Ray Davies
The Kinks Choral Collection

Nostalgia.

It has been 45 years since the first cry of the Kinks, the pop-rock band that contributed so much in the 60's and the early part of the following decade. The group remained active even in the 80s and 90s, but lost much of that magical blend that had so captivated the English people and (to a lesser extent) the American audience, above all. However, for some years now, Ray Davies has resumed releasing records with regularity, rediscovering a creative vein not far from that of the golden days. What better time than this to dust off the old classics of the band of which he has always been the undisputed leader? Punctually, on June 15, 2009, this "The Kinks Choral Collection" was released, in which the author re-records the group's greatest hits with the addition of a choir (specifically The Crouch End Festival Chorus), in order to introduce the Kinks to younger listeners and to relive intense emotions with some novelties for those who were there. Let's be honest, these are very well-arranged songs, yes, but they exist only in relation to the real original gems: in short, they do not shine with their own light.

On the tracklist, 15 songs, all dating back to the 60s except for "Celluloid Heroes" from '72 and for "Working Man's Café", perhaps the summation of Ray's last solo work from 2007. To avoid any misunderstanding, it must be said that this is a rock album, which has little or nothing to do with classical music (despite the cover that would suggest otherwise), although it is undeniable that the choir often is not just an accompaniment but actively participates in the creation of the melodies.

The album alternates more than good reinterpretations with true excellences, while the excessively long choral intro of "You Really Got Me" is not entirely convincing (but the central part is irresistible) and the cloying "See My Friends", in which the choir acts as the only accompanying instrument to the talented songwriter. The highlights are represented by the ballads "Waterloo Sunset" and "Shangri-La", and by the six-song medley of "Kinks Are The Village Preservation Green Society" which features an imposing intimate version of "Village Green", where a truly moved Davies tells a story rich in sadness over a nostalgic melody. Also excellent is the closing with "All Day And All Of The Night", the '64 hit echoing the famous "You Really Got Me" and energetically closing the work.

This is not a mere commercial operation, but the desire to relive some of the most beautiful pages of his career by tackling them in a dynamic rather than static way, as he could have done, for example, through the release of a best-of.

However, it is not an album for everyone, dedicated to those who know and love this music, precisely because the listening is complementary to that of the original songs, while it could lose value if an end in itself; those who have never encountered the Kinks can dive into their world through their historical albums, nostalgic for the Victorian era, small towns, and times gone by...