The Kinks - Kinks (1964)

Reviewed by Hobart Arms, (Louisville, KY), from amazon.com

The Kinks' explosive debut album is a great album but don't expect the legendary Davies tunesmithing. Instead, this album is far closer to something like the Rolling Stones' England's Newest Hitmakers album: a rollicking collection of R&B covers that comprised much of the Kinks' early stage/club sets. This was the M.O. for most of these groups like the Kinks, the Stones, the Animals, etc. where they would go into the studio with maybe a few originals proffered to the producer but ultimately they would choose the most explosive R&B covers of Chuck Berry and the Chess crew and other popular hits that had wound their way into stage routines; maybe a single would catch on as a minor hit. These albums and the groups were meant to be throwaways: make an exciting record that would sell until the next product went on the shelves. Kinks is no exception. It features the usual slew of Chuck Berry/Chicago R&B covers but what Shel Talmy hadn't counted on was Ray Davies. Davies brought "You Really Got Me" with him and this was to become the first of many trademark hits for the Kinks. Mind you the covers and the hit single were not all that was offered on this album. There was also the obligatory slow "dance" number "Stop Your Sobbin'". Overall, I would recommend this album based on its importance in the canon of one of the greatest rock bands from one of the greatest decades in popular music. Further more, this album showcases the creative powerhouse of the Brothers Davies with their cohorts Avery and Quaiff in their embryonic form, a year before they would begin to take the world on lyrical trips as perhaps the most British of the British invasion bands. My advice would be to snag this album and put it on a cd changer with England's Newest Hitmakers, an early Manfred Mann album, an early Animals album, and The Yardbird's For Your Love. This will take you back to the days in 1964 London when you had to go to the clubs to see the grit and soul of the British Invasion...the R&B bands that lacked much of the contrived polish of the pop bands.

Size: 30,2 mB
Bitrate: 128 kB

1. Beautiful Delilah
2. So Mystifying
3. Just Can't Go to Sleep
4. Long Tall Shorty
5. I Took My Baby Home
6. I'm a Lover Not a Fighter
7. You Really Got Me
8. Cadillac
9. Bald Headed Woman
10. Revenge
11. Too Much Monkey Business
12. I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain
13. Stop Your Sobbin'
14. Got Love If You Want It

The Kinks - Kinks (1964)