Don't be a misfit ... click on this link to go back to the main KINKS page ... Blissflints Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10 HMmhmmMHMmhmmHMhmMHMmhmmHMmMMhmmhmmm It's the same old story from Ray Davies and the Kinkubators. He writes a plethora of good, fine old melodies, but for whatever reason, he cannot seem to give it the UGGGHH! ... Mind you, the songs are well performed and are enjoyable. It's just that Ray doesn't seem to really be into it. They just sound lackluster. Nevertheless, for everyone wanting to have some fuuuuunnnnn and who just loooooves the Kinks should probably check this one out one day. Davies and his awesome wit are still here (though in weaker form) and continuing on the same path the band was on since Schoolboys in Disgrace, this is NOT a goofy show-tune concept album, but a genuine ROCK album. ... It doesn't quite have that raucous ROCK attitude, but it's a pleasant diversion. And a pleasant diversion is all this is. HMRHMMRMMHMMmhmMHMHMMHmMHmhmHMmhmHMhmhmmhmHMM Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10 (A nice if halfhearted effort. If you're one who digs Ray Davies and his melodies, then you'll certainly find enough here to enjoy.) Average Song Score: 8.5 (All around, these are some very nice melodies!) Album Tilt: 8.0 (The album seems rather weak, unfortunately. Some of these songs might be utterly fun, but nothing really to indicate that this is a great album ... or one to be taken seriously.) Artist Rating: 8.0 (Again, Davies is good with the melody! This seems too much like halfhearted effort at times, though.) Track Reviews Misfits 9.5/10 Woohoo!!! Good rock music!!!! This is a nice, little, mid-tempoed, sentimental-sounding old rock tune that only a revitalized Ray Davies could write! This just sounds so utterly nice! The melody is GREAT, the song has FEELING, and it's ROCK. What more could you want? Huh?? What more could you want?!?!??? ... Obviously I was looking for something more by not giving it a 10, but I did that for reasons that I don't wish to divulge right now. Hay Fever 10/10 You know something funny? This song sounds a lot like something from Muswell Hillbillies except it's BOUNCY ROCK! ... I like bouncy rock! Bouncy rock is good! Bouncy rock is fun! And ... ohhhhhh ... Ray Davies is as good as he always is with his melodies. I'm giving this one full points. What more could I expect??????? NOTHING. ... OH YEAHHHHHH... Black Messiah 8/10 HmmHmmmHMmmmmHmmmmmmmhmhhhhhhhhmhmhmhmmmhmmmmm... FREAKING CRAP DO I CARE ABOUT THIS STRANGE REGGAE THING!!! Man, Ray Davies is a total dork!! ... But, this is pretty much tons better than other artists trying the same thing. The melody's good. A Rock'N'Roll Fantasy 9/10 This is a pretty good song, too. Like "Misfits," this one has that sort of sentimental/nostalgic vibe that's always appealing. Moreover, the melody is good and catchy, and that's all I'm ever looking for. (Okay, not really, but ... Aaron Copeland once said that melody is what a song is about.) In a Foreign Land 8/10 A happy go lucky song! But ... uhhhhh ... it's not very exciting, is it??!??!?? Yeah. Not very. Permanent Waves 9/10 Is there some bizarre reason this song sounds so much like "Bang a Gong?" ... Ohhhh well. It's different enough from that song, I guess, and this is one of the album's better numbers. The melody is dumb and catchy (like "Bang a Gong") and ... it's just fun. Fun is good. Live Life 8.5/10 I've got to Liiiiiiveeeeee Liffffffffeeeee. Nice advice, Ray Davies. (*Stops working on web site and tries to seek this thing*) ... Okay, that didn't work. Again. Well, this is another pretty good song! Sounds a bit too poppy and soulless, but I can't complain with such super melodies and good instrumental performances. Out of the Wardrobe 8/10 Huuuuhhhhhhh???? This song is about weird stuff... This is another well-written song! I dig the melody, of course, but ... eh, there's nothing really to get that excited about. It's kinda blah, but the nice melody keeps it interesting, of course. Trust Your Heart 6.5/10 Uh oh ... this one is just sloppy. It doesn't even have a great melody to back it up! ... I'm not even sure what this song was trying to accomplish. It seems to be a cross between light-pop and arena rock. Doesn't work. Get Up 8.5/10 I like this song, too! ... Very very good melody! It's light on the instrumentation, but ... it's been like that through the whole album. (This is in spite of Davies' growling vocal performance). ... Kinda weak, but I like it anyway. Do you have anything worthwhile to contribute to this discussion? Well, you can send a comment here, anyway.

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. He's not a misfit as much as a misfatty.