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Wow. That's probably the best word to sum up Ray Davies' new disc, The Kinks Choral Collection. This album, which was released last year, literally came out of nowhere . . . and it's already shot to the top of my most-played list. Ray Davies? Yes, that Ray Davies, the leader of The Kinks, one of rock's seminal bands. With such songs such as You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, Lola and Come Dancing, The Kinks rank right up there with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. Perhaps in a reflective mood at 65, Davies has taken a collection of awesome songs from The Kinks' catalog and given them new treatments with the backing of the full-on 65-member Crouch End Festival Chorus. Here, on this terrific and inspired CD, Davies has captured the glory that can be heard on one of The Rolling Stone's most famous songs: You Can't Always Get What You Want, which also featured the backing of a choir. Really, I can't say enough about The Kinks Choral Collection and the loving care that Davies has brought to these songs. They sound fresh, magnificent and moving. Here, you'll find brilliant treatments of some of The Kinks' classic melodies, such as You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night. But you'll also be treated to less famous tunes such as Working Man's Cafe, Celluloid Heroes and Village Green, all which feature Davies' still clear, beautiful voice and the backing chorus. This album is lovely and rocking at the same time. Fabulous!Recent Posts
1/24/10
Music Review: The Kinks Choral Collection
Wow. That's probably the best word to sum up Ray Davies' new disc, The Kinks Choral Collection. This album, which was released last year, literally came out of nowhere . . . and it's already shot to the top of my most-played list. Ray Davies? Yes, that Ray Davies, the leader of The Kinks, one of rock's seminal bands. With such songs such as You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, Lola and Come Dancing, The Kinks rank right up there with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. Perhaps in a reflective mood at 65, Davies has taken a collection of awesome songs from The Kinks' catalog and given them new treatments with the backing of the full-on 65-member Crouch End Festival Chorus. Here, on this terrific and inspired CD, Davies has captured the glory that can be heard on one of The Rolling Stone's most famous songs: You Can't Always Get What You Want, which also featured the backing of a choir. Really, I can't say enough about The Kinks Choral Collection and the loving care that Davies has brought to these songs. They sound fresh, magnificent and moving. Here, you'll find brilliant treatments of some of The Kinks' classic melodies, such as You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night. But you'll also be treated to less famous tunes such as Working Man's Cafe, Celluloid Heroes and Village Green, all which feature Davies' still clear, beautiful voice and the backing chorus. This album is lovely and rocking at the same time. Fabulous!
1/13/10
Music Review: Spoon's Transference
It's only January, but a strong candidate for album of the year has already emerged: Spoon's Transference. This band can't do anything wrong as far as I'm concerned. Its last two albums (Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga) are bookend masterpieces. I keep waiting for them to fall on their face and to run out of creative energy, but it's just not happening. Without a doubt, Spoon currently wears the title of America's Best Band. I'm not sure how it happened. Maybe it's the air in Austin, Texas. Maybe it's their emphasis on rhythm. Perhaps it's the band's slavery to having fun. Hell, I don't care. The band rocks and their music is joyous. Transference is a step forward. They produced the album themselves. While it might be a bit less melodic, it's more poetic, more experimental, more narrative. That could have been disastrous in another band's hands (i.e., Radiohead). It might have turned out unlistenable and pretentious. But here, it's rocking, beautiful and smart. I love this band.