Ray Davies' "Other People's Lives"

Ray Davies' "Other People's Lives"


First Impression:

Spectacular! ... Brilliant! ... a Classic!

Everything you could ever want from a Ray Davies longplayer
is contained within this wonderful word-play filled with signature
satire, cynicism, comedy, detailed imagery, remorse and resurrection
of the "Little Tramp" character, always found at the core of every
Davies story and song.

Davies has taken a little artistic license with Charlie Chaplin's
"Little Tramp" character in every longplayer sing The Kink's
"Face To Face" in 1966...but we forgive him, even embrace this
poor outcast of society, simply because we see a little of
ourselves in his disappointments, struggles and failures, and,
his ability to rise above the suppression and oppression of the
harsh and unforgiving nature of 20th and 21st century society,
and look a little on the sunny side, however much a misfit he
may be.

We have all been face to face with life as Davies and his tramp
see it....just as we all relate to the characters in the timeless
stories of Charles Dickens. Davies is, and has been, the new
Charles Dickens of British life and Rock & Roll for 40 years,
but has now turned his "I spy with my little eye" to life in America.

This newest kronicle by the once Kinks frontman lacks nothing
when compared to his legacy of recorded observations of the
ironies in life...though this outing is a little less "boozy" than
many Kinks releases of 30-35 years ago...(something he addresses
in the extensive notes that accompany the record)...and the quirky
crunches and powerchords of Brother Dave's lead guitar are replaced
with atmospheric, mood enhancing, dreamy saxophone and keyboard
interludes that work well. A little Brian Eno like? Chris Issac?

Well, but not over-produced, the record is a warm reminder that
music came be multipurposed, even in this "short attention-span"
society we wallow through every day.

Music like this, that of Ray Davies, shows that someone with
original ideas and inspiration, command of language, and an
eye for the absurd, can make multifaceted music that entertains,
provokes, inspires, while tipping its hat at the past, embracing
the present, and laughing at the future.

Ray Davies is a genius, and this record establishes, confirms
and secures his place in the hierarchy of British Rock songwriters
and performers.

Move Over Mr. Dickens!

God Save The Kinks
God Save The Village Green Preservation Sociey
God Bless Ray Davies

Lew Campbell
22nd February 2006