Kinks Covers: The Jam, The Fall, and More!

For regular readers of this blog, its no secret that I'm a big fan of The Kinks. I'd call them a "thinking man's rock band." I guess that would make me a "thinking man," but so be it. I also like The Ramones. Let's not jump to any conclusions.

A fun way to way to explore the quality of a band's songs is by listening to cover versions. Here are some of my favorite Kinks covers:

The Jam – David Watts (buy album).
This song and the album from which it comes, All Mod Cons, are absolutely terrific. If you are a Kinks fan, I guarantee you will love this record. It has much of the same ethic and a timeless sound. Get it ASAP!


(Conversely, if you are a fan of The Jam and have not yet dug into The Kinks' back catalog, you have a fun project waiting for you.)



The Fall – Victoria (buy album).
A superb cover of one of the Kinks best ever songs!










Holly Golightly – Time Will Tell (buy album).
Holly's cover has a real nice retro feel.










Southern Culture On The Skids – Muswell Hillbilly (buy album).

This one takes the country leanings of the Kinks' version and turns them up a notch without losing anything in the process. Good stuff!






Flop – Big Sky (out of print).
This Seattle band was once the next big thing. Here is a rollicking and, perhaps, drunken version of one of the standouts from my favorite Kinks record (Village Green Preservation Society). More info HERE.



For a great fansite with lots of Kinks info, see HERE.

For an interesting article on Ray Davies lyrical themes, read this: Two Walters

What are your favorite Kinks covers? Let me know in the comments section.

Modern Girl Goes Old School

Are you a fan of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music? How about the current garage rock scene? Well, if you like both of these styles--anybody?--then you should check out Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs' new album "You Can't Buy A Gun When You're Crying." It’s modern music that feels like it could have been performed a century ago. I like it. Read the AMG review here.

Listen to You Can’t Buy A Gun. (buy album).

Speaking of the six-disc Harry Smith Anthology, which I may delve into in a later post, here are two tracks from the distant past for your listening enjoyment: King Kong Kitchie by "Chubby" Parker (1928) & Pennys Farm by the Bently Boys (1929). (buy album).