Music is in the ear of the beholder (or something like that).
The two Preservation albums by The Kinks have always elicited strong emotions among the band’s followers. Some people think they were a brilliant phase in the ever-changing career of Ray Davies, while others place them at the bottom of The Kinks' large catalogue of releases. Like them or hate them, there are few grey areas.
I have to admit that until I decided to review The Kinks' studio albums, my vinyl copies of Preservation: Act 1 and Preservation: Act 2 had not left their places on my storage shelves in decades. At the time of its release, I considered Preservation: Act 1 to have been incomprehensible. It sounded like a Broadway cast or soundtrack album without the benefit of seeing the film or play. The follow-up made it a little more understandable and palatable, as it provided a context. I think I know what Ray Davies was trying to do; I’m just not sure why he was doing it.
Ray Davies and The Kinks traveled a convoluted journey during the first decade of their existence. There were power chords, psychedelic rock, pastoral music of the English countryside and working people, some country and bluegrass, and now a stop with a couple albums of tunes envisioned for the stage.
Preservation: Act 1 used their Village Green Preservation Society album as the taking off point. The main problem was it lacked some of its laid-back melodies and its overall sense of humor which was a saving grace on a number of mid-career Kinks albums. Still, there were a number of songs that have aged well and are a better listen than I remember. The gentle “Sweet Lady Genevieve,” the energetic rock of “One Of The Survivors,” and the sarcastic lyrics of “Sitting In The Midday Sun” are all nice creations and are a good listen outside the context of the overall album.
Article comments
1 - julian the apostate
Act 1 is the better of the 2 albums.
Even Lou Reed proclaimed it at the time as his favorite album.
Anyone who reviews a Kinks album from that time period and highlights the "rocking songs" clearly has no clue.
2 - BlitzKriegBopper
Certainly not radio faves but they do have a place in history. Not nearly as dreadful as Tales From Topographic Oceans. I think the most painful aspect was dragging it out further with the hideous Schoolboys in Disgrace. Can't figure out that one since neither of these charted well.