The line above sums up this album perfectly. Although the Kinks are The Village Green Preservation Society was only released in 1968, its entire thematic premise (detailing the joys of suburbia, early days, British and middle American values, and happiness contained therein) seemed light years away from what the music scene was into at the moment.

Where everyone else was shouting "free love" or "Revolution" the Kinks were reflecting on the passing of the old values, the old customs, and heavily steering away from the events of the day.

It's no wonder based entirely on the lyrical themes of Village Green, that this wasn't a huge seller (reportedly it only sold between 17-19,000 copies in the US upon its initial release). Sales figures aside, Village Green probably ranks as the greatest overlooked masterpiece in rock and roll history.

Village Green isn't your typical concept album either. It isn't an album that evolves around a story. Instead, the concept is about the themes mentioned above. It also features Ray Davies at the top of his form.

Classics abound throughout this album. The styles mostly revolving around the British Music Hall style that Ray adopted beautifully over the past few months/year prior to this. Therefore the style is very reminiscent to that of "Sunny Afternoon" and "Waterloo Sunset", except for VGPS the Kinks use this style for an entire album instead of just a handful of songs.

And the results are magnificent. In fact, it's such a great record that describing it in words hardly does the LP any justice.

The opening/title track is the first of an astounding number of brilliant should've-been hits for the band. Inventive wordplay by Raymond abound, this song alone sums up the entire theme of the LP

"We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affilliate
God save Tudor houses, antique tables and billiards
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do?"

Simply a stunner, but there's more to Mr. Davies and crew than this song, as Do You Remember Walter Proves.

"Walter" revolves around what happens when two close friends lose touch. I'm sure everyone has felt this numerous times in their life as they see their old high school or college friends, or sadly even family members change into something they swore they would never be.

"I bet you're fat and married and
you're always home in bed by half-past eight.
And if I talked about the old times
you'd get bored and you'll have nothing left to say.
Yes people often change, but memories of people can remain."

Biting, sophisticated lines like those above continue throughout the LP, as the album slowly yet-beautifully drifts along, but each song evokes an entirely new feeling of quiet melancholy on the listener--sometimes the melancholy that surrounds this is so subtle that it evens sounds joyous.

"Animal Farm" is perhaps the finest example of this. Featuring a melody that could put even Lennon/McCartney to shame, "Animal Farm" is a classic in the style of "Waterloo Sunset".

It's quiet desperation for the happier moments of youth are conveyed wonderfully through the music alone, but added to this lines like "I'll take you where real animals are playing And people are real people not just playing
It's a quiet quiet life, by a dirty old shack
That we called our home". It's clear that Mr. Davies was weary of his rock superstar lifestyle.

Although much of the album musically is in the vein of the songs above, true to form, the Kinks still have a bit of the old raving rockers in them, albeit in a much more subdued/intellectual form.

"Last of the Steam Powered Trains", just evokes a feeling of independence. Its basically a bluesy track that frollicks around musically like the rest of the album, before the Kinks really turn up at the end with a crashing almost punkish assalt at the end. A true gem.

Dave, ever the rocker and TRUE Punk/Heavy Metal Godfather, turns up a blistering vocal take on the almost early Kinks styled "Wicked Annabella". Although it has a feeling of the early thrashing Kinks, Annabella is changed simply by their growing expertise as musicians. (Note: this is not to say that the Kinks are phenomenal musicians, but for a brief moment Something Else--Village Green--Arthur; they were pretty close).

Other songs hint at the psychedelia of the times. "Sitting By The Riverside" a pleasant masterpiece of music has that little twist of psychedellic splendeur. But the real psychedellic track on the album is the Pink Floyd Piper inspired "Phenomenal Cat"--fully equiped with the fairy-tale lyrics that not even "crazy" Syd could top.

Village Green also proves to be a great inspiration on the Brit Pop, that dominated the rock world in the mid 90s, as "All of My Friends Were There" highlights. Featuring a cockneyed vocal in the verses before turning into a music hall/broadwayish chorus; it is almost the archetypical example of Brit Pop. It's also clear that Pulp, Blur, Oasis etc. were listening.

Finally, ending with the most jovially sad song ever released, the insanely catchy classic "People Take Pictures Of Each Other". The Kinks proved that they could write, record and produce a complete classic all on their own. Ray Davies has never before or since (although he came close in both directions) written a better group of songs than VGPS. After each listen, I grow to enjoy this album more and more.

Finally, if more even needs to be said about one of the all time classics, this record has not dated a bit since it was initially written. Unlike the mid 70s Kinks concept driven hit or miss era, the Kinks of Village Green produced a timeless, beautiful, and sophisticated record that seems almost inconceivable to top.

It is an indispensable record, and clearly proves to my ears and eyes why Ray Davies is one of rock's best. You just really need to listen to understand. Phenomenal!

Note: their is a relatively newer--although more obscure where I'm from--remastered version of this album that is significant for the inclusion of "Days", another one of the finest examples of a popular single in rock and roll history. It's been three years since I first bought Village Green, and it'll probably be one of those records I'll never tire of for my whole life.





Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying