Reviews (page 5 of 12)
I enjoyed this. Kinda poppy, British rock that reminds me a little of the Beatles. I’d listen again. 4/5
The Kinks Are Some of the Greatest Songwriters of the Sixties. You can see it in some of their songs from the past five albums, but Village Green marks a point where they felt completely unshackled from conventional pop rock songs. This is the Kinks at their catchiest, liveliest, most interesting. Standout album.
Rätt bra!
Roligt album, fina melodier. Det känns som att jag kan höra flera artister/band som jag tror har inspirerats av The Kinks; ELO, Mac Demarco m.fl. Många favoriter på denna platta!
Will forever adore The Kinks. Can't wait for more.
This was a super fun listen, I really enjoyed it and can't wait to listen to more of the Kinks. Will definitely be relistening
Very good album. Standout songs: Do you remember Walter? Village Green Starstruck
Brilliant listen...very of its time.
Banging
Better than the Beatles.
What a wonderful, eccentric and very English album. Found it very whimsical and charming. Turns out that there is more to The Kinks that just Lola and You’ve really got me! Loved it.
very fun, love it
What a fun album. Reminds me of my favorite era of the Beetles.
It’s a shame sonically it’s not quite as ambitious as the songwriting. But it does prove the Kinks stand a bit above other British Invasion bands in their own right
I once had the chance to meet Ray Davies and it wasn’t the warm encounter I’d imagined. Impeccably dressed, yes, but an odd chap and not especially pleasant. That slightly detached, eccentric air you sense in some of his writing. That said, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society remains a remarkable piece of work. It stands apart not only within The Kinks’ catalogue, but from much of what was happening in 1968. While others were leaning into psychedelia or heavier blues rock, this album turned inward celebrating small-town England, fading traditions, and everyday characters with warmth, irony, and nostalgia. There’s a Beatles-esque melodic sweetness in places, but the storytelling is unmistakably Davies: observant, gently satirical, and steeped in longing for a disappearing world. Beneath the whimsical surface sits a quiet melancholy that gives the record real emotional weight. Favourite tracks: Animal Farm and Picture Book — both brim with sharp lyrics and wonderfully nostalgic melodies. Least favourite track Honestly, there isn’t one. It feels cohesive and purposeful throughout, more like a carefully constructed world than a loose collection of songs. Album artwork: I absolutely love the cover. It perfectly captures the album’s timeless and whimsical feel.
reminds me of syd barrett pink floyd
Day392 - seems unlikely to get back to back kinks albums but alas. they seem like a better band from the 1966 album to this 1968 album.
After a shambolic tour of the USA in 1965, Ray Davies had a nervous breakdown and decided to focus on his songwriting. This album is the result, being a concept album with vignettes of nostalgia and longing for a lost rural England. There’s a lot of humour here and poignant character pieces about the inhabitants of Ray’s imaginary village. The music is uniquely English too, touching on music hall, folk and psychedelia. Utterly charming!
Although I'm not such a fan of The Kinks, this album was very nice and filled with good vibes. :)
😏
high 4, kept getting better the more i listened, i thought this was gonna be another lame rock album, but i really had fun here
Pre-listening thoughts: I also feel like I'm supposed to know about the Kinks but I literally know nothing about them. Let's see! Post/during listening thoughts: this is really good actually. It's 60s rock with solid harmonies and a really good flavor. It's sort of like the Beatles meets ELO? If that makes any sense. There's some really interesting songs and some quite silly lyrics in here and I am so glad I have escaped the rut of 3 star albums. 8/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Phenomenal Cat Least fav tracks: Wicked Anabella
This is my 3rd Kinks album this week. I wasn't sure if I would like this album as that is a lot of Kinks at in a short period of time but this is my favorite by far. Loved it.
There are still moments where the British whimsy is just a bit too much for me, but overall, The Kinks usually get away with it better than any other band or artist. I think I will always prefer at least Arthur to Village Green, if not a few others as well, but fuck…the opening track, “Picture Book”, “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”, “Big Sky”, “Wicked Annabella”…there’s just so much damn good stuff here. 4/5
Excellent 60s rixk. Really likes this albim
Never heard this, an excellent album for the time period and and enjoyable listen
Pretty cool 60s music, similar to the beatles.
Bargain bin Beatles
100% Kinks. Love it.
1968 and still soo fresh
another Sgt Peppers influenced album, with still a more traditional pop element to it. A collection of great pop songs in an album that was really pleasant to listen to with a few notable songs. Would listen again and might like to own it
There is one thing about the Kinks which is both one of the things I find most endearing about them but simultaneously puts me at arm's length and that is they are probably the most British sounding band of the major rock bands of the '60s. Where as the Beatles pretty well blended the cultures and the Stone went out to prove they were the best American band from Britain, the Kinks always seem to double down on their Brittishness. Pretty much always to a very charming results. But as an American, I do feel the cultural differences. Still this was a very fun and engaging listen. I actually listened to it three times today what I love really loved, but there was just way to much that just wasn't up to that level. Especially on the second half which probably affected the overall final feel.
A bit too British for my taste, and missing an outright banger of a song, but still very good. "Last of the Steam Powered Trains" is my favourite song on here. 4.5 stars
4.5
Pretty groovy tight-knit 60s concept album about a village or something. It’s kind of in that weird zone of being mostly nearly classic but having nothing that touches upon the very best of Kinks’ real hits. Title song has the best quality perhaps even glorious melody even if it goes round and round too much and I get tired of it by the end. That and other best moments like Picture Book, Last Of The Steam Trains and Big Sky lay the tracks for Blur Parklife. It does lose steam in the second half though. Phenomenal Cat has a bit of laughing gnome in the package for example and Wicked Crapabella is crap. Low 4.
The kinks are always great. Not my favourite album of theirs but an enjoyable one.
Not their best
Lite beatles-aktig vibe, trallvänligt som absolut kan vara på i bakgrunden
Simultaneously ahead of its time and old fashioned. Great album
I didn't get to spend as much time with this album as I would have liked, and I'm sure that's to my detriment. There's quite a lot of interesting things happening throughout. I'm sure this is an album that I will revisit in the future.
Almost up there with the Beatles. Not as experimental, but the songs are good. Favorite song: Big Sky.
it's kind of amazing how well this late-sixties satire of English nostalgia maps so strongly onto the wave of conservative nostalgia we're experiencing here in the States at the moment. the cultural references are obviously not the same (I'll confess I don't recognize a good majority of them), but for as much as this album evokes a peaceful, sunshine-y English countryside, it's clear that the nostalgia being evoked here is for an England which never existed. in an effort to write "English" rock music, at a time where U.S. and European musical influences were beginning to shape the sound of contemporary British music, Ray Davies made a concerted effort to isolate himself from the sounds of burgeoning movements like psychedelic and progressive rock, which were highly in vogue at the time. instead, he and the rest of the Kinks doubled down on ornately constructed pop tunes with bright melodies and neoclassical quirks. compositionally, it's sometimes almost a little too on-the-nose in its portrayal of this imagined English pastoral countryside! the unfortunately uncredited orchestral musicians add a lot of flair and humor to the B-side of the LP. what's with this recurring trend of not crediting orchestral musicians on rock records? strong 8/10.
Lovely, whimsical. Think it needs repeat listens to fully appreciate but I like it a lot.
This was such a joy. Really fun and deceptively simple. Good variety of styles. Very influential. Hard not to like. 4/5
The album opener is massive, the lyrics are genuinely funny yet still effortless, this is a timeless album. 4/5
Pretty good.
i was feeling a little iffy about this album at first, but the more i listened, the more i liked it
Classic kinks. I like their weirder stuff, but this is a great listen.
Was surprised to read that this album was a poor seller at its release, but I guess it makes sense given what audiences were probably expecting from The Kinks at the time. There's a lot of variety here in instruments, styles, and subject matter, but all holding to the loose concept of preserving Ray Davies's vision of "Englishness" at the time. It's funny to hear this almost 60 years on and try to determine whether it's a satirical swipe at conservative hand-wringing or a genuine concern over the march of "progress" and loss of local culture (Davies's own rationale for the concept album). It's a great listen and I loved being prodded into hearing it a few more times.
Wonderful! A classic look at British life and change. A very creative, lovely album.
I didn't expect this album to be that good. It's an improvement to the last Kinks album I reviewed. The title track, in particular, is great. All of the songs are well-written. I'm getting some really cool albums this time. 4 stars for "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society".
Definitely has a mid 60’s British Invasion vibe to this. Glad this was on the 1001 list otherwise I probably would never have listened to it.
Stellar album which doesn't over embellish the whimsical british humor or way of life. But, it encapsulates all of what makes british music great. Psychedelia, folk ballads, outside European influence, and of course blues mastery. I really enjoy the kinks in totality, but I was a novice. This album is really really good.
I liked it!
This is an album that is as British as they come but also so much fun to listen to.
Good songs trash microphones
Nostalgic and English, gentle, good.
Classic Kinks album. My second favorite behind Something Else.
has some bangers
Sounds like early Beatles in a good way
This was great after hearing Suzanne Vega. Live the sound of the Kinks. Sure sounds more recent than being from the late 60s! 3.6
Early pop stylized like the later version of The Beatles. A couple of the songs had sickeningly sweet vocals but most were really great. Didn’t know I liked The Kinks!
Fun!
A light, fun and happy album
7/10
Picture book, what a song. Great album and one of my favorite concept albums
Funny rubber soul by the funny Beatles
Solid background music for a chill day.
Great tunes
Pretty great ! Very 60s in every sense it could mean. This album sounds good, the songs are catchy and they remind me very much of what I love about every other band of that time (Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys, Animals).
I enjoyed this. The title track and Big Sky are the standout tracks, but most of it is pretty good fun. The weakest songs are the last two, which means the album ends on a bit of a sour note, but it still deserves a four.
Pretty nice
A quintessential ‘60s album. Has everything to love about the era that birthed it
rock britânico dos anos 60 bem padrão, mas, depois que ouvi tudo do beatles, eu comecei a gostar. uma estrela a mais apenas por Do You Remember Walter
Quirky and clearly influential in the developing of Brit Pop
I don't think I've ever heard this before. I'm not normally a fan of 60s British bands with lots of "affected" songs. But this album was a lot better than I expected it to be. Ray Davies definitely approaches songwriting from a very different direction, and the results can be very odd at times. But he somehow knows how to put together the odd pieces to make interesting and memorable songs. The production of this album is sneaky good...it is a real pleasure to listen to it on headphones. The subtleties really come out when you are really paying attention. I also found it interesting that the entire direction of The Kinks during this period, to focus on traditional English musical styles and topics, were a result of the band being blackballed from touring in America for 5+ years. While not something I'll probably re-listen to a lot, credit is due to Davies for making an early example of a concept album with thoughtful lyrics. Just memorable enough for me to give it 4 stars.
I like the Kinks but had never really listened to one of their albums in full before. This was unexpectedly eccentric and fun. Some of the songs were duds, but most were catchy. Now I want to travel Merry England and say touristy things like "Gawd darn it, isn't it a pretty scene?"
Light, fun, and pleasant. Except for Wicked Annabella, she's not pleasant!
Wasn't expecting to like this very much...was expecting it to sound like early Pink Floyd. Was pleasantly surprised...thoroughly enjoyed it.
Unmistakably British
Lighthearted, loose, quietly lovely, and very British. In other words, classic Kinks. Highlights: The Village Green Preservation Society, Picture Book, Village Green, Starstruck, All of My Friends Were There
Fun and bouncy, the Kinks in good form. But now I've had Days stuck in my head for days.
I quite like the sound
Pure love, thanks lads. 4 stars
- The Kinks = Geil! - Kannte bisher nur das Selftitled und sonst die unzähligen Hits, das Album hatte ich bis auf „Picture Book“ aber noch nie gehört. - Ich weiß, dass die Band mega einflussreich war und auch super erfolgreich zu der Zeit, habe aber das Gefühl, dass die neben so Größen der British Invasion wie den Beatles, Stones, The Who im Verlauf der Zeit bis heute ein wenig untergegangen sind… Dabei müssen die sich vor ihren Mitstreitern wirklich gar nicht verstecken. - Geiles Album, hat mich komplett begeistert, auch wenn beim ersten Durchhören (neben dem mir bekannten Song) nicht viel super krass hervorstach - Insgesamt aber auf eine hohen Level gleichbleibend gut - Fand „Big Sky“ mit diesem Lou Reed-artigen Sprechgesang übrigens richtig geil - Platte könnte ein Grower werden Rating: 4,25/5
Another example of a concept album in its early form, the first one that I got on the generator was The Who’s ‘Tommy’, but this album is less of a “storyline” concept, and more of a “thematic” concept. The theme here being the fear of globalisation, and the loss of a societal culture that, even in 1968, may have already faded away beyond repair. But it isn’t a viewpoint that is dangerously violent and stupid as today’s bogus, misguided, “movements”. It’s far more insightful, deep, nuanced, and accepting in nature; it’s the idea of the overall population saying goodbye to an identity that, in this case, made them fundamentally British. ‘The Village Green Preservation Society’ sees The Kinks purposely at their most “uncool”. Compositions that you could almost write off given the more progressive stuff their peers were coming out with at the time, yet they are completely saved by the sheer character injected into each song. Bouncy, whimsical, and full of fun melodies. You can almost taste the flavour of British air that seems to fill the minutes and seconds of each and every track. And no song is too long to the point where it gets tiring, and no song that is too short to be unmemorable. Ray Davies’ lyrics are also nothing short of spectacular here. He’s able to hit on every theme with such a sense of ironic enjoyment and simple delivery so effortlessly it just suits the music perfectly. He’s able to keep the concept of this album going strong by framing it through different perspectives and situations that you can’t help but stay engaged throughout the entire runtime. From a person flipping through a photo album, to finding solace in a place you found happiness in the past; where you can be accepting of your own shortcomings - yet still find strength in the familiar. There are just layers upon layers of meaning. I can absolutely see how this album was considered a flop at the time it was released. But I’m also very happy it was reevaluated in the years that followed so that it enjoyed a new lease on life and has become a highly regarded, highly influential LP. It’s a fantastic album. Music that compliments its masterful lyrics. And lyrics that compliment its colourful and vibrant compositions. It absolutely stands out among the band’s best work - and The Kinks do have a monster discography to pick and choose your favourites from. Topical to the point where it can stand the test of the time, and filled with so much character that you can’t help but get lost in it as you listen. 4/5
Starstruck the highlight for me
They really worked out those kinks
Truly enjoyed the album. Would give it a solid 4/5.
A solid concept album about nostalgia, the timeless human desire to preserve what is familiar and comforting. There's something special about listening to people in the 60s worrying and reflecting on the drastic changes and their yearn for stability. It's a warm time capsule. Best song: The Village Green Preservation Society Worst song: Phenomenal Cat
Already an album my Collection. Definitely belongs on the list. A definite classic.
Solid fun 60s pop. I like this one more than some of their others. It has a bit of that psychedelic edge to it that adds a lot.
I’ve really enjoyed the music of The Kinks that I’ve heard so far. I didn’t recognise anything on this album, but I’ve definitely come to expect more than the fairly simple rock music of You Really Got Me (which is still a banger, by the way). This album delivers in the way it kept me interested from front to back. It’s fairly trippy in parts, but never so much that it becomes a difficult listen. I’d easily recommend this album to anybody that wants an easy introduction into the more psychedelic side of pop rock.
4.35
Very Kinks - definitely not up there with some of the Beatles psychedelic fuelled tunes but there’s defo a few highlights here too. I definitely don’t absolutely adore it but also I wouldn’t skip the tracks either. Would recommend as a classic British 60s album.
Very 60s, in a good way. 3.5/5
Perfectly 60s. Very clean sounding album with some great tunes. Nothing extremely memorable and I most likely won’t seek it out again but it was a nice listen. 7/10
Wow, the A-side of this album is astonishing. Love the crisp, catchy sound, and the songwriting. I love the theme of the album, as a love letter to a yesteryear of English country life. It is done in a lighthearted and fun way, but still touching in parts. The B-side is a bit uneven. The whimsy starts to get over-egged on some tracks. The songs aren't generally as punchy. Still a few golden moments on the B-side though. This is certainly the strongest materials I've heard from the Kinks and I'm glad I took the time. 4*
Probably my fav 60s rock n roll album now. Maybe the british knew what they were doing
Nyt on kyllä hyvää pop rokkia taas. Levy ei välttämättä yllätä, mutta jokainen kappale miellyttävä ja hyvä. Parhaat: Village Green, Starstruck, Picture Book, Johnny Thunder
Another Kinks album! This one has Picture Book on it- which is a song I enjoy and has been sampled and covered extensively. I like the album a lot- really pleasant background music. Definitely sounds more mainstream and less psychedelic than the last Kinks album I listened to. There were spots where I was getting major David Bowie vibes- I can see how this album influenced the direction rock went. Overall- very solid album. Probably a 3.5/5 but I feel like it deserves a bump up to 4
4/5
Solid Album. Lots of catchy melodies, witty lyrical content. Very few fillers. Loved it
It was definitely Beatles adjacent. I think my other reviews kinda summarise it all: it's great but nothing mind blowing.
Has anyone before or since sounded like The Kinks? No. They were unique, and this music is very good.
This was such a joy. Really fun and deceptively simple. Good variety of styles. Very influential. Hard not to like.
This was pretty good! There were a few weaker songs on here and I wasn't absolutely in love with it so it's going to end up a 4*. Still really quite enjoyed it. I've never really knowingly listened to The Kinks. The only song I recognized off here was "Picture Book" which I haven't heard in a long while. I also didn't know they were Beatles contemporaries and I can feel in the music it's from the same era now that I've heard an album.
I love the Kinks and you could do worse than this album. A blend of styles that kicks off a more mature phase for the band.
60’s British rock sound. Very enjoyable
This is 40 minutes of excellence. It's just great 60s rock and roll.
The lyrics are pretty stupid, but I love it haha. The music is awesome. Super listenable. I was surprised to hear some recognizable melodies in here! Some of my favorite artists seem to have borrowed from The Kinks!
This has a similar vibe to the last Kinks album that popped up on the list (“Arthur…”) and is similarly very conceptual and very English but I think the tunes are better. It’s a lot more catchy whereas Arthur was bland. It probably helps that I know a couple of tracks from the Hot Fuzz soundtrack. And it seems one of my favourite Green Day songs (“Warning”) is just a rip off of “Picture Book” too. There’s a bit of filler. But yeah. Pretty good. I could get into it.
Really enjoyed this British psych….
It’s like the Beatles but less British
Honestly, this is a very fine example of early British rock. There's nothing to solidify this with 'classic' status, but there's some very good guitar work and songwriting present.
I had heard several of these songs in movies or on the radio and didn't know that they were The Kink's song. I liked this album quite a bit in the beginning and still enjoyed it towards the end, but it wasn't as good as the first part. It ended feeling a little repetitive and not as inventive as the first part. Still good though.
quite plasnt! highlights: do you remember walter?, johnny thunder, sitting by the riverside (sep 1 2024)
Music to dance in a field too. Favourite Songs: The Village Green Preservation Society, Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Big Sky. Least Favourite Songs: Phenomenal Cat, Monica.
The Village Green Preservation Society
This was a fun listen, like an English folk-rock album. A little silly in places but also composed well. Last of the Steam Trains was a standout to me, it caught the feeling of the album for me. Not everything has to have a deep poignant meaning, you can just have fun making good music about whatever you want.
Fun kitschy British music for Queen and country. Paints an idyllic picture of life in the countryside. Sounds lovely
why is it now giving me all the good classic rock albums lol. after 200 days it has given me a streak of not mid
Pretty lovely as usual with the Kinks. No massive standouts (Picture book and Monica I was already fond of) but a pleasant listen! 4
Tbh, I feel like they did the whole Beatles-esque folky rock minstrel show better than the Beatles. A little derivative but really pleasant.
Can’t say I’m super familiar with the Kinks, but I enjoy this type of 60’s rock/pop. Some of the songs are more memorable than others. I like the minor elements of some of the songs though like the psychedelic elements in Phenomenal Cat and the subtle dark parts of Sitting by the Riverside. Overall, this was pretty good. Favorite Song: Picture Book Other Hits: Do You Remember Walter?, Starstruck, Phenomenal Cat, People Take Pictures of Each Other
Maybe 5
Always enjoyed the Kinks. This album flows well and I really enjoyed! 4 stars.
I listened to this album on a Friday, and it put me in a nice whimsical mood!
Fun songs. Four stars
It's cool, the characters are interesting and the Kinks always took left turns before everyone else. Doesn't quite get to 5 for me, it meanders and loses me a couple times. But this one was revolutionary and is recorded in a way that sounds awesome!
Up until 'Village Green' I didn't find this album that exciting and I think it was due to my Gen Z mind.
Lovely craftmanship and song writing in the early days of concept albums. Slightly overstays its welcome.
Hadn't heard much of this except the well known songs. Good fun, will probably listen again.
Surprised at how much I dug this one.
I like the Beatles so I liked this!
I’ve come to appreciate the Kinks quite a bit because of this journey. I knew them and liked them before, but the appreciation has deepened and become more meaningful over time. Like with cheese. You know you like cheese right off the hop, that’s a given. But as you get older you move away from the cheddar comfort zone and start to get more familiar with Gouda or Swiss. Then on to Manchego or Gruyère. The Kinks are Gruyère.
4.3. Always been a fan of the kinks.
i have my hangups with ray davies worldview that ensure he will never be MY 60s pop song prophet...brian wilson is in my heart, and arthur lee strikes me as much smarter and less overly-inward in his observations (i have a deep affection for hippie aesthetics but man were they ever wasted on white people). that being said , only a fool would deny the peak of rays songwriting powers...the record is a bit side a heavy, but every track has some kind of interesting details or hooks. and ofc the bittersweet pastoral mood, running from the anxieties of industrial living even as it is crushed by them, is every bit as striking as any one of these aesthetically unified 60s pop statements...its no pet sounds, but id take it over sergeant peppers any day. song for song i think i might prefer arthur a bit atm...but this is a more fundamentally likable project for me
As I’m listening it goes from a 3 to a 4. Just endlessly inventive and fun
I hate to chalk up someone’s sound to being similar to somebody else’s, but I’ve listened to A LOT of the Beatles, and this album constantly reminds me of their greatest moments. Tracks like Picture Book and Sitting by the Riverside would definitely be considered some of the best Beatles songs had they been written by them. It takes sounds from both their earlier and later albums while adding their own, wonderful touch throughout the record. These simpler, more standing out songs were the best on the album in my opinion. Despite all the positives of this album, the title track and a few others drag it down quite a bit. The best tracks are doing quite a bit of heavy lifting to keep this album at a 4, but it is still deserving of such a ranking.
Nice to hear something British that’s not ass. Loved the different direction of this, sound different compared to other British acts of the time
Judged on its own merits, this album is a really good album, solid from beginning to end. Compared to their previous garage rock albums, this one is far more refined, polished, and has a mature, sophisticated approach. These qualities are also why it was a commercial failure upon its initial release. In the late ’60s, rock music was undergoing intense experimentation with psychedelic sounds, and counterculture was also leaning towards more aggressive and heavy music, leading to the rise of bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. The characteristics of this album were completely opposite, lacking the appeal of the experimental and heavy music that was becoming popular at the time.
as good as Beatles, imho
Nice
Picture book and big sky are my two favorites overall I really enjoyed this album even when it got a bit experimental for me.
4+/5
Temazos y buen rollo, no lo subo al cinco porque creo que no pero esto es un cuatro alto, cuatro con cinco incluso.
This is adorable. Never heard any of these songs before. They are so twee compared to the later hits.
True story In about 1983/4 a girl from our group of friends was invited to a party in the middle of our seaside town and we all went mob handed. The main partygoers were in the kitchen but we stayed in the lounge where there was an impressive collection of tapes on the mantelpiece. When the host wandered in I thanked him for his kind hospitality and asked him about the music collection. He told me in a very self effacing and modest way that he used to be in a band in the 60's and I may or may not have heard of them - The Kinks. It was only afterwards that I realised how big they were and now it seems that their classics will live forever. I was speaking, of course to the one and only Ray Davies. Thanks for everything Ray. BTW the album is good!
Not peak Kinks yet, but fun and whimsical. Great start and great finish
I enjoyed this album. I like the title track and Animal Farm. Started off pretty "normal" and got trippier by the end.
Es un álbum interesante, es un álbum que no pega mucho con mis gustos y creo que sería un gusto más auto impuesto, creo que si lo escuchara de una manera frecuente, podría llegar a entender el mensaje, y podría llegar a gustarme
While I’m quite tired of all the 60s stuff on this list, this was a good listen and didn’t feel like a re-tread or beaten to death.
The Kinks love an early concept album I'm learning. This came right before Arthur, and, like Arthur, it's super British. This one is basically all about longing for a British small-town culture that seems to be fading to them, considering how to deal with the past, and creating a bunch of characters that evoke that culture. This album seems to be typically considered their best work, and I guess it had a huge influence on the Britpop bands in the '90s (Blur and Oasis in particular). I'll try to contain my eyeroll about some of their overly nostalgic, change-is-bad lyrics, but otherwise this is pretty solid. Just like on Arthur, they do a really great job of storytelling and capturing the feeling of a moment. I don't know that this is quite in "best album ever" territory (like some of the reviews I'm seeing are saying), but it's definitely solid. Definitely an early British rock sound, but they do a good job on the songwriting piece, and the sound is varied enough to keep it interesting. Favorite song: Last of the Steam-Powered Trains Other: The Village Green Preservation Society, Picture Book, Big Sky, Sitting By the Riverside, Animal Farm, Village Green, Starstruck, All of My Friends Were There, Wicked Annabella, Monica 6/19/24
Beautiful album, well written, the sound of 60s britrock.
Very quintessentially English and self consciously so. I suppose it's to be expected from the band that gave us Waterloo Sunset which may as well be a theme song for London. Completely uncool and out of step with the time - it connects to a sense of Englishness that was already gone whilst satirising psychedelia. This would be done later and worse by bands like Blur who were similarly trying to capture this but with considerably less humour (at least not intentional humour). If you're going to do Vaudeville, at least be funny about it, which these guys do. Phenomenal Cat maybe leans too strongly into whimsy for my taste though this is obviously deliberate, but I can't hate a song about a cat. Favourite Tracks: Do You Remember Walter? Picture Book Village Green
This will be my third Kinks album to review. I've mentioned this on my other reviews for their albums, but heading into this project, I would have assumed that I would have loved their albums, even though I was only familiar with a few of their songs. That has not been the case so far, because as it turns out, the Kinks songs that I was familiar with and enjoyed were pretty much nothing like their albums that are on the list. I was not super thrilled to see this pop up today, but I'd prefer it to the second Pere Ubu album I still have left. Here goes nothing. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I enjoyed it much more than Something Else By The Kinks and Face to Face. I felt like the overall sound of this album was a lot more accessible, and a lot more enjoyable as well. The jangly guitar playing, string arrangements, and keyboard playing were all great, and gave this album a really unique feel. I enjoyed the various sounds that the band employed as well (calypso, blues, music hall, etc), but all of the songs still felt like they fit with the overall sound of the album. This album's sound was really fun to groove to, and the arrangements fit the concept of the lyrics really well. The nostalgia for the village green was a unique concept, although in today's political landscape of rising populism, it almost has an anti-immigrant feel. I don't think that's what The Kinks intended, but it's interesting how thin the line between nostalgia and an Eric Clapton get-out-of-my-country rant can feel these days. Still, this was a really good album, and the best Kinks album I've listened to so far. God save Donald Duck, indeed.
I didn’t find any standout tracks on my first listen but I’m sure I will in the future.
Hell yeah, this is some rock and roll music.
Such a great listen. I’ve never been this deep into The Kinks discography and not disappointed to be here. Styles are a little all over the place here, but it’s never off putting. Proto-‘90s-Brit-Pop! You can plainly hear the sound that Oasis and Supergrass will borrow years later. A lot of album’s are labeled “ahead of their time” but this one delivers.
Quirky.
We are full swing in the post Pet Sounds and Sgt Pepper era of rock music, and this album wears those influences on its sleeve without delving too deep into Baroque Pop or Psychedelia. The biggest thing I was thinking while listening is "this is British as all hell". Unfortunately it does fall off on the B-Side, but still a pretty enjoyable experience that flows well as an album.
Fantastic concept album and semi-ironic paean to an England that only exists in nostalgic fantasies.
not as good as arthur as i prefer the heavier and more political focus on that album but this is still super comforting and enjoyable. 8/10
I go back and forth on what album from The Kinks I think is best or my favorite. Really that seven album stretch from Kinda Kinks to Lola is pretty phenomenal. Always loved Village Green and this was a delight to get and listen to, it'd been a bit.
Great album. Interesting fun catchy 60s rock. It compares a to the Beatles but the problem is that no one compares to the Beatle.
Some very silly lyrics. Classic 70s stuff. Good though
Cool
Excellent Kinks. A bit overrated in their catalogue though.
The sound of sunshine ☀️🤗💛 The psychedelic nonsense lyrics can be a little annoying, but they're also so outrageously ridiculous that they loop back around to being fun and funny. They also do a lot musically for songs that never pass the 3-minute mark. Not all of it is a winner, especially when it turns into Tin Pan Alley reverence, but all of it is bright and enjoyable, and never asks me to take it too seriously. And when it does ask me to go deep, it's all about this nostalgia for youth and innocence, a topic I’m a sucker for generally. But unlike most records discussing those topics, it does so in a positive, sweet, cute way, which makes it an easy and enjoyable listen, instead of one that triggers an existential crisis, and I do appreciate that. I think that's why I like this so much more than other psychedelic records from this era. This is ironic and silly and enjoyable, compared to the high-minded serious ~insights~ other hippies insisted on expressing on their records. So while The Kinks aren't doing anything particularly exciting from a sonic perspective for the era (at least not anything obvious, unless you're a music theory nerd), what they ARE doing is having fun. And fun is important to actually enjoying music!! Because above all else, I just love a bunch of goofy lads 🤪
There is just enough here to rate level 4 (B-). No outstanding songs just good english fun. It reminds me of British tv shows like the Darling Buds of May.
just a good album really 4.2/5
Didn't think I knew anything by these guys since I didn't recognize the group name, bit I knew Picture Book from somewhere deep in my memories. Do You Remember Walter? Is a really awesome song, as is Village Green. They probably hate this, but they are like a lesser version of the Beatles on this album. Overall, thpugh, pretty fun.
I was never much into the Kinks and understood the impact of the legacy through songs like 'Really Got Me', 'You Really Got Me', and 'Lola'. But they've never really rung the bell for me. 'The Village Green Preservation Society' has changed that. With elements of pop and psychedelia the Kinks found a great lane for themselves here. 4/5.
Good
Enjoyed
Ok. Someone save me from brit 60-70s rock, I get it already. Not bad though
The Kinks are always fun.
Loved the fun, playful lyrics. Similar in style to the Beatles, but different enough to have their own unique take on things. Will definitely listen to more Kinks in the future.
Good, solid album. Not really a bad song. Some songs are better than others though. I can clearly see how a lot of bands that came later were influenced by this album.
Sounds like the Beatles
Just a majestic technicoloured quintessentially British record which is also withering in it's satire of Nationalism. Spanning a whole variety of different genres and tones, it's a contender for Sgt Peppers. Like a budget Sgt Peppers but loading the term 'budget' with less negativity. Really marvellous record.
its the kings, what to expect
Very good. Proto Mac Demarco
Interesting and oddly enjoyable. Had no idea the Kinks had this in their bag.
Hard to believe this is almost sixty years old. There must have been some wild trippin' in those good ole days. Sounds like the trip isn't over.
I’m so glad I finally listened to the Kinks. I must have had an aural hallucination when I was younger because I always thought of slightly out of tune, aggressively strummed chords and have just assumed they were annoyingly overhyped for as long as I can remember. It turns out I’m just an asshole and that these dudes are pretty groovy.
Great to hear these songs again.
Cool album, have loved picture book for a while, starstruck is really cool too
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:
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.
Quintessentially English album, with maybe a hint too much nostalgia for a poorer & more monochrome time.
Une exploration de la nostalgie, dans ses douceurs et ses pièges, révélant la futilité de vouloir revenir en arrière ou prévenir tout changement
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.
an album of bond movie theme songs
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 ...
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.
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
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".
Sweet Classic Kinks 4 stars
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
A lot of Beatles influence
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!
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 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.
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
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.
Decent
Never owned skunks album but like their radio hits. Didn’t know a single song on this album but it was fun.
This is just good, silly, fun. Very enjoyable.
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!
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.
Another very enjoyable Kinks album.
This was like listening to the Beatles for the first time. Whimsical and energetic and emblematic of (what I believe) the '60s were like.
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.
A classic folk sounding album. Nice, easy listening.
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!
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.
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
✨concept album✨ the baroque tune really won me over
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.
Enjoyed this album. Some familiar songs with catchy tunes...brought back some old memories.
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
If there ever was a band that epitomises 60's London, it's The Kinks. So upbeat and still cool.
Good, classic Kinks!
Classic whimsical rock. Not too fetching, but okay to listen to.
A great concept album. Some great songs, some relics of an era.
These English lads are better than I remembered. Fun, upbeat, and dare I say cheeky
Rock
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
Just lovely. Fave: Picture Book
mellow, good vibrations, sophisticated and progressive sound effects. i like it!
Sounds very much like The Beatles
It was alright
Very 60s! I know some Kinks songs but not these ones. I like them though. Standout songs - Starstruck and Wicked Annabella.
delightful
What a fun discovery. Loved almost every song.
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
4/5 ça se laisse écouter
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.
It is good.
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
Hard to believe this album failed to chart on release.
Early Beatles Like
I went back and forth, but I know some of it was really good.
It’s nice no cap it’s like when I be kinda jolly no cap like kinda foresty camp tree ahh vibe
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.
Brilliant!
Delightful though decidedly dated.
Another classic!
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.
great, better than the beatles
fav.: All Of My Friends Were There
The Kinks are fun!
The 60’s and 70’s were a time to be weird. Doing an ass-load of drugs and making strange music was totally acceptable. But people still continued to stick with what was popular, like always. And this record from The Kinks really is the best of both worlds. I was really shocked at how good this actually was. This is what I want all pop rock to sound like. The style of songwriting is a balancing act of whimsical fun and legitimate social commentary. It’s just all hidden under this layer of humor and boundless joy. If they didn’t have a blast making this, I don’t know what to think. Although it was mostly a failure critically when it came out, there is an undeniable charm that latches onto the listener. Just don’t have high expectations. Not because it isn’t good. But because you can’t listen to an album that opens with The Village Green Preservation Society and expect anything that takes itself that seriously. Rating: 7/10
Pretty good. I'm not very familiar with The Kinks but I liked this a lot.
The Kinks are great, but a little intimidating. This was the first time I listened to this album but it was really good.
pleasantly surprised
A very cohesive album full of beautiful little poppy gems.
Quite a while since the last Kinks album - this one is my favourite of the three so far. Village Green, and Picture Book were good, and the album was wonderfully bizarre and cohesive. I do normally enjoy a concept album, no exception here.
I'm constantly reminded of The Beatles everytime these guys come up. Which is to say I really enjoyed this. Highlights: Picture Book Johnny Thunder Last of the Steam-Powered Trains Animal Farm Wicked Annabella
Much better than the previous kinks album we had, more what I expect from the kinks. Still none of the big hits though but I really enjoyed it. Very British. Highlights: Do you remember Walter Last of the steam powered trains Village green Picture book Perhaps was getting a little tired of it by the end but I'll be back
This was a very tame record for The Kinks. Much more psychadelic than their regular fare. Very similar to Sgt. Pepper era Beatles. Favourite songs: Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Big Sky, Picture Book, Village Green, The Village Green Preservation Society Least favourite songs: Do You Remember Walter? 4/5
A lot of fun this one. Kinks always are. Nothing incredibly revolutionary about this, but it’s original, unique, has good production, lyrics, vocals, and I enjoyed it. 4/5
Rating: 8.5/10 Great album, impressed with the consistency and variety here. This album is a mix of rock, pop, baroque with orchestral elements implemented and everything sounds very good, most songs on this album are really great. This album is also incredibly catchy, the melodies on here are fantastic. Some songs were not done as well as others but overall this is a consistently high quality album with plenty of variety and catchy melodies. Favorite songs: Village Green, Picture Book, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Big Sky, Village Green, Starstruck. Worst song: Do You Remember Walter?
Good
underrated band, definitivno. meni su ful dragi, odličnih albuma imaju, a ovo im je top.
No entenc per què phenomenal cat té coros fets per un minion. A part d'això, molt bé. M'ha agradat especialment com comença lalvum, m'ha recordat molt a Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Nice
Dope!
Honestly, I just love The Kinks. Long, long album. Weird and upbeat in that Kinks way.
Some red hot lines: We are the custard pie appreciation consortium. I bet you're fat and married and you're always home in bed by half past eight. This album is the definition of twee.
Light-hearted and joyous - I really like this album.
Got me vibing, enjoyed it
Fakker hardt med the kinks
I do love the Kinks. Pretty great.
Many classics, love the Kinks anyway - so what's not to like. Quite a few songs from Hot Fuzz