The Kinks: Something Else

Casual Kinks fans won't find too much familiar material on this album. None of their big hits are on here- you won't find All Day and All of the Night, You Really Got Me, Lola, or A Well Respected Man on here. Instead, you'll find some more moderate hits by The Kinks, such as Waterloo Sunset and Death of a Clown. There is a good reason for this: this album is not for everybody. The album has a very unique sound, and nothing from the time period sounds anything like it. There aren't very many rocking tracks on the album, which is filled with acoustic songs, ballads, and songs with a hint of R&B mixed in. This album is filled to the brim with gems, such as Death of a Clown, an artistic and poetic number which is sad yet jolly at the same time. The real winners on the album are David Watts, Situation Vacant, Waterloo Sunset, and Death of a Clown, yet there's not a single weak song on the album, just a few songs that are weaker than the rest, but still good, like Tin Soldier Man, Funny Face, and End of the Season. On Something Else, Ray Davies' songwriting is becoming more and more defined, while Dave Davies is rising as a real songwriter (similar to George Harrison of The Beatles.)

Overall, the album's name really rings true for this album. This album is really something else, and is very unique sounding. In my mind, this is The Kinks' best work, and one of their few albums that can really compete with the other stellar bands of the time period.

★★★★★★★★(½)☆

(8.5 out of 10)