The Kinks – Preservation Act 1

As I’ve said before, I’m pretty allergic to most concept albums. And I was slow to get into the deep catalog of The Kinks, to listen to some of the full albums that really made them what they are. Having found, albeit very late in life, that I was completely wrong in that respect with regard to “Village Green Preservation Society” – perhaps more songs on a theme than concept album – when I found a lovely reissue of 1973’s “Preservation Act 1” in my local record shop in May 2024, on the heels of that deeper Kinks dive, I decided to take the plunge and give this long-neglected concept album a try.

No regrets! The way this is supposed to play out is for these songs to introduce a set of characters that then get wrapped up in a storyline that takes place mostly in the next album. While there are no “hits” here, there are some really excellent songs that stand on their own even with out the story, especially “Sitting in the Middday Sun,” “Where Are They Now,” and “Sweet Lady Genevieve.” Overall, a very pleasant listen.

However, pretty much everything I’ve read about Preservation Act 2 is telling me that it’s not for me, so this may be where these particular stories end.