Kinks (studio album) by The Kinks

Like most albums of the time this is mainly covers with a few original compositions which is a shame as You Really Got Me and Stop Your Sobbing (covered by the Pretenders) show what a great songwriter Ray Davies is

A collection of harmless catchy songs that don't really go any further than that. There are some of them which are obviously more effective than others that get stuck in your head after you listen. Quite a few of them just don't hit and don't catch on at all and that basically makes the whole song redundant. This is because if the track isn't catchy and fun then there is no real substance behind it as the music and lyrics are pretty simplistic and the whole record lacks experimentation. This is most likely due to the time period it came out in. Overall, if your looking for a few songs that will make you feel upbeat and to sing a long to then this is a great pick for you but that is all there is to the album.

Actually Pretty Good. As good as some early Beatles imo. Not prime Kinks yet, but still pretty good

From Jboy56 04/26/2022 20:34

Solid 1964 raw britrock

Besides the classic "You Really Got Me" not very interesting. Sounds like early Beatles, but less interesting.

From 2nd-Impressions 10/03/2020 23:52

60/100

Best tracks: Just Can't Go to Sleep, You Really Got Me, Cadillac
Worst tracks: Long Tall Shorty, Bald Headed Woman, Too Much Monkey Business, I've Been Driving On Bald Mountain, Got Love If You Want It

From Boltzmann 04/01/2020 17:59

A great example of a band who knows to realize strange ideas within rock 'n' roll without just grabbing to different genres or cultures, and all in all: just keeping it rock 'n' roll.

Really "You really got me" is an alien here. Such a contrast with the rest wich is primitive brit R&B that too many bands were doing much better than this album at the time.

Ray Davies would write awesome songs in the future but here the only really worth one is the influentail You really got me.

The debut album from The Kinks is a raw beat record. About a third of the record is original material from Ray Davies, the rest being cover versions. It's an enjoyable LP that sounds nothing like the band would do in three or four years time but a lot of it does sound the same. Most famous song on the album is, you really got me, a classic rock track, and, stop your sobbin', would later be a hit for the Pretenders, featuring of course, Ray's future wife. All in all, an okay debut, but the best was certainly yet to come.

From RoundTheBend 02/24/2016 22:21

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.