entertainment
Session Man
They call it "entertainment"...
Posts: 261
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Post by entertainment on Aug 3, 2020 21:50:18 GMT -5
Thanks for telling us what's in the box! Though I listen to the Kinks often, I haven't kept up with the box sets. I look forward to your review! Maybe the badge should be kept in the box, so you don't lose it
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Aug 5, 2020 17:56:20 GMT -5
There is a little cut-out where the badge lives but it keeps trying to escape every time I open the box
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Aug 14, 2020 17:37:23 GMT -5
Just had my first listen to "The Great Lost Dave Davies" album and it is superb, far better than I imagined it would be, don't know why but I didn't expect it to be as good as it is. Too early to say which are my fav songs but it is very impressive.
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Aug 22, 2020 17:42:03 GMT -5
Still listening to the original album which just gets better and better with every listen, it is definitely in my top 10 albums ever and still playing the Dave Davies album as well, it is superb.
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Aug 27, 2020 17:37:24 GMT -5
I think this is the best box set I have, love everything in it, and I have quite a few box sets. The original album is perfect, the Dave Davies album is superb and the extras are all interesting, what is not to like
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Sept 1, 2020 17:49:18 GMT -5
Here we go again with another stop in my Kinks chronological odyssey, " Kinks Part One, Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround." Although I have heard this before I am going to give it a really good listen as I haven't heard it for a few months but I remember that I had the same problem I have had with a lot of Kinks albums up to now, love the songs, do not like some of the arrangements or the production, I know the early albums were recorded on 4 track but so where the early Beatles, Stones etc and compare the production, well you can't, there is no comparision, but I am going to listen with fresh ears and will post after a few listens.
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Post by martin53 on Sept 1, 2020 22:58:15 GMT -5
„Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One" is an excellent album. It shows a revitalised band at their best with a strong set of impressive songs including the hits „Lola" and „Apeman". Ray is on a creative flow. My very favourite picks are „Strangers“ and „This Time Tomorrow“. Besides it's The Kinks' first album featuring new member and keyboarder John Gosling. Look forward to your review, Colb!
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Sept 11, 2020 17:48:01 GMT -5
Had a few more listens to the album and I have to say it is another in a long line of excellent albums by The Kinks. I still have a couple of issues with the arrangements and production, but that is mainly with the first two songs. Ray's vocals at the start of "Contenders" sounds like they were recorded with his head in a bucket, they are so muffled and I find that although "Strangers" is one of my favs on the album, this is in spite of the arrangement which I find very plodding, but maybe that is just me being super picky ? My favs at the moment are "Strangers" "Get Back In Line" and "This Time Tomorrow." A special mention must be made of "Denmark Street", in my opinion not the best song on the album but having had the misfortune to deal with Music Publishers in my time I fully empathize with the sentiments of the song. A few songs I am struggling to get into up to now. "Rats" and "The Money Go Round" and "Powerman" but it is still early days. I haven't mentioned "Lola" or "Apeman" and it can be taken as read that, as I bought both of them as 7in singles when they were first released, that I love them.
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Sept 17, 2020 18:23:20 GMT -5
Like all The Kinks albums this one is a grower and every listen brings another song I didn't appreciate into focus, at the moment my fav is "Get ||Back Into Line" but I am sure that will change. I am really glad there are a good few more albums to explore, as well as Ray and Dave's solo works. I have always had a theory that most bands only have 4 or 5 good albums in them before the quality drops off because they have either got so much money and they don't have the hunger and drive anymore, or they lose founder members or have internal disagreements and the music changes. Two prime examples of this are Genesis who released one album when they were kids at school, then, to me, the best run of 5 albums in the history of music, then 3 OK albums then a line of massively successful albums which are at the best mediocre. Then there is Marillion who might as well be called Genesis pt2 I love the first 4 albums, they are classics, they Fish left and the got Steve Hogarth in on vocals and try am I might I just do not like his vocals. I bought the next few albums but just could not take to them. There obvious exceptions to this theory, The Beatles, The Stones, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Dylan etc. Anyhow, back to the point I was trying to make, I am now up to album number 8 in my journey and there has not been a bad one among them and there are a quite a few to get to know to go, Will be interesting to see how long this run of great albums goes on, even The Beatles, to my mind, made a couple of mediocre albums in "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" and I guess you could throw in "Yellow Submarine." I know lots of fans love these albums but can you compare them to "Sgt Pepper" "Revolver" or "The White Album" ? I think not. I know I have gone off the beaten track here but that's my "ready to be shot down in flames" theory for today
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Post by martin53 on Sept 19, 2020 7:29:10 GMT -5
Good theory! Genesis:I re-discovered their first album „From Genesis To Revelation“ (1969) recently. A great poppy and beatlesque record not one filler. Their next 5 albums were excellent respectively outstanding. The later records (the phase without Peter Gabriel) - were still good. Marillion:Love their first 4 albums too. „Clutching At Straws“ was regretfully Fish’s swansong. Steve Hogarth joined and did a great job. The band is still active today and comes up with appealing records. Procol Harum:The band (which had and still has a very close and profound connection with Switzerland) had their peak with their first three albums as far as I’m concerned. Congratulations and hats off to Matthew Fisher who was at that time the musical spirit of the band. „Procol Harum“ (1967) carried the musical signature of the classically trained organist Matthew Fisher, their second „Shine On Brightly“ (1968) had him as musical director. It was this very record that paved the way for progressive rock (check out the 20 minutes suite „In Held 'Twas In I“ – nobody had come up with something like this before!). The third masterwork „A Salty Dog“ (1969) was produced by Matthew Fisher. It was his last collaboration with the band. He would however rejoin decades later. Procol Harum would keep on going their way producing unforgettable milestones until today. Procol Harum - In Held 'Twas In I (Live With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) Key opener for prog rock. Pure genius!
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Oct 4, 2020 18:13:32 GMT -5
That track by Procol Harum is excellent, I have a greatest hits CD but have never listened to a proper album of theirs, I will certainly explore their first 3. Now back to my journey. I am now on to "Muswell Hillbillies", I bought the double CD deluxe edition which was quite expensive but hopefully worth it. I have always liked the cover but must admit I do not know a single track from it. I have now listened to the first 3 tracks. "20th Century Man" is superb, considering it was written in 1971 is expresses everything I feel about life in the 21st century, I don't like much of it. "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues" is excellent. "Holiday" is a weird one, It sounds so much like a Randy Newman song, which can only be a good thing, but some of the vocals are just plain strange, after a few more listens maybe I will feel different. I do like it but it is just, odd. will write more as I listen to more tracks but it is a very promising start
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entertainment
Session Man
They call it "entertainment"...
Posts: 261
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Post by entertainment on Oct 4, 2020 21:34:03 GMT -5
Hey Colb!
I agree with you on "20th Century Man"! Wait until you hear how Ray sings it, and how the band plays it on "One For The Road"!
As for strange vocals, I think you're entering the era when Ray would do different voices for certain songs, to play a character. I do understand it (and I like it) but I still prefer his most direct and honest vocals, which he did in the 80s and 90s...and his solo work after!
I'm glad you got the 2CD deluxe album for "Muswell Hillbillies"! I only have two extra tracks on my CD: "Mountain Woman" and "Kentucky Moon" I'm curious about what you'll think of these two songs!
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Oct 5, 2020 8:27:49 GMT -5
I have just realized I have jumped from Lola Versus Powerman to Muswell Hillbillies and missed out Percy. I think I will continue with Muswell as I have started and review Percy next. Having listened to Holiday a few times now I love it and I owe Ray an apology for criticizing his vocals. Apparently he wanted them to sound like a 1920's radio so sang them with a big fat cigar stuck in his mouth. Now that is dedication to authenticity Having listened to most of the album the songs that stick out up to now are 20th Century Man, Holiday, Complicated Life and Have A Cup Of Tea.
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Post by martin53 on Oct 5, 2020 9:06:45 GMT -5
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colb
Session Man
Posts: 424
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Post by colb on Oct 13, 2020 18:15:36 GMT -5
Been listening to the album a lot and it is a grower, at first it was confusing, it is so completely different from any earlier Kinks album and completely different from any album I have ever heard by anyone. It is a mixture of southern rock, jazz, blues, folk, vaudeville, music hall and Americana and none of these are types of music I listen to or particularly like : well I don't mind a bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern rock or Rory Gallagher's blues but apart from that they are not my "Cup Of Tea" Somehow it works and works superbly from the brilliant starter "20th Century Man", through to, well in fact there are only a couple of songs I do not really like. I am listening to "Skin And Bones" while writing this and on first listen left me cold but is is so catchy and bouncy and becoming one of many faves on the album. On the extras CD, while I haven't listened to it all yet, I really love Lavender Lane, it is great to hear the beginning workings of a classic song. I really like Mountain Woman as well, love Ray's lyrics and I never fail to feel sad when he sings about them moving into suburbia when they were so happy on their mountain
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