Kinks: Arthur-Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire-DLX (CD, 2011)

Description: The Kinks: Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) [Deluxe Edition] - Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) extends the British-oriented themes of Village Green Preservation Society, telling the story of a London man's decision to move to Australia during the aftermath of World War II. It's a detailed and loving song cycle, capturing the minutiae of suburban life, the numbing effect of bureaucracy, and the horrors of war. On paper, Arthur sounds like a pretentious mess, but Ray Davies' lyrics and insights have rarely been so graceful or deftly executed, and the music is remarkable. An edgier and harder-rocking affair than Village Green, Arthur is as multi-layered musically as it is lyrically. "Shangri-La" evolves from English folk to hard rock, "Drivin'" has a lazy grace, "Young and Innocent Days" is a lovely, wistful ballad, "Some Mother's Son" is one of the most uncompromising antiwar songs ever recorded, while "Victoria" and "Arthur" rock with simple glee. The music makes the words cut deeper, and the songs never stray too far from the album's subject, making Arthur one of the most effective concept albums in rock history, as well as one of the best and most influential British pop records of its era. [Universal's 2011 double-disc deluxe edition of Arthur contains both the mono and stereo mixes of the classic album plus a wealth of bonus tracks: mono and stereo takes of non-LP singles, BBC sessions, and a host of alternate takes and international oddities. Much of this material can be found elsewhere but for hardcore Kinks kollektors, this is a treasure trove.

Price: 15 USD

Location: Addison, Texas

End Time: 2024-12-01T02:35:49.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4.88 USD