Preserve your sanity by clicking on this link that'll take you back to the main KINKS page ... Everyone Loves to Preservation the Act Tew Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10 Now, Ray Davies has really done it. This is a concept album with not 15 tracks, not 18 tracks, not 22 tracks, not 24 tracks, but 23 tracks on it! Arrrggghhhh! Alright, a few of them are only 20 or 30 seconds long, but most of them aren't and this is a looooooooooooooooong album! Surprisingly, though, this isn't nearly as frustratingly boring as Preservation Act 1 was. For the most part, these are some fairly well written songs! Davies's talent for melody didn't go down the Kinks Krapper or anything. Unfortunately, though, Davies's talent for studio arrangements (and general songcraft) has deteriorated quite significantly. I'm sure if he spent another few months on these songs, trying to fine tune them the best he possibly could, Preservation Act 2 would have been a really fine masterwork to sport the Kinks' moniker. As we have it here, unfortunately, this is album is just sort of average. This was a monumental undertaking, certainly ... probably one of the most monumental of undertakings in all of rock and roll! (And, frankly, even when Davies didn't fine tune the album enough, this is still better than most any other artist would come out with if they dared trying it.) ... It's a pretty good album. The songs are all pretty nice. But my enjoyment of the album is permanently haunted by the thought that it all could have been better! Bluggahhh! This isn't a total waste of time, though. (Oh! In case you haven't figured it out, this is the second part of a series. The first was The Kinks' Preservation Act 1, which was a bit dismal. The second one actually has a story plot to it ... it has something to do with a dictator and political overthrow ... I haven't sit down and properly tried to figure it out. ... I doubt that I ever will, either, because I have better things I could be doing ... like saving the dolphins or something.) Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10 (The Kinks' sprawling concept album actually doesn't make that bad of a listen. I like all of these songs, even if they can be a bit cheap. Certainly, though, this is well under what we know to be Ray Davies's capability. But still a worthwhile find for the seasoned Kinks fan.) Average Song Score: 8.5 (There might be a lot of 'em, but this is a pretty good collection of songs.) Album Tilt: 8.0 (I can't really say that the sheer length of the album is the problem. Perhaps because it doesn't have much breadth.) Artist Rating: 8.5 (An interesting undertaking, to be sure!) Track Reviews Announcement I announce that this is going to be another snubby concept album. Introdution to Solution 8/10 The Kinks give us a pretty strong but totally unmemorable track here ... I suppose it's supposed to be just introduction music. Hmm. When a Solution Comes 9/10 This is a pretty good one! ... Not "great," mind you, but I think the melody is really good (Oh yeah, Ray Davies wrote this, didn't he). The instrumentation is a bit muddled, but that gives this song an interesting sort of atmosphere. Ray's quirky vocals are another highlight. Yup. This is a good song. Money Talks 8/10 Another pretty good song, but this doesn't work on any sort of quirky level or anything. It's not too memorable, but the tune is nice. The instrumentation is alright (but we all know that Ray was capable of much better than this). Announcement I announce that this is going to continue to be another snubby concept album. Shepherds of the Nation 8.5/10 At the very beginning of this track, it sounds like the Kinks were ready to turn themselves into a cheap Prog-rock band! ... It's so Medieval! ... Anyway, this Medieval type song is interesting ... there's very little "rock" in this, but ... that's alright. I like the melody. Scum of the Earth 8.5/10 This sounds like a bit of a bastardized version of the ragtime of Muswell Hillbillies ... but I guess that ragtime was kind of a bastard, too. So, "Scum of the Earth" is alright, then! It's a pretty entertaining song. Second-Hand Car Spiv 8/10 Once the song gets going, it's pretty enjoyable on a real quirky level. (Sounds a bit like 70s game-show music, actually.) I think the song is a bit sloppy and unfocused, but it's crazy enough to be fun. He's Evil 8.5/10 Evilllllllllllll!!!! (Davies was obviously talking about John Kerry). No, wait! I don't want to get political! ... Forget I said that. Again, this is a generally well written song. Other than the fact that it's utterly quirky, it doesn't leave much of a lasting impression. Certainly entertains, though. Mirror of Love 9.5/10 The first truly awesome song of the album! ... This does cry out holy reminisces of Muswell Hillbillies, except this is a verrrrry good song! Very good! The song is catchy and enjoyable ... I can't help but think that the instrumentation could have been done less cheaply, but it's really not too bad. Announcement I announce that we are now in the middle of another snubby concept album. Nobody Gives 7.5/10 I'm sorry! This song is just too lengthy, and it's not that entertaining, either. The instrumentation here is particularly sloppy (What's with those messy drumbeats? Ew!) The song has its highlights of goodness and badness. Certainly, though, the song overall is "okay," but ... Hmm ... Oh Where Oh Where Is Love? 8.5/10 Oh, call me a hopeless romantic, but I really think this is a good song. Of course, it's no Kinks Klassic, but it's still a Kinks Keeper! It's a light, romantic type song with some pretty well-written hooks incorporated within it all! Hooray for the light Kinks Romantic Ditties for the Krapper! Flash's Dream (The Final Elbow) 8/10 Everyone in the world who ever called Ray Davies a dork was probably talking about this very moment. We hear him very dorkily acting as "Flash's" conscious. (Oh, "Flash" has something to do with the concept ... but I haven't been paying attention to that.) At the end of this song, we get some bloody whopping ragtime! This song is freaky. I think it's supposed to be surreal (obviously), but I can't help but continue to say this: it's cheap!! Davies used to be awesome at the instrumentation type thing. Flash's Confession 8.5/10 Flash confesses! Flash confesses! Flash confesses! And there was much celebration! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! ... Oh wait. Who's Flash? ... Heck if I know, but he confessed. And he had a dream in the last track. So, I guess he's somebody. And this song is alright. It's nothing phenomenal, but it's entertaining. Davies still has the knack of songwriting, but ... eh, this is also quirky enough to be fun. Nothing Lasts Forever 7.5/10 Booooooooooooooooooooring!!! ... But still not bad. It's a slow Broadway-type song that I don't care much about. Yadda yadda yadda good melody yadda yadda yadda. Announcement I announce that this snubby concept album is entering its final third. Artificial Man 8.5/10 Really ... if you want some really nice tunes, but songs that won't leave much of an impression on you, then this Kinks album is really the way to go! Another really fine melody that's not brought out to its full potential. At times, the song even has a nice driving force, but it's not phenomenally memorable. Scrapheap City 8/10 I'm bobbing my head in merriment for this lighthearted and enjoyable cowboy song ...... stupid cowboy music ... Announcement I announce that I wonder if this snubby concept album is never going to END!!!!!!! Salvation Road 9.5/10 Hey! Guess what? This song is awesome! ... It seems like this is the complete version of a snippet of melody that we've been hearing throughout the whole album. Who knew that it would be awesome? I didn't know! ... This song is pure pop-rock, and I love every second of it. (Sounds like it's supposed to an anthem of some sort.) Mirror of Love 9.5/10 Okay, would you quit FREAKING MESSING WITH MY HEAD!!! THIS SONG WAS ALREADY IN THE ALBUM!!!! ... Fortunately, this was one of the album's better songs! I'll give this one a 9.5, too. Slum Kids 9.5/10 Whoah ... I don't believe it ... I'm finally *done* listening to this album! ... And, wow! Ray gave us another pretty good one! It's quite lengthy, but this is probably one of the stronger songs as far as instrumentation goes. (And it does that without having the "quirky" excuse.) This is probably the best song on the whole album, but I can't really give it a 10. Send me a comment about this album here, if anyone cares.

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. I have the haircut of a popsicle.