Reviews (page 8 of 12)
Ні я послухала пів першого альбому і цей. Загалом норм, але мене конкретно нічого не зацікавило
Fine, jangly, decent 5/10
It's a fun album. 6 We're Only In It For The Money out of 10 Lizard Wizards
I like some Kinks music, but not most of this. More than half of it has a poppy 60's sound I can't abide. When they get a little deeper into the musicality, it's good. I don't like the first half of "Australia" because it's repetitive, but the bit in the middle is excellent. I don't imagine I'd ever pop this on again. Can't even go back for a third listen to see what rang out well. Let's just call it a 3 and get on to the next.
I liked Waterloo sunshine. However I couldn't but feel like I'm listening to a watery version of the Beetles.
Decent, album
Didn’t sound like the kinks I know (I think I’ve mainly only been exposed to some of the albums that followed this) so was interesting to hear a different sound to that I expected. Some moments of interest, can hear similar influences to that of the Beatles (I wonder how much interdependency there was between the two or common influences they shared) and some of the psychedelia and experimentation that followed. Found it dragged a little by the end though.
Beatles but worse
I enjoyed listening to this album and I think I will listen to it again !
Det är lite för "plojigt". Det är i grunden najs, men lite för mycket "schwung". Det är tidens anda som satt sina spår. Inte helt njutningsfullt trots hög verkshöjd.
Bitvis bra men bitvis också för många putslustiga inslag som inte faller mig i smaken. Kul och genomtänkta texter. Stabil trea.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I mean, it’s fine. Without being that exciting
I like The Kinks. I didn’t know any songs on this. It was fine. There are definitely better Kinks albums in my opinion.
Trying to remain neutral here, but while this guy is singing, for some reason during Victoria and Yes Sir, No Sir, all I hear is a British Patrick Star from Spongebob. It's a decently fun album, but nothing revolutionary. Just a fun album. I wonder if this album had any influence on the David Bowie "Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars". Titles are similar enough and they're both "rock operas". This album preceded Ziggy Stardust by a couple years, so it seems plausible, but I can't find anything about it. I originally thought this album was a concept album that started with King Arthur to "modern" England, which I thought was a cool idea.........but.........it's actually much more boring and about his sister who moved to Australia with her husband. I wouldn't watch this rock opera, but the music was good enough.
Bet this social commentary slapped in the late 60s. Still enjoyable and love the kinks, just felt privy to another time
Silda 2 out of 5, Adam 3 out of five, me 3 out of 5
Clever, well produced pop that compares favourably to the Beatles, their closest contemporary. Some interesting social commentary mixed in to the decent music, even if it comes a bit “ooh aren’t we edgy” when you’re on your 7th album an an established name that can get away with it, and even by the standards of the time it’s hardly seditious. But all in all a decent listen.
Interesting album. I wouldnt say I disliked any song. Some were a bit whacky but didnt spoil the overall interest to me. "drivin" and "Shes bought a hat like princess" did test my nerve (wierd style and instruments) but actually it added to the appeal of the album in a way. There was also vocal and lyrical interest throughout. Only odd song were the vocals sounded strained but otherwise they varied the delivery quite considerably while maintaining a polished delivery. My view of the kinks is far from this album so was a pleasant surprise. I wonder if I just missed it or if this was a showcase of the best of the kinks. Enjoyed the finale of Australia. Great musicmanship on that! Very strong 3.
I really enjoyed the listen, it's dated but it still sounds great, production wise, and I'm a sucker for a concept album. It's clearly an album produced in the sixties and has that whimsical sound juxtaposed with some political lyrics. In this way it becomes an interesting piece of social history as well as a fun listen. I couldn't help but compare this to the Beatles and I have to say there is more going on here than many Beatles albums. They have a bit more edge and less of a mainstream pop leaning. I've heard The Kinks described as proto-punk but I don't hear that in this album. This would probably get four stars if it wasn't for a few duff tracks towards the end. Cool album by a cool band I look forward to exploring more.
some catchy tunes, not stunning
For whatever reason, I've always had a hard time getting into the Kinks. Lots of their stuff is great but I find them challenging. Some good tracks on this one too but also several that seem meh.
Mediano. Não ouviria novamente e nenhuma música foi marcante.
De fato parece com uma certa banda aí mas não achei tão bom quanto O som é agradável de ouvir mas achei um pouco chatinho, sem personalidade, sinto que mal dá pra diferenciar uma música da outra
achei bem interessante a temática do álbum. gosto bastante desse estilo e gosto mais ainda quando o álbum conta uma história. atenção especial pra "some mother’s son", "shangri-la" e "young and innocent days", que foram as minhas preferidas (sou fã de letra não tem jeito). no mais, achei bem parecido com aquela banda lá. os vocais estavam bem bonitos e eu gostei da sobreposição de vozes em algumas músicas.
quando eu comecei a ouvir tomei até um susto de tão parecido é dos beatles em algum universo eles fizeram mais sucesso que os beatles e tiveram todo o prestígio deles legal e gostosinho de ouvir mas pouco original, daria 3.5 mas nao tem
OK
Okay, I love the kinks and I love what this album is doing and addressing But do I need to relisten in full? Did it leave an impact? Not massively, so only three stars But no less love for all that
I was told I have a blood kink
Not a fan
I've always liked the kinks track on the Rushmore soundtrack and thought I should look into finding more, but this album has reduced the priority of that task. Not wild about it, maybe you had to be there ...
Fun, standard Kinks
Started strong, but I got bored pretty quickly.
Not really my cup of tea, but enjoyable
I’ve listened to it a few times, but it just isn’t that memorable to me — to the point where I find it hard to write a review even a day later. It feels like a more chaotic Beatles record, with a stronger emphasis on protest themes (which, to be fair, is hinted at in the title). That said, being compared to a Beatles record isn’t exactly a bad thing. Overall, I’d call it a high 2, but I’ll round up to a 3 because I’m feeling generous.
The Kings -unlike the Beatles and the Stones - still sound very very British. I only knew the first song - and only via it's cover by The Fall. Really good album, never looked past the hits but there is some quality here.
Cool album, not usually my vibe, but really good music. Would be good on a roadtrip.
Let's go with Arthur.
It was ok? Googling that it was a concept album really improved my opinion of it Tracks to track: Australia
Good antiwar message, not so great execution, but it's tolerable.
So, none of the songs from this album are very popular, and album with most popular songs from The Kinks is not on the list curious. Comments made me realise that Kinks do sound very Beatlesy. But they also sound very like War, IMO. Hearing this album I began to wonder if it's another post Falklands War album, but no, it's just war themed for a reason that eludes me. Itself, is not bad, but it's not exciting. A couple of fun hooks, and a foundation for albums to come, sure. 3.5.
I just literally can't right now, I'm so sick of this genre.
For me this was an album of 2 parts, some tracks I thought were brilliant and some not so good. The middle section of the album had a great run of songs - Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La. Musically these are really interesting and I loved the energy they put forward in almost chaotic fashion. It was a stark stylistic contrast to some other songs like Yes Sir, No Sir and Some Mother's Son. Great performances and musicianship from all members.
Decent album 3/5
This album is a good one to listen to when doing small tasks or grinding out homework, I find that I get a sense of comfort from older rock like this and honestly I wouldn't say I'm the biggest rock fan I'm much more of a metal head however I think its a nice calm approach every now and then. though I wouldn't add anything here to my playlist. Fav song: Brainwashed HM: Shangri-La
Knew most of the songs already. One of my top Bowie albums. Not usually a fan of covers unless they are drastically changed. Why is lets spend the night together here.
It's not really my thing. It's an interesting kind of concept album, but it's not really clicking musically for me.
Enjoyable listen 3,5/5
Fun. This band has really good musicians who seem to enjoy playing a variety of sounds
Pretty good for the most part
I admire the vision of an ambitious concept album such as this, and the music is right. It does sound quite of its time though (British 1960s,) which didn’t grab me.
Beatles-esque but nowhere near the lyricism. Overall pretty good but I cannot see myself listening to it very regularly .
It's ok. Know this one.
Nice album but not quite my style I don't think, had it's ups and downs and didn't seem anything too special here.
If Tommy was a deep exploration of Pete Townsend’s psyche, Arthur is the entrenched underbelly of Ray and Dave Davies’ upbringing. Yes, it’s a concept album, but one that feels more like biography and therapy than rock opera. The production leaves a bit to be desired, and the album feels a bit thin on actual material. But with tunes like “Victoria”, “Shangri-la”, and “Australia”, there’s more than enough to pack a punch.
Not bad and I have been looking for the first song ever since I heard it in How I Met Your Mother. Was fun
Overlong and more than a bit pompous but I rather enjoyed it anyway
This was really distracting at work - but only because I wanted to really listen to the music. Not bad Kinks!
Not bad.
In the same vein as early Pink Floyd psychedelic vibe, just not as competent.
The brothers who were the main founding members of this band had 6 older sisters??? wild lol. I liked this one, bluesy british invasion was the vibe I was getting. Victoria is much better than I remembered, been bumping that one for a couple days now.
Solid little rock album. Nothing exceptional imo, but listenable.
very meh. did not hate it at all, very listenable, but also just nothing that really stood out for me or grabbed me. 2.5/5
Victoria is great - the rest I could take or leave. Not sure they needed to try and make a concept album.
Nah this can’t be what everyone was going on about, it’s a nice story but wouldn’t say it’s a stand out album, just a bit more Brit Rock.
This album has a Beatles vibe, which makes sense given that the two bands were popular around the same time. In the context of England in the 1960s, I can understand this album on an objective level. I liked Yes Sir, No Sir; Brainwashed; and Shangri-La. I also really liked the instrumental interludes on Australia and Mr. Churchill Says. That said, I don't think I would listen to this album in its entirety again.
This exceeded my expectations, but I probably wouldn't search for it in future 3
This album was fine. Highlight was "Shangri-La" but mostly because it was used in the show Last Man on Earth. Nothing excels and nothing really offends.
Was not expecting this from the kinks. Quite enjoyable, a bit forgettable though
Light 3
it was fine. idk why I had it in my head that this was going to be far more of the proto-punk variety. that's not a flaw, that's just me being unnecessarily prescriptive. whatever
It was ok
This was a decent record. Nothing on here got me super excited, but it was a pleasant listen. 3/5
Kinks are cool and this album was cool. I enjoyed it. 3.4/5
Fav Song: Australia
"Victoria" is a fun little proto-CCR song, but overall this one sort of falls flat. The big clunker in their otherwise flawless late-60s (plus Lola) run, no matter how many times people try to tell me it has important things to say about British imperialism.
Definitely liked this one more than the other Kinks albums we've listened to. Still not something I'm going to gush about, but not bad.
I seem to be pretty much middle of the road when it comes to The Kinks.
This feels like school
Interesting concept. Music wasn’t terrible, but nothing outstanding
This was ok, it was an easy listen. The best song on here is Victoria
3 I think I’ve mentioned this before, but The Kinks have a lot of songs I like, though wouldn’t necessarily say that I love, and what I would consider a better collection of hits than albums. Yet, it seems that they do, indeed, have quite a few critically acclaimed releases - and I just don’t really get it. Like, this is fine, but is it really a must-listen? Is it really doing anything I haven’t heard from the group prior? Granted, in this instance, it’s supposed to be a sort of concept album following the fictional character of Arthur Morgan (no, not that Arthur Morgan), intended to accompany some kind of film or television show that never ended up getting made, but I don’t really feel any sort of cohesiveness or structure here at all, in narrative or in musicality. Is there supposed to be a plot? Even if not, I couldn’t tell you a damn thing about the character of Arthur Morgan if I tried, even after listening to this four times through, so maybe it is the cowboy for all I know (Dammit, Dutch!) I’m pretty sure Some Mother’s Son is supposed to be about war, so maybe he’s a veteran? I digress, as far as the music goes, this is about as on brand as I would have expected from The Kinks. Less garage rock-y, proto-punk than I would have liked, but as I’ve come to learn from this list, the group grew a bit more Beatles-y, baroque in the late ‘60s. It’s not a bad thing, but I think it results in a lot of unremarkable, though listenable tunes. Only two songs really stuck out to me as highlights here, Victoria and Shangri-La, with the latter being one that I would go as far as to say quickly ranked amongst my favorites from the group. Unfortunately, if you’re doing an album play, you have to slog through Australia to get to it. (Anecdotally, I briefly questioned if the song accompanied the Call of Duty: Black Ops Shangri-La trailer, but I guess that was The Lion Sleeps Tonight). As a whole, this is fine, and it doesn’t wear out its welcome, but I’ve also certainly heard much better, more commentable albums - I don’t think I would go out of my way to re-listen.
Much more poppy and less punk than I would have expected. Jam band moments appear in some tunes. Reminds me of any the Beatles a bit, and very similar to a lot of British Rock from the time period.
I don't think k listened closely enough to really get caught by the story lines on the album Standouts Australia 3/5
Muito beatles demais da conta, bom pra dar uma viajada e relaxar, mas achei genérico.
The Kinks are interesting because most people know of them for their British Invasion hit "You Really Got Me" and really truly remember them for just that. But further research finds that The Kinks became more experimental as the years flew by. By 1969, they had already made a mark in the studio with their ability to paint concepts all their own. Here we have Arthur, an album that has a character at the center of it along with songs about said character. As a listener, I wasn't entirely paying attention for any signs of a progression within the story. I'm pretty sure that the concept within the record revolves around a character and his life but there's not a beginning, middle and end. I might be wrong but what I'm saying is that these songs are about Arthur and what his situation is like. Now the songs here are well-made and display loads of creativity although they may feel too loose structurally. There's a peak between the 3 track run of Australia, Shangri-La and Mr. Churchill Says; those 3 songs are 14-15 minutes of magic. I will highlight Australia for serving as a sonic precursor to The Strokes 30+ years earlier. The overall game changer about this record is that it lets me know that The Kinks are more than what I know them for. There's other records by them that broke them out stylistically and this is the first one that I got from them. I am looking forward to their other work, but as for this one, it's not one that I can give the full star treatment. By the end, I'm a bit jaded by the listening experience, but that might change in the future. The moral of the story today is that I learned that The Kinks have somewhat got me (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Disappointingly mid
I liked the concept album style and I've never really listened to The Kinks, so it was a good intro to them.
Too damn long
Interesting inclusion, I only really knew Victoria from this album before and it's not one you'd consider as full of hits - The Kinks have lots of classic songs but none of their most famous are on this. I suppose it's in the book because as a concept album it's notable. Ray Davies' songwriting is certainly well suited to telling whimsical stories about English people so i get that, although I can't imagine myself returning to many of these songs in future
I enjoyed it, but i dont think I'll listen again and I've got to trust my gut!
I always forget The Kinks are way cooler in my head than in reality.
The Kinks again! I'm pretty sure all we needed on this list was Village Green and Kinks, but sure- here we go- It's quite good! The sound of the Kinks is frail and thin. But the songs are good to great; "Australia" and "Shangri-La" are excellent. There is also an overarching story which isn't too hard to follow. My only real complaint is the double-tracked vocals and occasionally the "harmonies" go beyond the limits of tension into outright dissonance at times. Otherwise- high quality British invasion. THREE STARS
Okay. Fav was She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina.
Oh hey, this album shares a name (the first one, not the second one) with my son! I gotta be honest... I knew next to nothing about the Kinks prior to listening to Arthur. I think the first time I heard about the band was when my high school French teacher was telling us about a song called Kinks Shirt by Matt Nathanson, whom she may have had a minor obsession with. I've also apparently heard "You Really Got Me," but I never could have told someone it was made by the Kinks until today. I'm aware that I'm missing the context of several albums to be making a statement like this, but the Kinks often come across as a Walmart-brand version of the Beatles on AOTDAFOTBE. The LP was also released after every Beatles album (excluding Let It Be, which was recorded before Abbey Road), so I don't think it's unfair to say that that their influence is strongly felt here. With a name like "the Kinks," I was honestly expecting something with a bit more bite. That said, I don't think Arthur is a bad album at all! It starts off strong with "Victoria" and has a pretty enjoyable run of tracks from "Brainwashed" through "She's Bought a Hat like Princess Marina," which all felt like they brought something unique and memorable to the table. All in all, the LP isn't something I can see myself revisiting in my own free time (especially since a few more Kinks albums are coming up), but I'll probably show it to the kiddo someday for fun! Highlights: Victoria, Brainwashed, Australia, Shangri-La, Mr. Churchill Says, She's Bought a Hat like Princess Marina
This is fine, but some of this sounds like a Beatles ripoff. The first half of She's Brought a Hat Like Princess Marina's made me think I had somehow switched over to a Beatles album. Thought it was cool, might return to it or I might not. Or I'd rather just listen to the Beatles. But there's enough to make me want to check out some of their other music.
Beatles-esque, but slow in places but overall quite nice
Super political which was cool. It’s interesting to see them do this after having their biggest hit. TBH I think this was better written/produced than the self titled.
Not the most exciting Kinks album to include here, but still the Kinks, I guess.
Like beans on toast, it’s very British. For all of its praises, it’s just mundane and not my taste. It’s not as great as everyone says it is.
I didn't really expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised. Favourite Track(s): Victoria, Australia, Nothing to Say Least Favourite Track(s): Same Mother's Son
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (great name by the way) was a pretty good album. Of the currently 3 Kinks albums that i have heard, this one is probably the best of the bunch. The main reason for this is the fact that the production got quite a huge upgrade over Face To Face and Something Else as it sounds a lot less grainy and way more crisp. This album still has a lot of the rough values that the other two albums had by using the guitars to get that sound and that is a good thing as i did enjoy that rough sound the other two albums had. The album also had enough going on as to where it didn't get tedious. This is easily the best Kinks album i have done so far. Best Song: Brainwashed Worst Song: Some Mother's Son
I only know The Kinks crowd favorites, but I found this album to have fun music and fun hits. Will certainly relisten to the ones I felt a connection to.
Favorite Track: Australia
I found it dated. It has not stood the test of time. It was pleasant enough but equally forgettable. It didn't however offend me just OK
I’ve had three Kinks albums and still no Lola. WTF??? The first two were early Kinks and were bad. This one shows them leaning more into who they became. Not great. But not awful.
Classic whimsy
Banger Kinks
New Kinks. Less than 15 albums after my introduction to this band, no less. To recap, I love the band name and a few of the songs on Village Green Preservation Society, though I am as of yet unsold on this band. Maybe this album will be the one to put me over. Yeah, not bad. Much like Village Green Preservation Society, this music is very much my kind of deal, though I feel that there's something missing which keeps me from being head-over-heels for this band. That feeling likely stems from this album needing a few extra listens to understand - something I'm not closed off to in the future. "Victoria" is a solid opener. The songwriting and vocals are the tracks strong suit, though the plucky guitarwork gives the song a fun, bouncy energy. "Drivin'" has an equally good vocal performance with some very nice backing vocals. Again, those plucky guitars are pretty undeniable. "Brainwashed" is another good cut. The classic rock sound is pretty enjoyable, and I'm a big fan of the sudden shift down the middle of the track. "Mr. Churchill Says" is a rare track where the instrumentals triumph over the vocals. Those guitars are pretty great with how effortlessly they carry the song, though that isn't slighting the vocals in any way. I was surprised that "Australia" had a bit of a surf-rock sound going on, though that makes a good deal of sense with all of the dismal beaches that the UK has. The song is all over the place and doesn't have much focus, though I kind of like that about it. It captures the feeling of being on a holiday pretty well. Book time. Has many high points. Concept album. That's about it, really. Wikipedia reveals that his album flopped commercially, but was well-received by critics. Yeah, I'm in favour of this inclusion. It's pretty accessible while also featuring a good number of musical quirks that help to distinguish it from the competition.
Lala
Enjoyed every song. Just know they have better records coming, and a lot of sections are a little too Sgt. Pepper rip-offy.
A fantastically written pop rock album. It tries a lot of styles, both old and modern (for the time), and pretty much nails them all. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, and the lyrics range from nostalgic to the cutting satire of "Yes Sir No Sir". And yet, it leaves me a bit cold. Despite the consistency there are no exceptional songs - "Victoria" or "Australia" are probably the closest. It's almost as if the album is too well-written. This sounds ridiculous, but sticking so tightly to its formula of crafting a distinct sound for each song makes it feel a bit too calculated. There's no room for these songs to breathe, and the tightness turns into stuffiness. It doesn't help that outside of "Some Mother's Son" most of the topics seem approached from a distance rather than feeling personal. This is about as close as possible to a 4, but the fact I don't really care to hear it again keeps it at a 3.
Not really my thing tbh. I don't really love the kinks albums from this era they have a few good songs here and there but the album's as a whole experience are pretty boring 6/10 Favourite: Yes Sir, No Sir Least Favourite: Young and Innocent Days
Basic rock music, no inventing bicicle all over again. Simple riffs, familiar sounding while i have not heard it before
Australiaaaaa
It was ok
Good classic rock. Beatles era rock that gets political. Good stuff.
A lot of really songs. Some misses. Vocals can be a bit weak at times. I liked it, but not enough to listen to it more
Pretty good. I'm not dying to hear it from start to finish again, but I could give it another listen.
3,5
Hmmm. It's not bad. But it doesn't grab me, and say "turn it up." Or even play me again. 2.75 rounded up to a 3.
The Kinks are great, and this was an album of theirs I was not very familiar with, but I was just not in the mood to listen to this yesterday. I get the sense it might be a very good album. I'll give it a spin in a few days and see what I think. On a different day, it might have been a 4, but today . . .
Not their best album by a long shot. There's a few solid songs, but overall this was not anything I needed to hear . . . especially a 7-minute song about the pleasures of Australia or something.
#688. I liked a few of the songs well enough, I suppose, but I didn't really find much of it really compelling to be honest. It's tolerable is the best compliment I can think of for it. 3/5: I tolerated it.
Classic rock sound, enjoyable stuff. Particularly like yes sir no sir.
C'était plutôt sympa, je connaissais Shangri-La que j'aimais bien. 3/5
I think its pretty good. Like the earlier tracks pointing out the pointlessness of war and fighting for your country. I think the juxtoposition of how sad lyrics and cheery music works better on some tracks than others. Some neat solo guitars as well. Think i appreciate it when I am listening to it but wont be returning to it too much. I would probably do 3.5 stars if i could but would be happy with a 3
Kinda boring, not their best work IMO.
will revisit. listened to a few tracks. busy day.
This was a pretty interesting album. Cool story about an old empire and different stories. Instrumentals and lyrics were fantastic, but it was definitely a pretty sick album. Good background cooking music or kissing music kinda actually…
It was ok
It was good.
It's rather long, and recorded in mono, and wasn't as engaging as Tommy, but it was definitely an interesting story and creative... not what I would normally expect from the Kinks. A little 60-ish for regular listening (along with the mono thing), but I definitely appreciated it... high 3.
This one felt like the Beach Boys but Australian. They talked about surfing like they do in the us, and Australia this Australia that. I wish it was put after a different album than yesterday, because it felt so similar. I wish it put on a different day because it’s all that I’ve listened to so far. I feel like I’m comparing the albums. I finished this one at least! And I got a lot of chores done.
концептуальненько
New codes: important building block of music development - IMD. for Band - BBB Kinks Arthur: IMD, BBB
I like the stereo mixing (drums in one ear).
Australia is obviously an exceptional track. Koselig from start to finish. This album gave me hope that the rest of the 997 albums we have to review won't be trash.
Musically I enjoy it. Vocals in my opinion lean on the other British Invasion bands closer to the Beatles, which isn't my preference opposed to others like the Animals or Hollies. Musically closer to bands like that opposed to a more simplified tunes like the beatles did well. Heavy blues influence throughout this album, I like the latter half a bit more.
Solid, you can hear many influences from ex. Beatles and other contemporaries but they are also very clearly their own thing. Easy listening but probably nothing I would regularly go back to.
Pretty good song writing. Its hard to determine whether these British bands are American or not off the first listen. But then the chorus of Yes Sir, No Sir plays and you're like ya these guys are British. Little corny but overall great sound and very listenable.
It's the kinks, it's ok, fun but also feels a little outdated for me. An interesting listen but won't repeat.
I feel like my twenties were haunted by bands emulating this exact album. Not a bad work but not maybe worth a whole wave of music? Victoria is catchy as all get out.
A nice 60s rock concept album. The songs are all high quality, and for the most part enjoyable. The harmonies and singing are quite pleasing, and the instrumentals are pretty good.
Irgendwie extrem seltsam aber auch lustig wie geil ist bitte die Posaune in Shangri-La
3.0 Yes sir, no sir while clocking in at 3:46 seemed like it was a 35 minute song, it went on forever. There were a few standouts but not my favorite kinks album ( of whom I hold in high regard)
I liked the album but I only really liked about half of the songs. I liked Austrailia, brainwashed, yes sir nor sir, drivin and some mother's son. I think that there was a clear message informed by the times this album was made and that I applaud. I did get it pretty quickly though which made the album start to feel repetitve in a way. Very British.
British :(
Sick album title and way more nuanced thoughts in it than I expected.
I like the Kinks, but some times albums length of Kinks is bit too much. This is a decent pop record and it might get even better after few spins.
I have a soft spot for Kinks, especially the track Lola is wonderful. I think I bought a cheap collection of theirs way back when and fell in love with some of the tracks. I've heard some of these tracks before, but didn't know the story behind this album.
I’m in a good mood today and this was pleasant. Hell yeah
instituutio massivinen mahtava instituutio bändi.. kaikki tietää kaikki tuntee ei voi kävellä kauaa kaduilla kunnes kuuleee "the kinks" ... institution... töissä jokapäivä joka ikinen saamarin päivä meikäläinen menee juomavesiautomaatille nauttimaan yhden paperimukillisen raikasta kylmää vettä siellä on jo joku muu ja kysyy hei hei1!! hei sinä!! ei edes tunne minua. hei sinä! the kinks, näitkö mitä eilen teki heheh luitko mitä meni tekemään... ja sanon kyllä helvetissä näin ja vedän nokkaan kun kysyi niin saatanan tyhmän kysymyksen. ja sen jälkeen keskustellaan vilkkaasti asiasta ja näin... institution... australia
Much better in the moments when they weren't trying to be the Beatles
Definitely not the best kinks album
6/10
It was alright. You can definitely hear the early punk rock influence, which kept things interesting. "Shangri-La," "Nothing to Say," and "Arthur" stood out as the better tracks for me. Overall, it’s a decent listen with some solid moments, but nothing that made me want to hit repeat. Worth checking out if you’re curious about where a lot of later British rock got its sound.
Likely a gem from its time, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. While it’s not bad by any means, it feels a bit like a history lesson I didn’t sign up for.
Distinctive sound but no real bangers. Nice enough
I enjoyed this! Very solid 3/5 album. I would not be offended to hear it again but unlikely I’ll ever revisit
The Kinks are a band I always thought I'd enjoy, but as I delve deeper into music, they haven't quite lived up to my expectations. While their music isn't bad, it feels somewhat middle-of-the-road compared to other bands from that era.
Nice upbeat songs, even if they do have some strange lyrics
Fun
Some good songs, but too British for me
Bueno pero no increíble
Listened to the remastered version. Not the best but also not the worst either. Liked “Victoria”. Not really my style. Can totally agree that after some time this songs starts to sound the same
Pop rock sesentero elaborado e influyente
Auch mit der Meinung stehe ich wohl eher allein, aber für mich waren die Kinks mehr eine Singles- als eine Album-Band.
Not what I imagined The Kinks was? More folksy than rocky. Lacks bangers, but overall good.
victoria- 6 or 7 yes sir no sir- 6 some mothers son- 5 drivin- 5 brainwashed- 5 austrailia- 5 shangri la- 5 mr churchill says- 5 shes bough a hat like princess marina- 6 young and innocent days- 5 nothing to say- 5 or 6 arthur- 5
Classic Rock.
Not what I was expecting
I'm going to be very honest. I didn't get it.
Pretty nice I think, was some time ago so can’t remember if it was three or four
Not their best, but good.
Classic sound.
6/10
I consider myself a Kinks fan but, like listening to the Beatles, don't always have patience for these British music hall jingles about working class heroes and ironic longing for the good old days of the empire. I prefer their rock songs about girls and just being a lad. Victoria is great song though.
hi my name is... arthur OR the decline of the british empire... whichever's easiest for you to call me
First impression pre listen: There's a lot of classic rock on this list and this time it's "The Kinks". Don't know what to say about them really. I've heard their hits I guess, but never checked out an album. From what I hear they're supposedly underrated. Gonna be honest and say that I'm not really in the mood for '60s rock heading into it, but hopefully that changes. Got no real expectations. Individual track notes: Victoria Perhaps the most British thing I've ever heard. I like the chorus. The song sets up the concept pretty well. It's a decent intro to what's to come. Catchy song. Good 4/5 Yes Sir, No Sir The militaristic marching beat does carry some thematic imagery from the previous track. A solid take on autority and comformity. I like the parade-like horns. The lyrics are a bit on the nose, but it works decently. Decent. 3.5/5 Some Mother's Son Don't love the heavily accented vocals here. The backing vocals are pretty cool. It's a '60s antiwar song. Does what it's supposed to do. The theatrical framing does set it apart from others however. Fine. 3/5 Drivin' A bit wonky. Annoying chorus, the main melody is kinda unpleasant. Really don't like the guitar on this song. Obnoxious song, sounds drunk and disjointed. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Brainwashed Unremarkable. Don't have much to say about it. I guess there's some cool distorted guitar there. The mixing is kinda bad - might be the fault of the remaster. Makes the vocals kinda unintelligable. Average. 2.5/5 Australia Showtune sounding track. Would be annoying outside the context of the album. The concept makes the idea kinda work. I like the extended instrumental section quite a bit. It's decently psychedelic, and has this sort of sunny warmth which is right on theme. Good. 4/5 Shangri-La I like how it executes the buildup. The explosion of sound when the chorus comes in feels well earned. I love the implementation of the bass here. Has a great shift in energy. Fun and interesting song structure. The lyrics are whatever, though the language used does evoke a consistent theme however. Great. 4.5/5 Mr. Churchill Says I like the blueseyness of the track. The guitar is really smooth. Great switchup. The extended instrumental passage is a bit of a let down. Goes on a bit too long and lacks any sort of dynamism, gets stale and repetitive. It's a decently fun subversion of life during the Blitz I suppose. Decent. 3.5/5 She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina Obnoxious. Music to torture your eardrums to. Sounds like a mix between a psychedelic children's tv show song and an evil carnival ride. Kazoos should be banned. Awful. 1/5 Young and Innocent Days I guess it has a sweet and sentimental intent. I hate the drawn out notes in thr chorus. Not exactly an entertaining track. Drags all the way until the end. Dislike. 2/5 Nothing to Say I've got nothing to say. Average. 2.5/5 Arthur Really repetitive. I don't love the guitar here. Some of the vocal parts are mildly irritating. Long overstays its welcome. The claps sound bad. Dislike. 2/5 Final Review: Personally, this is a bit of a mixed for me. It's cleverly written, there's snark, there's irony and also to contrast quite a bit of bluntness as well. The witty lyrics that critisize British imperialism, the monarcy and the way of life in the UK, are mostly fun to follow along with. They usually come from unique perspectives that allow the tracks to stick out from the crowd. The themes and concepts remain consise and consistent throughout the album's entire runtime. But much of the impact is sadly lost on me as I'm not from the UK myself. Many references to pop-culture or British way of life is simply lost on me. The general sound of the album is rich and diverse. I really enjoy the ever-shifting instrumental palatte which never seems to remain the same from track to track. It has a unique composition which only gets more interesting the deeper you get. I don't however, always love the vocals on here. They're sung with a really heavy accent, and I don't always enjoy how much they draw out some of the notes. Othertimes its almost goofy, where you almost get this over-enunciated pronounciation which I assosiate with children's music. Pair this with a healthy bit of repetition and it can get a bit irritating on some tracks. And while it adds to the album's consistent identity, the vocals and the strange instrumental choices pair for some almost unlistenable moments. But I guess that's just one of the consequenses of such a unique songwriting style. Not everything is gonna click with everyone. I'll give it this however: It's a memorable album. From start until finish I can't recall ever being bored by it. If you're a bit more engrossed in the concept this could definitely hit harder. For me it's again, a mixed bag. Has high highs, and low lows. 3/5
Tellement anglais, c’est un peu long sans beaucoup de changements. Sûrement qu’à un autre moment j’aurais été plus into it.
They sound very similar to the Beatles. Fun concept album
Pretty good
It has its moments. Kind of a poor man's Beatles though. 3/5 #116
Pretty fun album. With a few very catchy songs. I enjoyed it enough to want to listen to it again.
Surprisingly I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Many enjoyable tracks.
The Kinks tried to get Len Houmous to join them. He simply said. Sorry - I’m too kinky, even for you guys! 2.5 1/12 Victoria
Didn’t realized it was a concept album until after I had listed to it. I couldn’t tell It from listening to it (which probably why I didn’t rank it higher). Some of the songs were definitely a miss but did like "Drivin'" , "Shangri-La" and “Victoria”
i like the kinks. i do. and i feel bad for saying this, but a lot of this sounds like they are trying to sound like the beatles. to be fair, a lot of bands from that era tried to sound like the beatles. and not all of the songs on this album are like that, but many of them are.
I like a few dozen Kink songs but man, they’ve got a ton of albums with a ton of filler on them. Victoria’s an all timer on this one.
Some good tracks on here.
Victoria is a great song, a lot of the post-WWII England rock opera concept is kind of lost on me as an American listening in 2025
I always feel like I should be more into the Kinks than I am, but I get why people love them. This album kinda sounds like Beatles-style pop but bluesier. Victoria is catchy.
2.7
I thought they were supposed to be more rock. Reminded me heavily of The Beatles and The Beach Boys.
Wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but I didn't hate it either.
Cool stuff, probably was a fun live show.
a touch too noodly
there were some fun songs on here. nothing mind blowing.
3/5 solid album, a bit longer than I hoped for but they did good.
I enjoyed this one with a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. A joint or cigarette would have complimented the experience well. This wouldn’t be something I would play again often but I could see myself revisiting this every decade or if I start smoking again.
I understand why the album is on the list. I understand that The Kinks are hugely important to the rock of the 60s and their influence on garage rock can be felt even as far into the future as bands like the Black Keys and The Strokes. But by 1969 when this album came out, their contemporaries had moved away from the tried and true sound of the early and mid 60s and were delving into sonically new sounds, pushing rock into newer directions. Although there are some very solid songs on this album, and it is easy to listen to, it does not speak to me.
This is nice. Lukewarm. It's "fine." It's just sort of... there. While listening to this album, I just kept thinking about if I would have liked it when it first came out in 1969 if I was alive then. I haven't done that with any other album yet, so it's interesting to me that I was hyper-focused on it. I feel like I would be super dismissive of this album for stuff like In the Court of the Crimson King, Abbey Road, Zeppelin, CCR, and Zappa. It's a concept album, and I LOVE concept albums. But in 1969 there were a good number of better concept albums by King Crimson or The Who or Genesis, and I'd have been too obsessed over those to give this a real chance. The fictional version of me in 1969 would have rated this a 1 or 2. But I have the hindsight of historical value, so I'm gonna bump that up to a lukewarm 3.
Pretty good for this genre but not something I'd listen to again and again. Album hangs together well - this generation knew how to structure albums! Australia is pretty cool - a song in 3 (?) sections ... enjoy the mid section guitar solo with jazzy brass and piano. Funky.
3.2
This is good. Very high-concept - very reminiscent of Odessa by the Bee Gees, or Tommy by the Who. Great songs, very late-60s production. I could return to this, for sure.
I like Orbital, but this album was strictly average
There aren't any bad songs on here but outside of Shangri-La and Victoria, there aren't many that I'll go back to. 7/10
I liked the first song the way I like many Kinks stand out songs. The rest was flat.
we have Tommy at home!
I've read that this is the best Kinks album, but I'm not so sure. It's rather silly, with very old-timey instrumentals - it's personally not my favorite, but it's not bad.
Cool stuff. I know a couple of their tracks but nothing off this album.
Ujdzie. Nic specjalnego. Takie bezpieczne 3.
Sounds are interesting and I hear a lot of Pet Sounds influence. But historical narrative is uninteresting itself
mellow, political, nice
Very 60s, very English.
want to give this a 3.5. rounding up feels to high but i did enjoy it.
Anti war stuff for the intro, fairly predictable now Shangri-La surprised me (in a good way) They seem pissed about WWII but it's not clear why (a little /s) The album generally gets better as it goes on from a weak / stereotypical start
Australia und Mr. Churchill Says: 7/10 Schöner, entspannter Soft bzw. Classic Rock mit nicen guitars
Sounds like a modern day Beatles album, but not as epic as The Beatles.
Meh
I wasn't aware of this album before. A concept soundtrack album for a 1969 TV play. It's not bad, but nothing outstanding.
Never heard before. A good album though by 1969 it might have been expected that their sound would have evolved, it still sounds like classic mid 60’s kinks, it’s good but no white album.
This was fine. Super British, which I wasn't expecting somehow? Haha. It's fun but a little forgettable for me.
I see there are two versions of the album, one in mono and the other in stereo(because it doesn’t say mono). I’m going with the mono version because the album art matches what I was given to listen. Too call this album eclectic is obvious, but what is really interesting is this album sounds like it is from 1975-77, not 1969. Another example of the kinks following or even leading musical style changes but not chasing after them.
Some great songs here, some that have not aged well, and some that must have frankly felt pretty weak even when first released. I like, but don’t love, The Kinks. This is one of their better albums, but it still retreats a little too often for me to a certain twee mawkishness.
Grown up kinks. A bit too complicated. Some ok tunes, Victoria and shangrila. Guitars good. Beatles already did it
Quirky, has some classsics but gets a bit samey by the end
A number of good and a few great tunes
Simon bopped along in the car
Really like the drummer and how much you can hear him. Heavy production; very large garage band sound. Not sure if I would revisit. I’m enjoying the themes in the second half of the album more than the first half. Overall, I like the theming of the album, but the music is not my typical cup of tea. Overly jangly 60s rock doesn’t scratch my itch. It’s a very consistent sound throughout and not off-putting; it’s dynamic and I appreciated all of the different instruments and their usage.
Fun and quirky. Very much as you expect from the Kinks. Did not dive in on the whole concept album think, but I may go back and try to get more of that experience.
gostei, mas Beatles é melhor
Sellasta mukavaa Beatles tyylistä jumputtelua, kyllä tällasta kuuntelee!
Thanks to the Sonos devising it wasn’t going to connect to anything any more, I didn’t listen to this until the next evening and was only able to listen once before moving on to the next album. I liked it well enough but not enough for a 4. If you were considering purchasing a Sonos, don’t; you’ll spend almost as long trying to get it to connect and stay connected as listening to the dratted thing.
7/10
Really good album
Fire
I liked this so much more than the last Kinks album that was up for review.
It's fine but it never really goes beyond fine.
The Australia song was hilarious
3.5
So very bri'ish. It feels like the picked the wrong Beatle to idolize.
Sounds like they are copying the Beatles
I’ve liked other albums by these guys, but this one didn’t have the same edginess I like about them. It falls a little flat.
Nice album
fun album
A like a good concept album but for some reason this did not do much for me. I think it’s because it’s too British.
There are some good songs on here but it wasn’t as consistent as I had hoped, there wasn’t anything I hated just not so many that grabbed me.
Wanted to love this, but a bit twee and a few aimless tracks (Drivin', Australia) to be a real winner 😕
Kinks bästa låtar är super men är inte med här. Så "bara" en trea.
Ok, but not a patch on their other albums.
Don't mind a bit of The Kinks, but don't realy want to listen to a whole album again.
Good but not great
I guess The Kinks just aren’t for me. This sounded no different than half of the 60s British rock albums on the list, and certainly wasn’t revolutionary in any sense of the word. Don’t hate it, but can’t love it.
What a strange album. It certainly doesn't seem to hang together in any way, but I really enjoyed much of it.
A good album, didn’t blow me away though, but it probably deserves more time to grow
Not my favourite kinks album because I find it more falsely pretentious and less tuneful than the others
Empire pop
ehh. I just could never get into the Kinks. I like Victoria, but other than that idk. They're fine.
This was a solid 60s era British rock. I was really only familiar with the big hits from The Kinks, so came into this one blind. Where The Kinks sound like the little brothers of The Stones and The Beatles, they do have their own little corner of this genre and era. Musically this was a well put together simple rock album. The lyrically content was probably the strongest part and even a bit ahead of its time. I will revisit this album because first, because I enjoyed it for what it is and when it’s from, but I feel that there are probably some layers to this one I missed. I look forward to digging into their catalog more as well. 7.1/10 #33/1001
Kinks' songs are like good poetry in their specific vignettes, but with more upbeat instruments and british accents.
Victoria banger der Rest ok
Spoko początek. Reszta już niestety taka se. Otwierający utwór Victoria z jak poznałem waszą matkę jak najbardziej na plus.
Surprisingly enjoyable, variety throughout the album helped keep things fresh during the listen through.
Perfectly good.
not my favorite kinks album
I bet they were super fun live but this one's not really hitting. Also, for those who care: HUGE difference between the Stereo & Mono mixes.
Not bad, though I need to be in a certain mood for 60's concept album/psychadelic rock
1969. Rustige muziek. Beetje kerstig ook, en dan hebben ze opeens het nummer Australia waar ze daadwerkelijk Kerst in noemen. Leuk voor een keer, maar deze komt niet op mijn afspeellijst.
Flere gode sanger, men trenger flere lytt til for å lande på definitivt.
6/10
Despite my best efforts over the years, and feeling like I really *ought* to like The Kinks, I've always found them unbelievably irritating. Put the sodding kazoo down. I can never shake the palpable arrogance that I can hear coming through the music of Kinks, Beatles et al. However some lovely songs also, so y'know...Swings, Roundabouts.
bootleg beatles. Victoria is a jam though.
Fun,
It's the Kinks. Social commentary with a beat. A couple of pretty decent tunes, nothing annoying.
Soundtrack to a tv show that never happened. British 60s rock. Really decent. Hints of Beatles. Some songs better than Beatles.
Surprised this came immediately after Village Green Society because I find it much less compelling.
It's OK. Some of it is listenable but in general Ray Davies either hits the bullseye or else missses completely. I love the sentiments, but just don't much like the tunes and his voice is a bit thin.
Some great songs on here but not that consistent.
Bit of rubbish on there but also some great songs, more interesting than I thought
Cross between Vaudeville and British 60s rock that oasis would love to cover b
This album was OK. Hints back to the Beatles era. The first song (Victoria) is somewhat catchy. The rest of the album didn't move me one way or another.
Bottom of the barrel 3-star, with the songs I liked/didn't mind balanced by aggravated me. The story behind the albums development being more interesting to me than most of the songs on it.
The Kinks are a solid band with HITS. Theres just too many songs on this one. Liked Victoria, Mindless Child of Motherhood, Drivin.
Very Kinky Ok puns done. Listened 3 times now over the course of 3 days. I do like it, and I think Ray Davies is a great songwriter, but some of the tracks do seem a bit simplistic and banal. And some are overly long (Australia). [ironically my first listen was straight after spending 3 hours looking for and booking a flight to Oz... spooky], I don't think it's their best work. Still worth a 3 though
Very classic rock, very British. Every song sort of blends together which is a good thing; it means the album is cohesive.
I wasn't impressed with this album, but neither was I bored. Arthur being my third Kinks album proves they can be hit or miss for me. The good news is that Arthur was their seventh release, so the album wasn't their early pop sound that made them too similar to other sixties bands. The prior release, Village Green Preservation Society, explored more in regards to genres, which I greatly admired, which makes me rather disappointed Arthur didn't do the same. But at the end of the day, the album was pleasing, jaunty, and easy to listen to.
This was the third album from The Kinks on this project, and I think it may be my favorite yet. There's a lot of diversity in sound on this album. Whereas I critiqued them on past albums for maybe trying too hard to sound like The Beatles, they seem to do that a lot less here, and yet still find a way to be weird in their own way.
It was ok
Klasyczny gitarowy album z 60', nic co przykułoby moją uwagę na dłużej. Dobry, charakterystyczny głos wokalisty
Didn’t finish but I like what I heard - I am a bit of an Anglophile so the cultural references resonated - super fun album and the lead sounds a bit like Hendrix.
better album than the other kinks one we listened to recently. very fun.
This was fun and Victoria is a real bop, but not interesting enough to revisit.
It's the Beatles but a bit off. That's a bit facetious but it's kinda sorta a little bit true. I was looking for more than is here though sadly. Still enjoyable but it's not the white album of Abby road. I'll for the 100th time need to register to really get it. Maybe I won't even then but I'd like to give this another shot
Heh. The Kinks. So, this is a concept album, and plot is about a man named Arthur Morgan (rip) who moved across the world to the place a track is named after post-World War ii for better opportunities with his family, simple plot, but good nevertheless. Overall, I like it, everything comes together well, lyrics are simple but get the story across well, instrumentation is simple but grand when it need to be, very nice! Rating: Good ( Strong ☆☆☆) Favorite Tracks: Shangri-Li, Brainwashed, Arthur, and Drivin’
Not listened before Favourite tracks: Shangri-La, Drivin', Some Mother's Son
The album was ok, but not exceptional. It resembles other music at the time.
After listening to the album, I would say I liked most of the songs, my fav were Australia, Shangri-La & Nothing to Say. Unfortunately I wasn’t really a fan of the song Mr. Churchill Says, nor am I a fan of him directly. The overall narrative, melody and vocals, reminded me of another band called FEET, as well as The Rolling Stones. But yeah cool vibe, and piano section in Australia is dope!
Uh yeah, kinky or whatever