Search - Kinks :: Kontroversy

No Longer a Singles Band

Frank A. Kocher | San Diego | 04/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this one as a teenager the day it came out, and played the grooves off of it, as I did ever other Kinks LP until 1970. The difference with 'Kontroversy' is that the non-single cuts, which were for the most part quickly tossed together afterthoughts on the first two LPs, show real development of Ray Davies into the songwriter who would further blossom on the three masterpieces to follow. The lyrics are introspective on 'I'm on an Island' and take a look at society on 'Where Have All the Good Times Gone'. This is a rock'n'roll record-in the cover of 'Milk Cow Blues', 'You Can't Win', and 'It's Too Late', the latter pounding hard with acoustic guitar and keyboards rather than the overdriven electric guitar of the early singles, and repeated to lesser effect on the churning 'Til the End of the Day'. This album shows a band in transition, and while there are a couple of cuts that are forgettable the growth in songwriting and more complex arrangements is a sign of great things to come."

Kinks finest

ac | ma | 03/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The kinks KONTROVERSY is a cd that goes back to the simpler style of rock n roll. it isnt over produced. it doesnt have flashy guitar slingin' or crazy pyscodelic cha cha. it just rocks. "till the end of the day" is a underrated classic.."the world keeps going round" has a cool sense of insight_times will ger hard..the rain will fall youll feel mighty low..but the world keeps going round" how simple is that! and true. This cd like the vast other Kinks cds never get recognised as GREAT OR GOTTA HAVE! well folks this is a must have!! and it does have some catchy songs and some raw production of the mid sixties! retro bands anyone!?"

The Kinks grow up....

E. Oslan | MI USA | 04/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Kinks transition from straight rock/pop/r&b into Ray Davies' classic pop-writing genius. Actually this is the final album of the former Kinks style as there is still plenty of rock/pop/r&b. But this album is soooo great from start to finish, a severe improvement over 'Kinda Kinks'. I'm not going to describe each track. I'll just say that it made me a Kinks fan. "Til the End of the Day" still rips and everything else is just so terrific. The pop of the Beatles, the rock of the Who, a little Stonesy blues swagger, but not much. This is also pretty 'brainy' rock n roll as well, with Ray and Dave Davies being a bit more introspective. Who else would have had the guts to come out and say our folks were right?! Indeed "Where Have All the Good Times Gone"? But also this is the Castle/Sanctuary reissue. For some reason it only has four bonus tracks as opposed to the customary 11 or 12 from the others."