| For die hard Kinks fans (review from amazon.com) |
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| As a long time Kinks fan, it pains me to not recommend one of their albums. Quite frankly, this one is for those who feel the need to have as much of the Kinks' musis as possible. Don't get me wrong, there are some good songs on it, but overall not enough to recommend it. The only song you might recognize is the first track that was used in 2008 for a Converse commercial. That commercial inspired me to finally buy this CD to replace my vinyl version. If you are just discovering the Kinks, wait and get this one later - start with a different one (from the 60s or later 70s or early 80s). If you are well versed in the Kinks music and just want more, then by all means get this and enjoy.
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| Good Music and a lot of Humour. (review from amazon.com) |
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"When "Soap Opera" was first released in 1975 the Kinks were my undisputed number one favourite band. Having recently seen the group live twice ( once performing Preservation Act ) I had a hard time waiting for the release of their next album. And as big fans rarely are, I wasn't disappointed when it finally appeared in the local record store. In the beginning I particularly enjoyed the melodic ballads such as "Nine to Five", "You Make it All Worthwhile" and "A Face in the Crowd". It was disappointing, though, that none of the singles taken from the album managed to bring the Kinks back to the top of the charts. Another frustration was that none of my friends seemed to share my enthusiasm with the album, a fact that I could not really understand.
Now, years later, I realize that "Soap Opera" is far from being one of the Kinks' greatest albums, and though most the music still sound great, it's obvious that only few songs work outside the context of the "Soap Opera Story". Actually, my originally least favourite song "Holiday Romance" may be the one track that has such quality. Great melody and a charming humouristic story; I have often imagined Mickey Mouse as the charmer dancing with Lavinia.
The story itself may appear not very interesting today, but there is a great sense of sarcasm and humour in many of the songs, so I still feel well entertained when listening to the album.
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| Kinky Opera (review from amazon.com) |
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| I bought this to replace my vinyl copy. It's a required piece of listening for anyone wanting to understand how adventuresome a rock act could be if allowed to indulge themselves to their fullest. not exactly Tommy or Quadrphenia, but still a bona fide rock opera, with a story line and a strong vaudville type of presentation.
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| Nothing normal about "Normal Norman" (review from amazon.com) |
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These are some interesting concepts outlined here. I always loved the theatrical side of the Kinks, and this one was one of their best plays. Certainly it's the tightest in terms of storyline.
I never saw it as being truly about a star who changes place with a "nobody" though. To me, it was more the story of a man whose ordinary daily life is so mundane and so humdrum that he invents an exciting fantasy to make it all bearable.
Don't we all?
Anyway, this has everything we've come to expect from Ray and crew, from the giddy fun of "Ducks on the Wall" to the rebellious and anthemic (and slightly panicky) drinking songs (both versions -- "have another drink, it'll make you feel better," and "don't stop and think; have another drink") to the bittersweet and pretty "Underneath the Neon Sign." We sink, with Norman, deeper and deeper into an unescapable lethargy, hating the drudgery of daily life and feeling more and more helpless to do anything but breathe and go on.
This is tragedy at its most Greek: a story of a lively and inventive man who longs for color and excitement but who is instead overpainted in grays. When at last he accepts his life and sees that it has a tender beauty of its own, we can't help but feel a little bit disappointed. We wanted him to break free, if only to prove to us that we might hope to do it ourselves.
Give this one a chance. It's not as great as a lot of Kinks albums, but at that it's still a lot better than just about anything else.
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| Umm...a little literacy would help (review from amazon.com) |
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This is one of those Kinks records that just went sailing over people's heads. The idea of a rock star gradually becoming a mediocre nobody is the stuff of genius. It's about the oppressive sameness of the masses, and just think about it for a second. What does the expression "keep it real" mean? I can tell you. It means "don't think you're better than the 'hood. Stay undeducated and lame and watch TV and listen to weak rap numbers that denigrate women in a predictable style." Real real.
Ray Davies nailed it all those years ago: We're not a culture of individualists, by any means.. We're all about conformity. He just puts it out there, straight, no chaser. We should ask ourselves: How much have we "settled" over the years? How much has identifiable product overwhelmed the process of choice? To my knowledge, this is the only album that has ever addressed the question.
What Ray Davies does here is illustrate, from his own coast, how the weight of just "fitting in" can crush anyone, even a genius. The moral: Don't fit In! And Ray never did. Melodically as well, this has some of the greatest tunes ever generated. The actual CD closer (not the one on the extended version) has had me in tears.
This is a very, very brilliant album. I wouldn't use the word "silly" for any of it. Ironic, in high Shakespearean style, is more appropriate. It is, in its way, a fully fleshed out version of "I'm not like everybody else," which is hilariously used non-ironically in a commercial these days. Don't they get it? They are ALL like everybody else! That's what the song is about.
Irony 101 for all ad execs. Mandatory. (Oh yeah, and I know folks have noted that "Lust for Life" by Iggy is being used to promote family values. I have lived this long?)
Finally, if the above all sounds daunting....Soap Opera also great fun to listen to. Good singing, good playing, melodies and hooks galore, wit, intelligence, and Ray Davies's voice. And a spectacular foray into the mind of the 20th Century Ape-Man.
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