SLEEPWALKER (180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE TRANSLUCENT & GOLD SWIRL VINYL/LIMITED/GATEFO

The Kinks: Ray Davies (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Dave Davies (vocals, guitar); John Gosling (keyboards, background vocals); John Dalton (bass); Mick Avory (drums). Additional personnel: Andy Pyle (bass). Recorded at Konk Studios, London, England between July and December 1976. Originally released on Arista (4106). Includes liner notes by John Swenson. All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology. The mid-to-late '70s were a time of immense change for The Kinks, both in musical styles and band personnel. On 1977's SLEEPWALKER, Ray Davies shed the complex arrangements of his earlier work of that decade and opted for a stripped-down quintet sound. Davies also simplified his songwriting style to accommodate more straight-ahead rock & roll. SLEEPWALKER features the old-school Kinks signature tunes such as "Juke Box Music" and the eminently catchy title track. There are also a number of inspired slow-tempo numbers, including "Brother," a bittersweet ballad that stands up to any of Davies' best songs. The album, which contains what many consider guitarist Dave Davies' best playing, rekindled The Kinks' career in the United States. Following the success of the release, The Kinks went on to tour arenas and play for a new generation of listeners. The re-release of SLEEPWALKER also features five bonus tracks.