Lost/Forgotten Album #125

[Jon]

Unless I'm wrong, I believe this is the first album from The Kinks to be featured on this site! It's cause for celebration I think!

Way back when, a friend of mine talked incessantly about The Kinks and how great they were. He tried to convince me by overplaying "Low Budget" so I of course began to despise The Kinks. 

The something interesting happened in 1981. That year saw the release of "Give The People What They Want" and a bunch of us went to see The Kinks at the Meadowlands Arena. This was my first concert and I wasn't too psyched to be there since I despised The Kinks and thought they were soft rock at best. 

Well, that concert proved me wrong. These guys tore up the stage and were incredibly LOUD. I walked out of that concert with a newfound respect for the group and the next day picked up "Give The People What They Want" which, to this day, remains my favorite Kinks album. 

After that album, I was letdown by the next three releases ("State Of Confusion", "Word Of Mouth" and "Think Visual"), feeling that they were a bit wimpy. Then came the 1989 release of "UK Jive" and I was hooked again. 

Sadly, by this time The Kinks were considered has-beens which is a shame since this is a first class album. It also features one of my favorite Kinks songs, "Loony Balloons". After this album came "Phobia" and that was it for The Kinks.

What's kinda funny (to me) is the Bruce Hall Effect. You want a good REO Speedwagon song? Check out the songs written and/or sung by Bruce Hall. Even though I like Ray Davies I'm always drawn to the Dave Davies songs because he tears it up on the geetar. Yep, the BHE!

UK Jive

1. Aggravation
2. How Do I Get Close
3. UK Jive
4. Now And Then
5. What Are We Doing
6. Entertainment
7. War Is Over
8. Down All The Days (To 1992)
9. Loony Balloons
10. Dear Margaret
11. Bright Lights
12. Perfect Strangers

Availability: OOP with prices starting at $15

[Mike Pell]

I hope so!

You have me curious now.

And I hardly ever hear a Kinks song I don't like.

[Scott]

First half of the album is real solid!  Liked it more than I expected I would.  The opening track is really really good!  The bass work is really awesome.

 

Did I detect a little Ritchie Blackmore influence in that last track?

 

Vocally they are an acquired taste I think.  Its sometimes works really well and sometimes not.  Did this convert me?  No, but it gave a me a different appreciation for the band that I never had until now, so it was a solid post!

[Jon]

Because of the song title on the last track? Or because of the geetaring? Maybe, I guess but I don't know. 

[Scott]

The tone of the guitar, the style of the riff, and obviously the name of the track reminded me of him. 

[Jon]

Ok, fine.

[RJhog (Admin)]

So Scott liked the first half of the album.  I like about half of the album.  As a matter of fact, there are five outstanding tracks on this album.  They are:

Aggravation

How Do I Get Close

Dear Margaret

Bright Lights

Perfect Strangers

I wouldn't consider myself a fan of the Kinks, but I will say that I'm more of a fan of the later stuff, like Low Budget, Catch Me Now I'm Falling and (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman.  That being said, I'm glad you posted this album and I deem it worthy.  The five songs I listed above would fit perfectly next to the three in this paragraph in my Kinks playlist.