Picking
through the ‘rock room’ shelves today I have pulled a number of dusty Kinks
seven inches for rotation and review. Positively the most underrated of the
major 1960s British rock bands, the Kinks catalog continues
to reveal inspiring melodies, revolutionary lyrics and clandestine musical
magic often packaged in musical snapshots of normal British life.
Unfortunately,
the Kinks’ deep wealth of compositional genius was often missed even when
served on the veritable silver platter of a single vinyl release. They always
remained respected by their contemporaries but their triumphs were often
obscured by the ignorance of critical analysis.
Here
are five such overlooked U.S./UK Kinks cuts, taken from single releases, all of
which should be recognized as ‘klassics’ from the Kinks songbook.
‘SLEEPWALKER,’
(1977): Only Ray Davies could take such creepy stalker content and
package it into a bounding syncopated musical bundle. It’s a shame that this
song, the title track off of 1977’s Sleepwalker is not
recognized as a classic — excepting ardent followers of the Kinks. The song
barely slipped into the U.S. Top 50, before quickly before disappearing into
the shadows. The crisp funky drum introduction, anything but sleepy, is quickly
blanketed by orchestrated Kink guitars and perfectly popping and contrasting
Ray Davies vocals.
‘WONDERBOY,’
(1968): Soaked with the aesthetic of the Kinks’ contemporaneous Village
Green Preservation Society, “Wonderboy” was apparently lauded by John
Lennon — but yet still missed by the listening public at large. The song spins
like a psychedelic music-hall show tune, containing airy “la-la” backing
vocals, jack-in-the-box piano and harpsichord coloring. Davies’ wry vocal
approach underlies the positive lyrical directive and breezy overlapping
melodies. Definitely a song of its time, the tune retains its attractiveness
and influence even after 40-plus years.
‘[WISH
I COULD FLY LIKE] SUPERMAN,’ (1979): This disco-era single
soars in on splashy drums, thick skyscraper bass and the addictive mantra of
Dave Davies’ rhythmic and muted guitar trills. An attempt to stay relevant in
the messy musical climate of the late 1970s, the Kinks were successful, using a
then-contemporary approach that combined distorted guitars with a pulsing
mirror-ball groove. Davies’ lyrical content in the song is, as always, a unique
glimpse into the psyche of a man wishing to be. The song tugged the public’s
cape briefly, but made only a brief appearance in the U.S. charts ...only to be
found on the dusty shelves of record collections and cut out bins.
‘MONEY
TALKS,’ (1974): Gritty, fuzzy and inflated with fat horns, “Money Talks”
is a swinging, bubbly tonic, especially for listeners starved for straight rock
with no chaser. Tucked away on Preservation Act 2, one of the Kinks
most criticized albums of the 1970s, “Money Talks” cashed out early with barely
a search of the pockets by the public. Still, irresistible Davies bothers
harmonies are intermingled with female backing vocalists in a bombastic and
assertive diatribe about the evils and troubles associated with cash.
‘BETTER
THINGS,’ (1981): A song that once again enjoyed only moderate success on
both sides of the Atlantic, this remains an anthem of endless possibility and
hopefulness. Much later, “Better Things” gain belated recognition when
unearthed by Ray Davies and Bruce Springsteen for the 2012 tribute
album to Davies, See My Friends. The original version begins
with a percussive piano, then expands into a motion-picture soundtrack of
positivity and glory, a trait sorely missing from current rock compositions.
Davies’ vocals quake and shake, the hopefulness of the song stained with the
emotion of loss that often accompanies the best wishes for a long time friend.
The
tracks above are just a small example of the depth and strength of the Kinks
Katalog. While not always hitting the charts with a splash the quality of the
music being released by the band never wavered. I hope you enjoy a few of the
cuts that bobbed just below the surface but are no less than some of the bands
biggest hits.