Kinks

1964 debut from idiosyncratic British rockers led by brothers singer/songwriter Ray Davies and guitarist Dave Davies. It’s the Ray Davies originals that really stand out here among the standard mid ’60s R’n’B and blues cover versions. Several decades after its release, the sheer neolithic power of the guitar riff from ‘You Really Got Me’ — achieved by Davies slashing his speaker with a razor to create a distorted sound — is still enough to stop the listener in their tracks. ‘Stop Your Sobbing’ was later covered by The Pretenders and hints at the levels of songwriting Ray Davies would soon reach.