ALBUM REVIEW: The Kinks - Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

    The Kinks were in the midst of a classic era, dating back to the release of the loose 1966 social commentary of Face to Face. From there, The Kinks and primarily Ray Davies further bloomed under the new, musically softer and lyrically witty direction, refining this new direction on the heavily-baroque Something Else by The Kinks. By the 1968 record The Village Green Preservation Society, The Kinks had established themselves as a cult band - what they lacked in sales in comparison to their early days was made up by widespread acclaim in the music press. With their culmination reached on Village Green, Ray Davies' mind was clearly filled to the brim with brilliant ideas, and when Granada Television approached him to create music for a television series, he agreed - while the television series never was finished, the music still remains in the form of Arthur. A proper concept album that even leans on rock opera at points, Arthur plays like a more cynical spiritual successor to ideas on The Village Green Preservation Society, even more evident by the subtitle that mentions The Decline and Fall of the British Empire. It rocks harder, is even more conceptually tight, and showcases a group at their pinnacle of power - the record is nothing short of peak Kinks.

     While Arthur isn't a pure rock opera in the way that a record like Tommy or The Wall is, it's certainly arguable that there is more plot at hand in Arthur than in your standard run-of-the-mill concept album. The majority of Arthur is centered around the life of main character Arthur Morgan, a carpet-layer living in the impoverished post-war Britain. According to the liner notes for the album's original release, Arthur Morgan is married with a son - his son is married with kids of his own, emigrating to Australia. Arthur's brother was killed in the Battle of the Somme in World War I, and another son of Arthur's died in Korea. What follows are persistent themes of nostalgia and reflection on the past, from the England that Arthur once knew, to the new life that lies in Australia for his son's family, to the resolve of the British people during World War II, to the brutality of war. The result is effectively a continuation on many ideas that Ray Davies started penning with Village Green, but now through a much darker lens - the lyrics of "Some Mother's Son," for example, lay bare the turmoil and death of war. "All dead soldiers look the same" is a particularly heartbreaking line, and if that isn't enough, take closing line "Some mother's memory remains," a dark twist on a similar line from "Do You Remember Walter?" on Village Green.

    Not only is there a shift in tone, but the group experienced a lineup shift - original bassist Pete Quaife had departed, and in his place is John Dalton. I couldn't tell you if this change in bass player made a major change in their musical approach, but what I can tell you is that this is their most rocking album since Face to Face. From the opening riff of "Victoria," you can tell that this album is going to be punchier and nastier than Village Green, and this delivers not just in lyricism as mentioned. Throughout Arthur, there's taut horns, crunchy Dave Davies riffs, sharp harmonies, and some of Mick Avory's best drumming of the entire Kinks catalog. A song like the blistering and angry "Brainwashed" may be as heavy of a rocker as "You Really Got Me" with its sharp riff and crashing rhythm. The upbeat sounding "Australia" morphs after the first third morphs into a punching jam number with shades of progressive rock throughout it's expansive length - I shit you not. You'll find similar shades of prog on the segmented and varied parts of "Shangri-La," a song nearly as expansive and every bit as hooky. "Nothing to Say" is a great fucking rock number with some incredibly bluesy and smooth guitar work from Dave throughout. Everything culminates in the album summary of "Arthur," not just in story but musically - it rocks and riffs throughout an expansive 5-and-a-half minutes of music.

    As you might have already expected, Arthur did not sell well on initial release. Even still, the album did chart in the United States, peaking at number 105, returning the group to the charts after a two year absence - it should also be noted that, just before this album's recording, Ray Davies flew to the US to produce The Turtles' Turtle Soup album, and while in the US he was able to get the group's touring ban lifted. The following year would see a commercial comeback for the Kinks, shortly before what would be a transitional period for the group, but for now The Kinks were at the top of their game. Arthur is the embodiment of everything the group had been working towards prior - it's a rocking tour-de-force of the British way of life, hitting all the exciting and emotional heights of Village Green while also outdoing them. The result in the group's finest tuned record yet, and one certainly worth seeking out a listen. What a way to end the decade. 

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).