Tag Archives: The Kinks

The Journey Back Entry 8: Things get Kinda Kinky and the Siren Returns

Posted by Doctor Iz Music Remedies on

The year is 1965! The first album I was interested in came around in February with the release of the Rolling Stones third album (creatively named as usual for the 60’s) The Rolling Stones, Now! I must point out here that I did also listen to The Rolling Stones No. 2 the UK release but seeing as it was mostly made up of a combination of the tracks on 12 x 5 and The Rolling Stones, Now! I decided to discuss this album instead. The album continues to produce their now classic rhythm and blues sound and this is probably their most consistent record to date. The production has definitely come a long way from their wild debut. While this album doesn’t excite me as much as their debut did, I think that it does a great job of showing of the Rolling Stones as musicians. I think Mick Jagger kind of stole the show on their debut album. 12 x 5 saw the focus turn more towards the rest of the band but the track were not as solid and put together as they are here. Strangely “Mona” appears again on this album. I’m not sure why this choice was made but seeing as its my favorite Rolling Stones song so far, I have no problem with it appearing again. Overall, while the album is good and shows off that the Rolling Stones can be civilized, I miss the frantic energy of the debut and I hope they bring some of that up in the future.

1965 – The Rolling Stones, Now! Highlights

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love – It’s a shame I couldnt find the version that appears on the album on youtube! This live performance still shows off the badns charisma but if you can find the version on the album definitely go for it! It starts of with Mick just talking to the audience while one of the other members sings some amazing back up falsetto over his talking. Then when Mick finally comes in, his vocals have just the right amount of grit. The song makes me very happy.

Heart of Stone – I love this song’s lyrics and the way those lyrics are delivered! It has this really relaxed pace while he sings about what a womanizer he is and how he has a “Heart of Stone” and this girl wont be able to break it. I love the “Never break, never break” call backs and the guitar and bass parts are phenomenal. The fact that this song isnt a cover but a Stones original gives me great hope for the future of the band.

Mona – I know I already mentioned my love for “Mona” on the debut but since they offered it up again, so will I. Still my favorite Stones song at this point.

Now lets talk about my favorite surprise of 65 till this point! The second release of the Kinks is wonderful! You may remember that I called their first album boring and that I only wanted to check out their next album because the original album was mostly covers and their original “You Really Got Me” was fun and exciting. Kinda Kinks takes everything I liked about “You Really Got Me” and extrapolates it to album length with wonderful results! Gone are the tedious boring covers and the copycat Rolling Stones sound. These guys have definitely come into their own on this second release. It’s funny because while I originally compared them to the Rolling Stones, I’m definitely feeling much more of a Beatles vibe on this second album in terms of song writing while still maintaining the more wild nature of the Stones. The best part is that the album was rushed and released in an unfinished form because the band was relentlessly touring at the time. If the band can release something this fun on that time frame, they’ve moved to the top of my anticipation list for future releases. If the latest Rolling Stones release felt a bit tame, Kinda Kinks is more than making up for it. If I could describe the album in one word it would be: FUN! The biggest highlight is their vocals that fall halfway between the Beatles cool harmonies and Mick Jagger’s rough and tumble vocals. The band isnt always wild though, my favorite track on the album is actually fairly quiet and yet rivals my favorite Dylan songs for top song of the 60’s. I just find myself listening to it over and over. So… lets get into the highlights!

1965 – Kinda Kinks – Top 5 Highlights

Look for Me Baby – The song is simple enough but I love the backing vocals. The best part is at 0:34 but appears at other times too where the drums kinda crap out and Ray Davies does this thing where he says way too many words for the amount of beats. It’s made even better at 1:45 when it is overdubbed slightly off so it sounds like there’s two of him one saying it again half a second behind the first. It makes me crack up every time and also shows off what I love about this album. The band is trying things that other bands of the time aren’t (weird things) and I find that daring.

Got My Feet on the Ground – I love Ray Davies voice on this track. Once again I find it to just be a very simple and fun little ditty. I love the “I dont neeeeed nobody else” part but the most important part of the song appears at the end. Ray Davies starts yelling “I dont need no one!” to this point where is voice is cracking in the most ridiculous way and they left it in the track! Once again, singing like this had to be daring. I love how he doesnt take himself too seriously.

Nothin’ in the World can Stop Me Worryin’ ‘Bout that Girl – An emo song title 40 years before emo! I just complimented Ray Davies for not taking himself too seriously but it is his ability to take himself seriously on this song that elevated this album beyond simple and silly to amazing. This is the song I was referring to when I talked about liking it as much as my favorite Dylan songs in the sixties. The lyrics are deep and honest and the guitar work is perfect. Ray Davies beautiful and painful falsetto perfectly gets across his sadness about being cheated on. What a perfect song.

Naggin’ Woman – And then right afterwards we get this straight up hilarious blues marvel about a nagging woman. Seriously just go listen to this album. Here Davies goes full on whiney in the best of ways.

Tired of Waiting – More competition for the Beatles. Here’s another serious number with some great vocals. The “It’s your life and you can do what you want” gives me chills every time!

Basically this album is just wonderful. Go listen to it!

Finally, I’m going to take it back to 64 to play a little catch up on Joan Baez. I talked about how her second live album Joan Baez In Concert, Part 2 was a pretty big disappointment and I feared she may have run out of good songs to cover. I thought I might as well at least check out her next studio release to give her one more chance to change my mind. I’m glad I did because the siren is back! I mentioned that Joan Baez’s debut was so perfectly mesmerizing that I couldnt separate out the original elements. It was like 45 minutes would pass by and I’d wake up from a blissful dream. Thankfully that Joan is back here on Joan Baez/5! I put it on in the background while trying to write this and I had to turn it off again because it was so mentally mesmerizing that I couldnt think to write these words. At one point she even breaks out into full on classical belting. This album definitely sees her going in new directions while still conquering my brain with her voice. I still think her debut is a bit stronger as this album breaks the trance near the end with a couple songs that aren’t as good. Overall I highly recommend it. With the debut I didnt really share any of the music so I figured for this one, I’ll share a couple of the songs in case you want a listen. Just know that like the debut, I dont have much to say about them. I think they really just speak for themselves in their utter beauty and ability to take control of your brain.

1964 – Joan Baez/5 – Some Examples

There But for Fortune –

Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5 –

 Birmingham Sunday –

1965 promises to be an interesting year! The Rolling Stones are finessing their sound, the Kinks are revolutionizing theres and if Joan Baez’s 64 release is any indication, 1965 will be a good year for her as well! I for one cannot wait!

 

The Journey Back Entry 6: LOTS more in 1964!

Posted by Doctor Iz Music Remedies on
Its been exactly a month since I last documented my time machine activities. While some of it was due to my fiance visiting and some due to 2 weeks of bronchitis, I was definitely still listening to tons of music. I’m going to start off with a release I was very much looking forward to, Bob Dylan’s second release of 1964 Another Side of Bob Dylan! I spoke last time about the fact that I wasnt too crazy about Bob Dylan the political activist on The Times They Are a-Changin’  so you can imagine my excitement about an album that advertised another side of him. It turns out Bob Dylan wasnt too crazy about “Bob Dylan the political activist” either. This was probably mostly due to the fact that his political stuff was encouraged by his girlfriend Suze Rotolo, and since they had finally ended things by the release of this album, Bob was free to write whatever he wanted. And that is EXACTLY what he does here. Recorded in 1 night, in a hotel room, while drinking, Dylan tried to recapture the raw sound of his debut album. Unfortunately, drinking isnt exactly the best way to produce your best work (at least not for Dylan here). So how does it compare to Times?  Times has a few songs I like MUCH more than the stuff on this album, but overall, while underwhelming, the joy that Bob seems to be experiencing here in recording this makes it a much more fun listen. Most of the songs have little to no depth but its an album I can easily put on and enjoy. It’s fun rather than technical. A perfect example is “All I Really Wanna Do” which I absolutely adore. Its nowhere near Bob’s best but his little “ooo ooo” sounds cant help but make me smile. Try to frown while he sings that part. It isnt possible. I found myself singing it the other day in my head  but for some reason my lyrics were “All IIIIII…. REAlly…. Wanna Dooo oooo. is baby have sex with you. ”  That would be the version I’d record.
Another example of Dylan’s “Not giving a damn” attitude is “I Shall Be Free”. The song is horrible but in a completely lovable way for me. It sounds to me like those parody songs people do of Dylan where they just sing in “Dylan” voice while talking drunken gibberish and blowing into the harmonica occasionally. But its Dylan! Its basically him saying “I dare you to try to apply a political banner behind this one!”
I dont think the album is Bob’s best work but I do appreciate it and I especially like that he decided to recapture the Bob Dylan raw style even if it didnt work out exactly as he had hoped. If he had spent months recording this, I think I would be more disappointed in the album.  Because the album instead perfectly captures this one night of Bob, drinking in the hotel room, I really enjoy it. It makes me smile and laugh wish I could hang out with Bob unlike on Times where the heavy themes and the downer nature of the album made me not want to be around Dylan.
1964 – Another Side of Bob Dylan Highlights
All I Really Wanna Do – See my description above. I LOVE the chorus of this song and Bob being silly
I Don’t Believe You – My other favorite song on the album. I love the lyrics and that frustration when someone completely ignores you
It Ain’t Me Babe – Couldnt find a version by Bob Dylan to lunk from youtube. I was told that this song was written in part as a response to the Beatles “She Loves You” who”s “Yeah Yeah Yeah” chorus is reflected back negatively by Bob Dylan with his “No No No” response. A great song.
I did check out Joan Baez’s 1963 release and fourth album, the creatively titled Joan Baez In Concert Part 2. Unfortunately I was disappointed once again in her “Part 2” titled album with this one paling in comparison to Part 1. One interesting change however was a few Dylan covers that appear on the album. The one that surprised me was her cover of “With God On Our Side”. This was a song I could not stand when Dylan sang it. For some reason, (Probably Joan’s voice)  this version was a huge improvement. While I still dont like the lyrics much, it was nice to hear a more melodic and beautiful version of this song.
Moving away from the folk scene for a while, I next checked out the debut album of The Animals, The Animals. I must confess, I was pretty excited for this one. Their version of “House of the Rising Sun” was the first version I’d ever heard and it also happens to be an excellent version. I loved the production of their guitars and their organ definitely adds some cool layers to their music. At the end of the day, I wouldnt say I was too impressed with their album. That isnt to say its a bad album, just that I didnt find too much original sounding material here. Maybe it’s because I heard the Rolling Stones debut first but all I could think of was that the band fit into mostly the same R&B sound. Where the Animal’s shined most on this album was in their more unconventional covers. Changing folk music into rock music rather than covering older R&B sounds. “House of Rising Sun” is the best example of this but not the only one. The band also does their own version of “Baby Let Me Follow You Down” titled “Baby Let Me Take You Home”. These additions stop the Animals from simply sounding like Rolling Stones clones and I did enjoy the album, I just wish it had more music like “House of The Rising Sun” on it. The bands blues music is simplistic to the point of comical. At one point, the same blues melody is used for 2 songs in a row! Literally the same exact music with different lyrics. Why place those songs back to back?  I guess Ill have to wait for their next album to see which direction the band heads in.
1964 – The Animals Highlights
House of the Rising Sun – A classic, this version of the song is definitely one of the most recognizable and features one of the coolest organ parts of all time. Plus Eric Burdon’s howls are damn sexy
Baby Let Me Take You Home – One of the reasons I decided to go on this journey was to discover the rock and roll roots of the music I listen to today. The first time I heard this song, I was smiling ear to ear. My first experience where I heard the song and immediately thought “This melody comes directly from another song I know!” It was a great feeling. I also like that they changed the lyrics for a more optimistic perspective. The Animals seem more in their elements when converting folk music to rock.
Talkin’ Bout You – My other favorite on the album is this Ray Charles cover. Once again I reward bands for experimentation and the 7 minute version of this song that converts at the 4 minute mark in a “Shout!” cover is truly awesome. I also love the songs opening clapping part.
I then moved onto another english rock group, The Kinks. Here I found yet another band joining the rock sound of the Rolling Stones and the Animals. Its hard to tell which one of these groups originated the sounds and who copied from who. At the end of the day, I found most of the Kinks debut to be a bit boring. The obvious exception is “You Really Got Me” which happens to be an excellent and addictive pop song. Maybe I’m just getting a bit of R&B rock fatigue. I just think most of the covers didnt have the power of other similar artists. I will definitely continue to check out the Kinks in the hopes that their sound evolves in a separate direction.
1964 – Kinks Highlight
You Really Got Me
Apparently the year of british R&B rock music, next in 1964, I took on the Rolling Stones second album of the year and their career 12 X 5. I was a huge fan of their debut so I was definitely looking forward to this one. Mick Jagger’s voice was refreshing. I just think it fits the music so well. 12 X 5  is definitely more toned down and instrument focused than it’s vocalist centric debut. The band is definitely having fun. Still, there was definitely less take home music for me here in comparison to their debut. Listening to this album did however get me very excited for one reason. After hearing the Animals, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones albums, one after another, one thing became abundantly clear. While each of the albums is in the same vane, all three had slightly varied sounds. I’m very excited to see how the bands will separate, change and evolve. I feel like these albums are helping to establish the bands beginnings in my mind so that I can more greatly appreciate the evolutions of each band. I just hope they dont disappoint.
1964 – 12 X 5 – Highlights
Time Is On Our Side – Mick Jagger sings this song in a way that just begs to be sung along with. The band just seems to be having so much fun!
Good Times, Bad Times – I just love the guitar and the harmonica on this track
Under the Boardwalk – I love this cover. I could listen to Mick sing “Down by the See-hee” over and over
If You Need Me – I love love love the backing vocals on this track. It’s like Mick’s trying to tell this girl something and his creepy friend is standing right behind him repeating what he says trying to encourage his buddy. “I still love love love, always thinking of you”. I love singing along as the back up dude.
Finally, I also did check out the debut album of the Impressions. I did it mostly to check out Curtis Mayfield. While I did enjoy the album, I didnt feel very fit to analyze its music. The sound is definitely more under the vain of doo-wop and soul. I felt like I would need to go back and listen to a lot of music from the ’50s to truly understand it. That isnt a bad idea and I do intend to check these genres out eventually. I just think that for now, I want to stick more clearly to rock and folk music.
So, after a very long entry, what do I have to show for it? Bob Dylan seems to be on the right track, giving up on his boring political side. The Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Kinks all try to do the same thing with varied results. I think a large part of it is also due to the fact that most of their current songs are covers. I can only hope they will forge new genres and continue to diverge creating more unique music as they stop playing covers and start writing their own music. Joan Baez has disappointed me again but I always seem to like her odd numbered albums so maybe her fifth album will change my mind again about whether there’s more to be gotten from her. I’m nearing the end of 1964 at this point. I believe the only two albums I have left to check out are the debut of folk legends Simon & Garfunkle and another release from the Beatles! I have high hopes for both. Then it will be time to move on into 1965 and I’m sure a ton more wonderful music. Only time will tell. Thanks for continuing to follow along with me on this crazy journey through musical time. Once again, fill me in on albums you think I might of missed or ways in which you hope I can improve my tales of the past