Kinks - Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One FLAC

Released here in the States Dec 2,1970 "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround" has proven to be one of the Kinks most endearing albums. And one of the most successful here in the U.S. Peaking at 35 on the album chart.
At the precipice of their artistic power the Kinks were banned from playing in the States for nearly 6yrs. Denying them the biggest music market in the world. Although they did tour here in the fall of '69 to promote "Arthur..." Their forced absence from the American music scene significantly damaged any popularity they had built up in their brief exposure here back in '65. Arthur,a critical success,was a commercial failure here in the U.S. Perhaps a bit to English-centric for the American public, but that is a whole different story.
The Beatles released Abbey Road in Sep.of '69, the last album they recorded together. They would release Let it Be in May the following year,but their break-up had already been announced. On May 4 1970,4 students were shot dead in a demonstration protesting the Vietnam conflict  Kent State in Ohio.The U.K. general election in June of that year saw the dismissal of Harold Wilson's Labour government for Edward Heath's Conservative's. The oil crisis,inflation,Union strikes & political unrest would weigh heavy on the minds of the people."The optimism of the 60s quickly changed to the pessimism of the 70s."
With the advent of Heavy Metal, Glam & Prog Rock, the Kinks found themselves sitting outside the mainstream. In April the Kinks moved to Morgan Studios. This new album would be the first recorded outside of Pye. As Ray put it...,"The sounds were not spreading and evolving in a way that I wanted." With this came the introduction of a new member into the Kink's fold. John Dalton a.k.a. "John the Baptist" on piano. Lola,w/it's " gay Latin rhythm" & taboo subject matter was The Kinks biggest chart climber in over 5yrs. Breaking the Top 10 in the U.K., U.S. & Australia to name just a few. Of course it wasn't without it's own controversies. Some radio stations faded out the song before its protagonist's sexual identity was revealed. And of course the now infamous story of how the BBC refused to play the song because of the line "Tastes just like Coca-Cola", which went against it's no advertising regulations. Prompting Ray to make a 6,000 mile round trip plane ride after the 2nd night of their U.S.tour to rewrite & re-record that one lyric to "Tastes just like cherry cola" for the single release. Apeman also had some minor chart success & radio airplay. Other favorites of mine,the lugubrious "Strangers","Rats"w/it's vitriolic criticism of the men in pinstripes is just as relevant today in regards to the bankers on Wall St, both of which are Dave Davies compositions."Get Back In Line" has a second hand narrative of the proletariates struggles in post war England. The escapism of "This Time Tomorrow" and Hard Rock of "Powerman", an ominous portrayal of the greed & war mongering of the Super Rich,also as relevant today as it was 44yrs ago. I'll close this w/a quote from Ray Davies which appeared in the liner notes of the 2004 reissue. "The LP was the struggle of a band really deciding to fight back"