The Kinks: To The Bone CD Track Listing

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The Kinks To The Bone (1996)
To The Bone - Disc 2 of 2\n1996 Guardian Records\n\nOriginally Released October 15, 1996 \n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: \n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nThis two-disc set is a live retrospective featuring 26 mostly (though not entirely) acoustic renditions of Kinks classics and obscurities, and possesses a poignancy and generosity of spirit that raises it several notches above standard Unplugged-style fare. The band's gracefully low-key reinterpretations of relative obscurities like "Picture Book," "Days," "Do You Remember Walter," and "Death of A Clown" are enough to blow a decade and a half's worth of arena-rock dust off the band's reputation. The group's updating of their early punk anthem "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" carries new levels of resonance that the band could scarcely have dreamed of in 1964. The two new studio recordings are a bit slight, but they sport an unfussed sweetness that's hard to argue with. --Scott Schinder \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nRocks Me To The Bone, August 5, 2004\nReviewer: Gianmarco Manzione (Jensen Beach, FL USA)\n"To The Bone's" sales and critical reception continue the jadedness this band has so undeservedly suffered over the years. Even the Amazon staff reviewer tosses off the two new tracks -- "Animal" and "To The Bone" -- as "slight." "Animal" does leave something to be desired, but the title track boasts all the sonic robustness and anthemic luster of The Kinks best-known rock tunes. Eloquently arranged and powerful, the song is a radio-ready rock classic. Others contend that many of the live renditions featured here have been heard before, but the crispness and surprising complexity of "Apeman," "Death of a Clown" and the blistering "Dead End Street" lend something new to the oeuvre, even if the songs have been around for a while. But for fans who absolutely MUST have something less familiar, the impassioned reinterpretation of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," an old Kinks B-side that defines the band's unique contribution to rock history, is as immediately engaging as the new and aforementioned title track. These two CDs are an exhilirating odyssey for Kinks fans of all stripes -- from the ones who were there to those who are yet to come on board.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA slightly flawed classic, April 24, 2003\nReviewer: James N. Kraut (Coral Springs, FL United States)\nConventional wisdom - as well as common sense - tells us that the four heavy hitters from 60s England were the Beatles, the Stones, the Who and this band. Unfortunately for Ray Davies, (pronounced "Davis," by the way) the creative force of the group, that which expressed his genius and made him great was a quality which didn't appeal to the masses as did the genius of Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards and Pete Townsend. This by no means implies that Ray was a lesser talent. The fact is, Mr. Davies was and still is at his best as a storyteller. His wit is unparalleled in rock ("Just when I wanted no one to be there, All of my friends were there, Not just my friends, but there best friends, too...") and his portraits and observations are biting without being self-servingly bitter, wry, yet very accessible and above all, brimming with empathy and pathos. He has consistently carried the torch for the unsung common man and has often displayed a sensibility more akin to a novelist than a pop songsmith. The fact that brother Dave was THE originater of the power chord - born fully formed in "You Really Got Me" - from which came all heavy metal and all forms of hard rock make him a legend, too. His distorted tone, chronicled so charmingly well on Ray's 1998 solo CD, The Storyteller, has remained a staple and defining element in the Kinks sound. I have always thought, however, that Ray Davies's best material was the smaller stuff - the material on Village Green Preservation Society, for example, which is represented by a wonderful three song set on the second disc. I'm talking about songs like "Days" - a gorgeous version of which appears with heartfelt Rickenbacker 12-string at the end of disc 2 - and even the much later "Don't Forget to Dance, which show the depth of his empathy, only reachable in midlife. I was, therefore, a bit diappointed at the string of power-rock anthems in the middle of the second disc. They work but they aren't what sets the Kinks apart. At least half of the tunes are full-blown electric band stuff. But the quieter ones are, for the most part, the best ones - my favorites, anyway. Other standouts for me are "See My Friends" and the early Dave Davies classic, "Death of a Clown" from Something Else, which follows it. One might question the inclusion of a few of the tunes because they've been released in so many other forms already - i.e., we might have done all right without new versions of "You Really Got Me" and Lola?" A few more of the esoteric songs would have been nice - "Who Will Be the Next in Line" and "Dream" come to mind immediately. All this having been said, Ray is in very fine voice, the band is tight and versatile and I'm always grateful for another opportunity to listen to the Kinks. If you are at all into their music, you'll be glad you own To the Bone. Oh - and by the way, the last two tunes, "Animal" and the title track were written, I believe, around the time of the recording of the CD. Both amply show that as of the early 90s, Ray still very much had the magic.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nModern Realizations of Kinks Klassics...Marvelous!, March 31, 2003\nReviewer: R. S Sarkisian (Cadillac, Michigan United States)\nI know I deserve severe chiding for admitting this, but being a late Kinks Konvert, To the Bone was my introduction to songs such as "Muswell Hillbillies", "Better Things", "Celluloid Heroes", "Village Green Preservation Society", et al. This fine collection; along with a revisiting of Word of Mouth, Misfits, and State of Confusion all on vinyl; served to induce a searching out of all the other original Kinks material not in my possession--at least that which is available. Still working on some of the rarer stuff. To this end, To the Bone is a great, great album!\nThe reworkings of old favorites in an intimate live setting at Ray Davies' Konk Studios are a delightful diversion. I especially like the calypso-like "Apeman", despite Ray's slip-up on "poli-ti-shee-ans", and "See My Friends" which sounds psycho-sensational in a modern recording.\nThis was also where I first heard such wonderful songs as "Do You Remember Walter" and "Days". "Don't Forget To Dance" sounds absolutely sublime--better than the original. In fact, most all the material at the kozy "Konkfest" is really fine.\nThough I think a song like "Do It Again" benefits from "the studio treatment", the concert recordings also don't leave much to be desired. I'd have liked more Konk stuff instead, however. As to the new songs, both "Animal" and "To the Bone" have the qualities I like in a Ray Davies tune. \nThough others may deem this album a valedictory or an epitaph, I'll bet little did Mr. Davies know what an "introduction" this fine double-album would be for some.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nOne of the Finest Recordings, Ever, November 26, 2002\nReviewer: A music fan\nThis recording is one of my favorites. It is very tastefully produced and there is not a single track you will not want to skip. If there is a recording that catches the essence of the Kinks, this is it. Highly recommended.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE KINKSTERS, May 6, 2001\nReviewer: Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA)\nA friend of mine introduced me to the Kinks via the "Muswell Hillbillies" album back when we were in highschool. Since then, I've collected most of their later records, but I've never owned any of their pre "Muswell Hillbillies" stuff. Instead of getting one of their many greatest hits comps, I thought I would try this unique project from the Kinks. This is from 1995, and it's basically their greatest hits mixed with some of their lesser known tunes that are not on any of their compilation albums. What I didn't know until I bought it is all these songs are done in a live setting, both in front of a small audience in the recording studio and in concert. What's different about this Kinks album is most of these songs are performed on acoustic guitars mixed with a few electric guitar moments. They performed this acoustic material after just coming off a world tour, so they sound on here like a very tight unit. As for the music on the first disc: After they start out with an electrified version of "All Day And All Of The Night", they go acoustic pretty much the rest of the way until the last song "Do It Again", where they start out acoustic, then go into an eerie keyboard interlude by Ian Gibbons, along with a double bass drum, mixed with a single "You Really Got Me" guitar riff by Davies. It then goes into a full-tilt electric version of the same song. You gotta hear this one, it's pretty sassy. Disc 2 starts out with one of my alltime favorite Kinks songs "Celluloid Heroes", and then acoustic versions of "Picture Book" and "Village Green Preservation Society". I love the mix of organ and acoustic guitars on this one. About halfway through this second disc the Kinks go electric and never look back. Dave Davies guitar solos on "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" and the bluesy "A Gallon Of Gas"are short but very sweet. I never have to worry about the Kinks going into some 20 minute jazz odessey rock jam like many of those other 70's bands. These guys keep it short and to the Bone...uh point. After doing their signature song "You Really Got Me" they end the album with 2 new songs: "Animal" which is just ok, and the better "To The Bone" finishes up this excellent album by the Davies brothers. For me, this album was not excactly what I was expecting to hear when I bought it, but ended up being a very pleasant surprise. Highly recommended and worth the moola.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nClassic Kinkdom, May 11, 2000\nReviewer: Matthew Turner (Singapore)\nWhat an amazing disc! Two discs of rare and wonderful performances of their best material. The inclusion of Do You Remember "Valter" is worth the price alone! Some stirring moments of intimate playing. I really wish I could have been one of the lucky handful of fans that was able to sit in Konk studios for some of these performances. The acoustic versions are all better than the original studio versions. And Ray's voice is flawless! He has so much range and emotion...it is amazing that these guys don't have a U.S. recording contract! A classic, and a must for all Kinks fans, and for new comers a wonderful introduction to a classic and underrated band! GET IT!\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA bit more trimming would have produced sharper results, April 14, 2000\nReviewer: Wayne Klein "Wayne Klein" (Fairfield, CA United States)\nTo The Bone is an odd bird even by Kinks live album standards. THe song selections are pretty safe as Ray digs into his classic bag of rock tricks and dazzles us with his slight of hand. Here's the problem. The selection makes this album a bit more one diminsonal than expected. \nWhen TTB was released on Konk overseas it consisted of only acoustic performances of classic Kinks tunes. This reimaginating of these classics brought an unexpected edge and freshness missing from some of the more recent live collections. The selections themselves play it a bit safe. Dave's contributions to the band are woefully unrepresented. Death of a Clown, while a classic, was superceded by much better songs written down the line (including the powerful Mindless Child of Motherhood and Suzanna's Still Alive. Considering the wealth of material the band has to offer, what's been recorded before for live albums and the more recent Kinks output it would have been nice to see Ray pick more of the unusual tracks like See My Friends for inclusion on the album. \n\nReducing Dave's songwriting contribution to a single track does the man's talent a great injustice and doesn't give a well rounded picture of the group's sound. Where's Trust Your Heart or Living on a Thin Line (both equal in their own way to Dave's best material)or even the unusual Lincoln County? While Ray's songs have atttempted to portray the world at large and try and emphathize with the average man, Dave's songs have always been more personal and about his emotional stage of mind. The balance would have been far more interesting.\n\nFinally, the mix of electric and acoustic stuff is jarring. It would have made far better sense to use Richard Thompson's You Me Us? as an example for the album; one disc completely acoustic with the other "voltage enhanced". One big plus is that Dave's performance of Death of a Clown is superior to the original performance on Something Else by the Kinks.\n\nSee My Friends manages to surpass the original minor Kinks classic and improve on both the vocal and instrumental backing. Altogether, a fine collection but a bit uneven. I could have done without the haphazard editing from acoustic to electric.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe Kinks (Mostly) Unplugged, February 6, 2000\nReviewer: Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE)\nExcept for drummer Bob Henrit, who came on board in 1984, this version of the Kinks has been in place since 1979. What you get on this two-CD set is a career-spanning collection of mostly acoustic interpretations of songs from the Kinks vast catalog. Most of these songs were recorded in the Konk Studio before "a handful of fans and friends...to give the recording an intimate live feel" according to the liner notes.\nAlthough it's not credited in the liner notes, it sounds to these ears like Ian Gibbons is playing an accordian during much of the proceedings. At any rate, the accordian (keyboard?) offers a new sound to such classics as "Apeman" and "Muswell Hillbillies." \n\nThe performance of "Celluloid Heroes" (from Everybody's in Showbiz)is gorgeous--although Ray leaves out a verse.\n\nThe Kinks' classic Village Green is the only album represented by more than one or two songs. Three tracks (Disc-2, 2-4) are here, including a wonderful "Village Green Preservation Society."\n\n"Lola" becomes something of a sing-along. (I still can't get used to Ray singing "cherry" cola.) \n\n"A Gallon of Gas" (from Low Budget) gets a nice bluesy interpretation. "Do It Again" makes an appearance twice--once as an acoustic number, followed by an electric version. [It also is the most recent song here (except for the two new recordings), having come from 1984's Word of Mouth.]\n\nThe two new songs, if nothing else, show that Ray still has Kinks blood flowing through is veins. "Animal" and "To the Bone" are the only new songs the Kinks have recorded since 1993's Phobia.\n\nThis is not the place to start for the newcomer. [Get Rhino's Greatest Hits if you're a novice Kinks' fan.] If you have all of the other Kinks' albums, you'll enjoy this one. RECOMMENDED\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGREAT CAREER SUMMATION/INTRODUCTION, December 4, 1999\nReviewer: JEFFREY IHDE (Milwaukee, WI USA)\nThere are no 5 star cd's if this isn't one of them. After many listening sessions with this record, it occurred to me that this is the perfect cd for both the long-time Kinks fan (that be me) and the rock fan who though knows some of the Kinks songs, has never purchased their records and is now looking at them on CD. The sound quality is excellent which cannot be said about may Kinks releases over the years. The song selection provides a diverse historic perspective. In other words songs like "You Really Got Me" co-exist along with songs like "Days", "Celluloid Heroes", "Gallon Of Gas", etc. Thirdly, the live performances are outstanding, vocally and instrumentally. The band has never sounded tighter. This truly is a greater treasure than One for the Road which has always been one of the best live records of all time. Above all this record gives a listener a 2 disc proof that Ray Davies is the single most accomplished songwriter of the rock era. Songs such as "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" will thrill both the old fan who is familiar with this song as well as the new fan who has never heard it. Throughout there are new treatments of old songs that showcase the greatness of the songs as well as the skill of the band. The version of "All day and all of the night" just might be the best ever. In summary, old and new fans alike should enjoy this record immensely.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nDO IT AGAIN!, December 18, 1998\nReviewer: allkeyedup@webtv.net (fort myers, florida)\ni first saw the kinks at kelvin hall, glasgow, scotland in the summer of 1966. i have seen them more than seventy times since. i have never seen a group with the energy level nor the level of innovation that the kinks have shown after all these years--unless one includes big bands, then i have to include benny goodman's orchestra. yes, the kinks are that good. many bands of the '60's recorded songs just to record them (the rolling stones and the who); others did their songs once because they sounded good in their heads, but didn't sound good on vinyl at the time. the beatles (especially "the one after 909") and the kinks (too many to list) fall into this category. "to the bone" is a blast to listen to because i hear new arrangements of songs i haven't heard played for years. my three favorites are: 1. do you remember walter?--who else but the kinks could pull this one off?--and why do i keep humming that tune? 2.days--i've heard it many times at concerts, but haven't seen it recorded in years. this version is more than powerful; it's overwhelming in its emotional level. 3. do it again--who remembers mick avory as the original rolling stones drummer? he was replaced for being "inadequate" by charlie watts, who had a better background. thank god for the kinks! (listen to the "sleepwalker" album, you'll see what i mean.) when avory left the group in 1984, the davies brothers were really starting over with a whole new band. "do it again" is nicely mixed with "you really got me" and describes the band's change of members. who cares if dave sounds like a scalded cat in the background?--his guitar is better than ever. my tape player likes this song, too; i'm on my third copy of the album as the first two were eaten up on this track.long live the kinks.......sincerely, frank alexander\n\nHalf.com Details \nProducer: Ray Davies \n\nAlbum Notes\nTO THE BONE features new, stripped-down recordings of Kinks hits and nuggets. Most of the tracks were recorded live in a London studio in front of a small audience; others were recorded on tour around the same time. The album also includes two new studio recordings, "Animal" and "To The Bone."\n\nThe Kinks: Ray Davies (vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards); Dave Davies (vocals, guitar); Ian Gibbons (vocals, keyboards); Jim Rodford (vocals, bass); Bob Henrit (drums, percussion).\n\nEngineers: Stan Loubieres, Richard Edwards.\n\nPrincipally recorded live at Konk Studios, London, England between 1994 and 1996. Includes liner notes by Ray Davies.\n\nNo longer having the commercial clout to warrant an unplugged TV special, the Kinks decided to invite a small audience to their Konk Studios in London and record their very own unplugged album. It's a shame that the resulting recording never made it to TV because TO THE BONE features some of the best music the Kinks have made since the '60s. Even though most of the performances are far from unplugged, this album gave the Kinks a chance to revisit 30 years worth of their best material. The vital, stripped-down performances bring out the full wonder of Ray Davies' songs and often even surpass the original studio recordings.\n\nWith a set list that ranges from the sublime "Waterloo Sunset" to obscure fan favorites like "Days" and "Picture Book," TO THE BONE is a testament to both the Kinks remarkable versatility and the songwriting brilliance of Ray Davies. TO THE BONE also includes two fine new songs--"Animal" and "To The Bone"--suggesting that the Kinks can still create new music that hold its own alongside Kinks Klassiks like "Lola" and "Dead End Street."\n\nIndustry Reviews\nThe Kinks appear to be working at cross-purposes on this two-CD live retrospective: Ray Davies wants to live up to his reputation as a songwriter, while brother Dave tries to live down his as a terrible guitarist. They both succeed... - Rating: B\nEntertainment Weekly (11/29/1996)
This rock cd contains 17 tracks and runs 63min 37sec.
Freedb: f80ee711
Buy: from Amazon.com

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