Yeah, he pretty much shits on the whole album. Or, like 90% of it, if I remember.

But then, in X-Ray he says something implying that Ringo was the strongest player in the group (uhhhh). And he's called Rubber Soul and Sgt Peppers two of the strongest albums of the 60's...so I wonder what his thoughts are now.

Side note: Pete Townshend commented during the 60's that the Beatles backing tracks are awful...asked if he still felt that way years late, or why he'd said it, he gave the typically blunt Pete response: "Why would I say that the Beatles couldn't play in 1966, you mean? Well, why would anybody say something like that? Because they're bloody desperate for attention."

Waterloo Sunset > whatever equivalent single by the Beatles

My thoughts exactly. It's super okay. Above average for sure, but not even in my top 15 Kinks songs. For me, almost everything on 'Arthur' is better.

God I love the Kinks! Now that is an underrated band. I know everyone knows a handful of songs, but it seems like there are tons who don't really know the depths of their catalog.

Stip, do you have an opinion on the Kinks? You seem to really dissect lyrics, and it doesn't get much better than Ray Davies.

I'm pretty sure stip would prefer the Kinks to the Beatles, and he'd be right to do so.

I actually find the Kinks to be to the music-crazed community what the Beatles are to the masses. They are perhaps the only major 60's creative force that you haven't had drilled into you since birth, and they reap the rewards of that. The Beatles, The Stones, and The Who, the other major song creation factories of the time, are all well-passed initiation phase before you buy your first record. The Kinks are the only one of those acts that ever gets to feel like discovery, so there's a type of excitement they get to have that the other bands don't.

I'm sure it effects how people rank them against those other bands, as well.

I don't know the kinks very well, actually. I had to youtube waterloo sunset. if people want to recommend something I'll take a listen when I get a chance (this is a crowded week at work though). I should include the caveat from the start that in general I'm not a fan of that 60's sound (with some exceptions here or there. There are plenty of songs I like from the 60s), they will be pushing uphill.

I almost certainly like them better than the beatles already

as someone who doesn't really know them and watches people talk about music, i can confirm this.

I had a long drive today so listened to Revolver. I'd forgotten how great the production is. So many great details.

100% jizzworthy

George Martin was a masterful producer. The Beatles owe him a lot.

Spoiler: show

Nice guy too. Met him and his wife backstage at the Sydney Opera House after he conducted an orchestral performance of Beatles material.

There was a post by McParadigm about getting their mono versions for all their cd's up to the White Album maybe.

I did that and now I don't have that guitar riff in Taxman blasting me in my left ear with vocals on the other side. It makes these records much better for headphones, I've found.

The only Beatle song I ever really need to hear.

An interesting angle but a lot of silly assertions make for a sub-optimal case.

Like every article about the Beatles ever written?

well, I Want to Hold Your Hand was the first Beatles' #1 in the US, marking the beginning of the British invasion and thus The Beatles became the most important post-war cultural phenomenom. it's just the way it is - it's not really about the song itself but what it unravelled. people can downplay this and say that the Beatles' music is overrated but denying their massive influence is simply ignorant.

That's kind of the point though. The anniversary of the actual Ed Sullivan appearance is the real milestone. The release of I Want to Hold Your Hand is actually not all that significant compared to all of the other releases mentioned in the article. The British Invasion would still have taken place if She Loves You was the first song they performed.

'Nuther dorky white music critic talking 'bout how music history has given the bros the shaft, huh?