91. The Kinks, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (Reprise, 1968)
Ray Davies is, without a doubt, the most underrated of all '60s British songwriters. This one doesn’t have any of his manic riff-heavy early hits (like “You Really Got Me”) or the most beautiful song he ever wrote (“Waterloo Sunset”, on Something Else), but as an album, it’s pure bliss. Sort of a less daft alternative to Sgt. Pepper’s, it’s the sound of rock stars retreating to the communal, small town wilderness. It predates American Splendor auteur Harvey Pekar by almost a decade by finding complexity and joy in ordinary, everyday routine. Alternating plonking pianos with sly, bluesy guitar licks, Davies manages to be wistful, celebratory, lusty, and always in awe of his picaresque creations. This is a great place to get lost in.
Ray Davies is, without a doubt, the most underrated of all '60s British songwriters. This one doesn’t have any of his manic riff-heavy early hits (like “You Really Got Me”) or the most beautiful song he ever wrote (“Waterloo Sunset”, on Something Else), but as an album, it’s pure bliss. Sort of a less daft alternative to Sgt. Pepper’s, it’s the sound of rock stars retreating to the communal, small town wilderness. It predates American Splendor auteur Harvey Pekar by almost a decade by finding complexity and joy in ordinary, everyday routine. Alternating plonking pianos with sly, bluesy guitar licks, Davies manages to be wistful, celebratory, lusty, and always in awe of his picaresque creations. This is a great place to get lost in.
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