Search - Kinks :: Misfits

CLASSIC.

Greenhouse Effect | SAN DIEGO | 08/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SUPPOSEDLY, THIS ALBUM IS 'AFTER' THE KINKS CREATIVE YEARS QUOTE UNQUOTE BUT I DON'T THINK SO ... THIS ALBUM IS PURE CLASSIC...SORTA MISUNDERSTOOD IN IT'S TIME AND APPRECIATED AT THE SAME TIME...IT GETS MORE RESPECT BY FAR THAN SAY 'THE WHO'S ITS HARD' DOES.......IT'S GOT "A ROCK N ROLL FANTASY" ..ONE OF THE BEST KINKS SONGS EVER AND OFCOURSE 'BLACK MESSIAH" A CONTROVERSIAL LITTLE DIDDY BUT WELL MEANING INDEED..I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT WRITING THESE LITTLE TYPES OF SONGS TOO THAT PISS PEOPLE OFF AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY CAUSE THEY JUST WANNA BEAT YOU UP ANYWAY AND THEIR DUMB...ANYWAY , THE KINKS CLASSIC FATHER CHRISTMAS IS HERE...THOUGH AS I REMEMBER , I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WAS ON THE ORIGINAL ALBUM OR NOT ,,ANYWAY...THIS IS A KINKS CLASSIC..A BIT BETTER THAN 'GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT' THAT WOULD COME LATER...THOUGH IT IS PRETTY GOOD TOO..--CLARK HAGINS 8-13-05"

The Best Kinks Album Of The '70's...

Mike B. | 02/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...and the most consistently good (no bad tracks). This can't be said of any of their other 1970 to end-of-career releases.



After their 3-in-a-row masterpieces "Face To Face" (1966), "Something Else by the Kinks" (1967), and "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society" (1968) - The Kinks ended the decade with their best album ever - "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" (1969).



This was followed by the nearly flawless (if not perfect) "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround" (1970). This would be their last consistently good album until "Misfits" (1978). All the releases in-between these two are only "half-good". That is to say, half the album tracks are good to great, and half are negligible to bad. Of the half-good albums, the best were "Muswell Hillbillies" (1971) and "Sleepwalker" (1977). Of their much-maligned "concept" album period (1973 to 1976), "Soap Opera" (1975) stands out as the most amusing and entertaining.



Following the sometimes boring "Sleepwalker", "Misfits" came as a surprise. The lyrics and music were playful and witty. Some songs were comical vignettes, others had social commentary, and yet others were rueful ruminations. In short, everything you'd expect and want of a Kinks record. The album rocks, but also has a little reggae (performed in the style of 10cc). But most impressively - there wasn't even one bad song!



The very next year they put out "Low Budget" (1979), on which for the first time the number of bad songs outweighed the good. This would continue to be the pattern until the end of their career.



Those wishing to buy the best Kinks albums should get "Face", "Something Else", "Village Green", "Arthur", "Lola", and "Misfits". All of these are fantastic and are must-haves for serious music fans. After all is said and done, they are arguably the best band of all time. Even lesser Kinks songs are better than most artists' best songs. Having said that, I'll further opine that their very early and later-period albums aren't good enough to collect. To get their great British Invasion singles and the best of their later work, just invest in a good compilation like "The Ultimate Collection" (2002).



"

God save the Kinks!

Stephen Cabral | New England | 12/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A solid record that is not as quirky as their masterpieces but much better than its predecessor Sleepwalker. This is remastered with booklet and three bonus remixes and "Father Christmas". Of course it also has two of the better hits from the `70s...the title song & Rock N Roll Fantasy. Plus Ray must love wearing garters because there is another cross-dressing song in "Out Of The Wardrobe". God save the Kinks!"