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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
1968
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!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 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
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
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...
Great! Funny and interesting songs. Up there with some of the most legendary beatles albums from that time.
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.
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
Considered a flop at time of release, this is basically a more upbeat Belle & Sebastian album. It's great.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
Pop sixtie y experimentación en un disco conceptual precioso y nostálgico. Canciones cortas y brillantes. Muy bonito, no tiene que envidiar nada a Beatles ni Rolling.
Songs are nice and short, so we're off to a good start. No songs stick out as obvious singles. But overall really good. I actually started listening again after it ended.
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.
Really like this album. I'm familiar with the usual Kinks songs but had never heard any of the songs on this album. I keep listening to the title track over and over again. It's got a Lewis Carroll feel to it. The whole album is amazing though start to finish. There are a few silly songs on the album but they don't really distract from the whole and even those have some parts that are really good.
Wonderful record. Hadn’t realised that it was so ignored initially. “…Walter” a standout track for me.
5 of 1,001. First time listening, but loved this. Lots of great moments. Will listen to this again.
I absolutely love the Kinks, and this is a classic. Picture Book is the standout tune for me, absolutely wonderful.
There are some great sounds coming out of this one. There are timeless hooks and builds that have influenced countless bands. Not to mention consumers. Some songs, or portions of them are ubiquitous in film scores (Darjeeling Limited) and commercials. 'Picture Book' was played in an HP Commercial that played incessantly in the early 2000's. Also the intro from 'Steam-Powered Trains' is used in either some Dick Pills, or Valtrex / STD-type commercials. And why not? With lines like "I'm the last of the good old renegades, all my friends are middle-class and gray" and "last of the good choo-choo trains" big pharma was obviously looking to connect with old dudes looking to plow twenty year-olds. The selection only makes sense. Anyhow, I really love the sound of this album. It's ragged, garage-y and crusty, yet loosely unified in all the right spots... perfect for old dudes. This is The Kinks that I know and love.
This sounds like something the Beatles could've put out. Very experimental songwriting and rock solid execution. This might be my favorite Kinks album.
I had never heard this album, but I think I will listen to it and see if it hopes up to Soap Opera
The Kinks have a ton of hits. I can probably name 15 off the top of my head, the majority of them perfect pop songs. And there isn't a single one of those gems on this album. In fact, unless you're related to the Davies or you happen to be Wes Anderson, you likely haven't heard any song from this album. It doesn't matter. This album is fucking great. I loved every minute of it, and I'm almost embarrassed that it took this long to finally get around to hearing it. This is a million times better than all the Byrds albums we've had to listen to here. We should probably talk about Ray and Dave Davies more than we do, or at least more than the press we give to the freaking Gallagher Brothers.
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.
From the title and album cover down, you may think that this is The Kinks at their most San Francisco in 1967 and you wouldn't be blamed. You also wouldn't be blamed if you think this is The Kinks at their absolute finest. One listen to the title track and you are transported into a time when things were simple and not even that description does this album justice. The Kinks' greatest forty minutes and forty minutes well spent.
FIVE STARS An all-time classic and a personal favorite of mine. As is usually the case with those five-stars albums, I won't write a full-blown review about this particular record, because others have already written wonderful stuff about it and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. It's just a gem. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 963 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 16 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 8 Albums from the list I will *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 12 Albums I might not be able to judge (some might end up on my final list but it's because I recognize how culturally important they are): 2
I love this album... Ray Davies at his whimsical best. happy it was the last one I got to listen to in Australia.
Listened to this one twice---mono first then stereo and really liked it both times. I think I like the mono mix better but the stereo version is better quality sound. I previously avoided The Kinks b/c of only having access to deluxe/super deluxe/expanded versions; makes for annoying last.fm scrobbles and I don't like having to look up what the original album included and then have save a playlist to avoid the extra, unneeded tracks later. Anyway, I really liked People Take Pictures of Each Other and Big Sky, which has been in my head all weekend. I think I like this as much as my previous favorite Kinks, Muswell Hillbillies.
Well, 'Starstruck' and the weird, slightly unsettling 'Monica' are two of my favourite Kinks tracks; whilst 'Picture Book' is one of my favourite pop songs, full stop. Just those three songs alone warrant five stars. But you know what? The rest is a joy too - charming, ambitious and seemingly unfettered by received notions of what rock music should treat as its subject matter. Very British, wry, observant and rather lovely.
Just such evocative music, really speaks to Britain in a specific way no other album really does. 4.7
9/10 this is another one of em albums where i dont have much to say about it. just a really good nostalgic time. writing this mid day instead of night like usual so im not nearly as rambly. maybe thats the secret ingredient???????/ good to finally get another older album btw
What an absolute delight of a pop record. I want to somehow play the songs on the violin. I want to listen again and see if I think it's a little better or a lot worse. I want a better master. I want slightly longer songs. I love the song about a cat; Reminded me of The Weakerthans.
Some of this sounds like modern “bro-psychedelic”, which makes me see this as well the blueprint. It’s a sound I very much enjoy.
More fun, folksy 60s rock. I like some of their other songs, so hearing more from them was nice.
Great 60 alt record. None of the songs stuck out the the overall feel of the album was great.
Not my favourite Kinks in regards to there is no outstanding tracks but as an album it flows nicely.
Long one of my favorites, both of the Kinks and of this era/style generally. For me it doesn't quite make it as a concept album, and a fair bit of what occurs between the masterpieces is a bit lightweight - but the great stuff is so great
I've always really liked The Kinks. They remind me of a more-socially-conscious Beatles. A lot of their songs are timeless, and their lyrics are so great. That being said, I've always thought Lola was the better album.
The Kinks are one of the most under appreciated bands from the UK invasion. It’s easy to be overlooked with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as your peers. As a whole I much preferred this to the previously revised “Aftermath” by The Stones. It’s clear that this album has been influential far beyond its release. Out of 10 I would give it a 9.1 out of 10.
Bin halbwegs überrascht, auch wenn das alles sehr nach Beatles klingt, fühle ich kein Plagiat. Es hat gute Laune, schwingt, bisschen lustig auch, insgesamt: frei. Starke 3.8.
I like this. I was only familiar w/ one or two songs going into it, but I see why it is rightfully considered a classic
This is such a great album!! Concept albums were just becoming a thin after Sgt Pepper and not sure if this album suffered in sales because of it, it definitely seemed a departure for the Kinks. The Kinks have always been a bit up against it in the U.S. and had more of a cult following than mainstream. Also I saw that the Beatles White Album was released on the same day (my 13th birthday!!) Which may have impacted sales. Back in 68 everything was pretty much pushed by radio play and unfortunately there wasn't really any charting singles. It was a great critical success though. The Englishness of the lyrics may have impacted sales outside of the US. Regardless this is a fantastic album. It is a stellar Pop album! Favorite songs: Starstruck, Picture Book, Animal Farm, VIllage Green. 4 1/2 *
I really like this album, great songs. Good variety but the theme is great. The steam train song is my favourite on the album
3.6 heel leuk, vrolijke. Moest ik een serie hebben zou er zeker een liedje van inkomen.
Typical pop rock sound. It sounds great though. Very palatable and honestly a good record to put on in the background. An easy listen and a very smooth album throughout.
Nada que envidiar a un álbum de los Beatles. Mis respetos a los Kinks por sacar este álbum en medio de tanta competencia.
Overall a good album, its very easy listening and fits in nicely with the pop/folk rock of the late 60s. Its a real shame that it was released on the same day as the Beetles "White" album. With themes such as the nostalgia of childhood and small village life contrasting to the quickly changing youth of the late 60s it cements itself as one to listen to on a lazy afternoon and watch the world go by. Best: Village Green Preservation Society; People Take Pictures of Each other Worst: Monica
Good album that's a little too restrained to be great and at times feels inherently constrained by it's concept. Uncritical and unexamined nostalgia that lacks any kind of edge. An occasional album that's well balanced but lacks any standout songs you'll remember half an hour later.
4.5 Stars. A concept pop rock album that highlights Ray Davies' songwriting and vocals. The concept of the album is a nostalgic and idealized view of rural English life, each track dealing with a particular part of that life haven't gone by, either by societies progress or Davies personally outgrowing such a life. As the title of the album implies, Davies wants to preserve this way of life, contrasting the cultural movements and issues of the time the album was released: 1968. Every track has a catchy melody and the overall sound of the album is very calm. Detailed instrumentations add to the fundamental theme of the album as well as its charm. Favorite tracks: The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Johnny Thunder, Village Green
Reminds of the Beatles. I like the rock 'n roll vibe that this album gives. A nice and relaxing rock sound, that brings back humble rock startings. 4/5
Boisterous and fun, this is a cracker of an album, full of groove and sizzle. Highly recommended. Top tracks: Last of the steam-powered trains, Big Sky, The Village Green Preservation Society
I swear I wrote stuff yesterday, must have forgotten to save it! Ray Davies is an amazing songwriter. Wit and nostalgia. Sometimes a bit sludgy when they try more rocky stuff, but when it's light and dreamy it's sublime. Anything with Village Green or Cat in the title is brill. As is Down By the Riverside. Picture Book is overrated (see the rockier bits being a bit bland, but Ray Davies lyricism covers for it).
This album encapsulates my view of what the music scene in the late '60s was like (not having been around at the time). Jangly, poppy, a whiff of beach boys. Very nice
Before this record, I thought The Kinks were some kind of "one hit wonder", but this work changed my mind. These guys know how to write an earworm, for sure. This is a fun album - Short songs with poppy melodies. I liked the first half more than the second one (there is where my favorites are: Picture Book and Big Sky).
,,The Village Green Preservation Society" noice vocals, kinda similiar to the beatles ,Do You Remember Walter" nice, smily vibe, kinda lite, i would say cherfull to listen ,,Picture Book" similiar vibe to previous ones ,,Johnny Thunder" i like the guitar ,,Last of the Steam-Powered Trains" good old vibe ,,Big Sky" good to chill ,,Sitting by the Riverside" cherfull, nice ,,Animal Farm" nice guitar, nice chill ,,Village Green" kinda different, single main voice, another vibe ,,Starstruck" feel the old times ,,Phenomenal Cat" more calm and not as energetic and positive as the other ones ,,All of My Friend Where There" that simple, positive vibe i like it, ,,Wicked Annabella" not as good, still ok ,,Monica" nice to listen, i liked the vibe ,,People Take Pictures of Each Other" cherfull, nice instruments whole album has that nice, cherfull vibe (that i find similliar to the beatles) it was good to listen, enjoyed it. i liked ,,all of my friends were there" but i found every song here nice. i could go back to this album. hasn`t found the fire song here. 7 or 8/10
All very quaint, quirky and pleasant but nothing outstanding. I think it might be the production is a little muddy, maybe lacking a George Martin figure to punch it to a 5?
Un disc que és gairebé un quadre impressionista sobre la vida anglesa. Tot i ser preciós i recomenable, mai he entés l'aura que l'acompanya. La banda va fer millors discos abans i després
Ajalta, jolloin brittirockissa paistoi aurinko. Kenties vähän itseään toistavaa, mutta sitten tulee Wicked Annabella tuulettamaan menoa. sanotaan 3.5/5, pyöristyy ylöspäin.
Tykkään. Aina miettinyt kuunteleeko näitä kukaan vai onko jäänyt täysin Beatlesien varjoon. Mutta syytä olisi. Kokonaisuutena päihittää monet Beatles-levyt, vaikka hitit puuttuukin.
Hi- The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Village Green Lo- Sitting by the Riverside, All of My Friends Were There "God save Donald Duck" is a great way to get me on board with your message, but the opening track is cleverly written, promising and upbeat. Picture Book features a chord progression reminiscent of Walkie-Talkie Man by Steriogram. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains is fun and lovable. Animal Farm is carefree and bright and Village Green is incredibly charming with its plinking harpsichord guiding the listener through a journey of memories, melodies, and sharp progressions. This album seems both way ahead of its time but also solidly belonging there, feeling like mid-2000s britpop (and it is VERY British) meets 60's psychadelic. Every track is tight, but not abbreviated...They do suffer from lower audio quality, which is really just an unfortunate product of their time, because this is a very enjoyable listen, otherwise, one that I'll keep in rotation!
Started strong. I kind of wasn't really listening towards the end though. Just get yourself a 'best of The Kinks' album instead.
What a delightfully strange album. It’s part ode and part send up of English life with a psychedelic twist. The album spans genres though it is mostly whimsical folky psychedelic music punctuated by bluesy heavier tracks. I can hear shades of David Bowie in this album and believe that it must have been an influence on him.
Very fun Brit pop album. I didn't like it quite as much as some of the other Kinks albums, but still a good time.
-Pretty nice rock album -Couple parts sounded Beatles-like -Quick, Pleasent tracks -Notjing stood out like crazy, but it was all nice rock
I find a lot of music from the 60s and 70s just doesn't quite hit with me for whatever reason. Maybe it's the same reason I'm not loving a lot of newer music. But not this album. This was great!
Brilliant and odd, and really fun. Reminiscent of Sgt Pepper's and Pet Sounds, but more tongue in cheek.
Genre: Pop Rock 4/5 An album I had never listened to before, and it's truly an absolute pop rock gem. This one stands up to any other rock output at the time. A real treat from the late 60s. The Kinks, a band more widely known for their huge hit song You Really Got me, had grown out of the British Invasion sound just as much as any of their contemporaries, and The Village Green Preservation Society is a real triumph. They blend together baroque pop and psych pop influences seamlessly, and they ended up making one of the best British rock albums from that time period. The song that I kept going back to from this was All of My Friends Were There, a part psych-folk/part waltz cut towards the end of the album, which details a performer who drunkenly stumbles through his act. While he's telling the crowd that this is unlike him, he notices all of his friends are there to witness it. And their best friends too. He hides in disguise for a few years, before utilizing liquid courage once again to go up on stage and prove he can still perform, remaking his old friends in the process. And it's all told by lead singer/songwriter Ray Davies perfectly, and he does it all in under 2-1/2 minutes. It's truly a perfect pop song, with its adult themes presented in a kitschy, relatable way that anybody can digest and enjoy. Beyond that one tremendous song, the title track is a great little rock song, Picture Book is a delightful musical retelling of looking through old family photo albums, Sitting by the Riverside has some great psychedelic vibes hidden beneath its cutesy, old-timey, Music Hall sound, amongst some other really wonderful, well-played, and well-written songs (Animal Farm, Wicked Annabella). This is one of my favorites so far throughout this exercise, and even if a few duds sit within this 15-track album, this will be one I'll go back to many times over.
I liked this. It sounds very similar to the Beatles. Nothing quite as catchy as Beatles songs on this album.
it was fun. psychadelic (obviously). beatles vibes. would listen again i think or explore their discography
kind of like the beatles but a bit more boring. lacking the funk. some of it was still quite cool though.
urm idk cos some were really catchy but it just sounded very similar so kinda all smooooothed into one big ol song. ok ?
Bandname holt mich auf jeden Fall ab. Musik lässt mich von besseren Zeiten im Hofgarten träumen. Schön ein Bierchen in der Hand, auf einer Decke sitzend. Die Sonne strahlt mir auf meinen wohlgenährten Bauch. Ich habe am Abend Sonnenbrand, aber ich bin selig, weils gar so schön war. Das Leben ist ein Spiel, alles ist schön. Ich fühle mich high, obwohl ichs nicht bin. Glückstrunken. Wuhuuuuuuuuuuuu. Ok, alles klar, aber ansonsten halt auch mal wieder austauschbar. Würds mir als Hintergrundmusik wieder anhören. Vielleicht.
Rock clásico. Bastante bien. Estuve a punto de darle un cuatro. Tiene temas interesantes.
I've always heard the Kinks mentioned but never listened to them. I really enjoyed this album but more so as background music. I like their style. It reminds me of those other soft rock folksy but psychedelic bands of that time. None of the songs really stood out to me but this felt like a great album to have playing in the backyard while playing outside or hanging by the pool. It would also be good for a lot of those 70's movies soundtracks. Kind of cool album cover but once you've seen one band staring at you with some distortion, you've seen em all.
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.
Not bad. Very sixties vibe, a good mixture of songs but none I recognised. Entertaining enough to listen to but not one I'll keep going back to.
A decent classic. Many movie classics so some nostalgic vibes going on if you're born in the 90's.
Loved The Kinks when I was young but I only really enjoyed a couple of these tracks, the rest was listenable therefore the obligatory 3***
I liked what I heard though it wasnt what I expected at all. They seem to have moved on from their original sound and I would say have been influenced by The Yardbirds. The songwriting has really evolved in both lyrics and composition. I'm not sure I would listen to this often, though I suspect it would grow on me if I did.
I consider myself a Kinks fan but the only album I remember having is the double live album they released in 1980. Having that as my reference point influences my comments. The 1980 live performance, and particularly Ray Davies' performance is very high energy and I picture him leaping into the mosh pit. On The Village Green . . . I picture Ray Davies singing while he sits on a stool at the back of the stage. The songs are quite good but Ray's vocals don't grab your attention the way they do when he plays live. I don't know if this is a result of the mixing. It may just be that the Kinks have a hard time getting charged up to play the 17th take on their 14th hour in the studio that day. I remember John Entwistle said "Playing live is like making love with a beautiful woman while playing in the studio is like wanking"
It was an OK album. definitely took inspiration from bands like the Beatles and the who. If you really like the music of this era, then this is a great album. Some of the songs were weird.
Un nouvel album à placer aux oubliettes, écouté comme fond sonore, pas dérangeant mais pas surprenant non plus, un album taille patron pour la liste de Robert Demery, qui s'apparente de plus en plus a la liste des 1001 albums qu'il faut écouter sans y prêter la moindre attention. C'est ce que j'aurai dit si j'avais stoppé l'album avant la 7eme piste, a partir de laquelle les Kinks (une sorte de mix entre Kiss et Kings of Leon) se reveillent enfin pour nous proposer quelques sons très sympatiques. Il faudra veiller à régler son reveil correctement la prochaine fois, attention a vous les Kicekafesa.
Love the concept, quite hit and miss due to the sheer quantity of short tracks. In some ways seems like a lesser version of the Beatles.
It was fine. Good background music. Sounds like what you would expect from the Kinks. Interesting Album. Probably wouldn't listen again.
Godkendt pop-rock album. Fri for psychedelia med masser af vellyd! Klassisk Brit-rock charme og sound.
Surprisingly blah. I love Arthur and Something Else, and Village Green is sandwiched between the two. Not enough standout tracks, but it is pleasant kinks.
I don't know how to feel about this album. On one hand I liked majority of tracks, on the other hand I felt it prolonged quite quick.
Prior to listening I was only familiar with “Picture Book” (hmm... Green Day sure made that riff familiar). But as I listened I felt like I knew the songs. Not from hearing them before (maybe in passing) but because of the Beatles-esque familiarity they possessed. If I’m in the vibe for something Beatleesque though I’ll probably throw on Abbey Road Fave tracks: “Picture Book” “Johnny Thunder” “Do You Remember Walter”
It’s hard to reconcile this music with The Kinks having a reputation for being rowdy, which lead to them being banned from touring in the US for 4 years. The drummer hit one of the brothers Davies over the head with his hi-hat stand after Davies insulted him and kicked over his drum set mid-concert. Davies went unconscious and the drummer fled the scene fearing Davies was dead. Again, mid-concert. This album contains highly consumable rock music. The juxtaposition with the story above is stark. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the music, but it feels a bit sterile. I want some knock you over the head grit.
As I listened to the Kinks, I wondered which came first, the Beatle or the Kink? Well, bugs and sexual fetishes have probably always existed, maybe since before life crawled out of the ocean. But as for British Invasion bands, which came first and which followed? Apparently the Beatles came first, and their quick success may have caused them to look down on or be dismissive of the Kinks, which may have left a chip on Ray Davies' shoulder. But four years after the Kinks first opened for the Beatles, "The Village Green..." comes out and proves that the Kinks were still just a Beatles wanna-be. Poppy, hooky riffs create a few memorable songs and earworms, but there's not enough here to make a lasting impact. There's some of the same weirdness typical of late-stage Beatles too - they just don't seem to stand out or develop their own sound enough. Months ago, the list delivered the Kinks' "Arthur...," and I listened through it once and then never remembered to go back and write a review. Now memory of that album has faded somewhat, and "Village Green..." didn't do enough to make me go back for one more try. In researching the Beatles/Kinks timeline, I discovered that some consider the Kinks pioneers or influencers of punk or proto-punk. At least from "Village Green...," I'm not really seeing it. "Wicked Annabella" was the only song on the album that provided any kinds of hints of punk. Maybe on another album? But as with "Arthur...," I'm just not feeling it quite enough to go digging for more. Another research find was an article titled "Between The Beatles and The Stones, I'll Take The Kinks." Not for me, thanks.
Enjoyed this more than previous kinks records we've had. Still has large elements of Psychedelia which isn't really my bag but it has a real 70's rock vibe to it too which i enjoy hugely. Plenty of filler but the hits hit. 3/5
It's interesting to hear the Kinks do psychedelic stuff, lots of Beatles & late Beach Boys influences on this record.
This was ok, I kind of expected more. It sounds pretty generic for the time it came out.
Vor meiner Kinks-Zeit - kenne nicht 1 Song. Typischer Kinks-Sound. Nett. Wiederhören nicht nötig.
I don’t know, maybe I’m resistant to getting the kinks or something, but sgt pepper just demolishes this album IMO. Not a bad work of art, it’s just you can’t compete with the Beatles at this time.
Pleasant pop rock. The quintessential Englishness is a bit twee and wears a bit thin by the second half. 3/5
Ok, wasn't in the mood. Very distinctive sound to the album. No doubt its the kinks. Enjoyed it mostly.
I think this is probably the best-known Kinks record, right? I think it's probably the fullest realization of their records that satirize/celebrate British life. There are some excellent songs here ("Picture Book" and "All of my Friends were There" are my faves). That being said, I prefer the record before ("Something Else by...") and after ("Arthur..."). This is a great record, but assuming both of those records will be on this list, I have to make room for them, so 3/5. But a very strong 3.
This is much better by The Kinks. Picture Book goes hard but it’s the rest of the album that’s only okay. Springy ‘60s Brit-pop that’s well made.
Not bad , sounds like the Kinks attempted to mimic Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Short, snacky songs. Has some mild psychedelic tones to it, reminding me of a lighter Sgt. Pepper's. The songs are pleasant enough but I didn't walk away from this one changed, or anything. Strong songwriting throughout. Favorite tracks: "Picture Book", "Wicked Annabella"
My 2nd Kinks album on this list, the first one caught me off guard as it was much more folksy than I was expecting. This album continues that trend, it has a bit of a whimsical and psychedelic slant to the tunes. Didn't add anything to the playlist but it was a fine listen.
Totally not what I was expecting. Much more poppy and less punk than I thought it would be.
Ihan vitun mahtavia sanoituksia! Oon oikeestaan aikaisemmin kuunnellut vaan the Kinksin ekaa levyy mutta tää kyllä kutsuu tutustumaan bändiin enemmänkin. Täs on aika paljon tälläst Cläpä- ja Velvet Underground -soundia, mistä kyllä sinäänsä ihan diggailen. Toki se ekan levyn eläimenä paahdettu garagehelvetti on aika ihanaa silti. 3/5
J'ai découvert tard les Kinks. Je trouve qu'ils ont fait un rock tellement efficace et accrocheur. J'aime beaucoup leurs harmonies vocales. Cet album n'est pas leur meilleur, mais c'est un album concept qui marque l'accentuation des sujets Britanniques, encore présent sur l'album subséquent qu'est Arthur (Or The Decline and Fall Of The British Empire), album que je préfère à Village. Pour remettre cet album en perspective, il est sorti le même jour que le White Album des Beatles. Pièces préférées: Picture Book, The Village Green Preservation Society, Last of the Steam-Powered Train, Village Green, Wicked Annabella
I can see the influence this band has had in a lot of indie bands. However, I do not enjoy the upbeat 60s vibe personally.
I have been wanting to listen to more kinks. This album had some highs but end to end wasn’t that amazing. 2.5/5
The Kinks are another band I someday need to do a deep dive into. So many people are obsessed with them and although I like several of their songs I never saw the great allure.
Most of the tracks here are interesting enough, just wish this LP could maintain a single plot thread – veers all over the place genre-wise, from straight 60s' rock to Beach Boys-esque ballads.
Extremely Kinks. For a record that has very few Kinks songs on it that I know, this is very Kinks. Very listenable, very few generic songs here. No huge standouts, just Kinks-level Kinksdom, which is good enough for me.
Not really my sort of music but it did generate some foot tapping. I'm becoming to appreciate that my enjoyment of music is influenced by my mood. It is Friday today. So close to a 3 but I will probably never choose to listen to this again. Rating 2.8/5
Perhaps it's just not the day for me to listen to the same old same old shit cuz this also a 2 lol... just standard stuff idk what to tell u
the album was good quality, just not sure why this particular kinks album. It was long.
Es ist alt. Es ist besser als REM, es ist dennoch nix. Gib mir was, du musst mir was anbieten. Wir sind auf derselben Seite, aber so kann ich nix tun. It's 2* again... Warum muss alte Musik immer so langweilig sein....
A groovy - 2.8✌ Unfortunately this was the wrong Kinks album, where was "You really got me" ..
Reminds me of sgt peppers for some reason but not quite as good. Overall though it was ok.
Quirky and fun. Liked the vibe of the album throughout. Bit samey after a while but overall an enjoyable listen if not just in the background
Prefer The Beatles :P Not many tracks left an impact, so can't score the album highly I liked the Village Green and Wicked Annabella
I liked this album better than face to face. My biggest issue with the Kinks is that I just don't care much for the vocalist. I would probably rate this a 2.5 if I had the option.
This feels like something I'd listen to while surrounded by a withering mass of bodies all connected in one way or the other. And then after all the acid wears off and I'm stuck alone, nude in a room full of people. I wonder how my family is doing. I haven't called them in months, maybe longer? Who knows. This is fucking 60s cult music
Not a fan but wasn’t bad. Honestly felt like a strictly worse version of their contemporaries.
Another one of the 60th bands that seem to have released 50 or so LPs? Man what a waste of time. You would have thought they may get better over time. I give it 2 Stars but only because of the song "Do you remember Walter" Obviously it must be about me.
I like the Kinks, but this album seems like a weird "dark ages" thing that happened between the cool punky stuff of the early-mid 60s (like You Really Got Me and All Day) and the less-cool-but-still-cool stuff that came later (like Lola). Maybe they were searching for something here? Maybe they were just trying to make more radio-friendly stuff? I'm not sure, but it left much to be desired.
This one is tough to rate. There was nothing particularly awful, but I can't say that I enjoyed listening to it. A lot of music from the 60s seems a bit "all over the place" to me, and this album fits that description perfectly.
Es como escuchar 15 variaciones del Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. Escuchable pero prescindible hoy en día.
J’aurais préférer écouter l’album « the Kinks ». Celui-là sonne plus comme une pâle copie des Beatles. Ils y reprennent les mêmes codes que sur « Sgt. Pepper » et « Revolver ». J’ai toujours vu the Kinks comme la version mal rasé du R'n'R britanique. Je n’entends pas ça sur cet album. C’est pas mauvais, mais c’est pas fabuleux non-plus.
Autre band que je connaissais de nom sans avoir écouté. C'est beaucoup plus gentil que ce que je m'attendais. C'est très pop anglaise 60s, écouté en faisant le souper, ça passe mais sans plus. Je peux pas dire que je me rapelle d'une toune en particulier...
i like the kinks but this isn't a very good one. its basically the title track and picture book and then a load of crap. can't go messing around with my carefully coordinated system because i like a band.
Didn’t care too much for this album. Never felt like it really made strides to differentiate itself. The album wasn’t necessarily bad just seemed like generic British pop rock. 4.6/10
Fouth "The Kinks" that I get on this list and it's the worst one. I don't even know why, but it does not have any remarkable song. It's not all bad, but the other albums from the band on this list are much better.
A totally unremarkable album. I was bored throughout and I was glad it was over. I did not skip any songs, so that is a plus.
I listened to this record this morning and - no joke - completely and utterly forgot that I had until about 5 mins ago. (It’s 8pm. I’m not drinking.) So, uhh, yeah. Hey are there Kinks songs I need to know that weren’t covered by Van Halen and aren’t in a Wes Anderson movie? I wanna hear those. Pretty sure they weren’t on this album.
Meh. Hot Fuzz took the first track, the rest of the album sounds too much like the beatles
Kink? Was soll daran Kinky sein? Schlechter hippy schmutzt, bah. Sind das die Beatles in b e h i n d e r t?
Mega einflussreiche Songs auf alles von den 90ern bis Mac Demarco. Aber das ganze Werk nur historisch zu betrachten, steht quer zum instinktiven Hörgenuss, der sich hier fast nie einstellt. Hörmüde 1.4
Just hasn't aged well at all I assume, too many songs that are just nothing or even almost annoying now. Two good songs on it are within the first three listed, which means you have 12 really quite bad songs left to listen to.
Like if a Wes Anderson movie was set in high school
Очень похоже на битласиков, но битласики лучше. Для расслабончика 7/10