The Village Green Preservation Society

Since everyone's weighing in, I think I'm more of an 'Arthur' kinda guy. Village Green is pretty great though. The Kinks are pretty great.

I liked it

Mjög næs plata sem ég er búinn að hlusta vandræðalega oft á núna. Byrjaði í fjarka en er nú komin í fimmu. Lögin eru ekki öll jafn skemmtileg en þetta er bara svo næs hljóðheimur og það sem er gott er virkilega gott. Gaman.

I am not sure which The Kinks album Mr Gray was listening to when he faked his brother's suicide, but i could very well believe it was this one

I listened to this album on my drive to work in advance of a very long shift with overtime hours, having just watched a video about unconventional storytelling and the art it allows you to create. Even though I had already heard one album from The Kinks on this list, I still came into this album without much in the way of expectations. The title immediately gave me the vibe that this would be somewhat of a concept album, and my preliminary research confirmed that suspicion, with The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society cited as an early example of the concept. In as praising of a way as possible, this album immediately reminded me of The Beatles, but that's not where the band's ambitions rested. The gentle and natural sound of the music here went hand-in-hand with its themes of preservation and social conservatism, a very delicate balance to strike. There were also a handful of songs which kept starting with riffs that I thought I had heard before (specifically Mr. Blue Sky and Smokestack Lightnin'), and while timelines make the Mr. Blue Sky similarity nothing but a coincidence, this sense of vague familiarity actually felt like it tied into the albums' idea of preserving what's old and trying to maintain it; this connection was only made even stronger when I found out that the Smokestack Lightnin' reference was intentional! This album was full of incredibly catchy songwriting between the riffs and the vocal performances, with impeccably catchy hooks all over the project. Similar to some other grand concept rock albums around this time, a handful of songs right near the end hit just a little less than the rest of the tracklist, but that does little to weaken the strength of this album as a whole. Highlights: The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Johnny Thunder, The Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Big Sky, Sitting by the Riverside, Animal Farm, Village Green, Starstruck, All of My Friends Were There, People Take Pictures of Each Other

Poppy, need to relisten

Ray Davies is one of my favorite songwriters, and this album is a great example of why. He is equally adept at music and lyrics, and mixes nostalgia with cynicism in a way that I find really unique and relatable. My one gripe as a big Kinks fan is that I think they were never as well produced as their contemporaries like The Beatles, The Who, The Beach Boys, etc. But the songs themselves put them in that tier, while also able to do their own thing. Lot of great tunes on this one - the opener, "Days", "Village Green", "Picture Book", "Starstruck"....its an OG concept album of sorts too. 5 stars

feels like the music id make with my friends on an unemployed streak. amazing

Super leuk

Enjoyed that. Like a mashup of the Beatles, The Who, and maybe beach boy vibes?

This is a weirdly wholesome and fun experience, sure, they may not be The Beach Boys in terms of Baroque Pop, but this album certainly has a nice relaxing, lush, and fun sound to it. This is definitely my favorite Kinks album even if they have songs better than this album’s best. It holds together really well and is AGGRESSIVELY British, like blatantly obviously. And in all the best ways possible too. This feels like a trip to the English countryside in the form of an album and honestly, much like those trips can be, it’s bliss.

such a great album

some of the most all time goofy/cheesy 60's lyrics of all time but the album itself is so good that it just works. A little english psychedelia, a little folk rock, super catchy and just good songs all over it. Weird concept in a good way.

considered to be an early example of a modern concept album, the kink's sixth album takes listeners to the village green preservation society, an eclectic field somewhere in the uk where the most precious memories are kept in glass boxes. this album was a very entertaining listen! their past albums are much more rock-focused, while this one is much more poppy and softer on the eardrums with heavy nostalgia-theming, very classy and quite british melodic lyrics and more than enough tracks for the average listener to pick a favorite or two, it's not surprising as to why many musicheads like this album a lot... it's an album that treasures even the most ordinary of memories. it's an album where you really want to sit down and listen to the whole thing.

Love the Kinks, was lucky enough to see Ray Davies play at Victorious festival in Portsmouth

Sometimes, I worry that I'm letting long held biases affect how I listen to albums on here: before starting the project, I wasn't particularly fond of Prince, The Rolling Stones, or Bruce Springsteen, and the albums I've gotten by them have only confirmed that. But the Kinks prove that I can totally change how I feel about certain artists. I wrote about this for "Arthur..." when I first had my 180 on The Kinks. Since then, I've fallen in love with their particular brand of songwriting, humor, and Britishness. They don't have the polish of The Beatles, but that roughness is great. They don't have the power of The Who, but the mundanity they write about is great. You can hear the underpinnings of punk and Britpop in their music. The Village Green Preservation Society is a perfect encapsulation of what makes The Kinks wonderful. I've listened to it four times through since I received the album yesterday. "Picture Book" is a new favorite song too. Love it!

Awesomeness

This kinda make me think of the Beatles This is a very happy album This was great

My experience of the Kinks is pretty limited. I really enjoyed this album. There's a playfulness and lightness about the album that made it really enjoyable.

I've had three Kinks albums now, and honestly Arthur and Village Green are absolutely fantastic creations. Genuinely these albums shine as a whole above most Beatles albums, lyrically and musically intelligent, varied and catchy too. Not sure if I've got any more coming but happy to if they are at this standard.

The Kinks have a really consistent discography, and this sure is part of it. There's an overarching theme, yet every song here is single worthy in its own right. The Kinks are just really good and consistent while making their own special niche of music that can't really be replicated by other bands.

I really enjoyed it, every song was amazing!!!!

one of the best to ever do it. an absolute tour de force of songwriting from front to back. a tribute to nostalgia and how you can look back as much as you want, but you can never go back to the past. The Kinks knew how to write a good pop song and no album of theirs showcases this better.

God Save the Kings. My second favorite album from my favorite band. The first is Arthur. Each song has interesting lyrics that are often depictions of run-of-the-mill concepts and ideas written poetically and elevated by some great melodies and harmonies. A view of a specific slice of British life. Can never recommend this album strongly enough.

Kinks have a style all their own and continue to earn the kudos that comes their way.

I mean, its just awesome, isn't it? Its so charming and cozy and weird and a little creepy and SOOOOO English and kind of psychedelic but not really? I loved this one as much as I have the past few times. Standout Tracks: Like, all of them except like, Animal Farm kinda sucks 4.5

We are the Village Green Preservation Society God save Picture Book, Monica and Big Sky-ity We are the Ray Davies Appreciation Society God save alt-rock and Merry England anxieties

A splendid little album

Great band, great album

Phenomenal album, fun and interesting. Definitely an influential album, really stands out among the other British Invasion slop that was pumped out. I even listened thru twice!

15 cancioncitas sobre tus tíxs panistas (tengo un recuerdo super vívido de estar escuchando este disco en una playlist de youtube a los 16 en la sala de abordar del aeropuerto antes de mi primer viaje sola en avión. no sé si era la primera vez que lo escuchaba o no, pero recuerdo específicamente cuando llegué a big sky, y no sé si es la armonía, el riff (el mejor riff del disco y uno de los mejores riffs de davies, uno de los mejores escritores de riffs) o lo directo de los pasajes hablados después de cinco canciones tan melódicas (me encanta la simetría de la primera línea, big sky looked down on all the people looking up at the big sky, tiene algo desconcertante repetir big sky en vez de usar un pronombre, es sujeto y objeto del objeto, es personificación (o deificación) y a la vez no) pero me causó una impresión que todavía siento cuando la escucho, como un tironcito en el alma. igual ese fue un momento particular en una época muy cargada de emociones, y no lo digo de mamada, pero en retrospectiva esa rola ha de ser al menos parcialmente responsable de mi eventual desilusión religiosa. enormes los kinks)

I unexpectedly like it.

outro 5/5 imediato

Review - so much better than I'd expected. Never listened to a full Kinks album despite always liking their music. They're not so much an album band as a singles band, but this was their first crack at a real cohesive album and it's great. Almost every track is a banger. And even when they start and seem a bit hokey (like the steam train one), if you leave it long enough there's always a musical or lyrical twist that makes it work. Great album. Rating - 9.5/10 Need to hear? YES

This is one of my favorite albums. Practically perfect.

Brilliant album. Obviously not a big hit at the time. For 1968 it was a bit of an outlier - leaning on nostalgia and English folk sentiments. An incredible range of songs from a genius song writer. Too many favourites to choose from.

Si alguien quiere saber de donde sacaba la inspiración Blur y el resto de bandas del britpop ya tiene la respuesta. Mucha gente incluso pone a The Kinks por encima de The Beatles en lo que se refiere a la influencia en la música pop posterior. Lo cierto es que nadie puede sentirse defraudado con este álbum, que no contiene grandes hits pero hace gala de una cohesión y una riqueza de estilos que pasan por el music hall, folk, blues, psicodelia o el calypso. Ray Davis realmente logró un álbum redondo con una banda que todavía hoy sigue siendo infravalorada.

Fucking legendary

i love the beatles

Just a thoroughly enjoyable bit of 60s pop that I hadn’t heard before. The Kinks are a solidly underrated band.

This is why I enjoy 1001 so much! Heard the title track and people say "great album", and never would have thought to give it a go. :) It felt sad and nostalgic, in a way that maybe gets more heavy as the album ages, as there's two layers of nostalgia? Wow, and I could hear 90s Britpop all over this album too, so that was neat. :)

Spectacular from start to finish. One of the most generous albums ever made.

Another classic from the golden period of rock, the 60s Favorite track: picture book other picks: animal farm, village preservation society, do you remember walter

Every time I hear this album I’m in paradise.

Ray Davies was always one for a bit of nostalgia, and The Village Green Preservation Society is peak nostalgia for an England that Davies most likely plucked from his imagination. Wherever Davies found his inspiration, the results were heady stuff indeed - but not a huge success when it was released. Probably because songs about Mum and Dad’s photo albums and steam trains weren’t quite the thing at the time - at the height of multi-coloured psychedelia, The Kinks were soaking their songs in tea-stained sepia. It matters not a whit. The Village Green Preservation Society is a wonderful collection of songs; its charms are timeless and thoroughly rejects a modernity based on pie-crust promises – a Mary Poppins reference there for the cool kids. Top tracks: the title track obviously, plus “Picture Book”, “Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains”, “Big Sky”, “Village Green”, etc. etc. etc. 10/10

Love the kinks

I thought if the Kinks as one of those bands where I liked the singles but not the rest. But this is really good despite not having anything as catchy as their hits. The style is pretty variable, often touching on things I usually find pretentious (baroque rock), but here they manage to make it work. Impressive effort

5* for me, love the Kinks' songwriting - every song here is 4* + and around 10 of them are 5* songs. The record also has great theming/cohesion and gets bonus points for being a quirky British record overtly criticising Britishness (lightly although very clear thematically, Arthur is the more obviously critical record of the two)

My favorite Kinks album loaded with songs that show how great a songwriter Ray Davies is. I first got to know the Kinks through their late 70's, early 80's albums when they were arena rock stars. So to discover this one, which was recorded in the midst of their most creative period, was a revelation. Incredibly melodic, nostalgic, and yearning for a simpler, more meaningful time that may never have been. My favorites are the title track, "Picture Book," "Do You Remember Walter?," "People Take Pictures of Each Other"....actually, they're all good. I especially love the weirder songs toward the end like "Phenomenal Cat" and "Arabella." I put this album right there along with the best of the 60's. Of course, they followed it up with "Arthur," so the later period Kinks was something special.

The Kinks by now have established that they are pretty much master songwriters and performers, with a hefty collection of hit records and timeless classics under their belt, their 6th record is probably their best of the bunch even if it didn't do well upon initial release. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is a concept record about recalling the good ol' days of old British culture and ways of living before modernization and Americanization of their ways of life. The title track is essentially this record's mission statement on that front, declaring all of the "British" things that they still want to hold on to and to preserve. Village Greens being the main focus, for those who are not familiar, Village Greens were communal parks and areas where the village could gather to socialize or relax. These became less common as Britain became more and more modern. The record itself is a wonderful batch of the catchiest pop music you will ever hear from this period. Ray Davies has managed to come up with a sound and way of playing that perfectly evokes the sense of nostalgia in not just the lyrics but in the music as well. Each song tells a tale relating to the old ways, whether it be legendary icons (Johnny Thunder, Monica, Wicked Annabell) or looking back on memories (Picture Book, People Take Pictures of Each Other, Village Green) there's a wistful yet happy nature to the songs. Refreshingly pleasant I might add, as I am used to nostalgic tunes having an air bittersweet melancholy, these tunes all have a nice optimistic pleasantry to them which I find wonderful. The first half of this record is spectacular with one great song after the other, while I felt the second half wasn't as stand out in comparison, and the finishing track wasn't very climactic or conclusive either. In a way though, this almost works to the album's benefit I feel. Even if the material isn't as strong on it's own, when listening all together the atmosphere created by side A continues on into Side B and helps keep the sense of longing and wonderment, and the last song just begs you to start the album again right as it's over. This is probably my favorite Kinks record, it's just so cheerfully pleasant and makes me nostalgic for things that were never really relevant to me to begin with. When something like that happens you know that this is something special.

This is my favorite Kinks album, and I love at least 3 of their albums as some of the greatest rock (especially British Rock) albums of all time. This album was so influential to so many things that came after, especially Brit Rock, but even American rock. It's a very special album that stands up against "Pet Sound" and "Sgt Pepper's" and others of that ilk!

A really remarkable album, reminded me of Beatles and classic 60s pop with more evocative lyrics and incredible vocal hooks. "Do You Remember Walter" and "Picture Book" are particular highlights

music is love

This is an all time great for me. It makes me pine for my childhood, growing up in 1950s England.

I've had a friend that's urged me to listen to The Kinks for years, and now I see why. The Village Green Preservation Society is a really great blend of 60's British pop rock and folk. The folk doesn't really take shape until the second half of the album, but when it does, it's really amazing. Some beautiful songwriting that I wouldn't have expected out of a "Beatles but better" as I've heard some people online call them. Out of that part of the album, I really enjoyed "Village Green". It was at that point when I realized that this album deserves a 5. That's not to mean that the first part of the album is bad, it's pretty good, but doesn't really do much in terms of innovation. It just mainly refines the already existing pop rock sound of the time. Out of that portion, I enjoyed "The Village Green Preservation Society" the most. Favorite Song: "Village Green"

Шестидесятые на солнечно-чилловых вайбах, бесконечное лето любви

MUY BUENO

literalmente el mejor álbum de la historia

Any day I get to listen to the Kinks is a good day. They are one of the most underrated bands of the British invasion. They were ahead of their time in so many ways, and this album is brilliant.

I love these guys but hadn't heard anything on here before. Very sweet.

Good one

super fun! sounds like a walk in the park and comes from a wonderful time period for music. the 2018 remaster makes everything sound larger than life.

Наконец-то выпали одни из моих любимцев. Интересно, сколько их альбомов будет в этом списке, так как этот далеко не единственный культурно значимый. Но точно один из лучших, вышедший в разгар их пикового периода, когда они уже переросли быстро устаревающий рок-н-ролл, но еще не стали лепить не очень заходящие мне концептуальные альбомы. К этому моменту они не просто отошли от американского рок-н-ролла, а с головой ушли в возрождение британских традиций в музыке. Как раз в этом альбоме основная тема - ответ на глобализацию и усилившееся влияние Америки и Европы на британскую культуру. И отвечают они типично британскими мелодиями, присущей поп-музыке структурой и барок-поп аранжировками, нередко с добавлением характерных классических инструментов типа клавесина или тамбурина. Результатом стала музыка, настолько опередившая время, что только через 20 лет эту концепцию подхватит ряд групп, которых условно объединят в волну под названием брит-поп. Влияние The Kinks на все эти группы действительно сложно переоценить. Что же до наполнения альбома, группа действительно была в творческом пике и выдавала неиссякаемый поток великолепных цепляющих мелодий и запоминающихся текстов. Правда, во всех альбомах The Kinks хватает филлеров, с этим нужно смириться, но при этом каждая их запись - набор уникальных, не банальных и не повторяющихся мелодий, где каждый может найти что-то для себя. Таким образом, их альбомы лучше воспринимать не как цельные произведения, а как источник качественного пополнения плейлистов. Лично мои кандидаты из этого альбома - Animal Farm, Village Green, Starstruck, All of My Friends Were There, Monica, People Take Pictures of Each Other, и, конечно, Picture Book - одна из лучших песен группы их раннего периода. Как только ее слышу - "скуби-дуби-ду" не выходит из головы еще несколько часов) А ведь есть еще делюкс издание - они действительно были настолько в форме, что материала хватило на 3 диска, пусть и с повторением, при этом многие даже не влезшие в основной трек-лист композиции не менее хороши. Если слушали обычное издание - рекомендую также заценить Misty Water, Wonderboy и Where Did My Spring Go? Так что, пусть альбом и не ровный, но здесь столько приятного и интересного, сколько не наберется во многих ровных. А еще это группа, в которой братья долгое время играли и творили вместе и не ссорились. Поучиться бы кое-кому)

Бэстики

Очень удачно этот альбом попал под настроение. После того, как прочитала про его концепцию, вообще осталась в восторге. Словила немного моего любимого midsommar вайба

This is the Kinks I know and love.

such a great time. the voice behind Kinks lyrics is so impressive and elegant to me always. evocative in exactly the way you dream of. I already know and love the song "Picture Book", but the new highlights for me were the opener, "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains", and "Village Green". Just filled top to bottom with jammers. What more can you ask for! If the other albums are even better as several say, then this might be an all timer band for me.

Not my favorite Kinks album but one that I do still think is all in all pretty delightful

Absolutely fantastic, love me some baroque pop

Less nostalgic and more a meditation in nostalgia itself

Never listened before - listened twice!

The standard issue with this generation of british boy bands is that they do funky annoying quirky songs that make the album totally unlistenable (@ the monkeys). But even when the Kinks try their funky shit, it's still listenable - All of My Friends Were There and Monica still have some nice elements and are pretty decent for the worst songs on the album. I really enjoy this album, it's uplifting and poppy. 4.5 rounded up bc it's been a while since I threw a 5 out.

So many reviews call this album “quintessentially English”, “charming”, “gleefully nostalgic” JFC PEOPLE - THEY’RE BEING SARCASTIC. IT’S SATIRE. (It is, isn’t it? I think? Maybe?) ‘God save little shops, china cups and virginity’ OF COURSE IT’S SATIRE. Beware weaponised nostalgia. Politicians lie. If you think it’s shit now, the ‘good old days’ were worse. Except for the music. That was definitely better.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Masterpiece - A masterclass in songwriting. I love everything about this album.

I think this is what I wanted Sgt. Pepper to sound like!

nose

Honestly I loved this album!! So fun and groovy

Already a fan of kinks and this album is one of their best.

My fave kinks album

Wish I'd known of this album back in the 80s when I had dubbed copies of "All Day and All of the Night" and "You Really Got Me" and some other singles. This is amazing.

You know, that was a fun ride

Proof if proof were needed that “everything was better in the old days and why are people taking so many photos all the time?” aren’t new complaints. And the songs are really great too - Starstruck is now firmly stuck in my head.

Love it. I was not familiar with this particular album and enjoyed not only the music itself, but hearing all of the elements that influenced some of my favorite bands, especially Belle and Sebastian. Favorite tracks were the title track, "Animal Farm," "Village Green," and "People Take Pictures of Each Other."

Pop, rock, baroque pop, folk-pop.

Absolutely genius. Beatles copy but it works

💃💃💃💃🕺

an exceptional addition to an underappreciated band’s underrated discography. the kinks have unfairly lived in the beatles shadow, as most of the band’s similarities hinge on them both being a few mop-topped brits from the 60s. village green is such a uniquely british album, drawing from english characters, communities, and sentiments encountered by ray davies. i think music this grounded in english culture was never going to take off in the states, even if it sounded this good. while the beatles wrote accessible, yet (mostly) intelligent pop/rock songs throughout their career, the kinks leaned into theatric, almost whimsical tunes that could only be truly understood and appreciated by the brits. now, pair this with their disasterous 1965 US tour, which barred them from playing in the states, and you can understand why bands like the beatles, the who, and the stones left the kinks in the dust during the british invasion. it’s a real shame this album flopped upon release, and had to be “rediscovered.” the wit, humour, and character-driven lyricism of ray davies makes him one of the most unique and, to me, interesting songwriters of the 60s. each song is solid, and wonderfully connects together to form this concept of preserving british culture. this record is proof that the kinks deserved better, and didn’g quite reach the heights they were truly capable of.

Love this album.

I'm contractually obligated to give this album 5 stars. 2 years after this album, and one year after stonewall they drop a trans anthem. The big sky is amazing. Much more tight and less buzzy than other rock albums of the time, all while maintaining a rambling and psychedelic vibe. Totally radical dude.

I love this album. The songwriting is amazing, but it's still easy to jam to and makes you want to dance. To be able to do both of those is iconic. The Kinks weren't trying to be "cool" but just music they genuinely love and that shines through each song. I also love that Ray Davies produced this, so he had full control over how the music was shared. My favorite lyrics are “This world is big and wild and half insane.”

02/01/2026 1. the village green preservation society - nice intro. like the bass. the organ? in the back is lovely. very twee. *2. do you remember walter? - piano and drums at the start are great. bass is really nice as well. oooh. the chorus is reallllly nice. the guitar is great. lyrics are reallllly fantastic. love ray davies' voice. *3. picture book - the guitar and bass together <33 looooove the kinks. the singing at the end is great. loving the nostalgic feeling through these songs.... marring of past/present/future..... 4. johnny thunder - did johnny thunders get his name from this song? love it. love ray davies' voice..... *5. last of the steam-powered trains - immediately more electric. harmonica? more bluesy....... lovee it. loving the energy on this one. tempo change! all of the instruments are sooooooo goooood............ *6. big sky - oooooo. more psychadelic. spoken word!! the guitar in this is incredible!! the lyrics are great!!! just got to the quiet part..... so tender. the bass is sooooo good. aaaahgh!!! this is one of the best things i've ever listened to!!!!! *7. sitting by the riverside - great piano. immediately very jaunty. reallllly love his singing <3 lovely lyrics.... kinda sinister build up in the middle? really loving it...... sounds kinda french? vibes-wise?? don't know entirely why..... oooh. nice ending. 8. animal farm - bass is great. bit rockier.... reallly sweet chorus..... *9. village green - harpischord? very baroque... lyrics are very romantic, very blakeian. the descending sound in the chorus is great.... past/present/modernity/staleness..... *10. starstruck - the guitar and piano are sooooo nice.... the violins are soooo nice... baroque pop..... beautiful.... *11. phenomenal cat - different sound immediately. drums are really nice. fairytale-ish.... guitar and bass are great. what are the pitched up vocals..... not sure how i feel about them.... very alvin and the chipmunks.... bigmouth strikes again.... *12. all of my friends were there - very up and down..... vaudeville..... really sweet chorus. lyrics are so lovely <3 love the acoustic guitar.... bass is reallly phenomenal :) *13. wicked annabella - great intro!!! the drums are great!! ooooooohhh. the guitar...... the bass.... the vocals....... the effect on the vocals is great!! the lyrics are so fun and so great!!!! the ending..... 14. monica - samba-esque.... oh my gooodddd just got to the chorus!!!! 15. people take pictures of each other - very twee again. lyrics are reallllly nice. instruments are all great again!! really loved this one. already love the kinks (my dad is a fan of british invasion rock, so i listened to a lot of them growing up - sunny afternoon was always my favourite to listen to in the car). realllllly phenomenal songs! what more do you need??

I could have sworn this album had already come up. For some reason I’ve listened to this album since starting doing this. I just think this is perfect

Super!

One of the greatest albums i've listened to conclude this year, and i will look foward as far their discography is concerned

9,5/10

This album is so damn good I almost willingly listened to the extra 45 tracks on the Super Mega Deluxe Edition. Damn shame the Davies brothers were the proto-Gallaghers and got themselves banned from playing in the US. By far the most under-rated British invasion-type band.

I really really enjoyed this album. It reminds me of the Beatles a lot but with something else sprinkled in there so it's unique. I love the voice of the singer it's so satisfying. Definitely will check out more of this band.

Pretty much perfect. If they had a better producer like George Martin this could have been up there with albums like sgt peppers

Scrapes a 5. So great

3 albums med The Kinks, alle super fede, alle meget forskellige fra hinanden

Perfect album!

Hell Yeah finally a good album

Have always liked The Kinks

I love Ray Davies and I love the Kinks. Not everyone will get this album but I like just about anything they do. He's writing is very whimsical and filled with humor. Definitely five stars

This has with time become my favorite Kinks album. It’s all very British and also poppy and universal.

Fantastic album from a fantastically underrated band.

Up The Kinks! What a run of albums they had. Kind of underrated in the midst of other great English bands, but they were definitely in a league of their own! Love this album so much.

kinky

good old '60's vibes

Ez chad music

1001 Albums Vol. 0006: The Village Green Preservation Society ============================================================ Introduction: Alright, I've got to start keeping these reviews more brief. It's taking me around quadruple the time it should to listen to these albums because of how much I'm writing. My last review had the excuse of being one of the best albums of all time, yet I don't think that this one will have the same. I wouldn't know though because I've literally never heard of it before. This is my first album from the 1960's. I've heard of The Kinks before, yet I have not heard a single song by them. From my research, I've been able to deduce that this album, released in November of 1968, manages to mix a variety of pop genres together. It particularly seems to focus heavily on baroque pop and folk pop. At the time, this was something that I believe that bigger acts like the Beatles had already done, yet I believe that the Beatles had moved onto a more psychedelic style at this time. I wouldn't know though since I haven't heard a single album of theirs in full yet. Anyway, this album did not sell well at the time of its release, yet it heavily praised by critics. It has been praised even more in the years following its release for being heavily influential, helping inspire many artists for years to come. It apparently inspired bands such as Green Day as well which sounds pretty surprising considering that this album is apparently big on folk pop. This album has sold over 100,000 records now, yet it was still a flop at the time of its release. Anyway, with that hopefully shorter introduction out of the way, let's get into my first album from the 1960's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 1: The Village Green Preservation Society - Starting off the album with the self-titled track. Well, I will say, this song is really, really good. I have heard a little of the Beatles, and I will say that this song gave off a really similar vibe that they give. Musically, there's a very overwhelming happy-go-lucky style to this song. The happy keyboard, the initial joining of voices, the clearly dated production, the "ooooo" of backup singers, the acoustic guitar being in the forefront of everything else besides the vocals, everything just screams happy-go-lucky. Like I mentioned, the production is very clearly dated, but I feel as if that only adds to the song in a weird way. I may find this level of production to be a good thing because of how similar this song sounds to Like A Rolling Stone, however. Nevertheless, I still like it. The added instrumentation, such as the keyboard kicking in full time at the beginning of the second verse, is extremely nice and keeps the entire song feeling fresh as well. As for the vocals, there isn't too much to write home about them. They're pretty generic all things considered. I can't name anyone off the top of my head, yet I feel as if I've probably heard a singer with an extremely similar voice before. The voice is still absolutely pleasant to listen to nonetheless. Lyrically, the song speaks of...a lot. Most lines in the verses simply name concepts, objects, characters, and ideas that were prominent in English life both before and during the 1960's. The chorus of the song seems to indicate a want to preserve the old elements of English life while welcoming the new ones as well. It has a very positive message that fits with the happy-go-lucky vibe of the song. It's an overall pretty positive and unique experience that just screams something you would hear out of rock in the 60's. That previous sentence couldn't describe this song any better. The Village Green Preservation Society Score: 10/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 2: Do You Remember Walter? - Firstly, I'll go ahead and say that this song is weaker than the first. Where the first felt very layered and grandiose, this song feels as if it relies a bit too much on a repetitive piano pattern to create the same happy-go-lucky feeling. Speaking of which, musically, this song gives off a very similar vibe as the last. Like I said, unlike the last song, this one relies much more on a repetitive and precise piano to create the same vibe. This isn't bad at all, it's good that an artist isn't trying to use the exact same instrumentation to create the same feeling, yet it does feel a bit lazy. It feels as if something a bit more inspiring could have been done. There is an echoing keyboard being played in the background of the repetitive piano, so it's not solely relying on a single instrument at least. The piano does kick off and many instruments play during the chorus as well. Nevertheless, I'm getting into a bit too much detail. This is only a small complaint I have with this song. This song has a much more fast tempo than than the previous. This is nice, there really isn't that much else to say about it. Vocally, the song is pretty much the same, yet the vocals don't sound as profound as on the previous. It almost sounded as if multiple people were singing at the same time on the previous while just the lead is singing on this one. Not bad at all though, just a bit of a missed opportunity. Lyrically, this song has a pretty simple meaning. It's given from the perspective of someone who has a friend named Walter. It seems as if our character is remembering the great times they had with this friend and is dreaming about what their friend is doing now as well. It seems as if Walter may have been a childhood friend as well given how ridiculous some of our character's memories are with them as well.This is honestly a pretty relatable message. I do find myself sometimes wondering what my friends from over a decade ago are doing now, where they are in the world now. I also like to imagine what they would look like now. This song has an exact line related to that idea too. This song covers pretty much everything I like to think of my lost friends. It's great. Do You Remember Walter? Score: 9/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Track 3: Picture Book - This is another great song. It tries less to create the nostalgic, happy-go-lucky feeling of the previous, and goes for what sounded like a more typical rock melody at the time of this album's release. Musically, it's not all that complex. I mean, the drums are nice and the guitar and bass in between lines is pretty groovy. I would go so far to say that the guitar and bass create an almost country-like sound in this song. The building of instrumentation from the release of the chorus back into the verses is pretty good too. Other than that, there isn't really much else to say about this songs music. The vocals are much similar to that of the first song. They have a very profound and pleasant tone to them. The backup singer's delivery of Picture Book in the chorus is nice too. Lyrically, the song has a pretty simple yet effective meaning. It describes the many memories that can be found in an picture book. There are memories that you might not even be aware of or were alive for in there. It's an extremely good concept that ties into the album's overall theme of time, cultural progression, and the want to return to a simpler lifestyle. It's a great song. It's enjoyable and is a really nice listen. Picture Book Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 4: Johnny Thunder - This is another pretty good track. I consider it to be the weakest we've heard so far, yet it is still extremely enjoyable. Musically, it is pretty similar to the other songs we've heard so far. It has a pretty simple melody which consists of an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, subdued drums, and so on. Speaking of which, the only other notable thing about this song's melody is its pretty clever use of instrumentation to mask any drumming. I'm 90% sure there's drumming in this song, yet it's done in just a way that the crescendo of other instruments masks it in both the chorus and the verses. Pretty nice. Vocally, this song sees the return of the more subdued style of the second track. The vocals feel a bit different than the first three tracks, however. They have a slightly rebellious tone tot them if that makes any sense. Lyrically, this song is pretty good. It describes someone by the assumed name of Johnny Thunder. This person constantly lives against society's norms. There isn't really much else to say besides that. One critique that I do have with this song's lyrics is the very generic ba ba ba ba of the chorus. There is a very smooth guitar to go along with the ba ba ba, yet it is still very uninspired. Other than that small complaint, I find this song to be extremely good. Johnny Thunder Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 5: Last of the Steam-Powered Trains - Dang, this song just screams rock out of the late 60's in pretty much every aspect. The combination of vocals at the chorus, the kick-ass drums, the kick-ass guitars, the groovy bass, the combination of the electric guitar with the harmonicas. Yeah, this song is musically great and very catchy. It has a very progressive melody as well that feels like it is constantly having some element added to it. The buildup of every element of this song at its bridge which progresses into a faster and faster pace is amazing as well. The vocals on this song remind me a lot of Bob Dylan. They have a very rough edge to them that feels oddly intentional. I mean, that pretty much perfectly sums up what Bob Dylan sounds like as well, right? They definitely do sound a bit better than Dylan's vocals, yet I could honestly see someone thinking that this is Dylan singing this song if they were to not have listened to anything from his electric era for awhile. Anyway, this song's weakest point in my opinion is its lyrics. They have the same overarching theme as the previous songs, yet that theme is compared to the idea of a steam-powered train, specifically the idea that there is one steam train left in the world. Yes, I know that a steam-powered train is a very old concept, so it fits well with theme of the passage of time and societal changes, yet it just feels a bit too old. I mean, the last few songs, despite sounding extremely old, still felt a bit timeless in the topics they covered. This song's lyrics alone just make the song itself feel old. I know it is quite literally pushing sixty years, yet that's beside my point. Anyway, this meaning combines well with the song's sound, yet I still consider it to be the weakest off of the album. It's still a kick-ass rock song, so of course I'm going to give it a respectable score Last of the Steam-Powered Trains Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 6: Big Sky - Well, I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this song. I know that many consider it to be one of the best off the album, but I just don't see it. I still absolutely consider it to be good and well-written, but I would actually go as far as to call it the weakest off the album so far. Musically, it doesn't really introduce anything new at all. I will say, however, the quick switch between verses, transition, and chorus is an extremely nice dynamic the song has. The vocals on this song are pretty decent as well. Like with many songs off this album, the backup singers are present in some way to add either "oo" or "aa" to add to the happy nature of the song. I don't know if this will be a controversial statement or not, but I honestly don't ever like when a singer vocalizes the way the singer did during the verses of this song. Basically, I'm not really a fan of the lyrics being delivered in a more spoken word tone than actually working around the melody. This isn't all that bad, yet it is something that I genuinely do not find to be great or really contribute to the song at all. Lyrically, this song is pretty good. It speaks of themes such as depression and sadness while personifying the sky as an entity that people with said depression scream up to. It turns the big sky into a character that feels bad for these people, yet they are too big and busy to show any sympathy for them. I genuinely like this message, it feels as if it wants to create a sense of connection between those suffering from sadness and depression. That said, I do still find this song to be the weakest I've heard off this album so far. Big Sky Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 7: Sitting by the Riverside - This track is just plain weird. The best way that I can describe it is almost circus-like in its melody. The quick piano, the accordion or weird guitar in the background, the backup singers, and the keyboard all culminate in a way that just makes this song feel like something I would hear at a circus. The weird instrumentation during the bridge and outro only add to this weird feeling as well. This is absolutely not a bad thing, however. I'm simply trying to make a comparison. The vocals are very on point in this song as well. They're extremely profound and exaggerated. They sound almost like something that you would hear out of a psychedelic song released at the same time as this album. This only adds to the overall sense of weirdness this song gives off. Lyrically, this song has a pretty simple meaning. It's about feeling content while with someone you love by a riverside. It's extremely simple, yet the lyrics are extremely well-written and actually somewhat touching, so it really doesn't matter. I lost my original review for this song due to my time expiring with this album, so I'm going to keep it at that. Sitting by the Riverside Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 8: Animal Farm - This is the best song we've heard off of this album for a bit. It has a much more folk-like tone than anything we've heard so far. It manages to blend this style of folk with pop to create something unique. Musically, this song manages to be the most relaxed and dreamy yet most dramatic song we've heard so far at the same time. This may simply be due to the presence of a violin in the song, but I digress. Vocally, there isn't really all that much to say either. The singer sound extremely similar to Bob Dylan again. The intentionally bad style of vocals is back again. This may just be the 60's production but I digress. This song truly shines in its lyrics. It was meant to be a jab at the modern society of the 1960's. It implies that someone has grown tired of this society and wants to go back to the simple life they used to live on their farm. I could argue that the band is comparing society to an animal farm as well, but I believe the former explanation to hold more truth to it. Anyway, I originally wrote a bit more to my review of this song, yet I somehow managed to lose it again like I did with the previous song. I'm done here. This is one of the best songs we've heard off this album so far no doubt. Animal Farm Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 9: Village Green - Well, this was quite a change in pace from the previous songs. This song has a much more tale-like tone to it. The instrumentation of this song provides the vibe of someone reciting a tale from their childhood to you. There's a few wood-wind instruments, soft drums, a chiming tune, and a very soft acoustic guitar as well. All of it combines to create a vibe of a fairy-tale. It's not a bad thing at all, the song's lyrics are very tale-like as well. Vocally, there really isn't anything to say about this song. The backup singers do provide a few interesting "la la la la la" sounds in the background to further the vibe of a fairy-tale, however. Lyrically, this song has a really depressing meaning that ties perfectly into this album's theme of progression and longing. It tells the tale of someone who longs for the past in their town which I presume is named Village Green. This town has apparently become a shell of its former self in the years that our character left it to pursue fame. He now dreams of the things and people he met there. It's pretty sad, pretty well-written as well. This entire song is just really well-written. It's definitely the second best off this album so far. Village Green Score: 10/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 10: Starstruck - This is an extremely pleasant song. Musically, it's much more atmospheric and alien sounding than the rest. It may be the title, it may be the fact that there's some extremely cool production, or it may be the very charming vocals, but I just get a weird feel that this song sounds otherworldly. It's weird to describe and I'm sure that a lot of other people don't get that vibe from this song. Nonetheless, it's still extremely pleasant. Instrumentation such as violins and more persistent vocals being added later in the song is nice as well. Vocally, there is actually a bit to say about this song. The lead singer's voice sounds extremely pleasant and charming. That being said, the backup singers managed to get the most awe out of me. Like I said, there's a bit of weird production in this song. I was referring to the chorus and outro where the backup singer's voices are projected from left channel to right channel if you're listening with earbuds or headphones. This is honestly pretty insane attention to detail from a song made in 1968. That said, this song has some pretty good lyrics too. It seems to be about a man trying to convince his lover that alcohol has a negative impact on her. It more largely just seems to be about the negative and addictive impacts alcohol can have on someone; however, I thought I'd just explain the story perspective of it first. Either way, this is another great song. Starstruck Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 11: Phenomenal Cat - Well, there is quite a lot to say about this song. Firstly, this is the absolute weirdest song off the album so far. Musically, it is so much different from everything we've heard so far. Firstly, the song uses a flute...well, it uses just a flute and drums in the first verse. A guitar gets added in the chorus and second verse, yet the instrumentation of this song just screams something from an ancient and peaceful time. Vocally, there's a lot to say as well. The vocals of this song feel very precise and edited in a way to sound peaceful and ancient. I mean, it genuinely sounds as if this song came from a different land. The high-pitched voice in the chorus helps add to this overall feel as well. Lyrically, this song is pretty creative. It quite literally tells the tale of a magical cat who used to live a normal life; however, they now travel the world with countless luxuries. They have gone from skinny to fat as well. This story is meant to be a critique at the upper class at the time of this album's release. It criticized the luxurious lifestyle they lived, those less privileged forced to slave away. It's a pretty damn good song with a metaphorical and literal meaning that I like. Phenomenal Cat Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 12: All of My Friends Were There - Well, this is the weakest song off of the album so far. If I had to describe it musically in one word, I would say that it sounds like circus music. Unlike before, I don't necessarily mean that in a good way, however. The versus sound like something that would be played when a clown is juggling on a unicycle. Besides that, I find the chorus to be pretty interesting. It's much slower and has a more content tone than the versus, yet this contrast isn't the greatest thing. It creates a weird feeling within the song. The complete vocal change from chorus to verse is something that feels a bit weird and almost overbearing as well. Lyrically, the song seems a bit vague. It tells the story of a man who has embarrassed himself on stage in front of his friends. He then tries to hide himself and act as if he doesn't care. He ultimately goes on stage again, everything goes well, and everyone forgets the embarrassing incident he had while originally on stage. Apparently, this song was written after a real experience Ray Davies had in 1967 while on stage. He was ill yet decided to perform anyway. There isn't much information on what took place on stage, yet I would assume that Davies simply vomited or something considering the details we do have. Anyway, weird song, yet still good. All My Friends Were There Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 13: Wicked Annabella - This is yet another weird song off of an album that was pretty consistent up until these last few songs. This song has a pretty spooky tone to it. It sounds as if it were going for the vibe of a song that was meant to be played during Halloween. For the most part, it succeeds at this concept. The guitars are made to sound in such a way that almost sounds like a thump, there are various sound effects such as cackles at the end, and the drums have a very heavy tone to them. These aspects all add to the overall spooky vibe. The vocals are subdued with a filter that only adds to the spooky vibe as well. I normally consider filters such as these to be bad, but this filter allows some genuine moments of greatness, so I find it to be a positive thing. Lyrically, there isn't really much to say about this song. The song is literally about an evil woman named Annabella who creates brews, uses dark magic, and has an army of demons to capture children who roam in the dark. There really isn't much else to say about this song besides that. It's good no doubt, but I would still say it's one of the weakest we've heard so far. Wicked Annabella Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 14: Monica - Alright, this song is genuinely the weirdest off of this album. The last few songs of this album have been all over the place. We heard one that sounds almost ancient and peaceful, wicked and spooky, and now this one just sounds tropical. I can't describe it in any other way than that. The soft drumming, the smooth and quick guitars, the subdued and quick vocals all just make this song sound tropical. Other than that, this song is actually meant to be kinda...funny? Well, yeah. It kinda is. You see, this album was obviously released back in 1968. The Kinks wanted to include a more comedic song in their serious album, so...they decided to write a song about a man singing his praises to a prostitute named Monica. Yeah, I'm not going to lie, I actually thought that this song was just about a man being overprotective with his woman. I Googled the song meaning and I understood the song's more mature themes after another listen. Yeah, this is a pretty interesting song to say the least. Nevertheless, it is also the worst off of this album so far. It's a shame that the weakest songs are all being packed in the back. Hopefully the last song can give this album the conclusion it deserves. Monica Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 15: People Take Pictures of Each Other - Well, this song brought back the general vibe this album gave off in its first ten tracks. It's much more generic than some of the songs that we've heard before, yet I still consider it to be pretty good. Musically, there isn't really much to say at all. The song has a very happy-go-lucky feel to it. It doesn't have that feel to the extent that the first few songs did, yet it's still present. Vocally, there is literally nothing to say. It sounds the exact same as most of the songs we've heard before this point. The singer doesn't apply any weird effect to his voice. Lyrically, this song pretty much wraps up the entire concept of this album perfectly. As the name suggests, the song speaks about people taking pictures of each other. It goes into details of these pictures and why people take them. It's a simple meaning that previous songs did to a much greater effect, yet that's fine. This is still a good song and a good way to close an album of this magnitude. People Take Pictures of Each Other Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conclusion: Man, I have seriously been getting lucky with my albums. I literally had no idea of this album's existence before rolling it on this site, yet I'm now adding it to the list of genuinely great albums. It's not without its flaws, I'll get to that later, yet it's still genuinely great. Firstly, and especially for 1968, the music off of this album is amazing and extremely varied as well. A lot of the album has a very folk rock style to it, yet you may suddenly be thrown into a song that contains much heavier guitars and is clearly meant to be played at a Halloween party in between these folk songs. You may be thrown into a kick-ass rock song about a steam train. Basically, the variety on this song is extremely nice. That being said, there are points on this album where the songs feel a bit too varied. It feels as if the album is trying to take on too much at once at certain points. This is just a small issue I have, however. Vocally, there really isn't much to say and there is a lot to say at the same time. I'll go ahead and say, the singer's voice is not all that unique. That being said, his voice is still great because of how adaptable it is. You may be listening to a slower song like Starstruck and then get thrown into a certain song about a steam train...yes I'm using that song as an example again. It's really adaptable and just sounds good. There's not much else to say about the lead singer's voice besides that. The backup singers are extremely nice as well. They are present on almost every song and honestly add a lot to every song they're on. Now, I will not lie, this album does not have the best lyrics of all time. In fact, the lyrics are written in such a direct way that they alone have almost no impact on me; however, the concepts that they explore are extremely touching and relatable to me. As I've said many times before, this album explores themes such as time and societal progression. The certain themes that the band covers varies, yet most songs relate back to this central theme in some way. Most songs have a very relatable message that are meant to inspire you or make you sad. Either way, they're effective. This entire album is just effective at being touching. I will admit, I don't think I'll ever find myself casually listening to some of the last tracks off of it, yet that's alright. It's still a great album. As a side note, I do genuinely find it weird how this album never gained much commercial recognition when it first released. There were a lot of songs on here that seem as if they would have appealed to the general public. Well, history is history. The public was missing out anyway. (Reevaluated my first twenty-five albums and decided to bump this up from a 4 to a 5) ============================================================ The Village Green Preservation Society Score: 9/10 Song Average: 8.5/10

Stone cold classic

Fantastic.

Love this. Must own this album.

A true cultural British time capsule with excellent song writing from start to finish

RIP Ozzy

Great album.

Fire

I really enjoyed this album. the lyrics were both silly and profound.

Idk this was so fun. Really easy to listen to, good vibes, fun sounds. Loved!

The kinks at their best

9.2/10 another banger from the kinks. if i’m being honest i have listened to this album before but i had no issue listening again. one of my favorites

Kickass. Is this the Kinks' Sgt. Pepper? Deserved a little better recording but these are awesome tracks. 4.6

I enjoyed this album. I like The Kinks but I'm more familar with their music from the 80's. I'll listen to this one again.

One of my all time favorite albums. Incredible.

Funky, psychedelic, funny, catchy and a little bit gritty. I thought I knew The Kinks as a 60's pop band. This album has that but I feel like offers a whole bunch more too. Really dig the sound.

The only Kinks song I knew coming into this was Lola, which is a great song, but has pretty much become a classic rock cliche at this point. It's an absolute shame I hadn't explored these guys earlier because this is fantastic! Incredibly catchy songs, immaculate production, some weird 60s psychedelic experimentation. It kind of feels somewhere in between Bob Dylan and the Beatles. Thoroughly enjoyed this and I'm excited to check out more!

I've railed against similar sounding albums by UK acts from this time period for being too twee, daft, irritating, folksy, fantastical, fanciful etc. But for some reason Village Green hits different. This record rules. The songs are so fun. They don't grate the way tracks on Ogden's Nut Gone do. Great stuff, front to back. An easy 5/5.

I absolutely love this. This is album is a reminder that I should probably listen to more of these albums in stereo and/or through good quality headphones .

I can dig it ☮️ Fav songs: Picture Book, Phenomenal Cat

Excellent

I’ve heard very few albums that are this fun to listen to. I definitely see why this is so beloved

VRH VRH VRH. jednostavno predobro, 15 fenomenalnih pjesama jedna za drugom. najdraže: do you remember walter, last of the steam-powered trains, animal farm, monica, people take pictures of each other

all time great

Loved it

I don’t know why I’m so fascinated by this album. But I am. And I’ve listened to it three times in the past 24 hours. So it’s a different type of 5, but a 5 nonetheless.

More sardonic fun from The Kinks.

5/5. This just gushes with creativity, masters of their craft while still sounding fresh and new, even by today's standard. I sometimes try to avoid uppity-British albums, as there is a sort of pretentiousness to it but this one, and the kinks in general, feel almost punkish? Hard to tell but it feels like they actually want to say something, which is always commendable, even if it's something small. I wouldn't say this is a perfect album but it's damn near perfect so I'll give it that bump. Best Song: The Village Green Preservation Society, Picture Book, People Take Pictures of Each Other

Very fun classic rock. Great listen.

Well written and well made a very nice album

I really like the Kinks and have this album. So ruddy fantastic. So many songs on one album causing me absolute joy. From the rising arpeggios of Picture Book to the spoken word on Big Sky and as usual, jaunty melodies over reflective dark lyrics. This is what excellence smells like and I am breathing in deep.

Well, this is definitely a great album. It took a number of listens, though. You need to get into it. There are a big number of typical Ray Davies jewels to be enjoyed. 'Animal farm' and 'Village Green' - starring a prominent oboe and a harpsichord - are maybe the highlights. A couple of weaker songs as well. It's sentimental as hell. Put it on and drown in sentimentality, for which there is much more reason nowadays.

This is a very interesting album not appreciated by the masses but still it has a poignancy that shows off Ray Davies poetic style and obtuse song writing. While other bands were thundering away, The Kinks went in a very different direction. He is a master of subtlety and showing off the underside of British life. It deserves more attention than it got!

Do you remember, Walter, playing cricket in the thunder and the rain? I burned this album to a CD when I was in high school, and it stayed in my car’s music rotation for maybe a decade. Listening to it again now brought me to tears. All the memories associated with these songs, which are about nostalgia, was so freaking, well, nostalgic. I was overwhelmed. Pictures of your mop-mop, pictures of your pop-pop. I mean, I love each and every song, each and every moment. This is a top three of all time album to me. So, God save strawberry jam, and all the different varieties!

Love love the kinks. My dad got me into the kinks.

A thoroughly charming, forward-thinking album. An early "concept album", The Kinks focus on their britishness and bring a delightful listen.

i've been waiting for this one! one of my favourite albums ever...easiest five stars yet

Loved this, the whole thing throigh

I only heared couple of songs from The Kinks before. I like this. It's for albums like this one I have entered this challenge. This is a good stuff.

Always loved the Kinks.

Maybe the Kinks best album. Ray Davis is awesome. Great concept album.

Kinks are underrated. I should listen to more of them.

Love this proto concept album

I like The Kinks. They played a big part not just in shaping Heavy Metal and Britpop (whatever that might be), but also in pioneering the concept album — and they managed most of that within their first five years. I’m not entirely convinced that the so-called ‘quintessential Englishness’ they get labelled with ever actually existed, but that just shows how great their storytelling was, as well as their songwriting. This album nails their essence. Clever gits.

10/10 - The Kinks have got to be one of the most significant rock bands of all time, it’s such a shame that they never got as famous as their peers (Beatles, Rolling Stones), because they are just as talented and prolific

My white whale. I have been trying to find this on vinyl, but to no avail. The Kinks being blacklisted in the U.S. is the only thing keeping this group from being discussed on the same level as Beatles and Stones. This is their masterpiece - among many tremendous albums.

British in the very best way

shockingly, this kind of bounced right off me! it's difficult to even put a finger on Why. it's almost tempting for me to pretend that i have some objection to the lyrical content (it's fairly easy to read this kind of romanticization of an idealized past as conservative or even fascist (when people talk about Preserving merry old engerland nowadays, they mean something very specific and quite ugly)), but firstly, it's not like problematic lyrical content has ever Stopped me before (see my glowing write-up on lust for life two days ago), and secondly, i don't think it's even a particularly fair reading. i'm very much inclined to give the benefit of the doubt here. sure, it's something the record is clearly Evocative of, or at least, it's something the record kept evoking to My ear, but it's certainly not what the damn thing is actually About. so if it's not the lyrics, then what's wrong with it? the answer's probably "nothing." it literally Just bounced off of me. maybe it'll click later. maybe it won't. who knows. who Cares. it don't gotta be complicated. it don't gotta say something. it's just music. it's ONLY music.

The most important British band of this era with their most textured and deep album. Miles and mile more interesting than their better known peers. Hugely influential.

Love it

A little bit repetitive but the vibe is just too good

What was in the water in 1968? White Album, Big Pink, Nashville Skyline, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. Everyone started trading their acid for low-potency weed and fashioning themselves as earthy and traditional. With the exception of the White Album, this album is better than all of those IMO. What a treat to be given a reason to revisit this one. Village Green is a stone cold classic. It takes a lot of balls to veer into this direction and take such an anachronistic point of view. It shouldn’t work, it shouldn’t have aged well, but oh man. Even on the title track, for how arcane the references are, the feeling and the desire to save the obscure ephemera of one’s youth from disappearing is real and timeless. I can live without a song or two but nearly every track just puts a smile on my face. Like, how funny is it to be in a rock band in the late 60s and write a song called “Animal Farm”, and it turns out to be a sincere song how sick it would be to live a simple life on an animal farm. Britpop wouldn’t have existed without this one IMO.

It's easy to overthink these things. In the grand scheme of things, TKATVGPS does nothing particularly innovative, when their peers - perhaps - were redefining what an album could be, and how it could be made. There is a concept here, which boils down to little more than a prevailing sense of nostalgia throughout, but the simple fact is that this album has endured without the whistles and bells of it's contemporaries on the strength of it's songs. And that is perhaps, all that is needed. Fabulous stuff.

Love how much I have listened to The Kinks, keeps getting better!

An undeniable, stone cold classic

This is what the latter half of Beatles thought they were. Solid album. Super good

Great collection of songs.

nettes banales Feelgood-Album

I don't have to even listen... 5/5. My favorite Kinks album, and one of my favorite albums at one point in my life.

Yeah, this one's the best Kinks album. Listen to it when you're in a nostalgic mood (college graduation, first big move, significant birthday, etc.), and it'll blow you away. One of the fun things about it is that it's both genuine and ironic at the same time, much like how we make jokes about our own anxieties regarding the passing of time.

Sounds like my favourite aspects of the Beatles. The vocals, instruments and mood are lovely and this album is very cute and full of whimsy. I love “do you remember Walter?”. Impressed so far. The tracks are short and sweet and each have a distinct sound. This makes me want to listen to more of The Kinks.

This album grabbed me right from the start. I’d never listened to this before but had always heard it was great. Man, 68 was a crazy year for music. As I listened, I could hear notes of Dylan. I could also hear its influence in belle and Sebastian and Spinal Tap. Such a diverse group of songs. I will be including this in regular rotation.

Loved every song. Felt familiar from first listen.

A real hidden treasure. Love every song. Somehow they can get away with being as quirky as they like.

Despite getting really into The Kinks lately, I haven't got round to listening to any of their albums. However, as expected, I very much enjoyed this. Just pleasant, init?

Definitely my favourite Kinks album, it has a mood and a theme and just goes for it in a way that The Beatles never could.

A concept album from the 60s that doesn't suck! Probably my favorite kinks album too

It was a great album but I feel like I should listen to every May 1st

I've played this card too many times, but this is another nostalgia album for me. Got really into the Kinks right before leaving for college, and this album about feeling wistful for your childhood/hometown/ identity really resonated with me at the time. I think Ray Davies is one of the wittiest and original storytellers in rock history. Each song on this album is either a complete story or a fully realized thought - and the music itself is equally full of life. The tempo changes, harmonies and recurring melodies match the dynamism of the lyrics. There's a real artistry to every song. For my own taste, I love the Kinks particular mix of mid-range acoustic and jangling electric guitars - a sound they'd develop more later with Muswell Hillbillies and Lola vs Powerman (in my opinion Lola is one of the best rock songs ever written) and which I've often tried to emulate in various bands. The Kink's obsession with the particulars of English culture probably limited their global appeal and accounts for why they aren't considered on the level of the Beatles and the Stones in America. But each of their albums is like a whole world inside itself, and song for song, they are one of the best bands of all time.

Listen, I really like this kind of music, and I love The Kinks. Picture Book is such a good song oh my GOD. If this was a first-time listen, it might be a four, but I've spent some time with this album and know it puts me in a good mood, so... :)

One that’s been on my periphery for years. Took 3 listens to decide on a lower 5 rather than a high 4 - absolutely loved listening to this all day.

4.5

This album is fantastic!! I love The Kinks!! I always heard this album was great, but I never knew why until I listened to it today!! I was took back in the to another place when I listened to this album. I also heard influences from some of artists that came after them.

Classic

Very much in the same vein as the Beatles.

3/31/25. Might be my favorite Kinks album so far! Enjoyed the concept and realized a couple of riffs and sounds were used by more popular bands in the future. This one is a keeper.

I've always loved The Kinks! This album is great and it just had me adding some more songs to my list! The lyrics tell a story and its wonderful to follow along with it!

First heard this ten years ago. I loved it then and it’s only grown on me more.

Reminds me of Beatles a little bit :) Nice

out of all the 60s rock albums out there, this one is probably my favorite. absolutely stunning album

Rating this 5/5 strictly because this was such an influential album for the Kinks’ success. Each song is fun, light, full of melody, but still hold a note of “please take me seriously.” Ray’s experimentation on this album did not go unnoticed, and continues to be some of the best out of England in the late 60s.

Classic album which co-started the classsic-album-era. Obviously a milestone and given Ray Davies' quality as songwriter and him being in topform here, this is a 1960s gem that transcends the signature single hits otherwise associated with that time. Paved the way for many British (and some non-British) acts who were more into crafting a concise longform statement rather than churn out 3minute bursts of pop.

I’m very biased when it comes to the kinks but god they were good

Ein Kinks-Album ohne die allseits bekannten großen Hits. Gerade deshalb großartig zu hören. Die Spätsechziger hier noch ohne psychedelischen Firlefranz lassen grüßen.

An always enjoyable collection of unabashedly English songs full of vibrant character studies and nostalgia mining. If you’ve never stepped foot in England, this would be the way to transport there. Too many great songs to list, but Picture Book, Johnny Thunder, Big Sky and Monica are clear favorites.

I AM THE LIZARD QUEEEN preservation society

An absolutely incredible album. Somehow quintessentially British, each song is a treat. The overall album is cohesive, flowing smoothly together with no one song overstaying its welcome. Standouts include Village Green and Monica, but to be honest it's very hard to choose favourites.

Obviously. One of my all-time favorites. Don't need to be told twice to listen to this one.

it's kinda cute

Ah, the British Invasion band that wasn't, thanks to a performance ban. The Kinks stopped trying to appeal to American audiences a couple of years before this album was released. This album is beautifully, unapologetically English, right down to the title. It's not homogeneous, either - there's plenty of variation between tracks, enough to capture my interest and leave me feeling disappointed after the last track (of 15) ended.

You can always count on the Kinks for quality lighthearted satire of British life in the ‘60s. Seriously, though, the music holds up well.

More complex than their previous album in its simplicity: This is an album about memories and the good old days, so the song styles harken back, while tinged with 60’s rock. Not as catchy as others, but impressive.

Not catchy radio play songs for the most part. I have listened to this albums dozens of times but it was still like a first listen this time around, hearing things I hadn't noticed before. Interesting, creative and purposeful and I do enjoy a nice village green.

4.5/5

Whoa. This is amazing. I’ve never listened to a whole kinks album. This is super great. This caught my attention. Such cool tunes. Cool guitar ideas and sounds. I was so obsessed with the Beatles I neglected so many other bands of the era. Big Sky is such a cool song. Phenomenal Cat is so fucking weird but I think I am now obsessed with it.

I love this album. It's top three Kinks for me.

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.

What a treat. I had really only listened to Kinks’ compilations, so it was fun to listen to a whole album. The theme and concept are well executed, there’s a nice range of materials, and the writing is catchy and funny. I could see this being a 5 star album; as is, I give it 4.5 stars.

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.

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

first time really listening to the kinks, i was hoping i could say "more like The Stinks" but unfortunately it was good so i am unable to put "more like The Stinks" in this review

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.

I love the Kinks, this is a great album!

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.

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.

This was a phenomenal album and completely missed me before now.

Another pending subject approved! They are lovely! 😍

Awesome music!

This slaps

Fun album

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.

loved it, major Beatles vibes

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

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.

Excellent

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.

Everyone loved it. Heard the origin of a lot of influences.

Love The Kinks, though I prefer the first few albums to this one. Bit more riffy

Loved it!

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!

Really cool to listen through this album and understand why The Kinks became popular. Plus the music was interesting. Loved this one!

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

some nonsense about playing cricket in the rain

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?

Perfect introduction.

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.

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.

- 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.

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 :)

A classic that still sounds so cool. I really like it.

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.