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77 of 78 people found the following review helpful
By Dudley Serious
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Old sounds for summer. The Kinks were kept out of the States for three crucial years in the sixties, on some spurious basis concerning the undeniable occasional violent outbursts between band members on stage. This must have encouraged them to explore even more deeply than they might otherwise have done the aspirations and foibles of their fellow countrymen. By 1968 they had become the quintessentially English rock group, chronicling the lives of ordinary people with extraordinary insight, making the mundane glamorous.
"The Village Green Preservation Society" runs like a series of pictures, sepia tinted photographs of an idyll that was already in decline. The band utilise a basic rock format of drums, guitar, bass, piano, without the big brass arrangements etc that are employed on a number of later albums. The album is lightly produced, under-produced even, giving it a stripped, open feel. These songs don't need fancy costume to stand out from the crowd. They shine all the more brightly for their near-nakedness.
Throughout there is an underlying air of sadness and regret in these evocations of a world gradually slipping from view. In the edgy atmosphere of 1968 - flower power was so last year - this album, more John Betjeman than Hunter S Thompson, must have sounded out of place and sales at the time were negligible. Fortunately history has been kind and it has since acquired classic status, with complete justification. So we can still enjoy its nostalgic reverie for an England before the DIY superstore and the Drive-Thru McDonalds that to many of us living in towns and cities now seems little more than a dream.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By 77
Format:Audio CD
Wow, this thing completely took me by surprise. '60s pop has always let me down, yet I ended up listening to this obsessively when I was in New York; something about it just hit me hard. Ironically, it made me value the traditional aspects of England a bit more, as well as invoking strong feelings of nostalgia. Village Green Preservation Society just runs deep with memories, whether it's the physical ("Picture Book") or just recalling those who drifted away ("Do You Remember Walter?"). Despite being near-perfect pop, I'm greatly surprised that this album has so many fans, as it's just so English. This isn't even the England I'm used to either, as The Kinks are strictly down with the Sunday games of cricket, tea, crumpets and churches. These are areas of my culture that I've only had glimpses of when I've left the bright lights and violent streets of Manchester, yet, oddly enough, feel I know all too well.
It's all very quaint, yet extremely and subtly powerful. Not bad for a pop album, eh?
It's all very quaint, yet extremely and subtly powerful. Not bad for a pop album, eh?
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By Jervis
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Ray Davies was very much swimming against the tide by 1968 (the year of 'The Village Green Preservation Society's release) when he began writing about his regret of the passing of time and his yearning for simpler days filled with village greens and lost friends - after all this was the period of rebellion, psychedelia and increased drug consumption. This is perhaps the reason this album had been so utterly neglected at the time. However, in retrospect, 'The Village Green Preservation Society' is arguably the best album the Kinks have ever released.
'Village Green' isn't too different in musical direction to the Kinks previous album 'Something Else' with its mellow sound and occasional music hall influences except that it is a lot better produced with a much richer sound and Ray's writing tends to focus on one particular theme - that of the passing of time and loss of innocence. This has resulted in many commentators referring to 'Village Green' as a concept album which is perhaps true yet unlike many concept albums which seem rather indulgent in their grand (and overblown) ideals, 'Village Green' is rather quiet and modest. I think a 'themed' album is, perhaps, rather more fitting.
'Village Green' is uniformlly strong from start to finish but if i had to pick a favourite song it would have to be the title track 'The Village Green Preservation Society' where Ray effectively lays out all the things he misses from days gone by before going into more specific detail in the songs that follow.
'Village Green' isn't self conscious like some of the concept albums the Kinks would record in the future - it's fairly measured and relaxed in tone which makes it a great pleasure to listen to. Because of this its theme is all the more effectively understood by the listener making it one of Ray Davies' most effective and enjoyable ventures.
For Kinks fans in particular and music fans generally 'The Village Green Preservation Society' is indispensible.
'Village Green' isn't too different in musical direction to the Kinks previous album 'Something Else' with its mellow sound and occasional music hall influences except that it is a lot better produced with a much richer sound and Ray's writing tends to focus on one particular theme - that of the passing of time and loss of innocence. This has resulted in many commentators referring to 'Village Green' as a concept album which is perhaps true yet unlike many concept albums which seem rather indulgent in their grand (and overblown) ideals, 'Village Green' is rather quiet and modest. I think a 'themed' album is, perhaps, rather more fitting.
'Village Green' is uniformlly strong from start to finish but if i had to pick a favourite song it would have to be the title track 'The Village Green Preservation Society' where Ray effectively lays out all the things he misses from days gone by before going into more specific detail in the songs that follow.
'Village Green' isn't self conscious like some of the concept albums the Kinks would record in the future - it's fairly measured and relaxed in tone which makes it a great pleasure to listen to. Because of this its theme is all the more effectively understood by the listener making it one of Ray Davies' most effective and enjoyable ventures.
For Kinks fans in particular and music fans generally 'The Village Green Preservation Society' is indispensible.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great album
An excellent set of tracks from a great songwriter. The Kinks are in great form and this is a an excellent listen
Published 29 days ago by Eric Hewitt
4.0 out of 5 stars
village green
a very, very, underestemated band in my opinion, london's finest, well pleased with cd, we must preserve our way of life.
Published 3 months ago by asgard-stock
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks.
I first saw the Kinks play the Regal cinema in Cambridge in about 1964,I loved them then,and have followed them over the years,and love everything about them. Read more
Published 5 months ago by N. J. Richardson
5.0 out of 5 stars
you won't regret it
Fact: The Kinks are the most conservative of the British Invasion bands. Why else would they write albums about preserving tradition and the village greens and a lot of other... Read more
Published 15 months ago by millyem
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great album! - unforgettable Kinks
Wonderful to be reminded of a group of talented young musicians and an ace songwriter, performing at their best. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Val Gaize
4.0 out of 5 stars
Britpop :)
I confess to not really reading the full specs when i bought it but i was pleased to discover the extra tracks and stereo versions of the songs on the CD as well as the original... Read more
Published on 18 May 2011 by Matthew Critchlow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kinks
The quintessential British rock album from the extraordinary wordsmith that is Ray Davies.He is an undeniable genius. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2010 by R. Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Village Green ?ok, but I was the last of the "stokers"
I bought the l/p and enjoyed it all, but I always feel a glow even now when I play my replacement c/d, "The last of the steam powered trains" is what I feel is a dedication not... Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by Mr. H. M. Griffiths
4.0 out of 5 stars
A rare treasure stumbled upon
Never owned any Kinks material but after having bumped into Ray Davies in a pub in Highgate and then having told him how much I admired his work (England's greatest living... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2009 by O'Casey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Village Green Preservation Society, The Kinks. 2005 Sanctuary edition...
For years my only exposure to the Kinks was through a well worn `best of' album, which inexplicably only contained one track (Days) from this masterpiece. Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2009 by Victor
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