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"Lola" gave the Kinks an unexpected hit and its crisp, muscular sound, pitched halfway between acoustic folk and hard rock, provided a new style for the band. However, the song only hinted at what its accompanying album Lola Versus the Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One was all about. It didn't matter that Ray Davies just had his first hit in years -- he had suffered greatly at the hands of the music industry and he wanted to tell the story in song. Hence, Lola -- a loose concept album about Ray Davies' own psychosis and bitter feelings toward the music industry. Davies never really delivers a cohesive story, but the record holds together because it's one of his strongest set of songs. Dave Davies contributes the lovely "Strangers" and the appropriately paranoid "Rats," but this is truly Ray's show, as he lashes out at ex-managers (the boisterous vaudevillian "The Moneygoround"), publishers ("Denmark Street"), TV and music journalists (the hard-hitting "Top of the Pops"), label executives ("Powerman"), and, hell, just society in general ("Apeman," "Got to Be Free"). If his wit wasn't sharp, the entire project would be insufferable, but the album is as funny as it is angry. Furthermore, he balances his bile with three of his best melancholy ballads: "This Time Tomorrow," "A Long Way from Home," and the anti-welfare and union "Get Back in Line," which captures working-class angst better than any other rock song. These songs provide the spine for a wildly unfocused but nonetheless dazzling tour de force that reveals Ray's artistic strengths and endearing character flaws in equal measure.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Composer, Backing Vocals, Writer, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Composer, Backing Vocals, Writer, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Writer - Dave Davies, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 BBC
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Writer - The Danish National Chamber Orchestra, MainArtist - The Danish National Vocal Ensemble, MainArtist - Ray Davies & Band, MainArtist
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 DR Orchestras & Choirs and Ray Davies
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer - The Kinks, MainArtist
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 The Capital of Texas Public Telecommunications Council
Raymond Douglas Davies, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Dave Davies, Composer, Backing Vocals, Writer, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Writer - Fiachra Trench, Piano - Ray Davies, Remixer, Vocals - The Kinks, MainArtist - Matt Jaggar, Remixer - Irene Shubik, Producer
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 BBC
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Writer - Dave Davies, Composer - Ray Davies, Guitar, Vocals - The Kinks, MainArtist
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2020 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Writer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - Ray Davies, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums, Percussion - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1970 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer - Dave Davies, Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar - Ray Davies, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - The Kinks, MainArtist - Mal Luker, Engineer - Mike Bobak, Engineer - John Gosling, Keyboards - MIKE BUTCHER, Engineer - Mick Avory, Drums, Percussion - John Dalton, Bass Guitar
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1998 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Raymond Douglas Davies, Composer, Writer - The Kinks, Performance, MainArtist
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1970 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Album review
"Lola" gave the Kinks an unexpected hit and its crisp, muscular sound, pitched halfway between acoustic folk and hard rock, provided a new style for the band. However, the song only hinted at what its accompanying album Lola Versus the Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One was all about. It didn't matter that Ray Davies just had his first hit in years -- he had suffered greatly at the hands of the music industry and he wanted to tell the story in song. Hence, Lola -- a loose concept album about Ray Davies' own psychosis and bitter feelings toward the music industry. Davies never really delivers a cohesive story, but the record holds together because it's one of his strongest set of songs. Dave Davies contributes the lovely "Strangers" and the appropriately paranoid "Rats," but this is truly Ray's show, as he lashes out at ex-managers (the boisterous vaudevillian "The Moneygoround"), publishers ("Denmark Street"), TV and music journalists (the hard-hitting "Top of the Pops"), label executives ("Powerman"), and, hell, just society in general ("Apeman," "Got to Be Free"). If his wit wasn't sharp, the entire project would be insufferable, but the album is as funny as it is angry. Furthermore, he balances his bile with three of his best melancholy ballads: "This Time Tomorrow," "A Long Way from Home," and the anti-welfare and union "Get Back in Line," which captures working-class angst better than any other rock song. These songs provide the spine for a wildly unfocused but nonetheless dazzling tour de force that reveals Ray's artistic strengths and endearing character flaws in equal measure.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 25 track(s)
- Total length: 01:25:06
- Main artists: The Kinks
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Sanctuary Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2022 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
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