# Kinks albums--which should I get? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754 "2005-01-20T17:50:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/1 "2005-01-20T17:50:12Z")
I’ve always liked the Kinks without really being too familiar with them outside of the big hits and the ones that penetrated popular culture in other ways. I’ve been fine for a while simply having one of the Greatest Hits collection (not exactly [this one](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE57A1BD84DAD7220C5803C4CC0A276F51CC763F2810A2D4B5CD0FB324780112ED158A3B0B1D58239B566ADFF31A65A0FD686EF54F6D960373989FEC61D&sql=10:sudayl73xpzb), but pretty close in song selection), plus a few odds & ends songs from compilation CDs. But the recent HP commercial motivated me to get the “Village Green Preservation Society” CD, and I really like it. Without overlapping too much with what I’ve already got, what other albums should I definitely get? ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/2 "2005-01-20T18:05:37Z")
Looking @ the track list on the (similar) compilation, I’d recomment their late 70’s AOR stuff Misfits Low Budget & Give the People What They Want …and of course, I’d recommend logging out of AMG before providing links 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/3 "2005-01-20T18:10:13Z")
I love The Kinks, but I’m most familiar with their late 60’s/early 70’s stuff. Since _Village Green_ falls in this period, I’d also recommend _Something Else_, _Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire_, and _Lola versus Powerman and the Money-Go-Round, Part One_. _The Kink Kronikles_ is also a great anthology from this period, without too much overlap with the previously mentioned albums. I’d say a bit more about the individual albums, but I’m in a bit of a hurry at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/4 "2005-01-20T19:22:46Z")
Howyadoin, “One From the Road” is my favorite live album, period. -Rav ---
**Author:** ![Tit\_Whistle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Tit\_Whistle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tit_Whistle)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/5 "2005-01-20T19:26:06Z")
What \*\*Cabbage \*\*said, but consider Muswell Hillbillies from 1971. It’s one of the great overlooked albums of all time. Skip anything from 72-75 or at least save them til you’re a major fan. If you want the latter period stuff, Sleepwalker, Misfits, and State of Confusion are your best bets. Face to Face from 1966 is a really good one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/6 "2005-01-20T19:29:30Z")
Get _Arthur - Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire_. It’s my favorite Kinks album, just ahead of _Village Green…_. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/7 "2005-01-20T20:09:59Z")
I’s say go for them in this order: \*Kink Kronikles Something Else Village Green Face to Face\* I never really got into _Arthur_, and although _Muswell Hillbillies_ is great, don’t start w/ it. There have been rereleases on CD of pretty much all of the original 60s albums with bonus tracks which are well worth it; I’d spend the extra $2 for these over the initial CD offerings. You’re unlikely to find any of their 60s stuff on vinyl for less than a fortune, with the exception of _Kink Kronikles_ which is pretty commonly found in used stores… and is probably their best singles collection. I can’t get into their mid-70s and later stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/8 "2005-01-20T20:34:18Z")
The great thing about the Kinks is that the Kinks songs you never hear in the pop cultre stratosphere are infinitely more satisfying than many of their well-known hits. _Village Green, Arthur_ and \*Muswell Hillbillies \* are essential. I rank _Village Green_ up there with _Pet Sounds_ and _Revolver._ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/9 "2005-01-20T20:39:07Z")
I’d go with **Lola vs. Powerman and the Money-go-round** **Preservation Act I** **Low Budget**. ---
**Author:** ![TheInterruptingCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@TheInterruptingCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInterruptingCow)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/10 "2005-01-20T21:06:59Z")
Another vote for _Muswell Hillbillies_ . I used to be quite fond of _Sleepwalker_ as well, but I may have been the only one… ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/11 "2005-01-20T21:39:04Z")
Since you’ve already got **Village Green** , I’d suggest **Something Else by the Kinks** or **Lola vs. Powerman and the Money-go-round**. I actually like **Something Else** better than **Village Green** , but I know this is a minority view. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/12 "2005-01-20T22:35:37Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Since you’ve already got **Village Green** , I’d suggest **Something Else by the Kinks** or **Lola vs. Powerman and the Money-go-round**. Second. I will say though that the Kinks prodigious output is somewhat marred by a lot of weak material mixed in with the good. There aren’t a huge number of really solid albums in their repertoire, but almost all of them have something worth listening to. > [@](#): > > I actually like **Something Else** better than **Village Green** , but I know this is a minority view. Well, at least I agree with you ;). It also has probably the very best **Kinks** song of all time, _Waterloo Sunset_. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/13 "2005-01-20T23:15:01Z")
**Face to Face** is their first really klassik album, and is my sentimental favorite. **Something Else** , **Arthur** , and, of course, **Village Green** are indispensible; **Lola** is very close. **Everybody’s in Show Biz** is a bit patchy, but you must have the original version of “Celluloid Heroes.” **Misfits** is probably the best thing they did after that. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/14 "2005-01-21T00:01:49Z")
Am I the only human alive who thinks PHOBIA is worthwhile? OP, just get 'em all. Even SCHOOLBOYS IN DISGRACE has its redeeming points. IMO the best thing about the Kinks is that they’ve always been spot on when it comes to identifying any of my insecurities/fears/conditions–and then simultaneously making me feel like a fool for feeling unique in any way for having them, but that it’s OK because everybody’s a fool. So there’s no shame. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/15 "2005-01-21T00:44:39Z")
There have been several phases to the Kinks’ kareer: **The Early Years** : characterized by simple, hard-rocking singles like “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night” and more ballad-y stuff like “Tired of Waiting” and “Set Me Free.” The albums from this period are, like the Beatles’ early albums (though not as polished), a mishmash of hits, covers, and filler. Unless you’re a hard-core fan, a hits collection that includes several of these songs is all you need here. The Kinks’ greatest contribution to music was in the string of 5 brilliant albums: **Face to Face, Something Else, Village Green, Arthur,** and **Lola** (note: some album titles have been abbreviated). All of these are indispensible. **Face to Face** is, as **Biffy** said, their first klassik album, and maybe their most underrated; it’s as good a place to go as any from Village Green. **Something Else** is more uneven and you may already have its best songs (Waterloo Sunset, David Watts, and Death of a Clown), but there’s other good stuff there. **Village Green** is on the short list of albums I have absolutely fallen in love with. **Arthur** may be their masterpiece, but it’s more complex than the pastoral simplicity of Village Green, and takes longer to appreciate. **Lola** is a concept album about the music biz, and its a great one, despite the horrible-looking cover. Then come the RCA years, starting with **Muswell Hillbillies** which some people love, but I find it a bit too low-key to be one of my personal favorites. Several of the albums the Kinks made during this period in the early to mid 70’s ( **Preservation Act 1, Preservation Act 2, Soap Opera, Schoolboys in Disgrace** ) are sort of like mini-musicals or rock operas or soundtracks to their stage shows of the time—attempts to tell a story and present songs from the viewpoints of different characters. They’re not always 100% sucessful, but they’re fun to listen to if you don’t take them too seriously, especially **Schoolboys** , which is a fun album if not a great one, and which shows signs of the Kinks actually turning back into a rock band. There’s a best-of from this period called **Celluloid Heroes**. Then come the Arista years, from the mid-70’s **Sleepwalker** through to the mid-80’s **Word of Mouth** , and including **Misfits** , **Low Budget** , **Give the People What They Want** , and my own personal starting point, **State of Confusion** (which has their big hit “Come Dancing”). This is their “arena rock”-y phase. **Come Dancing With The Kinks** collects the hits from this period. Then they put out a handful of uneven but interesting albums on MCA: **Think Visual** , **UK Jive** , and **The Road** , yet another live album and one that I like very much. Finally, there was the long, not-bad-but-not-great **Phobia** and the great-if-you-could-find-it EP **Did Ya** , and then **To the Bone** which consists mostly of rerecordings (acoustic and/or live) of older Kinks songs. There have also been several compilations released, some of which include songs not available elsewhere (the _Kinks Kronikles_ that **Crandolph** mentioned is one of these, with many songs from roughly the same period as Village Green). I never met a Kinks album I didn’t like. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/16 "2005-01-21T00:46:36Z")
**Muswell Hillbillies** … it’s the sh\*t. **Arthur** comes in a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/17 "2005-01-21T01:15:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Preservation Act 1, Preservation Act 2 Some of Davies best lyrics are on these albums. Voice: prepare yourself flash, there are many who suffered at your Hands. they are craving for vengeance. time is running out. Flash: can this be the end? can this be the swan song? the final Elbow? I will not go. the people need me. Voice: men like you will always come and go, but the people will go on forever. Take one final look at the past flash. enjoy it, Because you have no future. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinks-albums-which-should-i-get/285754/18 "2005-01-21T17:19:03Z")
OK, tabulating the responses (thanks everyone!), we get a 3-way tie between _Arthur, Lola vs. Powerman_ and _Something Else_, with _Muswell Hillbillies_ coming in close behind. Looking at the track list (and what overlaps with what I currently have), the number of new tracks amounts to 11 on each disc. Sigh–I guess I’ll have to get all 3. 🙂 (I’ll see what B&N have, since I’ve got a gift card with them) Thanks again, all!