There are snatches of the Who in ["Preservation Act 1"], the first of a two-act musical by Ray Davies. In fact, insidious as most of them are, the influences of "Tommy" abound, and detract from this album.

That said, there are some Kinks gems, a pretty good, if somewhat hackneyed, storyline, and enough good music to swell the ranks of the Kinks Preservation Society.

At first listen "Preservation Act 1" is disappointing. It hasn't quite the impact of "Muswell Hillbillies" on the rock numbers, nor the lovability of "Village Green Preservation Society," which, for me, must be the definitive Kinks "musical." Ray Davies inevitably has his eyes on the past. Now he's looking to the future; to revolution and a new society. Stars of Act 1 are "the people," the tramp, Johnny Thunder, the vicar and Flash. As would be expected, Ray makes the tramp the hero and gives him the...