Kinks - 1966 - Face To Face

The Kink Kontroversy was a considerable leap forward in terms of quality, but it pales next to Face to Face, one of the finest collections of pop songs released during the '60s. Conceived as a loose concept album, Face to Face sees Ray Davies' fascination with English class and social structures flourish, as he creates a number of vivid character portraits. Davies' growth as a lyricist has coincided with the Kinks' musical growth. Face to Face is filled with wonderful moments, whether it's the mocking Hawaiian guitars of the rocker "Holiday in Waikiki," the droning Eastern touches of "Fancy," the music hall shuffle of "Dandy," or the lazily rolling "Sunny Afternoon." And that only scratches the surface of the riches of Face to Face, which offers other classics like "Rosy Won't You Please Come Home," "Party Line," "Too Much on My Mind," "Rainy Day in June," and "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale," making the record one of the most distinctive and accomplished albums of its time. [The CD reissue of Face to Face included six bonus tracks: the singles and B-sides "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," "Dead End Street," "Big Black Smoke," "Mister Pleasant," and "This Is Where I Belong," plus the previously unreleased "Mr. Reporter" and backing track "Little Women."]

		1		Party Line	Davies, Davies	2:35
		2		Rosie Won't You Please Come Home	Davies	2:34
		3		Dandy	Davies	2:12
		4		Too Much on My Mind	Davies	2:28
		5		Session Man	Davies	2:14
		6		Rainy Day in June	Davies	3:10
		7		A House in the Country	Davies	3:03
		8		Holiday in Waikiki	Davies	2:52
		9		Most Exclusive Residence for Sale	Davies	2:48
		10		Fancy	Davies	2:30
		11		Little Miss Queen of Darkness	Davies	3:16
		12		You're Lookin' Fine	Davies	2:46
		13		Sunny Afternoon	Davies	3:36
		14		I'll Remember	Davies	2:27

¡Aquí!

Kinks - 1967 - Something Else By The Kinks

Face to Face was a remarkable record, but its follow-up, Something Else, expands its accomplishments, offering 13 classic British pop songs. As Ray Davies' songwriting becomes more refined, he becomes more nostalgic and sentimental, retreating from the psychedelic and mod posturings that had dominated the rock world. Indeed, Something Else sounds like nothing else from 1967. The Kinks never rock very hard on the album, preferring acoustic ballads, music hall numbers, and tempered R&B to full-out guitar attacks. Part of the album's power lies in its calm music, since it provides an elegant support for Davies' character portraits and vignettes. From the martial stomp of "David Watts" to the lovely, shimmering "Waterloo Sunset," there's not a weak song on the record, and several -- such as the allegorical "Two Sisters," the Noël Coward-esque "End of the Season," the rolling "Lazy Old Sun," and the wry "Situation Vacant" -- are stunners. And just as impressive is the emergence of Dave Davies as a songwriter. His Dylanesque "Death of a Clown" and bluesy rocker "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" hold their own against Ray's masterpieces, and help make Something Else the endlessly fascinating album that it is.

		1		David Watts	Davies	2:40
		2		Death of a Clown	Davies, Davies	3:15
		3		Two Sisters	Davies	2:03
		4		No Return	Davies	2:03
		5		Harry Rag	Davies	2:19
		6		Tin Soldier Man	Davies	2:53
		7		Situation Vacant	Davies	2:43
		8		Love Me Till the Sun Shines	Davies	3:23
		9		Lazy Old Sun	Davies	2:49
		10		Afternoon Tea	Davies	3:25
		11		Funny Face	Davies	2:29
		12		End of the Season	Davies, Davies	3:00
		13		Waterloo Sunset	Davies	3:16

¡Aquí!