If anyone is interested here is a little blurb (from a longer article) from the UK Record Collector magazine on the Kinks Singles released in their homeland in 1973.
There's a change in the weather Nothing to add to all the great things that have been said. I endorse it all, the good and the bad - that's my bow to Christmas spirit. I like to hear it more as a prog thing than a musical narrative thing, and I would listen to it out of context, even if my favorite multi-part epic on the album is yet to come. Thanks a lot to Avid @Luckless Pedestrian for his insightful musical analysis.
It’s only conjecture, of course but the way the 2018 boxset was put together seems to indicate they’d include everything related to the original VGPS era and concept: Swedish release, international release, outtakes, 1968 singles and curios, 1973 remakes (and outtakes) + later day solo concerts in one place. So my guess is if anything is left lying around somewhere, it’ll have to be outtakes for the Preservation Acts per se, and nothing to do with the older Village Green concept (or anything 1973/1974 but unrelated). But in truth, I wish they’d (re)done it all. These three pieces are just lovely and yet another exhibit of the extraordinary machine that this augmented Kinks line-up could be when disciplined (and you know what I mean…). Gosling is a star, one of the great unsung instrumental heroes of pop. Everything he does elevates the songs and he can do it all, boogie, classical, saloon, ragtime, jazz, blues, cabaret, pop, show-tune… His parts here, especially his reinvention of the Picture Book arrangement, are absolutely stellar. I think his departure after Misfits was the most dramatic line-up change in the long Kinks history. The brass band struggles a bit on Pictures of Each Other but it shines on the Village Green Overture, part Thrillington, part Holy Grail, with its medieval treatment. And they’re fantastic on the title track remake, a song that I love in all its incarnations because they all showcase how integral to the composition the hooks were. Sometimes hooks are just hooks, sometimes the song would sound empty without them, and it’s definitely the case here (Du-du dudu-dudu !). Some of the female backing vocals are more questionable, but I guess that’s 1973/1974 for you…
I'm ambivalent on these re-recorded tracks. I'm sure it was great to hear them played live in these new arrangements, but I think it would have been a big mistake and retrogressive step for the band to carry on down the path of re-doing old material. Notwithstanding the fact that it's like an admission you've run out of ideas, there's an also an element of "You philistines missed this stuff first time round, so we're going to do it again and maybe you'll listen this time". Also if Ray had spent 5 years working on thinking about the Preservation concept how come the whole thing was so vague and ill-defined he ended up ditching it and starting again?
I have a similar view on the re-recorded tracks. They are nice enough but I'd prefer to hear those songs in their original versions, and I'd rather hear Ray coming up with new material.
Because it’s Sunday, and because there are many playlists enthusiasts among us, here’s a little collection in our sweet ladies’ honor. Apart from the Kinks, my favorite is the Elton beauty. A very sweet “Sweet Lady” EP 1/ Sweet Lady Genevieve (Kinks) 2/ My Sweet Lady (John Denver) 3/ Sweet Lady (Queen) 4/ Oh, Sweet Lady (Brewer & Shipley) 5/ Sweet Lady Mary (Faces) 6/ Lady Sweet (Big Star) 7/ Sweet Painted Lady (Elton John) 8/ Dark Sweet Lady (George Harrison)
Dictating (So ignore typos please - and accept my apologies) because I am heading out the door for the slopes! Sweet Lady Genovese: this is a killer song, had it been released five years earlier I’m sure it would’ve been more widely regarded. I love it. Change in the weather. this one was a struggle for me at first, I absolutely love the first 40+ seconds (Now that’s some great rock ‘n’ roll!), then I thought it went off the deep end. With repeated listens though, I’ve come to enjoy the whole song. I’m kind of curious why everybody thinks these songs can’t be standalone songs. I’m envisioning mixing change in the weather and many of the others off of both of the preservation albums into a playlist and I think they’ll play just fine.But that’s just my two cents.
“sweet, sweet Connie..” oops, not a title. Grand Funk Railroad “We’re An American Band.” (I bet nobody on a Kinks thread expected a GFR reference to pop up.)
I agree with you. I was wondering the same thing. I don’t think there is any song that only works in the context of an album, especially some of these Kinks songs. A good song is a good song. It may be elevated in an album setting, but they also play great as stand alone tunes.
Yes, I'm not really into this idea of songs that 'work in context', it seems like all you're doing is saying, "I know this song isn't very good but..." I suppose if you're going to do musical theatre then you're occasionally going to have to fall back on programmatic songs to move the plot along... which is one of the drawbacks of musical theatre!
I suppose that IS part of what I would say about There's a Change in the Weather...that it doesn't work as a real song for me...and therefore I do not think it's a contender for upper level Kinksdom. It's too chopped up. There's a lot of good stuff there...potential...but this is in service to the plot of a musical and not a proper song. IMO, of course.
There's A Change In The Weather A great piece to move the show along. I've no idea what the villagers must have found out to bring together everyone - from the working to the upper classes, but it's certainly ominous once their individual introductions are complete. The storm clouds are gathering. Whatever it is, it's going to affect everyone. Maybe it's just a rumour at this stage, as the lightness returns for the final segment of the song. Life goes on as normal in the village, for now... Village Green Preservation Society (1973 version) I thoroughly enjoy this version with the horn arrangement in perfect unison. Horny in an fine English manner, unlike the more American jazzy take on Muswell Hillbillies. Drury Lane, Covent Garden, Music Hall, three lyrical alterations in the first verse. After this, there's no difference lyrically. Rather than 'Preservation' opening my version of the album, I start with this - to set the scene before 'Morning Song' and then end the album with the 'overture'.
Avid Markelis, I just find it interesting that you apparently live in Miami Beach, FL & you're into skiing. I thought people who live in Miami Beach want to avoid snow in general. (Have a great time)
Sunday trivia: we have an almost 100 year-old movie theater (opened 1928) in our town; a non-profit that shows only a dozen or so films a year. We just went to see Christmas In Connecticut (1945) and picked up the program which shows the films coming up in the first half of 2022. And…‘Oklahoma!’ (1955) will be shown in May. Thanks to The Kinks, I’ll be going to see it.
I am somewhat of an itinerant. Born in New York, grew up in New England, San Jose area for law school, then back-and-forth between San Francisco New York and Santa Monica for years. Left New York right before the pandemic got serious there (I do a lot of business in China and I had a pretty good idea from people over there what kind of **** show was about to hit all the major cities here in the US) and we resettled in Miami Beach. Florida is a bit of an interesting culture in relation to what I’m used to, but it was a great place to ride out the first wave of the pandemic. And I got to say, going for a swim on the beach where I live in the middle of the winter feels pretty nice! I skied when I was young in New England, then stopped for a good 40 years. My fiancé’s family lives in Colorado Springs and they’re a very big family and very good skiers, so they’ve got me back into it over the last couple of years. Currently skiing in Breckenridge and having a great time. Probably way more information than anyone was looking for
I think the original article about Ray reviewing Revolver has been brought up in these pages back around Face to Face time. I'm now watching the Boston Rock Opera's 1998 version of Preservation which I have on a DVD transferred from an old VHS tape. Despite the somewhat dodgy quality, it's pretty good. They did a good job combining Acts I & II.
No problem, Avid Markelis. My next door neighbor has been skiing in New Hampshire for over 40 yrs. now. Have a groovy time.
