Much of my calendar year, every year, is spent sifting through record store bargain bins, estate sales, etc. and digging into the acquisitions. I win some and lose some, but I never write about it on AuxOut even though it accounts for a huge portion of my listening and discovery. In honor of the season of presents, I am celebrating some of the gifts bestowed upon me by the record gods during 2023.
Muswell Hillbillies (a pun on their home borough of Muswell Hill in North London) is The Kinks' Sweetheart of the Rodeo in a way. Just as The Byrds went 'n rode the Learjet all the way to Nashville to change up their sound, The Davies boys venture down a new aesthetic boulevard by channeling various strains of old timey Americana roots music to animate their English social class portraiture. I particularly like when they dip into a little Louisiana jazz, such as on "Alcohol". Coming after Lola closed out the classic 60s Kinks period with an exclamation point, Muswell Hillbillies is an overlooked record (at least I don't hear anyone talk about it) but a worthwhile one.
A playlist of tunes from each of the records I wrote about, I'll add a new song each day:
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