The Kinks (1971) Mountain Woman - LOST 70s GEMS

The album Muswell Hillbillies, was one of the finest albums by the Kinks with it's humble country roots flavouring, similar to Elton John and Stealers Wheel's rough hewn, rolling country rock n' rollers. The title track is a good representative of how the album could've worked with its thick bluegrass electric guitar rolls, organ backing, listless East End accented country shuffle full of strained, rag tag harmonies not as strong as the Band but still good. Holloway Jail is almost the bets track with it's down home folk finger-picking melody mixing with more monolithic rock backing, while Complicated Life features beautiful, gentle mix of coursing organ and aching pedal steel before entering a bright electric,T Rex styled bop similar to other album track Skin and Bone; this was when T Rexstacy was in full force and Kinks made a clear attempt to get into some of the Glam Rock quirks and solid 50s thump.

But Mountain Woman is most impressive of all on this album, with it's slight Calypso organ beat, while the usual T Rex, jagged, rock n roll guitars spike the arrangement and the Davies brothers harmonise for the chorus. The central melody rolls so effortlessly with particular attention to the Purdie-esque drum performance by Mick Avory, it was definitely better than the Lola and the Powermen concept misfire with far better musicianship and writing .