![]() ![]() The Kinks were riding a popularity high that they had never enjoyed before or since in the late seventies early eighties, especially as an arena concert draw in the States. "Destroyer" and "Better Things" are the two hit singles and both songs represent a sort of nostalgic view of past Kinks' triumphs with the former being more obvious as it rips the riff from "All Day and All of the Night" while the latter brings back memories of such Davies masterpieces as "Waterloo Sunset" in its gentle reminiscence. This LP also came out when I was just entering adolescence and I distinctly remember "Around the Dial" on the radio, so it will always be special to me. "Around the Dial" may be the most overlooked song in the entire Ray Davies canon. Case in point is 1981's `Give the People What They Want' which as some cynical reviewers have said may directly pander to discriminating American tastes but since I'm an American I think it's great. Each record from `Sleepwalker' through `Word of Mouth' has much to recommend and is consistently entertaining. I really like this era of the Kinks though it may not be as critically regarded as their '66-'71 period. While many groups of the 60s petered out with sad albums in the 80s (Rolling Stones, The Who) the Kinks kept on rocking and if anything were even better than before. "Give the People." has held up great and the material transcends the time that has elapsed. I've said before "Give the People." and "Low Budget" are probably the two best recordings the Kinks did in the 70s and 80s and stick by that. "A Little Bit of Abuse" is a great turn on how the abused keep going back to abusers with the great lyric "Some people can be so uncouth, excuse me, is this your tooth?" "Better Things" closes out the disc and it's easily one of the most winning and charming Kinks songs in ages, a fond wish for well. The music is so beautiful and the way Ray delivers it so sweetly makes it even more disconcerting and disturbing. "Back to Front" is time for serious hard rock and it's a bit incongruous next to "Art Lover", the paean to creepy men sitting on park benches watching little girls. "Yo-Yo" picks back up on the psychological aspect again with how a couple's perspective on the other changes over time. "Destroyer" revisits Lola but puts the paparazzi/paranoia spin on things. "Add It Up" is a great kiss off to a partner who's "made a lot of money, but you've lost me on the way". "Predictable" is a wry turn on domestic bliss turning into monotony. ![]() "Killer's Eye's" is a chilling lament on what can turn someone down the wrong path. "Give the People." is a nasty double-barrel blast comparing modern society to the Roman Coliseum, even offering up Jack Kennedy and a horrific lyric that's as hard to resist as watching the Zapruder film. "Around the Dial" starts off all hard rock and missing DJs that actually is more poignant today than it was then. "Give the People." is chock full of disturbing images of Dead Presidents, pervy pedophiles, spouse abusers and psycho killers amidst some mighty tight rock. "Give the People What They Want" is all that and a bag of chips as the Kinks cemented their place as punk/heavy metal godfathers. The Kinks were on a roll after "Low Budget" (1979) and the live "One for the Road" (1980) bought them some time for yet another strong studio album. Davies produced the album to blend smoothly with the era's sonic priorities and values-the drum sound is clearly a product of its times-but the rich identity of this band is clearer and stronger than ever. Full of celebration, the chorus ("I hope tomorrow you'll find better things") is a perfect mix of melancholy and hope-a classic Kinks combination. "Better Things," while sounding of a piece with the rest of the album, also harks back to their Village Green era. But the album's first song, "Around The Dial" stares squarely into the perceived dearth of meaningful fare on the contemporary airwaves.The album closes with one of their strongest, most evocative songs in years. Ray Davies, never a man to shy away from irony, offers an album title that sounds like a directive. ![]() The band was a popular concert attraction and the bulk of their work from this period was perfectly suited to the broader gestures required in arenas. Description : This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.The Kinks: Ray Davies (vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer) Dave Davies (vocals, guitar) Ian Gibbons (keyboards) Jim Rodford (bass guitar) Mick Avory (drums).Audio Remasterer: Bob Ludwig.Liner Note Author: Matt Resnicoff.Recording information: The Power Station, New York City (05/1979) Konk Studios, London, England (06/1980) Konk Studios, London, England (04/1981 - 06/1981).1981 found The Kinks riding high. ![]()
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