Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies
How did the Kinks respond to the fresh start afforded by Lola? By delivering a skewed, distinctly British, cabaret take on Americana, all pinned down by Ray Davies' loose autobiography and intense yearning to be anywhere else but here -- or, as he says on the opening track, "I'm a 20th century man, but I don't want to be here." Unlike its predecessors, Muswell Hillbillies doesn't overtly seem like a concept album -- there are no stories as there are on Lola -- but each song undoubtedly shares a similar theme, namely the lives of the working class. Cleverly, the music is a blend of American and British roots music, veering from rowdy blues to boozy vaudeville. There's as much good humor in the performances as there are in Davies' songs, which are among his savviest and funniest. They're also quite affectionate, a fact underpinned by the heartbreaking "Oklahoma U.S.A.," one of the starkest numbers Davies ever penned, seeming all the sadder surrounded by the careening country-rock and music hall. That's the key to Muswell Hillbillies -- it mirrors the messy flow of life itself, rolling from love letters and laments to jokes and family reunions. Throughout it all, Davies' songwriting is at a peak, as are the Kinks themselves. There are a lot of subtle shifts in mood and genre on the album, and the band pulls it off effortlessly and joyously -- but it's hard not to hear Dave Davies' backing vocals and have it not sound joyous. Regardless of its commercial fate, Muswell Hillbillies stands as one of the Kinks' best albums.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts of the Week
-
First Anniversary Of Modern Music Blog A year passed either well or badly. This week of last year, i made a decision to share my musical tho...
-
Track List 1. Walk By Yourself 2. Telegram (Edited Version) 3. This Flight Tonight (Single) 4. When The Lights Come Down (Live Ver...
-
Rating: 5/10 Modern Music Review Indie Rock Three years have passed since "Chutes Too Narrow" and The Shins have dropped another a...
-
Rating: 8.6/10 Modern Music Review Animal Collective member Panda Bear (a.k.a. Noah Lennox) boldly returns with his long-awaited third solo ...
-
Shit Albums Come Clarity features thirteen explosive tracks, including the roll-out single and video, "Take this Life". Well,when...
-
Rating: 8.6/10 Modern Music Review This is the first solo work by formerly member of Suede. We miss Suede, those dashing guitars, perfect po...
-
Fireball is a hard rock album by Deep Purple. It was released in 1971 and was the second studio LP by the classic lineup of the group. On t...
1 COMMENTS:
h**p://www.sendspace.com/file/x0nkt5
Tracklist:
01. 20th Century Man
02. Acute Schitzophrenia Paranoia Blues
03. Holiday
04. Skin & Bones
05. Alcohol
06. Complicated Life
07. Here Come The People In Grey
08. Have A Cuppa Tea
09. Holloway Jail
10. Oklahoma U.S.A.
11. Uncle Son
12. Muswell Hillbilly
13. Mountain Woman (Bonus)
14. Kentucky Moon (Bonus)
Post a Comment