My Album Project: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks (1968, Pye Records)

WHY I NEVER GOT AROUND TO LISTENING TO THIS ARTIST/ALBUM

After he was asked the time-worn musical query the Beatles or the Stones?, a wise person (it could have been Delko Blazinin, but I can not remember exactly who it was) replied: “The only correct answer to that question is The Kinks.” Being a lifetime listener of classic rock radio, but not much of a Kinks listener, I can say with much gusto: “It's probably true.” Indeed, the Kinks – and specifically guitarist Dave Davies – has influenced every guitar rock band with their early 60s material like “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” But die-hard Kinks fans will tell you the band's heyday was between 1966 and 1972, when the band released, by most accounts, eight fantastic records, including 1970's Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One and Muswell Hillbillies (1972). And although I did listen to some of the radio-friendly Kinks tracks during this era, I never got to listen to 1968's The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Growing up, I was exposed mostly to some of the very odd, almost circus-like Kinks recordings of mid-to-late 70s, already sensing that the band had past their due date. I also remember thinking the band was a bit too quirky for my liking, especially Ray Davies' vocals.

WHAT I KNEW ABOUT THE ALBUM BEFORE THIS PROJECT

Greenday were in the news a few years back for apparently ripping off the riff from “Picture Book”, a song from this album.
Johnny Thunders, the 1970s punk pioneer who was in the New York Dolls and later The Heartbreakers, most likely got his name from the song “Johnny Thunder,” also from this album.

AFTER A WEEK OF DIGESTING THIS ALBUM

Holy shit balls! The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is a pretty amazing record. The songwriting is compelling, with a very British sensibility that, I dare say, rivals Lennon and McCartney. The narratives of the songs are simple and nostalgic; sure a little quirky, but not at all as out-there as I was expecting. I actually found Ray Davies' voice endearing on many of the tracks like "Animal Farm" and "Starstruck" although my favourite track on the album,"Wicked Annabella", is sung by brother Dave.
Something else that stands out for me are the rhythmical elements of this record, specifically Mick Avory' s drumming, which I never really paid attention to before. Give "Last of the Steam-powered Trains" and "Do You Remember Walter?" a listen and tell me I am wrong.
This is yet another My Album Project success. Much to the joy of my pal and Kinks fan Trisha Lavoie, I have already started to listen to more Kinks records from their much celebrated 1966-1972 era.

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