The Kinks' Underrated Masterpiece

[@christull6572]

It is a truly a wonderful Album

[@antoniodelrey164]

An absolutely awesome album not only musically but like all Kink’s the words are powerful. I’m a 20th Century Man too!

[@TheAnarchitek]

"20th Century Man". Any time you can rhyme Shakespeare with Gainsborough, you know you're showing off: "You keep all your smart modern writers, Give me William Shakespeare You keep all your smart modern painters I'll take Rembrandt, Titian, Da Vinci and Gainsborough"

[@obbor4]

Not underrated in my house! 'Muswell Hillbillies' has long been my favorite Kinks album. It speaks to me in so many ways.

[@SiloSoundStudios]

Just overall, Kinks just dont get the acknowledgment they deserve.

[@pedroV2003]

AMEN!

[@pedroV2003]

Saw them around 1972 and they were easily one of the best most fun concert I've ever been to.

[@tjwolfe77]

I think it could be argued that The Kinks had possibly the strongest 5-album run of any rock band: Something Else Village Green Arthur Lola vs Powerman Muswell Hillbillies. It’s probably my favorite 5-album run of any band, each one is just about perfect.

[@carspiv]

You could add Face to Face to the top of that list and make it six. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that album. It’s loaded with 14 great songs and it could be argued that IT is one of the very first concept albums: At least 4 songs (Dandy, House In The Country, Most Exclusive Residence for Sale, and Sunny Afternoon) could be interpreted as a song cycle telling the story of the rise and fall of an upper-class, womanizing cad. As a Creem magazine writer opined in a Kinks’ career retrospective, “I like this album (Face to Face) so much, I’m going to buy it something to eat.”

[@michaelryan5364]

Face to Face, Schoolboys, Misfits and Phobia are among my favorites.

[@tjwolfe77]

Yeah, pretty stupid of me to leave off Face to Face. I do love that album and a lot of their 70’s and 80’s stuff. Kinks just seem to get overlooked by a lot of folks (or maybe I’m just not finding g good articles/ thought pieces about them).

[@z-man2343]

Not only is this my favorite Kinks album, Muswell Hillbillies has been (since I bought it in 1978) and remains, on my top 20 albums of all time. Yeah, it's that good. This is Ray Davies at the absolute top of his songwriting game ...poignant, pithy and poetic, painting lyrical pictures of the trials and tribulations of the common (wo)man as no one else can. Then you add in top- notch musicianship and vocals and voilà, an English folk-rock masterpiece unrivaled to this day.

[@jason_jason_1]

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[@z-man2343]

If I had to pick a few favorites, they would be (in no particular order) Skin and Bones, Holiday, Have a Cuppa Tea and Uncle Son. Ironically, my oldest daughter received her PhD from the University of Birmingham, and is now engaged to a Yorkshireman!

[@tre243t]

I have always loved this album - a classic album showcasing Ray’s brilliance!!!

[@fractuss]

And Dave's amazing and eclectic guitar work.

[@chuckbouscaren3898]

My all time favorite Kinks albums.

[@sjames1955]

ONE of Ray's underrated masterworks.

[@clevebaker8399]

It’s my favorite!! Then Lola and the rest of the 60-70s LPs are played regularly on our turntable! Seen them twice and still remember the awesome shows!! The Kinks

[@beatxt]

Excellent! (Both your mini doc and the album).

[@onetripwonders]

Took me a while to appreciate it but now I love it.

[@jamesguitar2006]

Great video man, if you can I’d love to see a video about the band ‘The Vines’ who actually were quite influenced by the kinks, think it would be interesting

[@fractuss]

My favorite.

[@montyrose78]

Great review of a great album thanks

[@tombrehony6277]

This album is Seriously Underrated...

[@edwinwise6751]

The album was a masterpiece. My bass player made me sit down and listen to both sides right after it was released. We were playing hard rock covers at the time and this wasn’t Queen . Totally got it and still listen it

[@richardchambers3533]

I like the album "Give the people what they want " Of course I like their early work also. I saw them in the early 80's. The Kinks opened for the Cars. Awesome show!

[@nolagospeltracts8264]

First song I remember by them as a young teen was "Destroyer" I knew the Van Halen cover but I didn't connect it to the Kinks.

[@marke2452]

@@nolagospeltracts8264 Van Halen actually covered two Kinks songs, You Really Got Me, and Where Have All The Good Times Gone. They also did a cover of Martha and the Vandellas hit, Dancing In The Streets, which The Kinks had previously covered.

[@ericdailey8587]

I bought this album a long, long time ago (I believe it may have been based on the star rating it received in the first edition of The Rolling Stone Record Guide). I was not disappointed. It is different, but a good different and some very fine lyrics by Ray. RCA should have released Muswell Hillbilly as a single.

[@johnking6252]

Ladies and gentlemen....the Muswell hillbillies.....👍. Yeah baby ✌️

[@donaldengebretson4170]

Yeah, you nail it, "Muswell Hillbillies" is a great Kinks album, and is on my "If you can only listen to five Kinks albums" list.

[@davidgagne3569]

This, and Arthur, are the best albums by the Kinks.The wide ranging songs are masterful.

[@miked6335]

Bought this album when it first came out, the Kinks being a favorite band. I didn't realize there was a concept behind it, but living on Long Island I had no idea what was going on in London. I didn't care for the addition of horns. I'm surprised you didn't mention how flimsy the actual LP was. Don't know if all RCA LPs were like that at the time, but it gave the impression of being cheap or that the Kinks were minor leaguers not worthy of using enough vinyl to stiffen the record.

[@fellowtraveler4358]

Yeah, I know just what you're talkin' about. As a guy who's bought vinyl from the early 1960s until just yesterday, there was that time when the actual records themselves were almost (okay, relatively) paper thin. Still, I have them and still play them. They, like us, are one of the survivors, the boppers and the jivers.

[@napadave58]

I've always thought that Muswell Hillbillies was their best and most "unKinks-like" albums - and I also took it as being inspired (at least partially) by The Stones' Let It Bleed - another UK band who, when they stretched into North America, picked up a bit of that American Appalachia sound and texture - see: Byrds Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, Pure Prairie League (non-UK), Gram Parsons - even the Beatles added their names to the mix with songs like Rocky Raccoon. I'm just blabbing though ... carry on with your day. And clean that place up a bit. It looks a bit messy.

[@ericdailey8587]

I don’t know if Ray was inspired by the Stones, but it is the Kinks foray into “country rock,” sort of. A little late compared to others, but a great album.

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

Country abd bluegrass is not the only sound, there is clearly english music hall snd folk influences too.

[@StacheBigote]

I think that as time has gone on, Muswell Hillbillies has been more and more appreciated. You want to talk underrated masterpiece? Listen to Intercourse by The Tokens. Yes, the Lion Sleeps Tonight band made other music, and some of it is unbelievably good.

[@tedwert9658]

One of my top ten desert island picks.

[@charlesmurphy1840]

One of my favorite kinks album if not my favorite..I love soap opera also which is another one people seem to deon

[@antoniodelrey164]

An unbelievable album way before it’s time or really time is way behind the progressive Kinks and Ray’s lyrics. Just listen and you will see. Listen to Arthur also. Actually all their albums and lyrics are powerful but those two albums have the most powerful lyrics.

[@antoniodelrey164]

My two favorites! Arthur and Muswell Hillbillies and like you say, all their albums are exceptional but these two are the best!

[@monoped8437]

underappreciated, maybe. not underrated.

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Generally considered the last of the great run, not my favorite. That said, 20th Century Man and Oklahoma USA make the l.p. worth it at any price.

[@bg19717]

Underrated? This is their best album in my opinion!

[@JuanPabloValleGalindo-io8mu]

🤩🤩🤩🍺🍷🍻🍾✌️😎