Show Post: In House #1538


Today it's the second installment of our new regular feature, Land Sound Records. As you may recall, the point is to spotlight some of the landmark albums over the past forty years or so of pop music history-- essentials, if you will. Hopefully, this will either reacquaint you with long lost beloved albums, or it will inspire you to check them out for the first time.

Land Sound Record #2: The Kinks' Something Else

Release Date: September, 1967
Label: Reprise

Something Else proved to be the beginning of what would become well-known as the unique, character-driven songwriting style of Kinks frontman Ray Davies-- a style further developed on later releases like The Village Green Preservation Society and even Muswell Hillbillies. After a handful of years of being overshadowed by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones while pursuing a decidedly mod posture, Something Else marked an abrupt about-face for the Kinks. Its subjects were willfully uncool creations of the Davies brothers, Ray and Dave, with narratives exploring middle class English characters and middle class English life. Such an unhip retreat to suburbia, away from the common psychedelia of late sixties Brit-rock, couldn't help but stand out as something different, indeed, Something Else.

Of course, the writing would have mattered little if the album hadn't also been filled with the melodies found on songs like, "Waterloo Sunset," regarded by many as perhaps the greatest pop song ever written. To be accurate, there's really very little rock here-- it is, however, littered with rescued showtunes, clowns and common people taking their afternoon tea. It's a drab, dour setting that sounds unsettlingly good.

(MP3) "Waterloo Sunset"
(MP3) "David Watts"


In House #1538.
Airdate: 1/19/06
Focus: Land Sound Record #2 featuring the Kinks' Something Else, plus a preview of this weekend's performances at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT.



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #48