The Kinks

Even as a staunch Kinks supporter, I was beginning to have my doubts. Although the band's
following has grown steadily since they made it into the Seventies (by the skin of their
teeth) with "Lola," they seemed to have peaked with Muswell Hillbillies. Ray Davies seemed
hopelessly stuck on a thematic dead-end street (perhaps he had started believing all those
notices about personifying the "voice of the little people"). But Sleepwalker -- th... More >

Ray Davies's temporary abandonment of theatrical concepts may have ruined his show, but it's freed him to write individually inspired songs again. It's also freed his band to play up to its capacity, which unfortunately falls midway between professional virtuosity and amateur fun. Doubly unfortunate, at least half the songs are in a similar range. Recommended: "Jukebox Music" and "Full Moon." (Grade: B-)