks' 1980s catalogue would worry about tracking it down. Ian Gibbons appears here, and I believe he left the band shortly afterwards. (JA)
UK Jive (1989)
This is a surprisingly strong effort that didn't deserve to be such a flop. Its faceless heavy rock production is easily balanced by fine tunes, solid performances, and thoughtful lyrics, and most of the tracks are A-side quality. There isn't an explicit theme, but Ray voices wistful concerns about the state of the planet, society, and personal relationships on song after song (the heavy, six-minute intro "Aggravation"; the generic protest song "War Is Over"; the delightfully apocalyptic "Loony Balloon").
And apart from the amusing title track with its 50's beat and fade-out tribute to "My Generation," there's little of the annoying nostalgia of earlier 80s records. Ray proves here that he, unlike any of his surviving contemporaries except Pete Townshend, still has something interesting to say - even though he hasn't updated his artistic tools in two decades. The CD version ends with a string of three generic, but arrestingly riff-crazy Dave Davies rocker love songs, two of them from a 1987 single ("Bright Lights"/"Perfect Strangers"), and the other a clever political protest, heavy metal-style ("Dear Margaret"). (JA)
Phobia (1993)
This one was a disappointment, doing more poorly than any of the band's new studio LPs back to the lean years of the early 70s. It's also more hard-rocking than their other recent records, and that's exactly the problem. With blaring power chords and pentatonic riffs everywhere, it's hard to distinguish the title track and many other tunes - especially Dave's "It's Alright" - from generic 80s metal.
Ray does turn down the amps pretty often, but he doesn't have a lot of new ideas: just the standard four-piece instrumentation on tune after tune, with robotic drumming and drab, unimaginative synth ("Still Searching"; "Only A Dream"; "Don't"; "Close To The Wire").
Some good lyrical material like "Babies" and "Somebody Stole My Car" gets buried this way, and elsewhere the lyrics are often clichéd and platitudinous; "Only A Dream" is downright juvenile.
Just a few cuts both sound good and deliver Ray's classic sense of humor and metaphorical inspiration, like the nihilistic, but deceptively snappy "Scattered," and the brotherly, speeded-up "Hatred (A Duet)." Still, if you like the Kinks' last few records you'll like this one too. The backing band is Rodford and Henrit. (JA)
To The Bone (1996)
This is a live in concert/live in the studio record with 29 songs, the core of which consists of 13 "unplugged" tracks that were released under this title in the UK back in 1994.
They mostly stick with 60s warhorses like "Waterloo Sunset," "See My Friends," "Do You Remember Walter," "Picture Book," and, of course, "You Really Got Me" and "Lola."
But there are a couple of exceptions like "Better Things" and "Don't Forget To Dance," and they add studio recordings of two new tunes: the title track and "Animal."
As far as I know there's no particular reason to think that the Kinks will either cut a new record or tour as a unit any time soon, despite the fact that both of the Davies brothers continue to tour separately. (JA)
Storyteller (Ray Davies: 1998)
A recording of Ray Davies' live solo show, which is a combination spoken word/music performance meant to accompany his quasi-autobiographical book X-Ray. The track selection includes some oldies like "Victoria" and "See My Friends" and some new titles. (JA)
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