It is hard to imagine that the Kinks go back nearly as far as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. This is where it all began, hard rock would never be the same again as guitarist Dave Davies slashed his amplifier with a razor blade and took the boppy piano chords his brother Dave had been messing with and played them on guitar. The result was “You Really Got Me.” The world had not heard anything like it and this song alone gave the band a career that is now in its fifth decade.

The first disc includes the original album, including the classic “You Really Got Me” and “Stop Your Sobbing” as well as 14 bonus tracks, mostly mono singles. Highlights of the disc one bonus features are “All Day and All of the Night,” “Louie Louie” and “Long Tall Sally.” Disc two features Meet the Kinks from the BBC as well as the original mono album and several more bonus tracks.

Other than “Tired of Waiting For You” there are no classic tracks on this one. It is still interesting to listen to as the Kinks sound is still being formed. Disc two contains 23 bonus tracks that feature alternative takes, mono, or demo versions of the songs.

The Kinks were still very much a ‘60’s era English rock band when this one came out. They remained more British than many of their contemporaries. Disc one features the original stereo version of the album. The record features such gems as “Milk Cow Blues,” “Till the End of the Day,” “I’m on an Island” and “Where Have All the Good Times Gone.” Disc two features 17 bonus tracks, eight of which were recorded live at the BBC.

The remasters were done well. The liner notes are awesome, the original packaging and pictures are perfectly recreated. The back of each disc even has the worn and weathered look albums of the era. The Kinks are a great band that have influenced everything from Punk to Hard Rock to Heavy Metal. These three remasters are great representatives of the band at their most humble beginnings.