Other Mixes By Pop Kulcher
Cassette
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Theme

Cassette
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Theme

Cassette
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Theme

CD
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Single Artist
CD
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Theme - Narrative
A Kinks Kronology, 1970-1984 (2-CD Deluxe Edition)
Side A | ||
Artist | Song | |
The Kinks | Lola | |
The Kinks | Strangers | |
The Kinks | Get Back In Line | |
The Kinks | This Time Tomorrow | |
The Kinks | A Long Way From Home | |
The Kinks | Apeman | |
The Kinks | God's Children | |
The Kinks | The Way Love Used To Be | |
The Kinks | Animals In The Zoo | |
The Kinks | Dreams | |
The Kinks | Skin & Bone | |
The Kinks | Alcohol | |
The Kinks | Have A Cuppa Tea | |
The Kinks | Oklahoma USA | |
The Kinks | Muswell Hillbilly | |
The Kinks | Here Comes Yet Another Day | |
The Kinks | Sitting In My Hotel | |
The Kinks | Motorway | |
The Kinks | Celluloid Heroes | |
The Kinks | Daylight | |
The Kinks | Sweet Lady Genevieve | |
The Kinks | Where Are They Now? | |
The Kinks | Here Comes Flash | |
Side B | ||
Artist | Song | Buy |
The Kinks | Salvation Road | |
The Kinks | Everybody's A Star | |
The Kinks | Have Another Drink | |
The Kinks | Ducks On The Wall | |
The Kinks | The Hard Way | |
The Kinks | No More Looking Back | |
The Kinks | Sleepwalker | |
The Kinks | Juke Box Music | |
The Kinks | Father Christmas | |
The Kinks | Prince Of The Punks | |
The Kinks | A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy | |
The Kinks | (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman | |
The Kinks | Attitude | |
The Kinks | Pressure | |
The Kinks | National Health | |
The Kinks | Around The Dial | |
The Kinks | Destroyer | |
The Kinks | Better Things | |
The Kinks | Come Dancing | |
The Kinks | Do It Again | |
The Kinks | Living On A Thin Line | |
Comment:
The second of two 2-cd compilations (see also 1964-1969) tracing the evolution of one of history's greatest bands, and one that documents a band in a bit of artistic decline yet still offering some truly legendary moments. 1970's Lola album was (IMHO) their last truly indispensable album (albeit one with some weak points), with the title track an obvious classic and "This Time Tomorrow" perhaps my favorite Kinks track (one which finally got some attention on a Wes Anderson soundtrack, so I guess I'm not alone). After that they entered their theatrical period, trying out a range of styles from Americana to showtunes, and while each of the next few albums had some great songs, they also had an increasing number of clunkers -- and by Soap Opera and Schoolboys in Disgrace, some of the music was almost painful to hear. By the late 70's, Ray Davies went back to arena mode, dropping the concept albums for some more straightforward (if frequently bland) rock and roll. Can't say I listen to much from the latter-day Kinks aside from the tunes selected here, though I do have a soft spot for some of Low Budget's riff-crazy hard rock, and 1981's Give The People What They Want had some really great tunes (though I didn't include many here). So, I suppose on the whole the final disc here is a bit expendable, but still packed with a respectable number of classic rock radio staples for a band which had been kicking around so long. (There were a few post-1984 Kinks albums, none of which I ever bothered buying.)
Feedback:
the fact that "long distance" - one of my favorite kinks tracks (mostly because of personal association, but also because it's as good as ray davies got during the latter part of their career - beautiful & wistful like he hadn't been for a decade) - is MIA is a bit puzzling to me, but is more than made up for with "this time tomorrow," "strangers & "sweet lady genevieve" (their long-forgotten masterpiece).
Yowza. I'm sure that you and Sean will champion most of this stuff, but I can't really back you up on it. All of the material on Disc 1 through "Muswell Hillbilly" is to-die-for classic, and I do adore "Sweet Lady Genevieve," but most of the rest of this does little-to-nothing for me. I really think that these guys did decline pretty seriously right around then.
STILL GREAT, OF COURSE. I'd hit "State of Confusion" a little heavier - much heavier, actually. I think that's the last great Kinks album ("Long distance", which may be a cassette-only track - I can't recall; "Young conservatives", and more). I think that was the first tour I ever saw them on.
AGAIN - GREATEST ... BAND ... EVER.
AGAIN - GREATEST ... BAND ... EVER.
Also - Lola, to my ears, has no really weak songs. The more recent "To the bone" has super great studio tracks, and "Hatred" is a great song. But no matter, I am to the Kinks what Rob is to McCartney - a true blue fan.
Serious decline? Couldn't disagree more. They changed, sure, but they were always (ALWAYS) a phenomenal live act. And unlike, say, the Stones most of the post-"critical" period stuff is still mostly very good.
Serious decline? Couldn't disagree more. They changed, sure, but they were always (ALWAYS) a phenomenal live act. And unlike, say, the Stones most of the post-"critical" period stuff is still mostly very good.
Love all four discs, but I must say that going from the first set to the second is like listening to two different bands.
Another great collection.