Right up
there with The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones, The Kinks are the
crème de la crème of the British Invasion. From the cragged, distorted riffs
driving “You Really Got Me”, to the stinging music industry satire of Lola
Versus Powerman, the Davies brothers did it all. Formed in 1964, The Kinks
released a whopping 23 studio albums before disbanding in 1996. This month
marks 45 years of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
(KAVGPS), providing an ideal occasion to revisit the ‘68 concept album.
All at
once promoting and poking fun at the bourgeois obsession with respectability
and uniformity first broached on “A Well Respected Man”, singer-songwriter Ray
Davies presents a sedate alternative to the tumultuous urban landscape of
London. Reaching back to a time when life wasn’t quite so caustic and frustrating,
The Kinks journey “far from all the soot and noise of the city”. Behind the
English countryside’s façade of stale traditions and kitschy fixations, there’s
a path to quiet serenity that leads straight through the Village Green. The
Kinks’ sixth LP in just four years, KAVGPS has the band embracing personal and
societal vestiges – leafy sanctuaries, frayed childhood bonds, and moldy
snapshots of idyllic family vacations.
Leading
with Dave Davies’ peppy, frolicsome guitar lines, opening ditty “The Village
Green Preservation Society” is a whimsical, bubbly number that ushers
unblemished blue skies. Backed by ebullient harmonies and Nicky Hopkins’
honeyed organ, the Preservation Society joyously chants its oldfangled maxim
(“Preserving the old ways from being abused/ Protecting the new ways, for me
and for you”). Furthering this theme of fond reminiscence on “Do You Remember
Walter”, The Kinks recall an adolescent friendship dulled by the passage of
time. Looking back on unfulfilled childhood dreams, the singer bemoans that his
erstwhile mate is now a mere “echo of a world I knew so long also.” Though
conceding that time can transform even our closest pals into unrecognizable
shells (“Yes, people often change”), Ray Davies presents a silver lining. Our
friends and loved ones may no longer exist as they once were, but remembrance
can render them immortal. At least within our own minds, “Mem-ahh-ries of
pee-pole can ree-mainnn.”
Our need
to capture significant memories photographically is just as pressing in the age
of Instagram and selfies as it was during the era of photo albums and holiday
slideshows. Kicking off “Picture Book” with the infectious circling bass riff
of Pete Quaife, The Kinks oscillate between wistful (“Picture book, when you
were just a baby, those days when you were happy, a long time ago”) and
sardonic (“Picture book, of people with each other, to prove they love each
other”). On “People Take Pictures Take Pictures of Each Other”, the singer
suggests that snapshots of transient happiness may actually engender more pain than
solace. Unable to cope with intense feelings of longing and regret triggered by
a barrage of photos, he pleads for the montage to end, “Oh how I love things as
they used to be/ Don’t show me no more, please.” It’s an incredibly complex
sentiment for a pop tune; Davies is in McCartney territory here.
Even the
Village Green has its share of problems and contradictions. “Big Sky”, seeped
in clarion harmonies, is a sarcastic jab at those who sympathize with the
plight of the destitute, yet can’t be bothered to lend a helping hand. Looking
down on a world where “the children scream and cry”, Big Sky is complacent and
ineffectual. Though saddened by the pain and anguish of the people on earth, he
passively accepts the status quo. “Sitting By The Riverside” asserts the
impossibility of evading the bedlam of contemporary life. Though we start off
lazily contemplating the willows in some transcendental haven, our serenity is
soon compromised by a jarring, psychedelic tide.
Taking a
rare turn on lead vocals, “Wicked Annabella” has Dave Davies setting a bleak
and foreboding scene (“In a dark and misty house/ Where no Christian man has
been”). Atop scummy guitar riffs and Mick Avory’s disconsolate drumming, the
singer whispers demonic lyrics about a sketchy spinster living in “perpetual
midnight.” Characterized as an evil witch with a propensity to enslave little
children, Annabella is so despised that even her kin to turn away in fear and
disgust. The song presents an unfair and unflinching indictment of a
misunderstood outsider, showing just how easily rumor mutates into fact within
a closed and superstitious rural society.
Free
spirits and nonconformists are poorly suited for the monotonous lull of the
Village Green. Craving adventure, excitement, and stardom, these renegades are
compelled to venture out and seek their fortune. Unable to relate to his fellow
townsfolk or their frivolous financial endeavors, “Johnny Thunder” cruises the
open highway in search of deeper meaning. With sweet Helena’s blessing, the
protagonist vows to forge his own path in life, regardless of the cost. As the
sprightly track fades with blithe, carefree harmonies, we know that he’s made
the right call. “Starstruck” presents a more equivocal message. Intoxicated by
bright city lights, the song’s protagonist receives a stern admonition that
clashes with the track’s chirpy backup vocals, “Baby, watch out or else you’ll
be ruined…It’s gonna drive you insane/ Because the world’s not so tame.” Though
Baby is having the time of her life gulping down champagne and dancing the
night away, her future is very much in jeopardy.
“This
world is big and wild and half insane,” sings a bubbly Ray Davies on “Animal
Farm”. Seeking escape from the inter-generational enmity plaguing London in
‘68, KAVGPS transports us to a more wholesome, harmonious realm. Simulating an
orchestra of strings and woodwinds with an Mk II Mellotron, The Kinks take us
to a place where friendliness isn’t just an act (“People are real people not
just playing”) and the sounds of the city softly fade away (“It’s a quiet,
quiet life”). Of course, this “quiet life” isn’t for everyone; Johnny is
compelled to leave the Village Green in search of freedom, Annabella stays put
only to be relegated to the margins of society, and Big Sky gets so high that
it complacently accepts iniquity and malice.
Juxtaposing
the idyllic lure of the Village Green against its shortcomings and duplicities,
KAVGPS elucidates a quaint lifestyle that The Kinks’ contemporaries summarily
dismissed as boring, stifling, and empty. It’s an incredibly tight offering,
with 14 of 15 cuts coming in at under three minutes. Ray Davies’ vocals are
crisp and clear, his lyricism wry and clever. The jaunty guitar riffs of Dave
Davies perfectly complements the LP’s jovial vibe, while Nicky Hopkins’ bouncy
keyboard shines. Despite sluggish album sales, The Kinks’ lead guitarist dubbed
KAVGPS, “the best thing we’ve ever done.” And he’s absolutely correct; “God
save the Village Green!”
No comments:
Post a Comment