Other People's Lives - Ray Davies > Reviews > Our greatest singer-songwriter is back

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	A fresh and interesting take on the world
Disadvantages:	Lacks an obvious single

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ray Davies is a British institution. As the driving force behind The Kinks, Davies is responsible for a distinctively this-side-of-the-Atlantic sound with witty, introspective numbers from the mould-breaking You Really Got Me to the unsettling Lola and songs inspiring covers such as David Watts (The Jam) and Gotta Stop Sobbin' (The Pretenders).

As a solo artist of a certain age, there is bound to be apprehension from fans as to whether the master is present and future as well as past. Well, I have to report that he has something to say to today's audience, whether existing fans or a rising generation.

Things Are Gonna Change is trademark Ray Davies. Catchy pop if you let it just wash over you, listen to the words and you are left with something to think about! After The Fall is a gloomy reflection of life, counterpointed by the quirky, homely Next Door Neighbour that will remind many of slice-of-life Kinks classics like Waterloo Sunset. The next song is almost a merge of the two styles as the goodbye letter that was All She Wrote may hint!

Eight further songs on the album explore similar territory, and I will mention just one more. Stand Up Comic had us laughing out loud at this jaundiced exploration of the world "when the clown does a belch and we all belch back." One for us more mature listeners, maybe!

For many of us, Other People's Lives is a welcome update of the world according to Ray Davies. And I hope it may be a route in for others who appreciate the Britishness of some of today's best bands and want to trace it back to its legendary source, arguably the most influential songwriter to come from these shores.