Sleepwalker [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

The Kinks | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 24, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Velvel Records
• ASIN: B00000FDJT
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,293 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Life on the Road

2. Mr. Big Man

3. Sleepwalker

4. Brother

5. Juke Box Music

6. Sleepless Night

7. Stormy Sky

8. Full Moon

9. Life Goes On

10. Artifical Light [*]

11. Prince of the Punks [*]

12. The Poseur [#][*]

13. On the Outside [1977 Mix][#][*]

14. On the Outside [1994 Mix][*]

Editorial Reviews

This CD is an out of print collectible! It is the 1998 remastered Velvel release. Catalog 63467-79725-2. There is a hole punch through the UPC.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Only Juke Box Music!, July 15, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sleepwalker (Audio CD)

The remastered Kinks classic Sleepwalker, reissued by Velvel, is an extremely satisfying CD. The band has a tight, stripped-down sound that really emphasizes the talents of the individual musicians. Dave demonstrates a more contained style on his solo's, to effectively complement the mood and feel of Ray's lyrics without sacrificing the "sound" he has made famous. The CD starts out with a great one-two combination of "Life On The Road" and "Mr. Big Man". Dave the rave is in great form on "Mr. Big Man", with his guitar providing the perfect punctuation to Ray's biting condemnation of a former friend who made it big and forgot where he came from. The title song, "Sleepwalker", is a Kinks rocker that again features great guitar work. This time a nice give and take between Dave and Ray. "Brother" foreshadows some of the darker themes on the CD, and finds the band in excellent harmony while singing about changing relationships. "Juke Box Music" is another all out rocker that every Kinks fan can relate to, as Ray teases his fans about the importance of Kinks music in their lives. "Sleepless Night", "Stormy Sky" and "Full Moon" are pleasant sounding songs, with pleasing melodies that belie their darker subject matter of broken relationships, loss of identity and madness. As usual, Ray ties up all the loose ends in unique Kinks fashion with the philosophical "Life Goes On", a rock assertion that no matter what happens, life goes on. This CD may be the best musically that the Kinks have put out. The vocals, music and lyrics have never sounded better. The 4 bonus tracks that appear on this CD offer the Kinks fan a chance to hear songs that were previously unreleased in the US. Interesting to note that "The Poseur" was considered for the title song (according to liner notes). I know it's only juke box music, but I like it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars News Flash: Kinks Faces Recently Seen On Milk Carton!, May 29, 2001

By 

Clark Paull "(Sleepin' with the TV on)" (Murder City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sleepwalker (Audio CD)

When the tour to support "Sleepwalker" hit Detroit's Cobo Hall back in 1977, the mighty Kinks were given the middle slot on a three-band bill, just above Ray Manzarek's Nite City and just below (believe it or not) Heart. Par for the course since The Kinks never seemed to get the respect they so richly deserved stateside, at least not until the arena rock trappings exhibited on "Low Budget." "Sleepwalker," like "Muswell Hillbillies," is perfect, with not a duff track to found within its grooves. "Life On The Road," "Juke Box Music," and the title track are all mandatory listening and validate Ray Davies' reputation as a pop music visionary and genius. Golden...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Sleepy About It, August 3, 2004

By 

Gianmarco Manzione (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sleepwalker (Audio CD)

Whether or not it is "only juke box music," "Sleepwalker" also happens to be the most consistent album in the string of releases that comprised The Kinks second wind. The sound is juicy as an over-ripe melon, the music is fantastic, and the songs are some of the best in the band's catalog: the anthemic "Juke Box Music," the hit single, "Sleepwalker," and "Sleepless Night," one of those ocassional gems penned by younger brother Dave. "Life on the Road" is a rock 'n roll theme song in its own right: a characteristically charming take on the lifestyle of the rock star. "So I searched night and day/to catch a kissable lady/But all I caught was a cold," Ray quips as the song trundles delightfully onward. History may have robbed these guys of their richly deserved immortality, but compared to the garbage other baby boomer bands put out at this time (all that reggae and disco trash from the Stones, or those pitiful late-70s CSN albums), the songs on "Sleepwalker" speak for themselves.