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Product Description
brand new unplayed
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Rating: 6/10
Best tracks: `Schooldays', `I'm in Disgrace', `Education', `The First Time We Wall in Love'
The last of the Kinks' musical theatre-minded albums, despite still being rooted in the structure of the band's last few albums, nevertheless points towards the conventional approach they would adopt from the Sleepwalker LP onwards. There's a few songs here which could have been straight-up radio-friendly singles, songs like the warm and nostalgic `Schooldays', the rocking `The Hard Way' and the almost Steely Dan-ish `No More Looking Back'. Then again, there's also the campy, retro boogies of `Jack the Idiot Dunce' and the 1950's dream-pop of `The First Time We Fall in Love', which are more in line with the stage musical atmosphere Ray was so besotted with. Well, I say dream-pop only partly in the case of the latter song- the second half of the song, where our character falls out of love, is a little darker and spiteful. The character in question is Mr. Flash, one of two rivals from the band's ambitious Preservation production a few years back. Here we go back in time to Flash's schooldays, where a scandalous incident led to ritual humiliation for the young lad.
The story featured in this album isn't amazingly riveting, certainly not as thought-provoking or fascinating as the one for the underrated A Soap Opera, and the latter run of songs aren't too hot - `The Hard Way', `The Last Assembly' and `No More Looking Back' are pretty average, but the album certainly kicks off in style with the afore-mentioned `Schooldays', which is definitely the best thing here - the playing is warm, quite similar to what Elton John would do with `I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues' years later. I hated school myself, and it's a testament to the strength of the song that I can hear a line like `Schooldays were the happiest days' without retching. `Jack the Idiot Dunce' won't be for everyone, but it's a cool 1950's rock and roll pastiche, while `Education' is a multi-song suite that certainly has its moments, while `I'm in Disgrace' rips off The Who's `I Can't Explain' riff with gleeful style. `Headmaster' is pretty good too and one of the more overtly narrative themed songs. Overall though, the album seems to be too top-heavy in terms of song quality and plot. The album sets the scene effectively and then throws in the vital moment of drama and then starts to wind down almost immediately, leaving one feeling short-changed and underwhelmed. Interestingly, the album is due for a film adaptation - let's see how that one works out....
Best tracks: `Schooldays', `I'm in Disgrace', `Education', `The First Time We Wall in Love'
The last of the Kinks' musical theatre-minded albums, despite still being rooted in the structure of the band's last few albums, nevertheless points towards the conventional approach they would adopt from the Sleepwalker LP onwards. There's a few songs here which could have been straight-up radio-friendly singles, songs like the warm and nostalgic `Schooldays', the rocking `The Hard Way' and the almost Steely Dan-ish `No More Looking Back'. Then again, there's also the campy, retro boogies of `Jack the Idiot Dunce' and the 1950's dream-pop of `The First Time We Fall in Love', which are more in line with the stage musical atmosphere Ray was so besotted with. Well, I say dream-pop only partly in the case of the latter song- the second half of the song, where our character falls out of love, is a little darker and spiteful. The character in question is Mr. Flash, one of two rivals from the band's ambitious Preservation production a few years back. Here we go back in time to Flash's schooldays, where a scandalous incident led to ritual humiliation for the young lad.
The story featured in this album isn't amazingly riveting, certainly not as thought-provoking or fascinating as the one for the underrated A Soap Opera, and the latter run of songs aren't too hot - `The Hard Way', `The Last Assembly' and `No More Looking Back' are pretty average, but the album certainly kicks off in style with the afore-mentioned `Schooldays', which is definitely the best thing here - the playing is warm, quite similar to what Elton John would do with `I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues' years later. I hated school myself, and it's a testament to the strength of the song that I can hear a line like `Schooldays were the happiest days' without retching. `Jack the Idiot Dunce' won't be for everyone, but it's a cool 1950's rock and roll pastiche, while `Education' is a multi-song suite that certainly has its moments, while `I'm in Disgrace' rips off The Who's `I Can't Explain' riff with gleeful style. `Headmaster' is pretty good too and one of the more overtly narrative themed songs. Overall though, the album seems to be too top-heavy in terms of song quality and plot. The album sets the scene effectively and then throws in the vital moment of drama and then starts to wind down almost immediately, leaving one feeling short-changed and underwhelmed. Interestingly, the album is due for a film adaptation - let's see how that one works out....
Format:Audio CD
I need only quote one line of lyric from a song on this album to convince you of its genius, and that is 'I'm wasting my vocation teaching you to write neat, when you're only fit to sweep the street.' Let's stop messing around here, just buy it. Simple.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Yet Another Kinks Presentation
14 Feb 2012
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Honestly I'm still not sure why The Kinks albums from the mid 70's get so much flack from so many people. As a relative newcover to the whole of their career,knowing them more for their 60's radio hits and "Come Dancing" in the early 80's,I had a suspision that there might've been some type of creative journey that led up from one place to the other. And albums such as this were a big part of it. With The Who and Queen in the late 60's/early 70's delivering heavy on the idea of the rock opera The Kinks,once one of the harder rocking British Invasion band began to veer in that direction. It was also a move towards glam rock in a way. But by the end of 1975 and after the mixed reception of the creatively excellent The Kinks Present a Soap Opera',it seemed the best qualities about that album was it's strong soul influence musically. So in the end Ray Davies kind of took off again in his own direction for this album with that somewhat in mind.
Musically a somewhat slower and melodic album than the previous release overall,the concept of this album is the very human idea that as important as eductation is that matters of the heart cannot be as easily prepared for. On the piano ballad "School Days" we're talking about the changing feelings on school life,hating it while it's happening but missing it over time. While "Jack The Dunce" rocks out a bit the song "Education" actually praises learning itself,at least achedemically while satarizing the phony social aspect of it all. Which,on a personal level I can appreciate. Between the slower "The First Time We Fell In Love","I'm A Disgrace" and "Headmaster" there's a love affair,the man feels guilty and than has to confess it all to a higher authority on a miniture suite of sorts. "The Hard Way" rocks out again with the character finding confidence. And with some beautiful churchy/gospel organ "The Last Assembly" deals with leaving the school world behind and entering the world.
Now the somewhat jazz/rock fusion styled "No More Looking Back" deals with meeting this person involved in the "indescretion" years later and deciding..well the title says it all. Dealing with concepts such as rebellian,regret and the process of maturing this album's concept loosely reflects the band as well. This music,with it's strong emphasis on soul searching and generation reflection is a long way from the hormonal explosions of the bands earlier music or their more satirical works of the late 60's/early 70's. Ray Davies had grown into himself in fine form by this time. And despite their constant internal bickering,so did the band as well. They were able to produce concept albums that dealt with relatable topics. And they talked TO the listener,not DOWN to them. It was that ability to bring both the simplicity and the needless absurdity of life relating to these concepts directly to their audience. And one reason why I feel their concept albums are so creatively underrated.
Musically a somewhat slower and melodic album than the previous release overall,the concept of this album is the very human idea that as important as eductation is that matters of the heart cannot be as easily prepared for. On the piano ballad "School Days" we're talking about the changing feelings on school life,hating it while it's happening but missing it over time. While "Jack The Dunce" rocks out a bit the song "Education" actually praises learning itself,at least achedemically while satarizing the phony social aspect of it all. Which,on a personal level I can appreciate. Between the slower "The First Time We Fell In Love","I'm A Disgrace" and "Headmaster" there's a love affair,the man feels guilty and than has to confess it all to a higher authority on a miniture suite of sorts. "The Hard Way" rocks out again with the character finding confidence. And with some beautiful churchy/gospel organ "The Last Assembly" deals with leaving the school world behind and entering the world.
Now the somewhat jazz/rock fusion styled "No More Looking Back" deals with meeting this person involved in the "indescretion" years later and deciding..well the title says it all. Dealing with concepts such as rebellian,regret and the process of maturing this album's concept loosely reflects the band as well. This music,with it's strong emphasis on soul searching and generation reflection is a long way from the hormonal explosions of the bands earlier music or their more satirical works of the late 60's/early 70's. Ray Davies had grown into himself in fine form by this time. And despite their constant internal bickering,so did the band as well. They were able to produce concept albums that dealt with relatable topics. And they talked TO the listener,not DOWN to them. It was that ability to bring both the simplicity and the needless absurdity of life relating to these concepts directly to their audience. And one reason why I feel their concept albums are so creatively underrated.
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