|
|
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strangers on this road we are on, we are not two we are one., 13 April 2005
This 1970 release includes the Kink's most popular hit, the trannny-date anthem 'Lola'. Seeing Ray Davies,O.B.E, perform this song at the Queen's Golden Jubilee, with thousands of Brits of all ages and classes singing along, showed how gracefully the song and the writer (and the country) had weathered the previous twenty-five years. This album is one of their finest, and continues the 'concept-album' themes of 'Arthur', 'Village Green', 'Something Else' and 'Face To Face', i.e. life in late 20th century England interpreted by Ray and Dave Davies and band. 'Lola Vs. the Powerman' is also more biographical and self-referential than any Kinks album before or since. Many of the the songs are pointed satirical ditties about the the greed and corrruption inside the British pop music machine-'Denmark Street', 'Money-Go-Round', 'Top of The Pops'- and the rest are loosely related to that world- life on the road, the problems and alienation that come with too much money and fame. The album's more modest hit single 'Apeman', and the Dave Davies penned and sung proto-punk raver 'Rats' are about escaping from a polluted and over-crowded industrialized world, among other things. These two strong songs highlight the different styles and talents of the Davies brothers. But it's the low-key, almost folky songs like 'The Contenders', 'Strangers', 'This Time Tomorrow' and 'A Long Way From Home' that are most affecting. They don't rock like 'Lola' or 'Victoria' but have some typically lovely Kinks melodies. The lyrics seem to be as much about Ray and Dave's difficult sibling/musical rivalry as they are about relationship problems in general. The production sounds relaxed, not over-produced or fussy. As on 'Arthur', we hear a rock group, well practiced for years and probably playing 'live' in the studio, assisted at just the right moments by a banjo or a silver band or a marimba, or the occasional sound effect. The total is less complex than 'Village Green', more open and varied than 'Arthur'. The banjo intro to the first song returns near the end of the album and ties it together nicely. Of course, with the Kinks or any other great rock band, it's the passion and energy in the singing and playing that counts. That sound comes through on this album, clearer than ever, seven years into their long career. The latest remastered version seems fine, with three bonus tracks- the single version of 'Lola' plus nearly complete sounding demos for 'Apeman' and 'Powerman'. You don't need those extras too much, but you do need to get a copy quick, before it goes missing again. And did Dave Davies get HIS O.B.E. yet?
|
