best, The Kinks' Ray Davies is one of the cleverest and wittiest writers in the pop firmament, managing to wring universal appeal from a wholly and unapologetical...
best, The Kinks' Ray Davies is one of the cleverest and wittiest writers in the pop firmament, managing to wring universal appeal from a wholly and unapologetical...
This Is Where I Stand
Many bands are formed in turbulent times, but more often sheer boredom is the catalyst.
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This is the case with Easyworld, who hail from Eastbourne (a town of "no music venues and about 150,000 retirement homes") and their debut album, This is Where I Stand. Fronted by singer/guitarist/songwriter Dav Ford, Easyworld's closest musical cousins are Muse and JJ72, who employ a similarly clear, high-pitched and melodramatic vocal, as well as stop-start power-pop tactics. But Easyworld avoid the depths of self-pity plumbed by Muse and are even, on occasion, quite cheerful. "Try Not to Think", concerning true love on a provincial Saturday night, is genuinely charming and impressively well-written ("She finds it hard to breathe / She writes his name in steam"), proving Ford is a songwriter to watch. Other highlights include the title track, in which Ford sings a pyrotechnic hymn over a distant, dirty riff that seems entirely inappropriate but eventually mesmerises. Then there's comedy sex song "You and Me" (a well-timed shot of humour), the punchy single, "Bleach", surely the chirpiest tune ever penned about quaffing Domestos, and "By the Sea", where Ford's voice takes off over a melancholy piano (and weirdly, he sounds not unlike the Cocteau Twins' Liz Fraser). On the downside, there's a little too much Radiohead in the tinkling and chiming intros, and several songs never rise above the mediocre. This is a more-than-fair debut, nonetheless. --Dominic Wills
perfectly good reading or reference copy. *** We aim for SAME DAY DESPATCH, first-class / airmail, 6 days a week: all orders are securely and protectively packaged. *** "Think inkt"!
best, The Kinks' Ray Davies is one of the cleverest and wittiest writers in the pop firmament, managing to wring universal appeal from a wholly and unapologetically English perspective (even Van Halen once covered a Kinks song--although, granted, "You Really Got Me" was not one of Davies' more subtle social commentaries). Most of the artists who feature on This Is Where I Belong are American, and most acquit themselves admirably--especial hosannas must be directed at Fountains of Wayne's giddy reading of "Better Things", Cracker's rousing "Victoria", a typically intricate working of "Art Lover" by Lambchop and a spectacular turbocharging of "Who'll Be the Next in Line" by Queens of the Stone Age. The decision to close the album with Davies himself performing his finest song ("Waterloo Sunset") with one of his more able heirs (Damon Albarn of Blur) is a neat touch. --Andrew Mueller
Advantages: A fresh and interesting take on the world Disadvantages: Lacks an obvious single
...RayDavies is a British institution. As the driving force behind The Kinks, Davies is responsible for a distinctively this-side-of-the-Atlantic sound with witty, introspective numbers from the mould-breaking You Really Got Me to the unsettling Lola and songs inspiring covers such as David Watts (The Jam) and Gotta Stop Sobbin' (The Pretenders).
As a solo artist of a certain age, there is bound to be apprehension from fans as to whether the master is present and future as well as past. Well, I have to report that he has something to say to today's audience, whether existing fans or a rising generation.
Things Are Gonna Change is trademark RayDavies. Catchy pop if you let it just wash over you, listen to the words and you are left with something to think about! After The Fall is a gloomy reflection of life, counterpointed...
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helpful 28.05.2007
The Secret Album Review ofVillage Green Preservation Society, The (Deluxe Edition) - Kinks (The)by
Neselrode
Advantages: Cleverly written and beautifully crafted songs Disadvantages: Not everyone's cup of tea, but then, what is?
...". The Kinks were out of favour, the album title didn't really help it's sales, and the record company didn't exactly herald the release of this record with blazing trumpets. So it slipped quietly away....
This edition is a triple CD compilation, but to prevent an overlong review I'll initially just cover the tracks on the original album, followed by a short summary of what else is stashed on this set.
~1 The Village Green Preservation Society
Not the strongest of openers but it's pleasant enough and sets the tone for the rest of the album. A medium-paced pop song with a kind of summer groove. Harmonies throughout, lead singer RayDavies misses the old values:
" We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society
God save the Mrs Mops and dear Old Mother Riley"
~2 Do You Remember Walter?
A bouncing piano chord intro soon cascades into a Kinks...
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...RayDavies……As Kinky as Me!!!
When I was browsing through HMV in my last opinion I also bought an album by a gentleman called RayDavies or should I say the fabulous Kinks. To me RayDavies is The Kinks so don’t be telling me that this in the wrong category ok….Please tell me that Grinchgirl isn’t the category manager for music, she takes no prisoners..lol..
Anyway back to Mr Davies and his group the Kinks, why are they one of my favourite bands. I suppose they remind me of when I was a kid and basically remind me of when life was so easy….I was a young teenager when they brought out records like Lola and Apeman…….
The thing about Ray was he had the knack of putting a catchy tune with real meaningful lyrics. As I got older a lot of his songs took on even more meaning to a lot...
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