This Album's Only Kinda Kinky

Overall Album Score: 7.3 out of 10

There was quite a huge improvement here over their debut album and one that hopefully proved, to whoever was listening, that these guys had more potential than they ever let on. They're allowed to write an almost insane number of original compositions here (there's just one cover, a lackluster cover of "Dancing in the Street") which ends up proving that Ray loved to be a songwriter. He's still largely trying to gain his footing in the art, but he's really beginning to produce some interesting stuff.

Notably, he's beginning a slight shift away from the too-Bealtes-esque tracks that filled up their debut album! There's a few sensitive ballads here and there. "Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me From Worryin' About That Girl" is an engaging song though nowhere near as engaging as they would eventually become! The melody is nice although I don't think Davies was quite to the point where he was ready to come up with elaborate and appropriate arrangements for his compositions.

Naturally there's their hit from the album "Tired of Waiting For You," which is tons more interesting (on the composition front) than even "You Really Got Me" from their original album. Of course, it's not quite as memorable. Ray also provides more touching vocals, and even the arrangments are considerably more advanced than anything he'd ever done before. (Even then, it's a far cry away from his later work.)

Much of the supporting material on the album isn't worthy of distinction. Despite the presence of a few relatively more sensitive tracks, much of the rest is simply mediocre. A few of them are pretty stinkin', though, like the ugly "Naggin' Woman" and the very throwaway "Come On Now." But even these seem nicer than the average song on their previous album. At least the instrumentation is heavily improved!

Surprisingly, the bonus tracks are even better and (gasp) more essential and Kinks-like than the tracks that appear on the regular album. These show Ray delving even further into his sandbox of music composition! Naturally, these show Ray at his formative stages, but he still managed to come up with a few rich products. "Set Me Free" is an interesting track that's sounds like a combination between the Beatles and the Kinks. (Maybe it's the missing link --- or something.) "Such a Shame" sounds very Kinks-like with its song-structure and melody. "See My Friends" is probably the most unique of the bonus tracks (and the original album for that matter) featuring an interesting melody and a fake sitar!

Overall Album Score: 7.3 out of 10 (The Kinks improve in mighty ways, but they still have a ways to go!!)

Average Song Score: 7.5 (The Kinks come up with a passable set of tunes. Much better than their last album, but still nothing like they'll do later.)

Album Tilt: 7.0 (Not the most spectacular album to sit through. The uneveness is unsettling.)

Artist Tilt: 7.0 (Ray is still trying to get comfortable in his shoes, but he's making some important advancements here. You can notice them more starkly in the bonus tracks!)

Track Reviews

Look For Me Baby 8/10

The solid, mid-tempoed pop-rocker starts off the ceremonies in this Kinks album! It's a solid and straight-ahead track with a nice enough melody. It's clear they're still emulating the early Beatles and other forces in early rock. However, the songwriting is certainly solid and the insturmentation seems smart. It's nothing particularly creative, but you also have to remember that group is still trying to gain its footing.

Got My Feet on the Ground 7.5/10

Dave Davies takes the vocals with this quicker rocker. The melody is less catchy, and I don't really care for his scratchy vocals although he's certainly spirited. The songwriting continues to be derivative --- this one moreso. 1965, the year this was released, seems to be way too late to still be making Chuck Berry inspired rock tunes. That's painfully obvious!

Nothin' But the World Can Stop Me Worrying From That Girl 8.5/10

Ray's taking-on light ballads, and he's proving that'll end up being one of his main strengths. The songwriting is awfully simple, but it's rather engaging. The arrangements are rather simplistic, and maybe that's all it needed, but it seemed like this could have been polished more. (Again, this group is still working out some kinks. They're going to get better!!)

Naggin' Woman 5.5/10

Dave takes on the vocals with this standard blues rocker, and all he ends up doing is convincing me that he shouldn't sing vocals anymore. That's the most annoying voice on this freaking planet --- as he's singing it. The instrumentals are boring, but at least they're not misguided.

Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight 6.5/10

It's painfully simple, but you can really detect some of their early developments here. Notice the chord progressions in the middle of the song --- yes! Good old Ray's starting to really start becoming his own man. Not quite though. These choppy chords that bookmark the track are really horrible, and not enough care was taken for the instrumentation.

Tired of Waiting For You 9.5/10

Here we go! This is a good piece of songwriting. It's not perfect, but can you hear this great, complex melody? The song is structured remarkably well with even a bit of creativity in the instrumentation. (Though it didn't seem like Ray had the disposal of all the studio equipment and session musicians that he might have liked.) Those guitar tones that open and close the song are a bit reminiscent of "You Really Got Me," and they lend this track an interesting feel. The middle completely deviates from this idea and he actually gets rather sensitive. This is such a lovely song!!

Dancing in the Street 7/10

As long as they're going to do a cover, it had might as well be one of my favorite Motown classics!!! It's hardly worth anything compared to the Martha & the Vandellas original, but it's always fun to hear it performed. Ray's vocals are too sleepy for it (and he doesn't appear to be trying). David Bowie's and Mick Jagger's version is better --- I'll let you interpret that statement on your own!

Don't Ever Change 7.5/10

This is an OK Beatles-esque pop rocker except Davies' lyrics get awfully jumbled up. The melody is very simple and the instrumentation is standard. This isn't his finest piece of work, but it's passable.

Come On Now 6/10

Here is a rather boring pop rocker! The songwriting is so simple that I would probably suspect that Ray wrote this in about half an hour! Well, it's not that enjoyable anyway... Its only blessing is that it's less than two minutes long.

So Long 8.5/10

Now, Davies is back to his ballads. Yes, that is clearly where this guy's strength lies. This is a pretty song. It's quite simple but it's pleasant and sounds genuine. Compare Ray's vocal performance here compared to that lackluster cover of "Dancing in the Street." He believes that ballads are his strength, too.

You Shouldn't Be Sad 6/10

This is another rather boring pop-rocker. I guess Ray's songwriting skills were still pretty marginal at this point (which is why this really isn't a recommended album altogether). The melody is quite barren, and the instrumentation is very simplistic for the genre. It's perfectly listenable but not too likable.

Something Better Beginning 9/10

They definitely end this album with quite a song, the eerily appropriate title "Something Better Beginning." This original composition also points to the songwriting glory this band would be responsible for in a few short years. The melody is fairy catchy and the instrumentation is getting a little better. Ray's vocal performance is stronger and more convincing. This is a little too tied up in '50s rock based on what I hear from the structure, but it's also likable and engaging.

BONUS TRACKS

"Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" is an average pop-rocker that's has a bit of an edge about it that makes it quite a bit more entertaining than some of them that appeared on the regular album. It's played at a fast, almost menacing speed. The songwriting isn't spectacular, but this is well enough to get my attention!

"Who'll Be the Next in Line" is kind of interesting. It seems like Ray has one foot into his derivative influences, but there's something startlingly original about it. At the same time, this comes across as rather bland. Even if it's a bit bland, it's original!

"Set Me Free" has a hard-rock riff that starts to sound like "You Really Got Me" except Ray writes a nice, Beatles-esque chord progression that tales it to nice depths. This is really just another Beatles knock-off, but you get the sense that he's really enjoying the sandbox of songwriting here!! (His falsetto vocals weren't such a good idea though.) But hey, this isn't just a good song --- it's entertaining!

OK, here's the official "You Really Got Me" clone. It's not quite to that level but it's close. "I Need You" has a nice hard rock riff! The funny thing about this track is that the riff isn't the catchiest thing about it --- the vocal melody is much catchier. Very nice --- and this is another point where you can sense the Ray Davies we all know from Arthur!

"See My Friends" is freaking fantastic! This is also by far the album's most original composition. I don't think they're using a sitar, but they're sure trying to emulate that sound with some sort of instrument. This fits 1965 (and even a bit later) perfectly with that era's foray into more complex, otherworldy music. The melody is unique and catchy --- it's not too far away from a Rubber Soul era Beatles song. Very good.

After hearing those previous tracks, it's a bit difficult slipping back into their pleasant mediocrity! "Never Met a Girl Like You" is a perfectly nice, and upbeat early Beatles clone. The melody is catchy. It's a bit simpler, but this is easily better than many of the like-tracks that appeared on the regular album. ... It's weird that these bonus tracks are more enjoyable than the actual albums.

"Wait Till Summer Comes Around" is a bit of folk-rock. It surprises me that Dave Davies is credited with the songwriting for this one --- perhaps he had good songwriting skills even though his brother certainly wrote all the great classics. The instrumentation fits the genre and so does the melody. It's catchy and pleasant... Very good.

"Such a Shame" is a solid composition. This one also shows a bit of maturity and originality in their songwriting. It's also a weaker version of something that would appear on their classic albums. The melody isn't that catchy, but it's strikingly solid. The instrumentation is a little more interesting than the group did previously, and you have to love how they structure the song. Yes, this is undeniably a Kinks song!!!

And another interesting early Kinks track is another startlingly original "Well Respected Man." The melody is a tad too much repeated, and the group will only get better at this sort of exciting new song. (This would later be rewritten as the much better "Dedicated Follower of Fashion.") The one thing that might strike you differently about this one is its lyrics --- it's a profile about a person. This group would eventually specialize in that.

"Don't You Fret" is a heavily interesting composition but misfired. It's nice to see Davies sounding so excited about experimenting with his songwriting, again. He's really enjoying himself, and that's never been so obvious here. The melody is OK though a bit too simple. The middle and the end when he strums his guitar a little too fast in a peculiar instrumental build-up was a really weird idea...

And the bonus tracks just get more interesting. I consider "I Go to Sleep" interesting even though it's just a demo. It consists only of Ray singing amidst a rather classically performed piano. The melody is pleasant and Ray's performance is engaging and sweet. This would be worth a full orchestra ensemble, but I guess they were going to go onto different things!

Gots anything kinda kinky to say bouts this album? Make "contact" with me here!