July 8th, 2009
The Kinks – Face to Face
 Sandwiched in between The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers, The Kinks’ Face to Face is a collection of pop tunes aimed mostly at the upper class, poking fun with witty & satirical lyrics. |
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| I love Ray Davies‘ lyrics on this album. Every song tells a story, conjuring up negative portraits of the egotistical rich folk. But not every song is a full out “pinkies up” roast. “Holiday in Waikiki,” track 8 on Face to Face, is about an english boy who won a holiday in Waikiki. This album was also one of the first Kinks records that incorporated sound effects in with its songs, which can be heard on tracks 1 and 8. In “House in the Country,” which plays right before “Holiday…”, Davies tells us the story of a guy (apparently he’s “as wicked as he can be”) who’s got everything he needs, including a big sports car. “Most Exclusive Residence For Sale,” track 9, could possibly be about the same guy. He spends all his money on girls and fancy jewelry, giving him no choice but to sell his home. I was a huge Beatles fan before I got into The Kinks, and had thought that no album could possibly top any of The Beatles’. However, I’ve replayed this album way more than any Beatles’ album. Give it a listen if you get the chance, it’s an excellent example of one of the many great pop albums of the 60s . | |
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Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Artist: The Kinks |
