The Pye Album Collection

Following on from the brilliant individual Re-masters released in the late '90's comes this box-set of albums. So what's the difference exactly? The packaging gives absolutely no clues which is a real shame as housed within it are several variations on the previous re-issues. Aside from the very nice miniature vinyl sleeves the albums (where possible) have different mixes so you get the Stereo versions of 'The Kinks' 'Face To Face' and 'Something Else' and the Mono mix of 'Arthur'.( The second and third Kinks albums 'Kinda Kinks' and 'The Kink Kontroversy' were recorded on a 1-Track machine--as were many of their early singles-- so a true Stereo mix is impossible hence they are the same Mono versions as previously issued.)Its also worth pointing out that the version of 'The Village Green Preservation Society' featured here is the withdrawn 12-Track Stereo edition with a slightly different track listing ('Days' and 'Mr. Songbird' are included) and the early mixes of 'Do You Remember Walter' and 'People Take Pictures Of Each Other' which were both Re-mixed for the 15-Track edition. This version of the album was a bonus on the 1998 Re-Master of 'Village Green..' and this box set uses the same slightly rough vinyl transfer hence the sound quality is a little ropey. (For those who wish to experience this classic album in the best way possible may I point them in the direction of Sanctuary's superb 3-Disc Deluxe Edition, which is about as definitive as you're likely to get for this period of the band. As for the other albums here, the sound quality is excellent throughout and the (mostly) brilliant songs speak for themselves. The only thing that stops it being worth 5 stars is that this time around there are no bonus tracks so a multitude of masterpieces are missing. A seperate CD of this material would have been nice as the Stereo mix of 'Autumn Almanac',for example, is still only available on 'The Kink Kronikles' CD which has not been Re-mastered. A missed opportunity then but still with enough variations on the earlier issues to warrant purchase. It's just a bit frustrating as a Kinks fan to know that it could have been even better.

I'll keep this brief: Great band, great albums - poor box set from Castle (which is really a suprise, as they normally do the biz with regards reissues). Yes, you do get ten albums, all in mini 'rare' cardboard sleeves; but if you've picked up most/all of these individually, as a result of previous reissues, then your really only paying out for the box itself here. So, this is worth '3 Stars' for the stuff within the sleeves (i.e. the music), but it would have got '5 Stars' from me if the people at Castle had put it all together with a hefty 'sleevenote' booklet.