The Village Green Preservation Society

I adore traditional pop songwriting so it's really a no-brainer. It's like Rubber Soul x Sgt. Pepper's and all of the lyrics sound like In My Life.

This album is so imaginative and so wildly different than what the rest of the British Invasion survivors were putting out, and I love every minute of it. Ray Davies loves hyperbolic irony and took great pleasure in skewering British imperialism and culture, but all the while using English colloquialism and flipping things on their head. Other than "All of My Friends Were There", this is a desert island disc. Fav Tracks: Big Sky, Starstruck, Monica, Picture Book and The Last of the Steam-Powered Train

Considered a flop at time of release, this is basically a more upbeat Belle & Sebastian album. It's great.

This album made me want to listen to The Kinks more. The only thing I didn't like about this album is that some of the songs weren't particularly memorable but there aren't any songs that I would say are bad. This album also features a lot of interesting composition and chord progressions that are fairly unique and recognizable (like Johnny Thunder for example). The whole album describes a happy, ignorat upper-middle class lifestyle in a way that is at times satirical. Phenominal Cat is a song about a fat cat and honestly Andre Lloyd Webber wishes he could have written something as good as this. The only part of this album that I dislike is the verse of All of My Friends Were There because it feels a little too cheesy. Wicked Anabella reminds me of Maxwell's Silver Hammer in that it's a 60s song about an evil person and it SLAPS. Pictures of Each Other seems even more relevant today with lyrics such as "People take pictures of each other, just to prove that they really existed." I think The Kinks roasted Instagram 42 years before it existed. Favorite songs: Picture Book, Last of the Steam-Power Trains, Sitting By the Riverside, Animal Farm, Village Green, Phenomenal Cat, Wicked Annabella, People Take Pictures of Each Other Least Favorite Song: All of My Friends Were There Light 9/10

Nothing to hate here. Very solid representation of a time and place. There's some ... we'll call it "experimental" engineering choices on this album that didn't exactly work out all that great but, overall, it's a chill, fun, 60s britrock album.

I just...can't. It just doesn't work in my brain.

An early concept album, on the notion of an Englishness that even in 68 was already gone... If it ever existed. Packed with different genres from music hall to psychedelia but always sounds like The Kinks. Elements which would influence ELO, early Bowie, Pink Floyd...

I love this album, front-to-back. It's the Kinks at their most self-consciously uncool. The backwards-looking approach gives it a unique place in the 60s pantheon. The sidestep from psychadelia, prog, and heavier rock coming into vogue pre-sages decades of power pop to follow. While, in some senses, the Kinks music would become more vaudeville and theatrical in years to follow, this concept record hits a sweet spot of thematic consistency, playfulness, and exquisitely melodic songwriting. Favourite songs: Picture Book, Starstruck, Monica

I listened to the opening track like 7 times, I cannot believe how catchy it was. The whole album was a fun time, and it was among one of my favorite ones I have listened to so far. HELL YEAH VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

The best way in which I can describe the Kinks is that they sound like the Beatles, but happier. The best way in which I can describe "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" is that it has perfect mixing (how can a 50+ year album sound this bloody good?) beautiful harmonies and a delightfully gleeful sense of nostalgia. Ray Davies refers to this record as as an affectionate acknowledgement of his culture, a statement on changes in life and memories that remain, and the search for new things to give meaning and enjoyment to living. In my case, I think the Kinks got it just right. 4/5.

Old England. Rural retreats, vast swathes of farmland, friendly neighbourhoods, tea parties, Victorian music hall, the village green. Almost fifty years before this kind of nostalgia exposed itself as a complicated, damaging, Brexit-leaning force, Ray Davies was reading Dylan Thomas and reflecting on The Kinks having been banned from touring the US. What did his country mean to him? How was it changing with more and more technological advances? What was going to happen to it? Could the British Invasion go both ways, with the increasing Americanisation of his beloved home turf? The result is The Kinks’ maturation into one of the most versatile and singular bands of the 1960s, and Ray Davies’ blossoming into the next in a great line of romantic English poets pining for the pastoral. The title track of this album, “The Village Green Preservation Society”, is a perfect distillation of these ideals: a seemingly nonsensical lyric mostly comprises jumbled pop culture references from Davies’ childhood and beyond, expressed freely with little fuss or force. Desperate Dan, Sherlock Holmes, Mrs Mopps, Dracula, Donald Duck and many more sit side by side in a cozy, Utopian vision, as Davies searches for one group or another to feel part of. The music- gently strummed acoustic guitar, ramshackle piano intro, a hypnotic backbeat, short and simple riffs on electric guitar and whistling organ, breezy vocal harmonies- is absolutely spellbinding, perfectly capturing a naive innocence which grows more desperate with every key change. The album never quite surpasses its opener, but the themes of nostalgia, memories, change and aging are returned to again and again with a range of interesting perspectives and far more nuance than most of Davies’ contemporaries would have been able to muster. “Picture Book” and the ready-made-for-the-2020s “People Take Pictures of Each Other” consider our obsession with cataloguing memories, and the forlorn hope that a picture could somehow bring it all back. In “Do You Remember Walter”, a childhood friend may be fat, married and sedate, but “memories of people can remain”. Later, “Big Sky” and “Animal Farm” are pure joys of escapism in the face of an indifferent, unfeeling world. Then there’s the astonishing album-centrepiece, “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”, in which Davies imagines himself as a train, all soot and scum, the voice of a missing-link generation. The album is at most threat of collapsing when the Kinks dial up the whimsy and branch into “When I’m 64”-style vaudeville. “Phenomenal Cat” is a sleepy Mellotron-led number which isn’t quite as clever or timeless as it wants to be. “Sitting by the Riverside” is pleasant but doesn’t quite land its cheap attempts at “Day in the Life” style crescendos. “Wicked Annabella” feels like an early-era Kinks track tacked on towards the end. But it’s easy to overlook these half-decent songs in favour of the brilliant ones. “The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society” is never unlistenable, and at its best it is transcendent. It also deserves points for having much more of a valid hold on the “early concept album” tag than Sgt. Pepper, or Pet Sounds. This is Davies making a full set of songs out of Brian Wilson’s “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times”. Peerless and unique songwriting, pitch-perfect performances… it’s superb.

Quintessentially English. Top notch!

underground beatles. a little goofy but also very standard. instrumentation standard. Opening track is great. more substance than majority of beatles songs. beatles for the hipster in your life. Adding this to a list of albums I would return to.

Great! Funny and interesting songs. Up there with some of the most legendary beatles albums from that time.

I LOVE THE KINKS!!!!!!!!!!!

the greatest album EVER

Well, I just spent all morning discovering the Kinks and their long history through decades and genres. I hope there are more of their albums on this list. A 5.

I know the Kinks for the hits, but I don't know this album, and it doesn't have any of the big hits. But it's still solid musically, hard to fault. Pretty standard '60s rock, but nothing special really. Favorite tracks: Village Green Preservation Society, Big Sky, Picture Book. Album art: Cool band photo, love the swirly neon colors. Title is a mouthful though. 3.5/5

The Kinks previously were just a very popular and influential 60's Rock band being at the forefront of both Garage Rock and Psychedelic Pop Rock and they did have some well known and big songs like Waterloo Sunset or You Really Got Me but they were missing a full on project that would cement them just barely behind the Beatles in the 60's Pop Rock hall of fame. Luckily, that album was near as this 1968 release did exactly that. Not only was it somewhat of conceptual album (which they later adapted much stronger) but it was as consistent as they ever been at this point. The entire album is full of fun, well produced and well delivered Pop Rock songs that include different genres from Baroque Pop to Folk neatlessly. It is without a doubt, their biggest and arguably best achievement in their entire career. The album starts with the mellow and calm but fun and happy 'The Village Green Preservation Society' which is a beautiful Folk Pop song that not only starts the album off beautifully but also brings on one of the most memorable songs and hooks that the album can offer. It's quirky with silly but well incorporated references to for example Donald Duck. A pretty much perfect song to start the album with. The quirkiness stays with 'Do You Remember Walter?' which gets much more Rock while still being definitely Pop music but most interestingly, this sounds pretty similar to some of their older Mod stuff. The song is really great but a couple moments in the bridge do feel a little left alone which is kind of bumping the song down a little bit. But still, this is an incredible track. Luckily, 'Picture Book' makes up for that. The songwriting here is absolutely phenomenal. It builds enough tension to be interesting while still being easily enjoyable as a Pop Rock song. The happy energy it releases with the nostalgic instrumental and lyrical delivery is just amazing. The song is silly, very silly, but in the best way possible. It's fun and when it ends I even wished that it'd be longer. What can I say, this is simply perfection and easily one of the best songs in their entire catalogue. 'Johnny Thunder' sounds very much like a mix of the Beatles and the Beach Boys but still with own originality within. The song has a very strong hook and the background vocals add a ton of enjoyment to the already great song. The entirety is simply another maginificant track and again, this should've been longer. A big genre swith happens on 'Last of the Steam Powered Trains' which is not only the albums longest song at over 4 minutes but it adds a lot of Blues Rock as well as Country, Freakbeat and even a little bit of British Rythmn & Blues to the Pop Rock sound. It's an energetic and diverse song that doesn't linger too long on on part or another as it moves from guitar riff to vocals into the bridge and so on. It also speeds up at one point, adding even more energy to the song. And while I am not the biggest fan of Blues Rock, this song is very much how all of Blues Rock should aspire to sound like. It's not perfect but it's very close. The sitar inspired guitar as well as the Spoken Word vocals on 'Big Sky' are resulting in on of the albums weirdest but also most psychedelic moments. It's weird and even if it works and has great songwriting, it still leaves you with mixed feelings. Mixed feelings of if you heard the track the right way or not. It is weird but the mastered that perfectly and this song is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Some moments though, feel a little bit overlooked and pale which is why the song as a whole is "just" incredible. The accordion on 'Sitting by the Riverside' adds a very French touch to the song. The song is also very theatrical in the delivery of the vocals. It's very psychedelic and lush and closes the albums first half with another incredible track that is just absolutely amazing. The B side of the album opens with 'Animal Farm', a beautiful Folk Rock song with wonderful lyrics and even better songwriting. The song feels like it achieves a lot of what some Country tries to do with its sounds and styles. It's genuinely a masterpiece in every sense of the word: not only the songwriting but the vocal delivery, all performances, the mellow strings and other arrangements added. It all results in a song that's simply beautiful and even a little bit nostalgic. 'Village Green' is pretty much a result of a perfect combination of the Beach Boys and the Kinks in both of the best things they bring to the table. The beautiful arrangements that feel like they were made up when both Davies and Brian Wilson worked together while on LSD and then added incredible songwriting and lyrics on top. Incredible!, perfect even! 'Starstruck' is much rawer and simpler in terms of ideas and execution. The songwriting is still incredible and the performances are wonderful but the song feels pretty simple compared to the rest. It's definitely another incredible song but it feels a little "outdated" when held side by side against the other songs. The experimental sides of 'Phenomenal Cat' with the pitched vocals, the interesting flutes added as well as the vocal delivery result in another pretty weird and slightly haunting song while still being very much a Kinks Pop Rock song, just a little bit less of a happy sunshine Pop song. It's great but one of the "weaker" songs on the album. The few moments of theatrical deliveries are pushed to their biggest extend on 'All of My Friends Were There' and while it was a nice touch on the other songs, here it actually harms the song a little bit. I do like the additional instruments and the music itself but some of the verses do feel a little over the top in terms of delivery. It's still a great track but again, weaker. 'Wicked Annabella' gets very heavy with loud bass and down-tuned guitars that result in something that if it was pushed even further might be enough to be called Proto-Metal but in the way it is finalised here, it's just some well performed Heavy Psych with energetic and haunting deliveries from all members. Sonically this very much stands out but not so much with quality. They were definitely trying something but as what they tried wasn't really a thing and also not what they usually do, the result is great and interesting but not much more. The exotic inspirations that very much feel like something you'd hear in South/Middle America together with the typical Pop Rock is certainly interesting but not really all that well made. The song has it's moments but falls a little bit flat. It's still pretty good. The Ska approach on 'People Take Pictures of Each Other' definitely ends the album in a very funny and enjoyable way when it comes to what they did musically and in terms of songwriting. The vocal delivery absolutely ruins this song. Well it doesn't "ruin" it but it harms it a lot. The song is groovy and it is fun but I cannot enjoy it to the extend that I'd want to when listening to these vocals. The song could've been incredible but it ends up being just a pretty good closing track. favourites: Picture Book, The Village Green Preservation Society, Animal Farm, Village Green, Johnny Thunder least favourites: Monica, People Take Pictures of Each Other Rating: decent 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

I’ve been pecking at this album every few years for the last twenty, aware of its importance while struggling to obtain purchase, reminded of successors that slapped on their nostalgia for Davies’s real nostalgia, creating a simulacrum of nostalgia, a double-fake of a world that preceded these faux-nostalgists - have you ever been to a carnival? have you heard music hall in a music hall? do you think that rations are something that Solid Snake picks up to recoup HP? - which proved the avant garde of Brexit and the pints of Spitfires and blue passports in their train. And after writing that, I stopped, wondered what I’d say besides “Blur” if someone asked me to name one of these bands. And I quite like some Blur. I blame the power of this album’s nostalgia, which is portable and can be passed around. Pick it up and you feel it, regardless of the century you were born in. On return, every hook reveals to have been embedded deep: this is almighty, and also pleasingly sinister, often seedy, which it should be. What finally persuaded me over this listen is the tiny repetitive interstitial guitar riff that pedals “…Walter” along its last few seconds. They’re a accoutrement that makes the song, driving, sleazy and anxious at the same time. They’re so memorable that I was sure they played throughout the entire song, shocking me just now when I went back and found they only come in at the death, two up-down repetitions and then done. “Monica”’s throwaway calypso is my favourite, at least this evening.

Love it, listen to it frequently, not a bad song on it and many top tunes including two or three of their best. Wonderful album [EDIT - and the lyrics throughout! So ahead of its time, could be repurposed by a cynical Gen Z'er to illustrate our contemporary shitshow with minimal edits]

The best album by a brilliant band.

This is, hands down, on of the best albums ever.

Hugely biased mega-Kinks fan here. But if anyone knows a better written, better performed album of quintessentially English popular music, let me know. And I'll tell you why you're wrong. ;)

This is the first album I've listened to before getting the prompt for it! It's hilarious how two days ago we got \"Arthur\", and I thought that \"Village Green\" was the better of the two Kinks albums I've listened to. Anyway, having listened to \"Village Green\" multiple times in the past couple of days - to compare it to \"Arthur\" and now for this prompt - I still stand by that. This is an excellent album - all the tracks are strong from start to finish. It also reminded me a lot of Vampire Weekend's work (especially the first half of their discography, which I absolutely love) - it's clear that they were influenced by this album.

It's a rare quality for a band to be almost universally mood-improving, but the Kinks really are, at least for me. Even their more introspective songs, like "Do You Remember Walter" are jaunty - so jaunty, in fact, that it's the basis for one of the all-time upbeat songs, ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky". And of course Green Day took the riff from "Picture Book" for "Warning", one of their most upbeat, Major Key songs. But what makes VGPS special is that its sonic and thematic cohesiveness is not really replicated anywhere else in The Kinks' discography. It's also the final album they made during a yearslong ban from the United States, which gives the album such a deeply English sensibility that it became a sort of ur-text for Britpop.

I would not hesitate to put this on a list of my 10 favourite albums ever.

Since it’s a Sunday during a three day holiday weekend and I’ve got zero pressing responsibilities today, I’m listening to Village Green on vinyl, rather than streaming from my platform of choice. I’ve got a nice, clean 1975 Reprise US pressing that I found at Double Decker Records in Allentown, PA back in 2016 or so. Shout out to Double Decker, the best record store on the East Coast. The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society is a concept album of sorts, reflecting Ray Davies’ desire to preserve the culture and traditions of England’s past…or, at least, his recollection of traditions and culture past. I think most of us can relate to that sentiment: we might look back fondly on the decade(s) and culture in which we came of age and hope for a return, but for others, those times might have been miserable and worth leaving behind. In that regard, “Picture Book”, the third track on Village Green, might act as a mission statement for the record: “Picture book of people with each other…To prove they love each other, a long time ago”. Almost as though Ray Davies is saying, “Those were the days, weren’t they? Luckily we were able to preserve them, as reminder that things used to be better”. It may be a pessimistic take on my part, I know, but after the last few years on this planet, it’s hard not to look back fondly on the days where everything was simpler and more worry-free. Despite the nostalgic concept of the record, musically, Village Green is quite forward-thinking. The songs here feel like a blueprint, written and waiting to be uncovered and referenced by a thousand punk and indie rock bands 10, 20 or 30 years in the future. Not to harp on “Picture Book”, but I recall its use in a commercial in the early aughts and thinking it could be a Shins (or similar) song. Not that it’s surprising, even the Kinks earliest songs had an edge to their sound that the Beatles and Stones lacked, it’s unsurprising that their influence would be just as long lasting. I’m not going sit here and try and convince you that the Kinks were a better band than the Beatles or the Stones. I think they are, at least for their late 60’s/early 70’s output, but that’s a realization and personal preference that you’ll have to come to on your own…or not. I’m just saying that for some fans of punk and indie rock, the Kinks’ records might resonate stronger than the Beatles or the Stones do…and I am one of those people.

God shit

The Kinks were pioneers. In 1964 they gave us early rock/punk classics “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” Banned from touring the US, they didn’t get to enjoy all the advantages of their fellow British Invaders but have a solid discography. This is a good album that would be more impressive if it had been released 2 years earlier. By 1968, the Beatles were offering the white album and the Stones, Beggar’s Banquet. This may be intentionally a throwback but it’s a throwback nevertheless. The Kinks and this album deserve more attention. Wish I could give it 5/5 but I think this is a strong 3 or a 4.

a nostalgic album about what England once was. no hits on here really except for a couple of songs later used in Hot Fuzz. not commercially successful at the time. (also released the same day as The Beatles White Album).

The Kinks are really underrated in my opinion. Sure, they have a couple of mega-hits but if you delve deeper into their catalog they have a bunch of super catchy, iconic songs that no one seems to have noticed. Picture Book is a great example - I only became aware of it because it was used in a commercial awhile back. What an awesome song! Great album all around. 4 stars.

I would benefit from a deeper dive or song explainer documentary to better appreciate the lyrics and meaning. As it was, I passively listened to the album (both in real-time in Norway and a month later playing catchup) and came away thinking it was a decent enough baroque pop Beatles knockoff. I can't help but feel I'm missing something that fans are seeing, so I'll be generous and give it a 3.

Je ne me souviens plus de l'album alors je vais vous raconter ma journée. Vers 9h, je sors de mon lit et vais prendre mon café. Une fois mes mails du jour attentivement lus, je décide d'annoncer à la personne qui m'avait fait passer un entretien vendredi dernier que j'ai finalement accepté une autre offre que la sienne, tout en lui souhaitant de trouver le candidat qu'elle recherche. S'ensuit un black out de 25 heures et un état de conscience repris à l'instant. Affaire à suivre.

I was running errands the first time I listened to this & thought it stunk - unfocused quasi psychedelic folk with sophomoric lyrics. But then I heard the third-last song, Wicked Annabella, & I thought that Spotify had moved me to a 90s playlist, so I decided to give it another try. I like the Village Green track - I'm sure I can hear a harpischord in there somewhere and the other tracks now fall into place, though at times they sound a bit like a jug band. It's hard to believe this came out 4 years after You Really Got Me! I appreciate the fact that Davies didn't sucumb to pressure to produce another hit and stuck to the obscure.

lite intetsägande men lite kul att lyssna på ändå. tvåa eller trea.

After you, no after you. I'm sorry are we facilitating a conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image? Tea anyone

First song of the album all I think of is "Hot Fuzz" lol. Not really my jam but some of the songs weren't bad. Wouldn't actively listen to it but wouldn't mind if it was on. 2.5/5

If you happen to be in desperate need for some music for your retro style kids’ show, you might get some ideas from this album. Everyone else need not apply.

Did I buy a vinyl of this album purely because of the songs I recognized from the buddy cop comedy "Hot Fuzz"? Yes. Was that one of my best album purchases? Also yes.

Absolutely phenomenal songs.

The Village Green Preservation Society is the biggest five that ever fived a five.

Their best in my opinion - top 100 album for me.

What a fantastic record. It is filled with quirky and fun pop hooks, even if side 2 isn’t as strong. Definitely my favorite Kinks record thus far.

So great. They were so influential and the songwriting has aged brilliantly

Big win. Must relisten but this is a classic

Wherein Ray Davies decides to show the world he's the master of writing incredibly catchy yet intricate pop vignettes 15 times in a row. Seriously, this thing just does not miss; it's one of the most consistently fun 40 minutes you can possibly have.

No because when I tell you, WHEN I TELL YOU that this album is criminally underrated I mean it. I’m not part of the music world so idk how the majority of people feel about this BUT I have been loving this album since the dawn of time. It makes my brain super happy and I with I could rate my other albums lower so that this 5/5 would mean more

Gran disco

Another favorite Kinks album from their pastorial period. Not a bad song on here.

Ok

Very surprising album for me. Never listened to the Kinks before but found myself really enjoying every song. Last of the Steam Powered Trains bass line when the song vamps is super cool!

My biggest complaint about the list of 1,001 albums you have to listen to before you are allowed to die is that 80% of it consists of every single British pop rock album from 1965-1995, but I have to admit they really nailed it in this one case. Five stars.

Nostalgic gatekeeping has never been so charming. It’s very ‘I remember the corned beef of my childhood’ but somehow actually very lovely. A five star album anyway but the cherry on top is the fantastic non-album single Days which closes out some extended editions

They rock! They are the kinks, enough said.

This is their Sgt. Pepper, a concept album with their best songwriting till that point, full of career highlights. A+

I’ve loved this album since I discovered it in 1990. Playful; great melodies.

Loved it!

Wow. This is an exceptional record! Instantly saved. Favourite tracks: the whole thing.

Pretty flawless. A great thematic album, wonderful songwriting, full of surprises and great craftsmanship.

A fun and well-done sound that doesn't sound like anyone else too much with interesting lyrics.

A cast-iron classic! Was it the first pop music expression of a yearning for a semi-rural golden age that never was? Slightly satyrical and all brilliant.

4.5 - Now this was what I was hoping for from The Kinks. So fun and playful, but also just great solid songs. Reminded me of times with alex bolan and then also the beatles sometimes

I absolutely love this classic pop style, it's so vivid and magical that it captures my attention like a little kid watching the wizard of oz. Even with the simpler composition of the pop style, the songs are far from sounding similar, and to their benefit, conjure up a new setting with each track.

Sound like the Beatles

Sometimes an album is good and there isn't much more to say about it. Favorite track: "Village Green"

Probably the best Kinks album and my favorite. It's definitely been setbreak or pre-show music so that helps too.

Very much an album that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Weird and disparate (a lot of these songs don’t work individually, and I’m still not quite sure what the concept is) but somehow fits together to make a great psychedelic work.

A lovely slice of baroque pop full of reflexive nostalgia and whimsy.

Cool album of the classic BritPopRock Generation

Sickening amount of talent in the Davies family. The Kinks represent an amazing force in the rock and roll spectrum.

Love the Kinks. Not as familiar with these songs, but loved this album. It does sound very much like songs the Beatles could have done.

Great album

This is one of the best albums ever made. It came at a wrong time but it was very much needed because the times changed so fast and a view back - of course with some irony - is not so bad if it happens like here. Joyful melodies with that certain melancholy transported through folkish rock music that is not folk nor rock. And that makes it so great.

Highly original, perfectly executed, catchy as hell, what more can you ask for

absolutely rocks

Really impressed by this album. Love the nostalgia in a lot of the songs, and the desire to hold on to their upbringing and culture. There’s something very genuine feeling about it all. Super fun and catchy and lovely.

Cheeky lyricists With undercurrents of cool Play jaunty rock riffs

I'll have to listen to the rest of the deluxe version later but it's nice to have one of the bands my father enjoyed being the start of the project of all things

Masterpiece. The complete opposite of what everyone else was doing at the time. Mr Davies stuck to his guns, legend!

Love this and have been listening to a lot of BritPop inspired by Kinks so this came at a great time. Super stacked album and really close which is my favorite between this and Something Else. Rating: 4.6

5 stars

Very good. mocks the nostalgia for an England already vanishing in the '60s. Ray Davies turned from American rock fantasies to English jangle; on the outside that is critique of modernity wrapped in catchy tunes. Songs to a past that was never as rosy as ppl remember.

They are amazing songwriters

One of the most pleasant afternoons of my life was spent listening to this album and then Arthur while taking a walk between small English towns through farmer’s fields.

Really cool album. Can hear major shades of Brit Pop in this.

I've listened to this over & over since I was 12. Hugely influential on my own songwriting & brings back many, many memories. It's an entire album about nostalgia after all. One of (if not the) best from one of my favorite bands.

All time classic.

Good

Davies you geniuses.

a great relisten.

I mean, its THE Kinks.

Guess I'm a kinks fan now

9/10. Felt like it brought elements from different genres. Really enjoyed it. Last of the Steam Powered Train might be my favorite song since starting the project.

I mean, come on. Not much beats The Kinks at their peak, and this may be it. I might listen to Something Else or Lola Vs Poweman more, but as a cohesive statement, this album (and the follow-up Arthur) are Kinks at their absolute best. Definitely essential listening. Good job, list.

The Kinks are uneven through their career. But this is great. It’s not my first time listening to this, and it won’t be my last It is, however, the first time I’ve rated it. I bounced back and forth between a four and a five on it. During Animal Farm, I was thinking it’s a 4. By the end of the same song, I was back at a 5. I think there overall sound of this album and the strength of the songs get it a five, despite there being a few three and four star songs.

The the quintessential pub garden album. Endlessly relistenabe.

Literally perfect - but y’all knew that already

Glorious pop songs.

This really surprised me, partly because I didn't think it sounded like what I'm used to hearing from The Kinks. I really enjoyed it, but didn't expect most of what I heard.