Something Else By The Kinks [Original recording remastered]

The Kinks | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 7, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Msi Music/Super D
• ASIN: B000007V27
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,181 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. David Watts

2. Death Of A Clown

3. Two Sisters

4. No Return

5. Harry Rag

6. Tin Soldier Man

7. Situation Vacant

8. Love Me Till The Sun Shines

9. Lazy Old Sun

10. Afternoon Tea

11. Funny Face

12. End Of The Season

13. Waterloo Sunset

14. Bonus Track: Act Nice And Gentle

15. Bonus Track: Autumn Almanac

16. Bonus Track: Susannah's Still Alive

17. Bonus Track: Wonderboy

18. Bonus Track: Polly

19. Bonus Track: Lincoln County

20. Bonus Track: There's No Life Without Love

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Some fans argue that this 1967 release is one of head Kink Ray Davies's middle-period masterpieces (coming between two LPs that no kultist can deny: Face to Face and Village Green Preservation Society), while others regard it as an uneven collection of great singles and inconsequential filler; a stopgap move. Although no one could argue that it's as consistent as those classics, Something Else does boast one of the great one-two punches in rock history: the rumbling tale of social envy, "David Watts," and "Death of a Clown," a slurring pub sing-along warbled by brother Dave. Elsewhere, the quartet dives headfirst into droning psychedelia ("Lazy Old Sun"), whimsical balladry ("Afternoon Tea"), suburban soap opera ("Two Sisters"--love that harpsichord), and one of the most poignant singles in rock history ("Waterloo Sunset"). This import edition generously supplements the strong 13-song original lineup with eight bonus tracks. --Don Harrison

Product Description

1998 reissue of this 1967 album by the band, remastered,repackaged with the original artwork, new sleeve notes,lyrics and eight bonus tracks: 'Act Nice And Gentle','Autumn Almanac', 'Susannah's Still Alive', 'Wonderboy','Polly', 'Lincoln County', 'There's

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GOD SAVE THE KINKS!, December 27, 1999

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Something Else By The Kinks (Audio CD)

In a three-year span (10/66-10/69), the Kinks succeeded in releasing four classic albums: Face To Face, The Village Green Preservation Society, Arthur, and the crown jewel Something Else. Unfortunately this creative peak of Ray Davies and Co. coincided with problems with a U.S. musicians' union and the band did not perform in the United States during this time. [Note: During this three-year period only two Kinks songs charted in the U.S.--"Dead End Street" (#73) and "Mr. Pleasant" (#80).]

And in the fickle world of rock 'n' roll, the Kinks never really regained their momentum with their fans. And that is our loss. While I still enjoy going back and listening to the early sixties Kinks' hits like "You Really Got Me" and "All Day And All of the Night," it was only after Ray Davies began writing more introspective and personal songs that the band set themselves apart from all of the other British Invasion Bands.

Something Else brims with such songs. The wistfullness of "David Watts," the touching "Two Sisters," the emotional "Death of a Clown," and perhaps Ray's best song ever "Waterloo Sunset."

Back in the Sixties when I was a teenager, my allowance barely allowed me to keep up with purchasing all of the Beatles' output. But when I came across a cutout version of Something Else on vinyl for 99 cents, surely the gods were smiling on me that day. What a terrific album! I, of course, was hearing all of these songs for the first time since the radio long ago quit playing the Kinks. This has got to be one of the best Kinks albums no one has ever heard--it peaked at #153 on the album charts.

Now on CD we get the added treat of eight(!) bonus tracks, including the UK singles "Autumn Almanac," "Wonderboy" and "Susannah's Still Alive," along with a couple tracks that I don't think have shown up before on a Kinks' CD or vinyl album before: "Act Nice and Gentle" and Dave Davies' "Lincoln County." The other three bonus tracks are "There's No Life Without Love" from The Great Lost Kinks Album, "Polly" from The Kinks Kronikles and an unreleased stereo alternate take of "Lazy Old Sun."

The Kinks' late 60s and early 70s output deserves a closer look by a wider audience. After you pick up on this and the other three albums mentioned above, move on to Lola vs Powerman and the Moneygoround and Muswell Hillbillies and find out why Ray Davies should be mentioned in the same breath as John Lennon, Paul McCartney or Brian Wilson.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars mono, December 5, 2004

By 

THE NORB "THE NORB" (Akron, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Something Else By The Kinks (Audio CD)

This truly is an incredible album that rivals Village Green and Face To Face in my opinion. I believe what others think to be a mastering problem with this reissue, is actually the fact that the tracks are in mono. There is no spaciousness to the music as a result of this. To prove my point, the remastering of the first disc is the same on the new deluxe edition of VGPS, but is in stereo, and sounds incredible. Why this album is not presented in stereo is beyond me. But fortunately I have a mono movie surround mode on my receiver that can help to overcome this dilemma until they do.

17 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Waste Your Time and Money Tracking This Down..., February 16, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Something Else By The Kinks (Audio CD)

Instead just go for the standard Warner Brothers version (which warrants FIVE stars). The reason I say this is because the comments others have made about the terrible remastering job on this album are all correct. I had downloaded MP3s of almost the entire album before I purchased it, and I own the Kink Kronikles, which contains eight of the songs on this disc if you include the extra tracks. In all cases, with the possible exception of "David Watts," the songs on this CD sounded inferior to the other versions I had. Somehow, this version sounds dull and sterile compared with other the old Warner Brothers CD, with particular sabatage done to "Lazy Old Sun," "Waterloo Sunset" and "Love Me Till the Sun Shines." Furthermore, on top of the other negative developments just listed, this CD contains all mono tracks! There's a stereo version out there -- why not use it?

And don't let the bonus tracks trick you into buying this version, either. To be sure, there are some great songs added to the end of this album, but the best of them are on the Kink Kronikles, which you probably own already if you're looking at this review (if not you ought to buy it). As far as the others, "Lincoln County," "Act Nice and Gentle" and "There's No Life Without Love" are all OK, but none is outstanding enough to warrant the purchase of this CD. And the stereo take of "Lazy Old Sun" sounds basically the same as the regular version, there's just an extra vocal track.