The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, Apr 4, 2021.

  1. palisantrancho

    palisantrancho Forum Resident

    I feel this is definitely the weakest LP from their first decade as a band. Too many cover songs that don’t do much for me, which is typical of many 60s debut albums. I have this CD, but sure enough I only ever transferred a few songs to my digital collection. I look forward to re-visiting it as we discuss the songs. There are a couple excellent originals that let us know that Ray is becoming a great songwriter and lead singer. It’s not a bad debut at all, but they raised the bar extremely high in the next several years.
     
  2. FJFP

    FJFP Host for the 'Mixology' Mix Differences Podcast

    A lightly decent debut LP for the time. The originals are good for the time, but YRGM stands out like a sore thumb for sure. The covers range from great to dull - I don’t dig it out often, but I’m glad to have it. It’s also the only Kinks LP until Lola I have a Pye pressing of, even if it’s unplayable. The Mono Collection LP sounds great of course.
     
  3. Martyj

    Martyj Who dares to wake me from my slumber? -- Mr. Flash

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    The Kinks LP

    I can’t divorce myself from thinking of this album only as I first experienced it when, as a college student in 77-81, I bought the vinyl US 11 track version as my third owned Kinks LP. I was aware at the time of the tracks that had been subtracted from the 14 song British version, but was content to eventually acquire them on the US only “Kink Size” LP.

    The CD reissues with the added tracks—culled from contemporaneous singles and EPs—strike me as children of different parents. I know this is wrong as they were all more or less of the same era and it was only a record company’s release schedule that determined what was heard when and where. Still, there is discernible growth between earlier cuts, such as “You Still Want Me” and a latter one like “I Gotta Move.” The first is something trying to fit into a typical teen boys/girl love Mersey-derivative model, the later is a more mature Chicago R&B-via-London clubs type track in the early Stones/Animals mode.

    I’ll address individuals tracks another time, but—songs asides—overall I love the sound of this album. Shel Talmy really knew how to supervise/mic/engineer (or whatever you want to call it) a song to make it distinctively different from a George Martin or Mickie Most production. It’s a much heavier sound, IMO, and went a long way to solidifying the Kinks early reputation for shunning the polite and pushing the edge of raunchy. Little wonder Pete Townsend sought Talmy to produce the Who after hearing how he handled the Kinks.
     
  4. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    I actually got the first album (YRGM) when Phobia came out in '92. I had a Greatest Hits (RHINO), then I entered the rabbit hole after they performed Hatred on the Tonight Show.

    On cd, it was weird back then, because the first three albums were on Rhino. They never re-released Face To Face. Something Else, VGPS, Arthur, and Lola were on Reprise. The RCA years were released on Rhino.

    Just getting into the Kinks back in the early '90's, I knew their discography was a mess.

    I must have been at my local record store every week buying all their albums. The Kinks compilation albums rank up there with The Who.
     
  5. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    I own the Reprise You Really Got Me in mono. Is the stereo the fake stereo? If I am correct, KINKS in the UK was also released in stereo except for YRGM was in processed stereo.

    I just want to know if it is worth pursuing the Stereo Reprise.
     
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  6. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    The stereo Reprise is stereo (except for the title track). In fact the songs that were omitted and appeared on the stereo Kinks-Size are also in stereo.
    The mono You Really Got Me album does contain a different mix of I've Been Driving On Bald Mountain which is included in the Deluxe 2 CD release.
     
  7. palisantrancho

    palisantrancho Forum Resident

    I just realized I also have this in the mono collection. I have probably only played this album once after getting the set. I know what I’m listening to this morning!
     
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  8. BZync

    BZync Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Just stumbled upon this thread. I've been on a bit of a Kinks binge lately, so the timing is perfect.

    I can recall the exact date that I discovered The Kinks. It was February 26, 1977. I had just turned 15 and was babysitting. By 11:30 the kid had long been put to bed, so I was watching Saturday Night Live and the Kinks were the musical guest. I was aware of the Kinks but didn't own any records. I'm not sure I could have specifically named any of their songs. They were just sort of on the periphery of my musical radar. They performed a medley of four songs. The first was You Really Got Me. Hey! I know this song! And I love it - didn't know who did it. They jumped right into All Day And All Of The Night. What? I know this one too! They did that? Cool. Next they did Well Respected Man, which I didn't know. They closed the medley with Lola. What? I love this song! I had no idea they did three songs that I liked.

    So now I was aware of the band. But my road to being a fan was a long one. I bought the Misfits album in 1978 and Low Budget the next year. I had a few early tracks on various British Invasion compilations. And, oddly, I had Lola on vinyl. My first vintage Kinks album. It wasn't until I got the ugly Pink CD that I really started to appreciate the band. But the thing that really did it for me was purchasing the Village Green CD. It knocked me out and led to my purchasing every Kinks disc, including the SACD set of the "lost" RCA years.

    The debut Kinks album is not one that I appreciate. In fact, I no longer own it as it made no real impression on me. I only listen to two of the tracks, the first being, of course, You Really Got Me. Not much I can add that hasn't already been said except, it sounds so little like what I associate with the Kinks music. I tend to think of their 1966 to 1968 period. You Really to Me doesn't sound like the same band. Crazy to me that the Kinks created an entire genre of rock and then abandoned it within two years.

    Arguably one of the ten best rock songs - ever.
     
  9. rainingdogs

    rainingdogs Death Of A Clown

    Location:
    Location
    The Kinks debut album is a bit of an oddity, a mix of very strong originals and some very average cover songs. Very much at this point the Kinks are in a bit of confusion over their identity, it's part blues covers, part folk, part rock with no real defining factor or distinguishable gimmick or sound.

    If you compare the record to other 64' debuts, 'A Girl Called Dusty' (Dusty Springfield), 'The Rolling Stones' (The Stones) and etc. Those acts have a goal and reason that is quite apparent just from the music. The Kinks here are testing the waters and still growing as a group, they sound anxious and unsure.

    These tracks are the highlights in my opinion and really stand out as being something more, the sound of a group with an idea and direction;

    "Just Can't Go To Sleep"
    "Long Tall Shorty"
    "I Took My Baby Home"
    "You Really Got Me"
    "Stop Your Sobbing"

    THE next Kinks album - Kinda Kinks - is where they truly debut in my opinion, a bunch of different sounds that are complete and not just half-assed fillers, and they sound more authentic.
     
  10. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    Wow! I have that stereo Kinks-Size, I could have sworn that it was fake stereo. I might have to pull that out again and listen to it.
     
  11. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Some of it is fake stereo.
     
  12. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    I’ve heard the true stereo version of the US album. (I think.) If I recall correctly the band is mono and the vocals hard-panned left and right. Sounds like crap.
     
  13. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    It is so strange....
    When I heard the Elvis Is Back stereo album from 1960, and it is pretty stunning, all I could think was "what on earth happened to all those bands in the sixties with those dodgy stereo mixes?"
    I assume it was either a lack of equipment, a lack of knowledge, or some really bad trend that everyone got in the habit of following.
     
  14. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    Elvis had some of the best-sounding records of the time. Even the crap ones sound good.

    In fact almost anything recorded in LA in the early 60s sounds really great I think in stereo. I feel like the studios in London were probably not as well equipped to record small combos.
     
  15. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    Chuck Berry “Beautiful Delilah”
     
  16. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    Tommy Tucker “Long Tall Shorty”
     
  17. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    Lazy Lester “I’m a Lover Not a Fighter”
     
  18. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
  19. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    Chuck Berry “Too Much Monkey Business”
     
  20. rockerreds

    rockerreds Senior Member

    Love the photo of Sandie - what a dream girl!
     
  21. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    Slim Harpo “I Got Love If You Want It”
     
  22. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Not quite. Although a lot of the instruments are centered, harmonica and percussion isn't. The vocals are hard-panned though.


    Thanks to @extravaganza for posting the Lazy Lester and Tommy Tucker clips.- I had not heard these before. The Kinks' versions are faithful but not nearly as good.
     
  23. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    Thanks, I’ve only heard it once so my memory is not wholly trust-able.
     
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  24. MattR

    MattR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sheffield, UK
    Ooh, I'm a bit late noticing this thread, but looking forward to it! I had a huge Kinks binge a few years back, but havent revisited them much since them. I've just been thinking I should jump back in, and this is the perfect excuse :)
     
  25. extravaganza

    extravaganza Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA USA
    I hadn’t heard those two before either and this thread made me curious, so I posted those along with all of the covers except for the Talmy revenue generators. And yeah, The Kinks’ versions pale in comparison, which is one of the problems with this album.
     

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