Ahh, the Kinks. Always contrary. Always independent. Always special.
The greatest band of its era, save the Fab Four. Ray Davies was an unparalleled songwriter, and his brother Dave and drummer Mick Avory added the perfect musical elements to each track.
They broke up in 1996. Or 1997. And, despite periodic rumors of reuniting (they shouldn’t), here we are.
To mark 60 years since they formed, The Kinks are releasing a two-part “career-defining anthology.”
“The Journey, Part 1,” to be released March 24, offers 36 tracks, from 1964-75. They’ve been “hand-picked” by Ray, Dave and Avory (the fourth Kink, Peter Quaife, passed away in 2010).
Now here’s where it gets interesting – and original: This isn’t a greatest hits package. It’s a selection of Kinks recordings organized by themes of their own making.
And the themes!
- Songs about becoming a man, the search for adventure, finding an identity and a girl.
- Songs of ambition achieved, bitter taste of success, loss of friends, the past comes back and bites you in the back-side.
- Days and nights of a lost soul, songs of regret and reflection of happier times
- A new start, a new love, but have you really changed? Still haunted by the quest and the girl.
I love that approach, even if I don’t love every track they’ve chosen.
I can’t wait to get my copy.