Turn Up That Noise An eclectic survey of recent recordings. Stephen Grimstead, Editor The Kinks The Kinks, Muswell Hillbillies Everybody's In Showbiz Preservation Act 1 Preservation Act 2 (Velvel/Konk) The road less traveled is usually the one that yields the most surprises, a particularly fitting axiom when considering the recorded output of the Kinks over 30-plus years. Although their contemporaries (including the Holy Trinity the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who) may be more venerated with wider influence, the Kinks emerge alive in the present tense, while the others are clearly historical artifacts from a by-gone era (and that includes the Stones, who have become reliable cash cows over the past 20 years, with highlights few and far between). Brothers Ray and Dave Davies founded the scruffy little band from Muswell Hill, and have remained the heart and soul of the Kinks. The push-and-pull between these two siblings has resulted in a formidable body of work marked by dynamic tension, numbering around 30 or so albums of original material that continues to resonate today. In spite of incredible odds (and a healthy dose of bad timing and bum luck), the Kinks have persevered to have the last laugh. Although the Kinks are not currently performing or recording as a unified group (a situation which is always subject to change), 1998 has emerged as The Year of the Kinks. A stunning reissue program in the United Kingdom earlier this year restored their first 10 Pye Records-era albums (Reprise Records in the States) with a plethora of bonus tracks (sadly, import only, but each and every one is worth seeking). Both Ray Davies and Dave Davies graced America on separate tours, Ray supporting The Storyteller CD, and Dave rocking the rafters with a solo CD compilation soon to follow. Now, American-based label Velvel has launched a comprehensive effort to document the second and third eras of the Kinks' checkered career through re-mastered digital versions of their albums for RCA and Arista. The initial series of Velvel titles features the first four Kinks albums for RCA Muswell Hillbillies, Everybody's In Showbiz, Preservation Act 1, and Preservation Act 2, with the others to follow in chronological order. After the international success of "Lola," the Kinks signed a million-dollar contract with RCA and continued to make the idiosyncratic music they always had. The first RCA album, Muswell Hillbillies, is an overlooked masterpiece and essential to understanding the width and depth of the Kinks' particular genius. Muswell Hillbillies finds Ray Davies and the expanded Kinks lineup (including brass!) kicking the urban dust off their shoes and lamenting the lost way of rural life that had been strangled by industrialization. Every song on Muswell Hillbillies is a finely-crafted jewel, with the title cut particularly revealing: "They're gonna try and make me change my way of living/But they'll never make me something that I'm not." Originally released in November 1971, Muswell Hillbillies has lost none of its power over the years and emerges as the greatest of the first four Velvel reissues. The follow-up, Everybody's In Showbiz, has its own peculiar charm, but would be considered somewhat of a letdown in the wake of Muswell Hillbillies. A two-album set on one CD (half studio tracks, half live performances), Everybody's In Showbiz is a little sloppy, but still endearing. This is as close as the Kinks ever came to making "hippie" music ("Supersonic Rocket Ship"), but it was 1972 after all. Amid the shambling songs about life on the road are two shimmering classics, "Sitting In My Hotel" and "Celluloid Heroes." Ray Davies raised the stakes a little higher with Preservation Act 1, the Kinks' first full-fledged concept album (even though previous albums certainly contained themed song-cycles). Fueled by characters such as the Tramp, Johnny Thunder, Mr. Black, and Flash, the music on Preservation Act 1 works better in individual doses instead of an organic whole, with many highlights including "Sweet Lady Genevieve," "One Of The Survivors," and "Sitting In The Midday Sun." Just like oysters are an acquired taste, the same could be said for the Kinks' most ambitious outing to date, the double-length Preservation Act 2. The extended storyline here is integral to the success of the entire piece, an unusual position for the creator of such concise classics as "You Really Got Me" and "Tired of Waiting For You." Although certain songs stand out ("Mirror Of Love" and "Scrapheap City"), this is an ensemble piece all the way that should be consumed whole for maximum effect. Preservation Act 2 was definitely ahead of its time, and worth the attempt to grasp its complexities. Each Velvel release was prepared under the watchful eye of Ray Davies and has been remastered in stunning sound with attractive packaging and informative liner notes (the only minor quibble is that Ray is somewhat stingy with the bonus tracks). The next round of Velvel reissues are scheduled for October 27th (the final two RCA albums, Soap Opera and Schoolboys In Disgrace, along with the first two Arista releases, Sleepwalker and Misfits), with a total of seven more to follow. Ray Davies considers the Kinks to be a "work in progress," and these RCA albums lend credence to that approach. One never quite knows just what to expect from the Kinks, and that's a big part of their amazing allure. Just think of the Kinks as a true, fiercely loyal rock-and-roll miracle that continues to happen, whether or not there's a good reason for it. In today's musical climate, where the package is more important than its contents, the Kinks' lasting legacy will continue to shine on brightly. – David D. Duncan