Released a year after the debut of the jukebox musical Sunny Afternoon, this 48-track Kinks retrospective seems confused about what it wants to be and to whom. Working as a companion to last year's original cast recording, Sunny Afternoon collects the original versions of these songs, alongside some of the band's other hits, demo tracks, BBC Sessions and interviews.
Sunny Afternoon would have made more sense had it been split between hits, demos and radio recordings but it's the album's peculiar sequencing that jumbles the overall listening experience. Although the original recordings remain outstanding, Sunny Afternoon, as a whole, is too disjointed for new fans (who would benefit more from 2002's Ultimate Collection) and too poorly assembled for super fans (who would be more satisfied with the Sanctuary Records reissues in 2011), leaving listeners with a cash grab designed for everyone but suited for no one.
(BMG)Sunny Afternoon would have made more sense had it been split between hits, demos and radio recordings but it's the album's peculiar sequencing that jumbles the overall listening experience. Although the original recordings remain outstanding, Sunny Afternoon, as a whole, is too disjointed for new fans (who would benefit more from 2002's Ultimate Collection) and too poorly assembled for super fans (who would be more satisfied with the Sanctuary Records reissues in 2011), leaving listeners with a cash grab designed for everyone but suited for no one.