"the Kinks"

The Kinks‘ 1969 album Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) is to be reissued as a 50th anniversary super deluxe edition box set in October.

The Kink Kontroversy was a considerable leap forward in terms of quality, but it pales next to Face to Face, one of the finest collections of pop songs released during the '60s. Conceived as a loose concept album, Face to Face sees Ray Davies' fascination with English class and social structures flourish, as he creates a number of vivid character portraits. Davies' growth as a lyricist has coincided with the Kinks' musical growth. Face to Face is filled with wonderful moments, …

Lead guitarist Dave Davies offers commentary on a number of the Kinks most well known songs on this documentary that contains a wealth of little-seen footage of the band performing. In addition to anecdotes from other members of the band, the filmmakers include snippets of "You Really Got Me," "Waterloo Sunset," "Celluloid Heroes," and "Lola." Although they weren't as boldly innovative as the Beatles or as popular as the Rolling Stones or the Who, the Kinks were one of the most influential bands of the British Invasion. Like most bands of their era, the Kinks began as an R&B/blues outfit. Within four years, the band had become the most staunchly English of all their contemporaries, drawing heavily from British music hall and traditional pop, as well as incorporating elements of country, folk, and blues.

Amidst rumors a reunion album, The Kinks have announced a 50th anniversary reissue of their seventh studio album, Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire.

Mobile Fidelity reissued the Kinks' first two albums, You Really Got Me and Kinda Kinks, on one gold CD. Although they have their moments, these records are uneven, and most casual fans will prefer to hear the highlights on hits collections. Which means these albums are primarily of interest to devoted fans in the first place, and the steep price tag only further pushes it into collector territory…

This is a strangely persuasive compilation. It's rare that "best of" packages have songs from a variety of labels, yet maybe the fact that this is a German release had something to do with this draw. You Really Got Me: The Very Best of the Kinks essentially consists of three-fourths Pye/Reprise material (i.e. the '60s) and another one-fourth of Arista and MCA work (i.e. the "dark" years). What's even more rare is that this import collection is quite good…