The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society - 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Now Confirmed!

I’m just really pleased to have the opportunity to buy it and appreciate the work Andrew and his team have put into this. With the various versions that will be available there is something for everyone. I have the 3 x CD version from a while back and the single CD from the 90’s (??) but nothing on vinyl.

It’s gonna be deluxe set delight over the next few months with this, Imagine and the White Album

 

I still wonder if I'll buy this box. As many here, I've already bought many, many kinks product. For this particular one, I've got it on LP in the 80's, then Castle CD, 1998 remaster, 2004 3 CD set and the mono boxset.
Now I don't do LP anymore so I'm not very tempted by a mixed boxset.
But I won't blame M. Sandoval who will get my eternal gratitude for all his work and especially with the kinks reissues.

I only wonder why record companies release mixed boxsets ? I bet they're losing sales !

At last, I'm surprised they've changed the original artwork for the box. Is it also Ray Davies choice ?

 

I had a listen to VGPS last night, inspired by this thread, the version in the vinyl mono box. I don't know what it was, perhaps just the mono vinyl, or maybe improvements to my turntable set up, or maybe the couple of beers I was drinking, but it sounded better than I've ever heard it before, so maybe I was being a little harsh earlier in this thread. The vinyl sounded punchy, lively and Ray and the boys are in your face. There's still those well known sonic aberrations: the distortion at the start of the first song and in 'All Of My Friends Were There' and the god-awful sound of 'Monica' but generally it sounded pretty good and the mono mix seems to play down those murky bits. Maybe this is the ideal format for this album. Conversely, if there's no upgrade on the sound in this new version, I can't see why I'd buy it. I have the 3CD version lurking around somewhere for the essential out-takes etc.

 

"As long as the mastering is decent"....that is the question!

Reading between the lines, it seems it was not Sandoval's fault - but rather Ray Davies himself - that the Deluxe Editions were mastered so hot.

Hopefully, he has persuaded the boss to tone it down this time around.

 

I’m pretty sure that all the following tracks/mixes from the new 2CD edition aren’t on the 3CD version.

She's Got Everything (Stereo Mix)
Rosemary Rose (Stereo Mix)
Till Death Us Do Part (Mono Mix)
Pictures in the Sand (Mono Mix)
Did You See His Name? (Stereo Mix)
When I Turn Off the Living Room Light (Mono Mix)
Time Song (Monitor Mix - Stereo)
The Village Green Preservation Society (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix) Picture Book / People Take Pictures of Each Other (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix)
Village Green Overture (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix)

 

Are these three available in stereo anywhere?:

Till Death Us Do Part (Mono Mix)
Pictures in the Sand (Mono Mix)
When I Turn Off the Living Room Light (Mono Mix)

 

No, they were all mono on The Great Lost Kinks Album and every subsequent reissue.

 

The 2CD is strange release..... Love to know the thinking behind the compiling of this.

The mono and stereo albums are on separate discs that’s fair enough.....

:The mono single version of Days is on the stereo disc with the stereo version She’s Got Everything.
:The mono B side of SGE is absent as is a stereo version of Days which was part of the 12 track LP.
:Wonderboy mono single mix is on the stereo disc and the stereo mix is absent.
:Alternate stereo mixes from the 12 tracks LP are missing.... Walter, PTPOEO
:No mono Berkeley Mews, Polly, Misty Water, Mr Songbird....
Also randomly Did you see his name stereo mix is on the mono disc while the mono Till death is do part is on the stereo disc....

 

It's a Kinks release. Always contrarians.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the proposed track listing made more sense but Ray made a few alterations. He is known to strongly prefer the mono mix of "Days" for instance.

 

If the digital single of Time Song is anything to go by (DR12), I’m quietly confident.

 

Time to retire the old PRT maybe, it’s been a trusty old servant.....
Would be great to have the mono mix and all the extra tracks in a definitive mastering.

 

Leaving aside the mono and stereo versions of the original album, the new 2CD seems to have been compiled with an eye to showcasing the number of distinct songs related to the project for the newbie. It’s actually more successful at this than the 3cd, which I recall friends of mine who were Kinks fans (but not mega Kinks fans) complained of being ‘bloated’ with all the alternate versions.

I do recall at the time feeling it was a small shame that all those great Great Lost Kinks Album songs that I’d known for ages were finally coming out officially and that should be embraced by the casual fan were getting kind of lost sprinkled in a sea of alternates.

I’m jaded on it cos I’ve already owned these great, once rare Kinks tracks in various combos, but I actually think the new 2CD is a well compiled primer that gets across how much Ray was on fire in this period to newbies. It’s all meat, no stuffing.

 

It’s a fair point you could be right, just think it could be compiled a bit better in terms of keeping stereo and mono to separate discs for a more balanced listen.... Still odd to include the mono single of Days but not of She’s Got Everything.

I remember a similar issue with the 2012 deluxe of the Small Faces Immediate Debut where i’m only Dreaming and I feel Much Better stereo mixes were missing, even though they had been on the previous version.

 

What a shame mixed format box Vinyl & CD, bizzarly in this day and age no Blu ray or DVD anyway I'll stick with the 3disc set from a few year back and pass no need for the vinyl and both Vinyl and CD fans miss out because some of the music is exclusive to that format.
For the record I would have bought a CD only set.

 

The price for the box has come down significantly and at the very least is comprehensive and definitive in terms of content.
Andrew was kind enough to break down the session disc further up in terms of new content and it’s impressive. There will always be a market for the vinyl if you want to sell it on and keep the CD’s.

 

yes, its the re issue you would have dreamed of in 1998. It also helps (if Ray compiled the cd's) to narrow down what may have appeared on the 20 track, and allow you to sequence it as such like the 12 track, (if that kind of thing floats your boat)

 

Separates would have been better.
Record company man gotta eat.

 

When was Rosemary Rose recorded?
The Anthology box dates the song from June 1967 and the Village Green 3CD edition from March 1968?!

 

June 67

 

Who sequences CDs these days? Playlists and if you rip your CDs then you can sequence anything.

 

I'm saying the album sounds great. Fantastic. It's recorded very well. I adore it. If Elton John sounded like this album, I'd like his albums more. Yes, I'll buy the set. I own various copies of the album. I'm not talking about the mastering. I'm talking about the recording. I think the Kinks records were recorded exceptionally well. I love them. I adore them. I wouldn't want them to sound any other way.


Also, since this is an audiophile forum and it is a 'forum', do you necessary think everyone should agree with you?

 

I think most people know, but you can order the stereo LP by itself, the stereo CD by itself, and a double CD by itself. Just in case anyone missed that.

 

The only sound quality issue I have with VGPS is the obvious distortion on the title track. It’s probably on the master and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Other than that opening hiccup, the album sounds as a Kinks album about days and values gone by should. I’ve pre-ordered the deluxe because it is my all time favorite album. My only wish is the that the compression (loudness) of the 2004 deluxe is reduced. If not, I’ll still enjoy this set. I have plenty of vinyl options already (80 Pye reissue, ‘75 Reprise, and Mono Vinyl box) to keep me happy.

 

I don’t know if anyone commented on the last quote about Andrew doing most of his work for free? First of all that shows what kind of dedication he has and second, shame on BMG and Ray Davies. Pay the man!!