Kinks – Well Respected Kinks

While I am loath to throw away my vinyl, I am starting to pick up CDs of many of my treasured records. I love a bargain so when I find discounted discs, I will pick them up.

This Kinks collection was originally released in the mid-60’s as a compilation of their singles and EPs. Hence, this has some of their greatest songs from this time! Even retail for this item is inexpensive and I found it used damn cheap, so I had to pick it up.

There’s not much to say about this release – if you dig the Kinks at all you should be intimately familiar with just about every song on here! Starting with the folk-pop of “A Well Respected Man”, to the rousing “Where Have all the Good Times Gone”, to the monster “Till the End of the Day”, the hits keep coming! “Set Me Free”, “Tired of Waiting For You”, the blistering “All Day and All of the Night”, the uptempo riff-blues of “I Gotta Move”, and the outstanding, massive breakthrough of “You Really Got Me” have all got to be beloved to anyone who digs 60’s music at all!

The only clunkers are “Don’t You Fret” and “Wait Til the Summer Comes Along”, both pretty forgettable numbers.

Dave Davies’ power chords blast you while Ray’s voice moves from crazed shout-singing to almost fey British-isms and the band’s group vocals pull you in as Mick and Peter pounds out the backing rhythms. This is a superb band at the height of its energy and some of the best songs of their career. Almost all of their 60’s and 70’s releases are well worth owning, but for sheer youthful exuberance and excitement, everyone should have this one!