Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Glorious pop songs.
beat, 1968 -> 2
Honestly, a big reason I'm on this journey is to have a reason to finally listen to the Kinks. This album is so easy to listen to. It would be a 3.5 for me, but bumping to:
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.
This whole album just sounded like The Beatles or The Monkeys to me but in a good way. No major standouts but generally pleasant listening all the way through.
I didn't realize this was an "early concept album" on my first listen, but it made me like it a lot more on my second listen (and partly just that it was a second listen!) Other than Lola I haven't really spent a ton of time with The Kinks, so this was fun to do.
Influential rock band from the 60s. These songs not my favorites.
Interesting concept album but didnt grab me. Some solid songs. Probably a 3.5 for me.
Not a bad song, but no great ones. Generally mid.
Rating: 6/10
I love the Kinks, this is a great album!
Quintessentially English album, with maybe a hint too much nostalgia for a poorer & more monochrome time.
Итс окэй. Лучшая песня - Village Green.
Listening to this album solved a long standing conundrum I had with Blur. They always reminded me of something but could never put my finger on it. But this album is it! So many Blur influences on here. I loved the Kinks as a young lad and bought their early singles. When it got to the period this album was released I was totally consumed with Sgt Peppers to notice this album. I suppose this was The Kinks Pepper. If not certainly their next album Arthur which I like more than this and bought on vinyl. It’s only the last few years when available on streaming services that I listened to this album. It is a quintessential English album and from the title of the album that’s what the group were trying to capture. I yearn for the old days when there was a lot more Englishness about so this album is a small window into those days. For me the album has succeeded in capturing the sounds and flavours of those days preserving those times into today’s very confusing multi-cultural times. Yes this album reminds me of my childhood of long summer days, rhubarb in sugar cones, tickling trout, machine guns made of sticks etc when life was so simple. Modern life is rubbish (Blur again!) so thank God albums like this were made to capture a wonderful time to be alive in. 3/5 12/4/24
Previously rated: Face to Face (4/5) Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (5/5) ************************************************************** Another great Kinks album. I love their sound (especially the drums), the lyrics, and a bit of weirdness. One song reminded me of the Banana Splits theme song, which I love.
Une exploration de la nostalgie, dans ses douceurs et ses pièges, révélant la futilité de vouloir revenir en arrière ou prévenir tout changement
Was good but nothing special
Ganz ok.
british people…don’t even think this is probably the most essential kinks album. probably slapped at the time but it’s a 2 to me.
Meh.
If you liked the Kinks (and I mostly do), I’m not sure why you wouldn’t have liked this when it came out, and why it wasn’t more successful. It’s the Kinks - Ray Davies being thoughtful and quirky.
I like the first song, but the rest kinda faded into more of the same.
happy hippie yuppie duppie, not my style.
Not my favourite stuff from the Kinks but I'm a pretty basic fan.
So awesome. I think the kinks are underrated now. Love the groovy blues stuff but also the easy pop tracks. This is just such a fun album back to front. I think I would have been a biiiiig fan of the kinks if I was a 60s kid.
few songs I really liked but others not so much. Great song writing but doesn't strike much of a chord with me(except for last of steam powered trains and village green. I really liked those.)
😐
best song: title, village green beatles lite mom can we have beatles. we have beatles at home. beatles at home. it was good though nothing to complain about
I do enjoy how they say the album name a few times throughout, Im sure if i were smarter there is probably some constant meaning throughout also. The music overall is good, nothing seems overly exciting about it but.
3.5. Good but samey.
High quality 60's pop rock. Perhaps missing an X factor, but high quality nonetheless.
I’ve listened to a lot of music from The Kinks, but not this album. I shouldn’t be surprised that it was also great. It was a lot of classic Kinks style and 60s weird songwriting that I love so much. My favorite songs were “The Village Green Preservation Society,” “Do You Remember Walter?,” “Starstruck,” and “All Of My Friends Were There.” It’s been cited as an early example of a concept album, and I hear it and I dig it. I love The Kinks, and this is no exception.
an album of bond movie theme songs
This was a phenomenal album and completely missed me before now.
An under represented outside of Wes Anderson movies 60s Rock band. They produced tracks that could easily fool you as another band "oh I thought this was the Who" or "I thought this was the stones" their chameleon like effect makes this album feel like earlier Pink Floyd at times (Syd Barrett See Emily Play era) or maybe some of the pre-rock opera Who. That feature often is lost on single album listens and really speaks more to the entire catalog of the Kinks. That all said, this album is a warm spot for them. A very comfortable and enjoyable listen, maybe lacking some of the hot spots of Lola v Powerman ...
Pretty good
Not as good as Arthur, definitely early concept with more silliness than structure
Never been a huge fan of this album some good songs, but most are average or below. 3/5
Good energy on this album. On my first listen I had it on as background music and it kind of missed the mark. On my second listen I turned it up and focused in a little more and it was definitely enjoyable. Feels like an up beat version of the Beatles. My chief complaint holding me back from falling in love with this brand of 60s rock is that it feels a little stale. A little too simple, soft, and monotone.
This is my 2nd Kinks album on this list and there hasn't been one single hit song on either. I didn't get this list. I think this is a solid album. But it doesn't really stand out from all the other great britpop albums around this time.
Not my kinda thing, its not bad tho. 5/10
These guys tried SO HARD to be the new Beatles. And the new The Who. And the new Pink Floyd. And the new Kinks, even though they already were the old Kinks. They shoulld have focused on just being the Kinks in the first place, that would have been the best thing for them to do. Remember kids, just be your kinky self, don't try to be some other kinky copy!
Between a 3 and a 4. Very fun and experimental for the time, summer of love vibes and very positive friendly music. Would listen again. Highlights were title track and last of the steam trains
most of these songs feel like children’s music. fave: johnny thunder, people take pictures of each other least: annabella <~ why was it so scary “people take pictures of each other just to prove they existed”
3 decent just worse early Beatles
I definitely thought this was going to be a punk album lol
Feels Sgt. Pepper-esque, but its own thing. Each song is interesting in its own way. The message throughout is great. There's even the Ringo song in "All of My Friends Were There".
Good melodies and guitar-work, with at times clever lyrics. Also interesting that each song is a character study. However this nostalgia for all things traditionally english (which I and most people can't relate to at all) , and it clearly taking place in it's time gives it character but also dates it. (The Beatles have kind of similar themes in songs like Penny Lane, but the visuals / story-telling and central themes are so good that it makes it universal and timeless) .To me the album is imaginative and upbeat but simply sounds kind of dated, and doesn't transcend in such a way that I feel really compelled to revisit it again beyond a couple songs. Would give it 3.5 stars as I thought it was pretty good, but not amazing
Another pending subject approved! They are lovely! 😍
It wasn’t bad but none of the songs really stood out for me- maybe parts of songs like on Animal Farm and Picture Book. I still enjoyed it
Interesting rediscovery. Typical rock music. Not bad but a bit boring
Sweet Classic Kinks 4 stars
Catchy tunes with great lyrics - reminds me of Rubber Soul…. Enjoyed people take pictures, wicked Annabella, animal farm
I'll admit, when I was listening to this album today I wasn't exactly feeling it. Sure, I recognized enough quality in it to give it an "It's fine" 3 at least, but compared to the other British 60's music I like, and even to blur's PARKLIFE, I wasn't exactly all there. But then I watched Parlogram Auction's video covering this and two other albums by The Kinks, where he pointed out a way it's relevant today: nostalgia. The album was always about nostalgia, of course, but specifically in regards to how people these tends tend to have artificial nostalgia for times they never lived in. After the video I went back and listened to the album's single, "Starstruck", and I started to feel it a lot more. 'Cuz, like, I've always kind of considered myself an older soul despite being in my mid-20's. I choose to blame it on how I spent a lot of time when I was younger and more easily influenced watching, like, James Rolfe and Doug Walker, and I ended up getting turned onto a lot of the nostalgia they expressed in their videos. I think it's largely where my love for physical media comes from, honestly. And as for music, well, I've always been a bit more fascinated by what's come before my birth than after. It might not be reflected stastically, but for as many modern albums as I love, I do tend to return to older stuff more often than not. Big surprise, when I take the lyrics into consideration I get more out of it; who'd'a thought? Anyway, it's not enough for me to bump this album up a 4, but it's certainly closer than it was before. Absolutely it's one from this band that should be checked one. And all the shout outs in the world to HOT FUZZ for turning me onto "VIllage Green", too. Love that movie!
Despite the usual 60s habit of not having a great stereo mix, this is a pretty good album because of its surprisingly varied sound for a 60s British pop act.
Feeling a 3.5 and rounding it up to a 4 with this one. I appreciate the brevity, the self-containment of each track, and I think I really respect the production throughout this album; there’s just little neat touches to each song that make them each have their own identity. I don’t think the individual songs on the album are super memorable, but they have some standout moments, and it’s a really good experience. I can kind of see why this might have flopped in 1968; it’s just different from some of the contemporaries of this same time period that we’ve heard, and there are some points where the melodies and the catchiness take a backseat to what are sometimes baffling lyrics (I’m still kinda trying to figure out Track 1) but that’s the sort of thing that goes over much better in music nowadays. Pretty good album.
Awesome music!
Great late60s album
A decent record. The A side sounded a bit like a Beatles clone to me (also a bit of CCR with "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I much more enjoyed the uniqueness of the B side
Está bueno pero no hay ninguna canción que me haya llamado especialmente la atención
The Kinks are possibly the most underrated band of the British Invasion. Too many times I have mentioned them to people who have never heard of them. While this album doesn’t have any of the songs that they are most known for, it’s still solid from beginning to end and well worth the listen.
5.59/10 Top 3 Songs 1. Big Sky 2. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains 3. Monica
A cross between Beach Boys, Beatles, and the Byrds.
Seemed good but I just don't really care.
Like the Beatles but I like the Beatles better. The Kinks are at their best with "You really got me" and "All day and all of the night " and this doesn't have neither of the songs.
This was a sweet reminder of the days when an album was crafted by individuals, and not every second of every song had to be an in-your-face hook. No specific song stood out to me, but as a whole it was very listenable.
Great
Solid 3.75/5. I get the context and listening now is probably fresher than 68/69 but a lot of stand out tracks. Not a 5 star but a solid listen. Deciding bt 3 or 4 was tough. Gave 4 for the ending half really pulling it up.
This slaps
An album I had meant to listen to for a long time and very good listen it was too. I expect I'll come back to it. Some of the songs sound a bit silly jokey (Phenomenal Cat) but there are hidden depths, and it never sounds pretentious. Fave tracks: Picture Book, Wicked Annabella, Johnny Thunder.
Fun album
I don't know what I thought the kinks were, but it wasn't this.
Byrds, Beatles, Dylan - it's all in there. Songs get a bit redundant towards the end.
A lot of Beatles influence
Album 343 of 1001 The Kinks are The Village Green Preservation Society Rating : 4.5 / 5 Favorite Tracks : Picture Book / Animal Farm Fun album. Not a bad song in the bunch. This is one I'll put on again.
Kind of disappointed in this one. I normally love The Kinks! But this early album doesn’t feature much of what would make them great. Too cutesy and generic pop for me. 2.5/5
Not my kind of sound.
Not really into the britpop albums on this list. This was less of a mess than Super Furry Animals at least.
So many other better albums from them makes it hard to give this a high rating.
Folk Pop sounds through the lens of Psychedelia. Picture Book is probably the best known track. Solid songwriting and playing.
Full disclosure - haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but what I've heard is fun, fun, fun!
Cult nigga music.
I liked it
This was just okay.
Ironic view of the good ol’ days and criticism of cultural stagnation. Also use of Village Green in Hot Fuzz is on the nose.
I only know the one song from Hot Fuzz. The rest is a chill album, just not my thing.
Bien.
Pretty solid. Was vibing to this while working. - 7/10
I really enjoyed this, I thought the vibes were great. Some of the songs were kind of goofy but overall I liked it a lot. I liked the first song, the first few seconds sounded close to something I'd heard in Portlandia. Edit -- In hindsight this wasn't as good as I thought it was. Bumping down to 4.
this was fine but not too exciting to me, 6.5/10
Old but nice. Surprisingly crisp production for the 60s. Reminded me of the Beatles. 7/10
7/10 - Quite enjoyable. Most of the songs were fun to listen to. Nothing absolutely stood out but it was a fun listen.
I enjoyed the front of the album, the back wasn’t that great though 7.5/10
Pretty surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Lots of catchy and well made songs 8.5/10
Quirked up Beatles
Idk another 60s rock album to me
loved it, major Beatles vibes
Not really my thing but pleasant.
This and the previous kinks take are only leading me to believe im not a big kinks fan. I can definitely see the innovation and influence they had given this album is from ‘68, but there’s a certain daintiness I don’t really enjoy from them. Enjoyable enough listen, but the lack of edge over the course of a full album rubbed me the wrong way. A couple of decent head-bobbers on there, but nothing that Wowed me.
actually so up my alley and dope album name, listened to this all wknd fav: the village green preservation society do u remember walter village green
Not music
Decent
Never owned skunks album but like their radio hits. Didn’t know a single song on this album but it was fun.
As far as the Kinks go, I’m only familiar with the hits, but I loved this album and it motivates me to become more familiar with their catalog.
I was so disappointed with this! I thought I'd love it, but it feels like they've really leaned into a pastiche of English pastoralism that (a) means nothing to me and (b) gets in the way of the often quite interesting musicality. They threatened this already with songs like Lazy Sunday Afternoon, but this felt like it was designed to give American audiences a comforting insight into English life that bears little resemblence to reality for most people.
Not great
and a 1/2 Fav Songs - Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Intro
The production quality of this album is not good-very tinny sound. It sounds like an early Beatles knockoff with the beginnings of some punk added. Too poppy for me
Very Kinks sounding. Happy, unoffensive, nice melodies and grooves. This may have been ground-breaking in 1968 but it seems verging on boring now. It's good background music for cruising through a happy day, and the chord progressions and melodic elements are nice enough, just nothing mind-blowing.
I prefer other works by the Kinks
3rd Kinks album I've gotten. They have a classic 60s British rock sound, but sometimes it drifts too far into goofy Britishness. Favorite song was the one about the Last Train
Cheery bit of 60s pop rock. Nothing revolutionary to wright home about, yet I enjoyed it very much. Very listenable.
Está bien, pero no encuentro la energía que asocio con los Kinks. Creo que simplemente lo que tratan de hacer no es lo mío. 3/5.
Not on Spotify
favourite song: last of the steam powered trains struggled with this one. i do think all of the songs are good but whilst theyre not quite boring, they are all very samey which gets a bit grating as it goes on. torn between 3 and 4 stars.
Niet bijster kinky
Het moet niet langer duren of ik kap met deze app hoor
Wat moet ik hier nou weer van vinden
Bold album, and the highs were pretty good. Still, not the sort of thing that I actively want to listen to.
Fínt 60's rokk. Smá experimental hjá þeim og svona djók plata hálfgerð. Sum lögin nokkuð slöpp og ekkert sérstakt heildarverk. Hljómsveitin er þó geggjuð og mjög mikilvæg.
Skítsæmileg plata, en alls ekki það besta frá Kinks. Ekkert sem greip mann sérstaklega, en alltaf metnaðarfullt að gera concept plötu.
Ok
This is just good, silly, fun. Very enjoyable.
Very 1968! And very British. The Kinks have so many hits, but I do not remember any of these songs. The album was a nice listen, but not sure I will revisit it anytime soon. There are many more Kinks albums to check out!
Twee bollocks
Not bad! I think this band should learn how to finish songs, though.
I was ready to label this album as another "old and forgotten" record, that is on lists like this just to show "knowledge" and quirkiness of the author. Usually I'm right, but this time "Preservation Society" turned out to be a pretty good and a fun album. Songs had a modern sound, they were very diverse, and most importantly, enjoyable. So looks like The Kinks was a pretty nice band!
Excellent
The Kinks have a very identifiable sound due to Ray Davies' voice. I like it, and it also has a similar level to all the songs. Nice listening but doesn't blow me away. Picture Book, Big Sky and People Take Pictures of Each Other are standouts for me.
A lot of songs felt kinda samey but otherwise good album.
• Omslaget får mig att tänka på det Stevie Wonder albumet • Låter som 60-talet, rätt bra • Man får lite Beatles-vibbar, vilket kanske inte är konstigt för ett brittiskt band på 60-talet • Har inte så mycket mer att skriva än att det är bra • All of My Friends Were There va intressant • Tycker om 60-tals trummor, Ringo etc. • Har varit fokuserad på annat men har inga klagomål direkt Betyg: Den hade kanske fått en 3,5 om det gick, nu när det ej går är det la en 3a eller 4a, så väljer arbiträrt en 3a idag => 3/5
The consensus view seems to be that this is the best Kinks album. I might like some albums like Arthur a bit more, but obviously VGPs is a 5-star classic.
This was a great album, jam-packed with great songs, executed brilliantly by great musicians.
Another very enjoyable Kinks album.
Meh
Everyone loved it. Heard the origin of a lot of influences.
meh
Did not like it. It was putting me to sleep.
This was like listening to the Beatles for the first time. Whimsical and energetic and emblematic of (what I believe) the '60s were like.
Love The Kinks, though I prefer the first few albums to this one. Bit more riffy
Loved it!
Some nice psych-tinged sounds on this. I can hear some of the roots of 90s britpop here.
na ja, den Namen "Kinks" kennt man zwar, aber die Songs sind nicht meins. Olle Kamellen
nah
This was so fun!! I haven't thoroughly looked at the lyrics but this is refreshing from what I normally mean into. I think my favorite out of this is Johnny Thunder.
The boyos
All sounds the same
There are some great riffs and harmonies on here, and a good number of excellent songs. But there are also some that are just bad, and they not only leave a foul stain on the album but they are mostly near the end. Truly an album only a Brit could love
I think this was a concept album of some sort…workmanlike, competent effort, but I don’t get the concept
alright listen, enjoyed it overall.
Lighter Beatles. Ok to listen to, but wouldn't add it to my library.
Simple song structures and happy pop hooks are heard on this album, similar in a way to the Beatles. The voice is calming and melodic and the guitars are both rambunctious and relaxing. Both Folk and Rock are obvious influences for The Kinks, as this album has both warm folksy guitars and the slight wildness of Rock. This album is a fun one to listen to.
A classic folk sounding album. Nice, easy listening.
Kann ich mir gut mal anhören, aber nach dem vierten/fünften Stück reicht es dann auch...
This is like someone said "Ray, do us a favour mate, make the quintessential, slightly camp, UK 60s / 70s pop album", and they've nailed it!
Great gentle british pop rock concept album.
Concept album without major hits, but a fun listen.
One of the very few albums I’ve heard that sounds close to the mid-period Beatles. The lyrics are all a bit too nostalgia-ridden.
Reminded me of the Beatles
Hmm, last track was kinda interesting
Not as good as Arthur for me, but it's still thematically strong
Very quaint and whimsical. Honestly, it verges on too quaint and whimsical. Still, Ray Davies is clearly a talented songwriter and there are plenty of lovable moments here. Best song: Picture Book
Felt like background music
What a delightful album. Variability in every song. I love the subtle hints of blues and what I now understand to be Merseybeat.
This one is very unique from the other rock music coming at this time. I’m very glad that this wasn’t just another boring rehashing of 60s rock cliches. The vibes are immaculate with the 60s retro charm. These songs are catchy, fun, and have great creativity throughout. Theres also a lot of fun and weird experimentation for its time. A lot of highlights here, and a song I would consider bad. Great album! I applaud!
Sounds a lot like the cross of CCR and The Beatles.
7.5/10 First Nick Drake I’ve ever knowingly heard, aware of his reputation Really nice this - spare production, good guitar, excellent voice This is how you do an album that does not hugely vary in style - make it good, short, and don’t outstay your welcome Really sets a mood, liked it quite a bit Best: Parasite
3,5 *
The Kinks are always a good listen. This isn’t a favorite but there are some good tracks on this. It’s hard to be great when it’s a concept album.
Bien.
But my first email address was a pun on a song off Village Green
✨concept album✨ the baroque tune really won me over
Kinda mid. Nothing really stands out. Very generic 60's album. 2.5/5.
Really cool to listen through this album and understand why The Kinks became popular. Plus the music was interesting. Loved this one!
I always forget how much fun The Kinks are to listen to. It's a great vibe to start your day to.
Same energy is the White Album by the Beatles. Fun album, whimsical.
Cool album, liked it.
Enjoyed this album. Some familiar songs with catchy tunes...brought back some old memories.
Great hits from other albums, but in the context of 1968, they pale in comparison to the Beatles and other contemporary legends of the time
sounds of the late 60s...energetic, melodies with piano backing, short songs clocking in at less than 3 mins... Reminiscent of the Beatles or the Monkees. Pleasant, morning music.
Killer album. Starts off very strong
Wow, an album by a group who can play their instruments without being in conflict with each other and actually sing, with intelligible lyrics to boot! How did they slip into this list? And this isn’t even one of the better Kinks albums
3/5 Not my favorite early pop-rock experience, it feels like a muted beatles experience, and the beatles pre-drugs are not particularly inspiring nowadays, let alone the costco brand version
I like The Kinks, but this album was a little boring if I’m being honest.
If there ever was a band that epitomises 60's London, it's The Kinks. So upbeat and still cool.
It is now that I am deciding that I will only listen to these albums once, and only once before I write anything. And I will not be editing these blurbs. This album is like the Beatles if I liked them at all. They have that old studio sound of a group of artists just hanging out in their prime. Peak chilling on a lot of these songs. 7/10 also Hot Fuzz reference
Good, classic Kinks!
Alright album, didnt seem to drag but not my favourite.
Some interesting instruments take care of providing an air of decorum. That said, not an album I will be coming back to an awful lot.
the dumbest nonsensical English storytelling twee wanky tanky willy wonky shit I’ve ever heard
Classic whimsical rock. Not too fetching, but okay to listen to.
Have heard one of these on the Raising Sand album. Was ok.
One of the most British things you will ever hear. fun and catchy.
BL: The first Kinks album I got on this generator I was not a massive fan of, I found it a bit reductive. However I'm willing to come into this with an open mind as I am still a big lover of this band. AL: This was awesome, the weird and mildly creepy vocals of The Kinks invoke a rallying cry, it is powerful and the lyrics are incredibly political for the time. Exploring concepts of small town hegemony, culture and the criticisms of it, this album serves as a brilliant deconstruction of many issues. Sonically very sound and some excellent production. Great listen and potentially one of the best rock albums I've had on the generator so far. Was listening to a vinyl rip of this and that made me think about intentional production decisions being made at the time as they may translate better to the format. FT: "The Village Green Preservation Society, "Do You Remember Walter?", "Big Sky", "Animal Farm", "Village Green" 5/5
Sound a la Beatles
Not impressed this time around either
This album strikes me as distinctly average. Critics apparently praised the songwriting, but it comes across to me as rather contrived. I didn't find this a very exciting album, though it must have been good at the time to have an album focussed on 'English-ness'.
some nonsense about playing cricket in the rain
standouts - do you remember walter just super simple ok music, nothing memorable
A great concept album. Some great songs, some relics of an era.
Picture early Beatles. It's okay, if not a bit too sweet and simple.
I really enjoyed the other Kinks album I received. This one is completely different. Some of the songs were very hard to listen to and I can see why it was an overall commercial flop. I do not like this album.
The Kinks just dont do it for me. I don't get the hype. Decent music though. This one was kinda long.
These English lads are better than I remembered. Fun, upbeat, and dare I say cheeky
Rock
This is a fantastic album, and really deserves to be remembered better along with the other great 60s rock albums. Very solid songwriting, interesting storytelling and lyrics and some great riffs too (especially "Wicked Anabella"). The only song on here I don't really like is "All of My Friends Were There". "People Take Pictures of Each Other" was basically decades ahead of its time, more or less predicting modern social media. The only thing that surprised me was reading that the lyrics of the title track weren't meant to all be satirical, I always assumed they were! Listening it again with fresh ears I guess there are some things worth saving in that list. Maybe the point is finding common ground between the old and new and taking the best of both forward?
This was better than I had expected, musically and lyrically
Solid music
- Heard this before - Title track is a classic - Really consistently good album - Fav songs: The Village Green Preservation Society, Starstruck, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
Good enough for the time. This album could be the background music for any vignette of the time without taking away from the scene. It is almost a characature of 60's pop. Three stars because there's no 3.5 option
Perfect introduction.
if red dead had a goofy soundtrack
Couldn't get into it. Sounded like Spinal Tap's Flower People
I don't know which came first, but I hear CCR in this Kink's album.
Just lovely. Fave: Picture Book
This sounds more like a Beatles cover band than the Kinks.
Meh. Definitely older and not really my style. The link is to the deluxe version of the album, which is 2hrs 40mins instead of the standard album which is 40 mins. Overall a cool vibe, but not my style at all.
picture book tantanananantnanantna this along with something else and face to face is the gold of kinks. village green being the more solid one out of all 3.
mellow, good vibrations, sophisticated and progressive sound effects. i like it!
Sounds very much like The Beatles
I didn't enjoy this Kinks album as much as Arthur. This one sounded a lot like the Beatles but without the charm.
This is a great album right here. I was pretty excited to listen to this one since The Kinks are a band that I've actually heard of. And you know what? For my first time listening to their music, they did not disappoint at all. "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" is not only an extremely influential album, but a really good one as well. While this certainly isn't the first concept album ever made, this was one of the early great examples of what a concept album can be. Most songs on this album focus on the theme of nostalgia and preserving memories. This is very evident with the songs, but fortunately, they don't all feel the same because of it. These songs are quite distinct in terms of both sound and lyrics. Both of those aspects, by the way, are great. I like the varied instrument usage throughout this album, even if quite a few of those instruments were actually just a mellotron. The writing is also quite varied. There are a few songs in the second half that don't really fit the theming and are a bit weaker than the other songs, but that doesn't really detract from the experience much. The sheer influence of this album is hard to understate. This band and album influenced so many other iconic bands and songs that in turn would be super influential on their own. It was kind of funny to find out that the opening of Mr. Blue Sky was practically copied and pasted from a song off of this album. Overall, this is a great album that absolutely deserves its place as one of the top 1001 albums to listen to before you die. 5/5.
3/5
- I am familiar with the Kinks and have previously listened to a few of their songs including the titular song on the album 'We Are the Village Green Preservation Society'. This was the first time that I had listened to the album all the way through. I enjoyed the fairly upbeat nature of the album which got surprisingly sinister?toward the end. It is a much longer album than I would normally listen to in full but I enjoyed and would listen again.
It was alright
Comenzaron cuando yo nací. Veo cosas que después encontraría en otros grupos
Great
admittedly, this is one of my favorite albums of all time going into this so i am really biased. this album is perfect from front to back! one of the pinnacles of ray davies' genius :)
Okay.
Very 60s! I know some Kinks songs but not these ones. I like them though. Standout songs - Starstruck and Wicked Annabella.
Maybe this album has some historical importance that I am too young to grasp, but looking back from 2024 it seems generic. It isn't bad, precisely, just ordinary.
Eh. It's fine, I guess.
delightful
A classic that still sounds so cool. I really like it.
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
What a fun discovery. Loved almost every song.
It’s weird only ever hearing the popular tracks, there are some real oddball tracks in here but overall I dig it. 3/5
Although unique in some of its arrangements and definitely containing some eclectic pop sounds, the album as a whole doesn’t stand out for me. The album as a whole is pretty safe and stays well within the late 60’s musical pop sounds, ensuring that it will be accepted by reviewers. There are only one or two songs that I will likely visit again, including All of My Friends and Picture Book, but really little more can be found that cannot be found elsewhere in the late 60’s pop music. When put beside albums by otrher artists within a couple of years before or after, there are albums that stand out far more.
Have I heard of The Kinks? I think I have, but I'm not sure. This album cover is giving me Beatles vibes so that's the kind of sound I'm expecting. Okay yeah. This is what I was expecting. Track 2 is odd. Not a huge fan of that. Track 3 is really catchy. I don't understand the appeal of these kinds of vocals though. They are also all singing unison. This is the same issue I have with the Beatles lol. I don't know if I'm just dumb or what, but most of these songs don't make sense to me. Mmmkay track 6 is not my favorite. I have been enjoying the melodies so far though. The piano on track 7 is giving ragtime vibes. Not mad at that. Oh wait, now it's started to go off the rails. Hang on...did "Bittersweet Symphony" sample track 8?? I love the flutes in the beginning of track 11. Reminds me of an old Disney movie. Turns out, that's all I like about that track. 3/5 I don't listen to this genre much, basically because I'm not a huge fan of the vocal style. While I found many of these songs to be a bit weird, I did have fun listening.
Not sure if it's copying or influencing but it sounds very familiar despite only having heard maybe one song on it.
Excellent album and sound but nothing really stood out to me as exceptional
A decent album, but very of its time. The primitive production and tinny sounding instruments date this album a lot, and sonically has not aged as well as some other 60s albums. That being said, there is very little to actively dislike on this album, it still has some fun grooves that were rather enjoyable to hear.
naja
No, not for me at all!
4/5 ça se laisse écouter
Fairly diverse range, light listen for a nice day out in the summer.
Got the Stereo version of the album. Loved the natural sound of the instruments that give a feeling of an honest (and 60s) record. Sounds to me like a mix between the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Nice album!
Fun and silly! I liked it.
Not sure if I liked this better than Arthur! Still quite nice.
Not bad but will probably not listen again
It’s not really my style
Ihan kiva, aika lailla parasta Kinksiä kokonaisuutena, ainakin mitä olen kuullut ja jos multa kysytään. On nimittäin kokonaisuus, vaikka ajan hengen mukaisesti käydään vähän ”orientaalisissa” ja keskiaikaisissa tunnelmissa (ilahduttavasti molemmissa niin, ettei tule sekava olo) mutta sopivan pienesti (ei silkkaa sitaria ja psykedeliaa).
Taas retroaktiivista protoparodiaa, joka sisältää hyviä hetkiä, mutta on silti sitä, mitä parodioi. Biisit, joiden nimessä ovat sanat "Village Green", ovat musiikillisesti mieleenpainuvimpia, mutta lyyrisesti koettelevat huumorintajua.
Musically, not my favorite, but will need a few more listens where I really pay attention to the lyrics.
Classic
It is good.
Love The Kinks, and really love this fascinating, beautiful album. Is it perfect? No, not from first to last (I'm not here for Phenomenal Cat, for one thing, and the album does drop off in the final third). Is it a 5 star album? Crikey, yes.
Several of the songs are very Beatle-esque, which I didn’t expect. I love the Beatles so that endears me to their sound. But, it begs the question- how much of this album is simply mimicking popular sounds of the times? Hmm. Enjoyed it regardless. 3.2
I don't know much about The Kinks -- if I did, I might appreciate this more. Some songs were decent, but the majority is standard psychedelic pop. Doesn't do a whole lot for me. 3.3
Yellow submarine extended.
Good old Ray Davies
I really enjoyed this album some songs I have heard before but didn't know which album they had come from. It has an overall sound similar to the song Days which I have always liked. Good choice good variety of music on this album I will listen to it again
It was ok, not a big fan of the Kinks
Possible muse for Jack Johnson?
Hard to believe this album failed to chart on release.
kinks are cool
Always loved this album. None of their hits but just a very cool album. Not like anything else that was coming out in 1968.
Amazing
Early Beatles Like
I went back and forth, but I know some of it was really good.
☆民俗、鄉村音樂 love:Last of the Steamed-Powered Trains
Hated it
Typical Kinks. fine ...
Solid retro rock album with a distinct sound.
It’s nice no cap it’s like when I be kinda jolly no cap like kinda foresty camp tree ahh vibe
Too much Beatles-style.
Not bad, but feels a little like Kirkland Signature Sgt. Pepper's.
One of my favorite albums. Nothing but great pop songs with memorable melodies, and each song has its own personality and character. I also love that the songs are tied together by the theme of nostalgia. On some songs, lead singer/songwriter Ray Davies satirizes the way we look back on the past with rose-colored glasses. Other times I think he's being pretty genuine and earnest. It's an idea I connect with. On one hand, nostalgia is a powerful, personal thing. It's one of the things that makes us human. But we can also get a little carried away with it as a society. The title track is excellent and functions as a great opening thesis for the idea of the album. And "Picture Book" is a classic. One of the band's catchiest songs. Can you believe that "People Take Pictures of Each Other" was written over 50 years ago, well before the days of smartphones, selfies and Instagram? The song resonates now more than ever. Funny to think that Ray Davies saw this annoying quality in people even back in the 60's. I've been thinking about this sort of idea lately -- how people always complain about the present day and imagine the past to be better. 'Kids these days' are always worse than kids in the past. Technology is always ruining society. But I don't buy that. I think people would have said the same thing 20, 50, or 100 years ago. So is the world really getting worse or is complaining about the present just a thing people always do? Honestly, the whole album gets at that idea but it does so with bright, playful songs. Always a pleasure to put this album on and today it also got me thinking.
The Kinks are a band I never really listened to for some reason. I think maybe it's because when I've wanted to hear this sort of sound I would have more easily just put on The Beatles. I can tell that there's depth here and more to just a single listen so I can't rate it too hard off of that, but at the same time I'm not grabbed by too much from this first full listen. I know there's more! There has to be. Unfortunately the record just sort of flew by. I'm giving it a 3 but predicting a 4 in the future.
On the verge of annoying, and I can’t say I really enjoyed this album. I was considering giving it a 2, but there’s enough charm and earnestness to bump it up at least half a star.
It is questionable whether this album belongs on the list, given that it is supposed to cover the history of music in general, not the history of The Kinks. But I like the elaborate instrumentation of the '60s (today, a rock band just needs a guitar, bass, and drums, and everything else is electronic), and I enjoy their sense of humor, even if it is a bit naive from a modern standpoint. Plus, the lyrics to some of the songs actually have an interesting premise.
What a band.
Reading about The Kinks trajectory of being blackmailed from touring in the US in the early part of the British Invasion and subsequently leaning into being more specifically English because they had lost their international audience was kind of an interesting story. But this album is the outcome of that and I did not like it.
Better than the last one but still some real questionable stuff in here
I generally really enjoy this era and style of British Invasion rock. The kinks have always been a favorite of mine, managing to be somewhere between The Who and The Beatles in a way that really works for me.
I liked the variety of music, but some of the songs were a little too jaunty for my taste. I didn’t love the singer’s voice either.
gun to my head i would have told you picture book was a beatles song. i think i was mixing it up with paperback writer
I like the kinks! 3.5 because I'm taking -.5 for too much 70s-ish british music
2.5 stars, rounded up for Phenomenal Cat
Brilliant!
Solidan
Far too 60’s for me. Not a sound/vibe a like. Three tracks is enough.
Delightful though decidedly dated.
Another classic!
Having only heard they're big hits. This was a feel good dive into other songs. Enjoyed it.
Ordinary pop rock. 2 stars.
This was very nice, much better than the few Kinks hits I knew already, and when it ended I wanted more. Stand-out: The Village Green Preservation Society
Fun. I know the Kinks sound, but none of these songs. Picture Book is a good one.
"The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society" is the sixth studio album by English rock band the Kinks. Pop, rock, baroque pop and folk-pop are the main genres with influences of musichall, folk, blues, calypso and pychedelic. It was thought of as an early concept album with a collection of character studies and based on Dylan Thomas' "Under Milk Wood" with themes of nostalgia, memory and preservation. It took the Kinks from pop hitmakers to a favored cult band. The album failed to initially chart but with reissues became their best selling album in the UK. It was also widely lauded by critics. The album begins with a simple pop song "The Village Green Preservation Society." Guitar, harmonization and piano. Lead singer Ray Davies singing about preserving things from England's past. Ray is flipping through a picture book in "Picture Book." A catchy hook with bass, guitar and vocals. So, catchy I thought I had turned on Green Day's "Warning." I believe there was a law suit there. "Big Sky" starts out with guitars, backing vocals and great rolling drums. Someone is looking down on people. Is it God? The second side begins with the wonderful "Animal Farm." Where has this been all my life? The songs starts out a lot like the Beatles' "Lovely Rita" then goes baroque. Guitar, piano and string arrangements. Great musical chorus with the guitar and piano. Anti-urban commentary. The songs take a weirder turn towards the secind half of the second side. Not unwanted. "Phenomal Cat" tells the story of a flying cat who visited exotic places. It starts out with a flute. Dave Davies' as the cat's voice. They go pschedelic in "Wicked Annabella." Drums lead to a charging guitar. Dave Davies on lead vocals as he tells the story of a witch warning the children to stay in their beds and out of the woods. He whispers. The band goes full out pyschdelic at the end....appropriately. This is a fantastic album. The flow of different songs really works. The story telling is interesting. The music is varied with tons of hooks and catchy choruses. All the instruments stand out at different times. It's very influential and you can hear it in a number of 1980 and 1990 songs. An album everyone need to listen to.
„You really got me” is iconic for a reason! Nothing in this album beats it, but it’s still pretty solid.