Feeling Kinda Kinky

For the past week or so I’ve been treating my ears to some of the most admirable and refined music I’ve ever heard (and I’ve been here for 3 decades). The year was 1968. The band, The Kinks.

The Davies brothers (Dave and Ray) stray from their more typical, and universally known “British Invasion” rock and offer a storybook fantasy of an open-air park in Devon, England called The Village Green. The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society is a jubilant concept album that makes me want to book a flight to Devon, remove my socks and shoes, and jaunt through the grass in admiration that such a radiant place could exist. 15 catchy tracks, as timeless as they are profound are available (depending on the release) in either mono or stereo recordings.

Ranking at #255 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society clocks in at a quick 38:46, and demands an almost immediate follow-up listen. Without a hint of farce, I listened to this album 5 times on Monday alone. I want to quit my job, sell my belongings, and live within the open walls of The Village Green.

If I had a rating system, this album would be an 11 out of 10. By far one of the best albums I’ve ever heard.

Sanctuary Records released a 3 disc special deluxe edition of the album in 2004 containing the stereo version (disc 1) the mono version (disc 2) and a disc of rarities (disc 3).