Ray Davies Other People's Live CD

After considerable delay, Kinks frontman Ray Davies finally unveiled his solo studio debut, OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES, in 2006. Seven years in the making, the album fell victim to record company woes as well as a much-publicized 2004 incident in New Orleans where Davies attempted to foil a purse snatching and was shot in the leg.

LIVES finds the revered British singer/songwriter comfortably situated at the V2 label, recovered from his earlier injury, and in surprisingly energetic form. "Things Are Gonna Change (The Morning After)" and "After the Fall" kick off the disc with dense layers of electric guitars that recall various second-wave Britpop acts (Coldplay, Doves, et al.), with Davies's vocals and lyrics reflecting a broader scope than usual. Of course, Davies can't help but write classic Kinks-like narratives, as heard on songs like "Next Door Neighbour," a thoughtful acoustic tune straight off the village green, and "The Tourist," a dynamic tale of wanderlust that cheekily name-checks Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca." Closing out with the wistful, horn-laden "Thanksgiving Day" (which appeared on an earlier EP of the same name), OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES both skillfully sidesteps and revels in the classic Kinks sound, and its many charms are revealed with repeated listens.

Audio Remixers: Ray Davies ; Serge Krebs.

Recording information: Konk Studios (03/19/2002-08/??/2004).

Arranger: Ray Davies .

Personnel: Ray Davies (guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, Mellotron); Ray Davies (vocals); Isabel Fructuoso (vocals); Steve Bolton, Milton McDonald (guitar); Phil Veacock (saxophone); Nick Payn (tenor saxophone, horns); David Temple, Matthew Winch (trumpet); John Beecham, Mike Cotton (horns); Toby Baron, Dylan Howe (drums); Laurie Latham (cymbals, tambourine); Serge Krebs (loops, sound effects).

Audio Mixers: Ray Davies ; Martin Salvador Rex; Laurie Latham; Andrew Scarth; Phil Bodger.

Rolling Stone (p.61) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[W]hen the rock kicks in, it is with reassuring familiarity: a chunky metallic heft hearkening back to the Kinks' arena-era winners MISFITS and LOW BUDGET."
Entertainment Weekly (p.61) - "[The album] reveals that Ray Davies has lost little of his ability to marry great rock melodies to exquisitely off-beat lyrics..." -- Grade: A-
Uncut (p.88) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Davies' work has always managed to chime with real life in a way that eludes most songwriters....Davies' tone has the ironic air of a cockney calypso, while the music anchors his musings in familiar surroundings..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.93) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Elusive, as ever....It's never less than fascinating and it's frequently sublime."