The Kink Kontroversy [Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

The Kinks | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• ASIN: B00005NHNZ
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,716 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Milk Cow Blue

2. Ring the Bells

3. Gotta Get the First Plane Home

4. When I See That Girl of Mine

5. I Am Free

6. Till the End of the Day

7. The World Keeps Going Round

8. I'm On An Island

9. Where Have All The Good Times Gone

10. It's Too Late

11. What's In Store For Me

12. You Can't Win

13. Dedicated Follower of Fashion

14. Sittin' On My Sofa

15. When I See That Girl of Mine

16. Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The End of Something, May 30, 2005

By 

Up The Stairs (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kink Kontroversy (Audio CD)

I love this album. I originally bought it in the mid-60s when it came out, featuring the last of the Kinks' power-chord singles, "Till The End of the Day." I immediately loved "Milk Cow Blues," and it became my favorite cut on the album. But Kontroversy has many gems, "I'm On An Island," "I Am Free," , and "I Gotta Get The First Plane Home" are all fun and nifty tunes. It isn't, however, their best effort during the initial stage of their career. Kink Kinkdom easily outshines it probably because it has stronger material.

Actually, Kontroversy is an intersting release because it is almost a step back for Ray Davies' writing style. In Kinkdom and Kinda Kinks, Ray had explored social issues with some depth. Although the American albums were mix-matches of several British releases, Kontroversy was released in the U.S. and British in very similar set-ups. By the time Kontroversy had been released, Ray had written and released "Well Respected Man" and "See My Friends," both not only completely different sounds for the Kinks, but lyrically very interesting. So, why did Ray revert to catchy pop tunes?

Nonetheless, I really enjoy listening to Kink Kontroversy, and I find it to be a fun way to get back to the 60's. Lots of power, lots of power chording, and lots of catchy lyrics. It was definitely the last time The Kinks would release such an album, and it serves us all well, even today.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid sixties pop triumph, February 10, 2002

By 

OperablePig (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kink Kontroversy (Audio CD)

Although the Kinks are most popularly associated with the riff-rock numbers of their early repertoire, and while afficionados endlessly praise the later albums, "Kontroversey" finds the Kinks in a fruitful mid-period. Much like the Beatles 'Rubber Soul' from roughly the same time, the emphasis here is on solidly constructed, folk influenced pop. In case we forget the Kinks are a rock band, however, they dish up plenty of sneering garage-punk on "Till the End of the Day" and "Where have all the Good Times Gone"; but even these numbers reveal a more reflective, plaintive aspect to Ray's lyrics that permeates the mellower tunes on the album; "Ring the Bells" and "The World Keeps Going Round" have an almost Byrds-like grace to them, while revealing Ray's keen skills as an arranger.
The Kinks approach to rock and roll throughout the sixties was always the most working-class, and intensely British when compared to thier peers, and while that individuality does shine here, this is probably one of their most accesible albums.
The production and remastering only make it more so, as "Kontroversey" does not suffer the somewhat tinny quality of most of the Kinks re-issues from this decade.
This is not the Kinks most revolutionary stuff - check out "Village Green" or "Something Else" if you like this album and want to hear more complex songwriting and adventerous arrangments; check out "Kinks Kontroversey" if you want proof that simplicity is sometimes just as effective.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars End of the First Era., May 30, 2004

By 

Morten Vindberg (Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Kink Kontroversy (Audio CD)

The Kinks Kontroversy marks the end of the first hard rocking era of the Kinks; the follow-up album would be produced by Ray Davies himself.

The album is mostly songs in the well-known Kinks-style. All songs except one are selfpenned, and though it is a mixture of rockers and and softer songs, this is probably on of the most hard sounding Kinks albums, which of course has a lot to do with Shel Talmy`s production style.

Apart from Estes`"Milk Cow Blues", which I find unnecessary and pretty uninteresting, there are not weak songs here. The single "Till the End of the Day" which was the first Kinks single I bought back in the 60`s, is another "You Really Got Me"- rip off; but it`s the best of them all. The B-side "I`m on an Island" is another highlight.

There are several indications of the more sophisticated songwriting that was to come. Songs like "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" (bonus-track) and "Where Have All Good Times Gone" show that Ray Davies had already developed as a songwiter both lyrically and musically. The great ballad "Ring the Bells" also shows Davies softer side.

My favourites are "Till the End of the Day", "Ring the Bells", "I`m On an Island", "I Am Free" and "You Can`t Win".