Something Else By The Kinks

Something Else By The Kinks is an album by the British rock group The Kinks, released in December 1967. It is generally considered one of the strongest in their catalogue, although it lacks the thematic integration of the albums that preceded and followed it. The album marks the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in the Kinks' 1960's studio recordings; henceforce Ray Davies would assume recording production credits. Many of the recordings feature the keyboard work of session player Nicky Hopkins, and the ethereal backing vocals of Ray Davies' wife Rasa.

Related Topics:
British - Rock - The Kinks - Shel Talmy - Ray Davies - Nicky Hopkins

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Songs on the album composed by Ray Davies followed his affinity for strongly British-inspired subject matter, including the stately, harpsichord-laden "Two Sisters," the lazy shuffle of "End of the Season", the sardonic and hilarious "David Watts," and the other standout tracks "Death of a Clown" and "Afternoon Tea". The album is capped by the otherworldly beauty of the hit single "Waterloo Sunset," considered by many to be the career apogee of Davies' songwriting.

Related Topics:
Ray Davies - Harpsichord - David Watts - Waterloo Sunset

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The songs on the album were recorded over a transitional phase of Davies' songwriting career, between the fall of 1966 and the summer of 1967. During this time he and the Kinks had cut back on touring, and had begun recording and stockpiling songs for his as-yet poorly defined "village green" project, which began in late 1966/early 1967. Also, following the great commercial and personal success of the Waterloo Sunset single in May 1967, Davies became less focused on hits and more intent on exploring his own songwriting interests. In fact, the album title probably comes from Davies' appeal to the Kinks' management in the summer of 1967 that he wanted to do "something else" besides writing hit singles.

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The album is unusual in the Kinks' catalogue from this period for the inclusion of three songs composed by guitarist Dave Davies, including the excellent solo hit single "Death of a Clown". Based on the unexpected success of the song, the younger Davies began exploring more extensive solo releases during this period. These did not meet with the same success, and by mid-1969 his solo ambitions would be set aside for a decade.

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The album sold poorly in the UK, in part because it competed with budget-priced compiliation albums of early Kinks hits from 1964-1966. But the lack of success also reflected the changes occurring in pop music at the time, as well as the Kink's rapid movement towards unfashionable songs and themes, a trend which culminated in the subsequent album The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society. They would score one more big UK hit single shortly after the release of Something Else with "Autumn Almanac", then would not have a big hit again until "Lola" in 1971.

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Something Else also sold poorly in the US upon release in January 1968, as did its predecessor, Face to Face. This was due in part to the album's strong British themes, but the ongoing ban on Kinks live performances in the US at this time resulted in their virtual invisibility on the American market. Critical opinions at the time of the album's release were very positive (especially those of the nascient underground rock press, such as the publication Crawdaddy.), and today it is ranked among the band's best albums.

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