The Kinks

Instead of offering a brand-new compilation, the 2007 Kinks Greatest 1970-1986 repackages two previously released -- and quite good -- compilations in one slipcase: the 1976 set Celluloid Heroes, which covered their recordings for RCA in the early '70s, and the 1986 collection Come Dancing: The Best of the Kinks, which picked up where its predecessor left off and offered highlights from their Arista years. These are not the original LP versions of either record, they're the expanded and revamped versions Velvel/Koch released in the 2000s, which gives a broader, better look at both eras and helps make this Greatest the best place to get acquainted with the music the Kinks made after Lola, especially since the set also comes with the concert video One for the Road, a 1980 release that captures the band at the height of their arena-conquering powers. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide