Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
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LP / Format
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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
On paper, Arthur sounds like a pretentious mess, but Ray Davies' lyrics and insights have rarely been so graceful or deftly executed, and the music is remarkable.
10y
80
Upon its release, the Kinks' eighth studio album was considered a pale imitation of the Who's rock opera Tommy, which debuted earlier the same year -- but now Arthur sounds like a quiet masterpiece.
Comfortably my favorite Kinks album, and being that they have 4 albums that I love, this has to get one of my elusive 100's. 'Some Mother's Son' is one of the most effective anti-war songs ever written. Over so many listens I have grown to love this album from start to finish. Simply excellent and essential.
from allmusic:
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) extends the British-oriented themes of Village Green Preservation Society, telling the story of a London man's ... read more
This is a classic that is often overlooked, sadly. All of the album sounds so concise, the concept is well-explored and you get some of The Kinks' best songs, such as "Victoria", "Drivin'" and "Australia". It gets you excited the whole time, the lyrics are sharp, well-thought, ironic and critic. The british landscape becomes really visible and there is no skippable tracks. The instrumentation is breathtaking. A great concept album.
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Track List
| 1 | Victoria 3:40 | 90 |
| 2 | Yes Sir, No Sir 3:46 | 89 |
| 3 | Some Mother's Son 3:25 | 85 |
| 4 | Drivin' 3:21 | 79 |
| 5 | Brainwashed 2:34 | 83 |
| 6 | Australia 6:46 | 84 |
| 7 | Shangri-La 5:20 | 93 |
| 8 | Mr. Churchill Says 4:42 | 85 |
| 9 | She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina 3:07 | 85 |
| 10 | Young and Innocent Days 3:21 | 77 |
| 11 | Nothing to Say 3:08 | 79 |
| 12 | Arthur 5:27 | 85 |
Total Length: 48 minutes
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Added on: June 1, 2013