We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
Who woulda thunk that one of the best “country” LPs of the year would come from a former British Invasion band who were coming off controversial hit single about a transvestite. And yet, the 1971 LP “Muswell Hillbillies” from the Kinks delivers the goods.
A friend of mine earlier this year asked me when I was going to review this album which he said was one of his faves from the 1971. I’ll admit this is another record I never listened to back in the day and when I put it on now It surprised me with its musicality but also it’s biting, incisive and prescient lyrics.
The LP was critically acclaimed but sold poorly. It has it’s rabid fans though, who revel in Ray Davies working-class view of the of the world and the quirky choices the band makes musically.
How many rock bands would dare use a dixieland horn section on an early-70’s album? How many would attempt to use country-style rhythms and flourishes? The Stones did it occasionally. American bands like the Byrds, the Burritos and Poco were mining that vein but never with this kind of lyrical wit. The Kinks do here and it works most of the time. Dave Davies guitar cuts through the murk and sounds fresh even today.
My only complaint is that Ray Davies vocal is buried in the mix and you have to strain (or, at least I did), to hear his cutting prose. It might almost be better to print out the lyrics and follow along that way.
Straight ahead country tunes like “Alcohol”, “Holloway Jail”, “Oklahoma, USA” and the title track are joined by songs that, while of their time, could also have been written last week. “20th Century Man’, Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues” and “Here Come The People In Gray” work well in both chronicling the era and also predicting the future. It’s heady stuff at times. ‘Skin & Bone is a catchy little number and “Have a Cuppa Tea” is a nice slice of comedy relief in the midst of the angst.
I’m sorry I missed this first time around. It’s going to go into the rotation now. If it’s your first time, I think you’ll dig it.
Comments