Search - Kinks :: Give the People What They Want

One Of The Best if not "The" Best album of the 80's

D. R Hayes | Clermont, FL. United States | 08/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Kinks are one of those unique bands who have been around for 40 years, and still can find ways of reviving themselves without compromise. By the time this album came out in 1981 they had been through 4 revivals. The first one where they would sound Mod, in 1966 where they'd start to get fancy with thier songwriting, and more sophisticated with thier musical arrangements, in 1969 they'd start to become more rock oriented with songs like "Victoria", "Lola", "Apeman" etc. Then after "Celluloid Heros" The Kinks would go into a deep sleep, and wake up in 1979 becoming more punkish in thier middle age. This is where "Give The People What They Want" enters. Following up thier 79 comeback "Low Budget" The Kinks pulled all the stops. This is pretty much about as perfect an album as "Are You Experienced?". It kicks off right away with "Around The Dial" my favorite which takes a stab at the corporations taking over the radio by programming the songs that get played, it continues into the title cut with the angst, but then slows down with the moody "Killer's Eyes". "Predictable" is the very first video I remember seeing on MTV, and wraps up with "Add It Up" with Ray's then wife Chrissy Hynde on backing vocals. Side 2 starts off with the somewhat weak "Destroyer". I just wasn't getting the same good vibes on this as I was all of side one. Then it rebounds with "Yo-Yo", and "A Little Bit Of Abuse", and finally ends with "Better Things". Without a doubt very underrated, and unfortunately just didn't get a very big welcome on the airwaves. I feel it's time to give it it's due."

Giving Us People What We Want

Bud Gott | New Castle, DE USA | 10/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this album. It's a true classic! Around The Dial starts the album perfectly and Better Things is an awesome final song. Everything in between (including the somewhat creepy Art Lover)is also great.



If you're a Kinks fan, or just someone who loves great rock music, then this album should be in your collection!"

Some great rockers on this typically solid Kinks offering

Dave | United States | 03/11/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in August of 1981, "Give The People What They Want" is simply a solid Kinks album, with all of the songs written and produced by the at-the-time trusty Ray Davies.



A bunch of these songs really rock out. "Around The Dial" is a great, catchy tribute to a DJ that seems to no longer be on the air. The highly sarcastic title track, with lyrics about how people crave witnessing sex and violence, starts off with power chords and rapid-fire drumming that really get the blood flowing, and the chorus riff is simply infectious. "Destroyer", left over from the "Low Budget" era, deliberately reuses the "All Day And All Of The Night" riff as the basis for a really fun, amusingly paranoid rocker, and it's got great punchy choruses. The stampeding "Back To Front" is another ultra-exciting blast, with amusing lyrics and great riffs--Dave Davies really shines on this one.



The rocked-up pop-rocker "Add It Up" is catchy too, if a bit rote--it's another one of those Ray songs about how people become blindsided by wealth. The ballad-rocker "A Little Bit Of Abuse" is also strong--its lyrics, about staying with a boyfriend despite his physically abusive behavior, are really on the money and peppered with some dark humor.



Of the more ballad-ish tracks, the best is the gentle "Art Lover", a touching song about a man who yearns for the daughter he is unable to see. The weakest is "Better Things" which is yet another in a string of optimistic album-closers--the song is just too slight and sloppily performed to make much of an impact. But the rest of the tracks are all quite strong--there's the moody "Killer's Eyes"; the pensive 'power ballad' "Yo-Yo"; and the musically upbeat, yet lyrically dour "Predictable" which is one of Ray's trademark examinations of a man stuck in a dreadful day-to-day rut.



So, overall, this is a high quality Kinks record--if you're a fan of the band, I can't see not liking it unless you have a problem with the hard rocking side of the band."