Whilst unlikely that
we would select all four of the Kinks albums in the book in the first two years
or so, it was not impossible, and so it has come to pass. Given the slight
disappointment of two out of three of them, I wasn't optimistic about this one,
but hoped that I could be swayed.
This album marked
the Kinks' move away from harder, more classic rock and roll towards the more
refined, softer sound that they adhered to during the next few albums. The
album was entirely written by Ray Davies, and it is claimed that it is one of
the first concept albums, with the theme of social commentary. The album was,
and is critically acclaimed, but fail to sell particularly well. This may have
been, in part, due to the legal wranglings taking place between the group and
their record label, Pye.
Party Line is a very
bizarre song; musically it is lively, with a jangly guitar and sharp snare
combination, but I have little idea as to what a party line actually is, and
why it would affect someone voting in an election. Rosy Won't You Please Come
Home has a very baroque sound, primarily due to the harpsichord, whereas Dandy
sounds significantly more modern, albeit with a slightly dated theme. Too Much
On My Mind is overly slow, and fairly forgettable, with nothing of note to
warrant its inclusion. Session Man has at least the benefit of some interesting
content, however patronisingly it is delivered. I can only imagine the
difficulties the Kinks would have getting session musicians to work with them
following this song, especially given the damning line "He's not paid to
think, just play". Rainy Day in June has a reasonable sense of atmosphere
about it, and Ray Davies' voice is at its best on this song, not sounding
overly childish, nor overly sarcastic. House in the Country foreshadows Charmless
Man by Blur, but with little of the humour of the latter. Holiday in Waikiki
sounds exactly like 19th Nervous Breakdown by the Rolling Stones, but nowhere
near as good. Most Exclusive Residence for Sale has a catchy chorus, but a
narrative that is either bitter or mournful, without being sufficiently
compelling in either way. Fancy is rubbish, and Little Miss Queen of Darkness
isn't much better, a nice bass line aside. You're Looking Fine has a great
guitar, and a few sharp piano touches, but it's Sunny Afternoon which is
comfortably the best song here. The languid vocal delivery, the wheezy
accordion, with that catchy chorus come together to capture that feeling on a
warm, sunny afternoon when everything feels ok, regardless of the reality of
the situation. I'll Remember is a pleasant song, but not much to write home about.
This album is
arguably the weakest of the four we have heard, with really only Sunny
Afternoon of a really high standard. The songs merge into a slightly generic,
whimsical pop-rock sound that yearns for the good old days more vehemently than
Village Green. The actual song-writing gives the impression of being a bit
rushed, with quite a few half-baked ideas that don't have enough about them to
hold the song together. For all Davies' talent, he sometimes seems to come up a
bit short and settle for an under-developed idea.
Chloe's album
rating: 5
Chloe's favourite
track: 13. Sunny Afternoon
Olly's album rating:
5
Olly's favourite
track: 13. Sunny Afternoon
Next week's album is
949. Fever to Tell by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Banging.
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