The Kinks - Face to Face
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Music CD Cover
Artist: The KinksEdition: Music CD
Format: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2004-05-03
Music Label: Sanctuary UK
Soundtracks:
- Party Line
- Rosie Won't You Please Come Home
- Dandy
- Too Much on My Mind
- Session Man
- Rainy Day in June
- House in the Country
- Holiday in Waikiki
- Most Exclusive Residence for Sale
- Fancy
- Little Miss Queen of Darkness
- You're Lookin' Fine
- Sunny Afternoon
- I'll Remember
- I'm Not Like Everybody Else [*]
- Dead End Street [*]
- Big Black Smoke [*]
- Mister Pleasant [*]
- This Is Where I Belong [*]
- Mr. Reporter [#][*]
- Little Women [#][*]
Free Music Notes for Face to Face
Free Music Review: Rock's greatest moments begin here!
Hit: 5 Stars
Ah, "Face to Face." Ah, The Kinks. Where do you even begin to find the words that attempt to do justice to the music that The Kinks produced from 1966-1971? I'm more passionate about their music from this period than I am about any other, so I've just got to try.
Anyone who's reading this probably has a love of their work, therefore a good knowledge of the music; where the great stuff began and where it ended, so we all know that this is where it truly began. Ray Davies was beginning to populate his song writing world with characters who would resurface on other albums and singles (No, not by name, but you knew who they were from the lyrical content), while others did not. He has a complex mind ("No one can penetrate me, they only see what's in their own fancy") which set about creating stories that, according to John Mendelsohn in his book "The Kink Kronikles" when commenting on "Two Sisters" from the "Something Else" album: "...a five-thousand-word short story might have been too short for." There were dandies, session men, an individual who has a most exlusive country residence, and loses it and is left to be content with a sunny afternoon. In between are songs about insomnia, holidays in Waikiki and memories of love lost.
His vocals had grown to have the ability to express sympathy or disdain for his subject, and in the case of the mini song cycle if you will, he scorns the character who owns the "House in the Country," yet seems sympathetic to his plight when forced to sell out in "Most Exclusive Residence for Sale" and then fills his shoes to deliver a first-hand account in "Sunny Afternoon." (Has anyone else ever suspected that Ray Davies had this poor chap do himself in later on in "Did You See His Name?")
His lyrics were intelligent and clever:
"I'm on a party line
Wondering all the time
Who's on the other end.
Is she big
Is she small
Is she a she at all."
(Although both Davies brothers wrote the song, these are clearly Ray Davies lyrics.)
"Rosie Won't You Please Come Home?" has the singer taking the side of the mother rather than the side of the young girl:
"Rosie won't you please come home
Mama don't know where you've been
Rosie won't you please come home
Your room's clean and no one's in it."
Keep in mind that The Beatles wouldn't record "She's Leaving Home" for another year.
"Rainy Day in June" may be, next to "Wicked Annabella" one of Ray Davies' darkest songs:
"The demon stretched its wrinkled hand
And snatched a butterfly.
The elves and gnomes were hunched in fear
Too terrified to cry."
This is excellence at work! This was the beginning of an incredible 5 year stretch in which no wrong was done. If you choose to listen to all five years worth of their best work chronologically, starting here, you can do it in one afternoon, and it's soooo enjoyable!
A production note must be made concerning this disc. It's in mono. Therefore, "Little Miss Queen of Darkness" is missing the electric guitar track until the last verse. My stereo vinyl copy has the track through the entire song.
It's so difficult to adequately summarize the musical and lyrical impact of this material. If you're among the uninitiated, hopfully my feeble attempt at trying to do so will encourage you to sample The Kinks' best era for yourself. And if you do, I sincerely hope you'll enjoy it.
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