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Deep Tracks - The Kinks - "Face to Face"
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Next up is - The Kinks - "Face to Face"
"Face to Face" is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released in October 1966. The album had marked the band's shift from the hard-driving style of beat music, catapulting them to international acclaim. Being their first album consisting entirely of Ray Davies compositions, it has also been regarded by critics as rock's first concept album.
Ray Davies suffered a nervous breakdown just prior to the major recording sessions for the album.
In contrast to the band's earlier "raunchy" sound, he had started to introduce a new, softer style of writing the previous year with compositions such as "A Well Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower of Fashion".
In July 1966, the single "Sunny Afternoon", also written in that style, reached #1 in the UK, and the song's great popularity proved to Ray and the Kinks' managers that the group could find success with this style of songwriting. The new album would follow this pattern, as would the group's recorded output for the next five years. The 1966–71 period inaugurated by this album would later be called Ray's and the Kinks' "golden age".
Rock historians have credited the album as arguably one of the first rock/pop concept albums, with the loose common theme of social observation. In the album's original inception, Ray attempted to bridge the songs together with sound effects, but was forced to revert to the more standard album format by Pye Records before the album's release.
Two songs on "Face to Face", although written by Ray, were originally recorded and released by other British bands in the months prior to the release of this album. The Pretty Things had a minor UK hit in July 1966 with "A House in the Country", which peaked at #50; their final entry on the singles charts. Herman's Hermits, meanwhile, took their version of "Dandy" top ten in several countries (including #5 in the US and #1 in Canada), beginning in September 1966.
The album was released in a particularly tumultuous year for the band, with personnel problems (Pete Quaife was injured; he resigned and later rejoined the band), legal and contractual battles and an ongoing hectic touring schedule. The album was critically well received, but did not sell particularly well at the time of its release (especially in the United States), and was out of print for many years.
Personnel -
Ray Davies – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, mellotron
Dave Davies – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Party Line", "You're Lookin' Fine"
Pete Quaife – bass guitar, backing vocals (except where noted)
John Dalton – bass guitar on "Little Miss Queen of Darkness"
Mick Avory – drums, percussion
Nicky Hopkins – keyboards, piano, harmonium on "Sunny Afternoon"
Rasa Davies – backing vocals on "Sunny Afternoon", "Session Man" and "Rainy Day in June"
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_t...e_Kinks_album)
Your commentary on any and every aspect of the album and especially any memories reawakened as a result of the poll is welcomed.
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Originally Posted by starthrower
