Click on this link to leave this page ... you disgrace! Pool Toys in My Face Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10 Really, this album isn't anything different from Preservation Act 1, Preservation Act 2, and Soap Opera. The songwriting is too fluffy and throwaway to ever compete with the Village Green Preservation Society days, and Davies is still doing the annoying show tune THANG. What makes Schoolboys in Disgrace stand out among that slew of similar albums is that it's by-and-large better written. Davies lets some genuine emotion creep into some of these nostalgic songs and, in other places, he lets some real 70s ROCK AND ROLL pep some of it up. Really, the Kinks have never rocked so awesome ... since 1972 that is. Anyway, you don't really need to go out and purchase this album or anything. It isn't really amazing, or anything. There's not really even a *good* song on here. The best thing, probably, is the very 70s-rocking "No More Looking Back." But even so, that song received a 9. Considering I give out 10s so easily, that's not something for the Kinks to boast about ... if they cared, that is. Overall Album Score: 8.5 out 10 Har Harrrgh! So, ya does have some spunk lefts in ya!) Average Song Score: 8.5 (Good songs! He's up to the same ole shenanigans he's been up to since Preservation Act 1, but for once, I find all the songs pretty much good and entertaining.) Album Tilt: 8.5 (Certainly, this is The Kinks' most enjoyable album since Everybody's in Show-Biz.) Artist Rating: 8.5 (Oh, there are no big artistic revolutions or realizations with this concept album, but it's the most solid Kinks koncept album since ... uh ... Everybody's in Show-Biz ... and ... uh ... they've all been koncept albums since then.) Track Reviews Schooldays 8.5/10 I CRAP ON THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!~$(#(@*#($*%((#*#*@&#&$*!!!!!!!!!! ... Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I should lay off the slightly illegal drugs (i.e. drugs that are not normally considered illegal). Anyway, this is a pleasant, nostalgic little piano pop song. There's nothing to complain about a piano pop song if it's PLEASANT and NOSTALGIC. And it's a Ray Davies song, too, which basically means that it'll be high-quality and whatnot. Yup. It's very nice. Jack the Idiot Dunce 8.5/10 I don't know what sick sort of love affair Davies had going with dumb boogie songs in the mid-70s. They're always so dumb. WOULD YOU QUIT IT WITH THE DUMB BOOGIE, ALREADY????!?? ... Oh crap. I'm dancing with it, aren't I? DANG IT!!!!! Education 9/10 Shouldn't that be "Edewkashin?" And isn't this a Pink Floyd song? ... And don't I have something school-related to be attending to, myself? ... I might, but I don't give a crap about my education. AND I DON'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THE KINKS SONG CALLED "EDUCATION" BECAUSE IT SUCKS!!!!! ... Okay, it doesn't suck. Actually, it's a pretty well written piano pop ballad type song that gives way to some 70s hard rock-esque stuff. Cool. The First Time We Fall in Love 8.5/10 I'm sick of you, Ray Davies. ... I'm so used to your songs sucking so righteously ... While these songs seem like they *should* suck, they invariably don't. I feel like I'm about to cry. ... This is a goofy show tune type song that actually sounds nostalgic and emotional, and the melody is very well written. I'm in Disgrace 8/10 You BET you're in disgrace, you stupid RAY DAVIES DUMB PERSON ...... After that slew of underachieving albums, I think Davies is ready for some holy forgiveness from ME, the Divine Record Reviewer of the Internet. This is a pretty cool song. I like the crunchy 'lectric guitar, and the melody (while the chorus repeats way too much) is still pretty darn catchy. Headmaster 8/10 Oh come on, Ray! You've done the piano sentimental stuff TONS better before on this album! ... You're still awesome, though. I love the total-70s rock think at the end of it. It reminds me of the days when I used to live in the 70s (in my previous life). The Hard Way 8.5/10 Ray Davies tries to sound all mean and heavy metaly with this song (I guess), but he only comes off as a total wimp. I suppose that's appropriate, actually. This song features much of that cool but fluffy 70s hard rock stuff. The Last Assembly 8/10 Another light piano semi-sentimental type ballad thing that makes me YAWWWWN but still appreciate the well-writtenness of it all. (...I'm betting there are tons of English teachers out there who would like a piece of me.) Why does this sound so much like "A Whiter Shade of Pale?" ... Maybe because Ray Davies is a NOGOODNIK??? ... Hmmm. No More Looking Back 9/10 I'll tell ya what ... I LOVE the electric guitar noodling on this! ... I love the chorus even moreover! ... I love your mother even more than the CHORUS!! ...... *That's* how utterly awesome I think this song is. Finale 8.5/10 NOBODY NEEDS AN EDUCATION!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Well, on second thought, George W. Bush says that everybody needs an education, so I guess I'm wrong then. You moronic schoolboys should send me your unintelligent comments about this album here!

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. He's in tents.