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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Other People's Lives
by Ray Davies


9.2

based on 20 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 28 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

Working Man's Cafe

Official Artist Site

This is the first album of any kind in eight years (and the first true solo singer-songwriter album period) for the former leader of the Kinks.

LABEL:	V2
RELEASE DATE:	21 February 2006
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rock

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly

Davies has lost little of his ability to marry great rock melodies to exquisitely offbeat lyrics. [24 Feb 2006, p.61]

PopMatters

These are great pop songs put across in fantastic performances.

E! Online

His lyrics remain slightly twisted, the music is uniformly dark and the singer's still a little freaky.

Alternative Press

Davies' tone has the ironic air of a cockney calypso, while the music anchors his musings in familiar surroundings. [Mar 2006, p.88]

All Music Guide

It's proof that while many try to emulate him, there's no substitute for the crankiest, funniest songwriter in pop.

Amazon.com

Reverberate[s] with the wistfulness and introspection that have forever been his trademark.

Prefix Magazine

The most apt comparison would be Dylan's more recent comeback albums; if not quite the masterpiece of Love and Theft, it beats the hell out of anything McCartney, Jagger or Simon have put out in the last fifteen years.

Filter

The songwriting recalls Davies' Misfits days, which wouldn't be a snipe if he hadn't penned so many masterpieces with the Kinks. [#19, p.92]

Blender

[An] assured and surprising record. [Mar 2006, p.110]

Rolling Stone

It is a cocky, winning performance by a singer-songwriter who, on this album, for the first time in his rock & roll life, is truly on his own. [23 Feb 2006, p.61]

Billboard

Davies' first solo studio collection has all the tasty ingredients that epitomized the Kinks--primarily Davies' knowing lyrics and world-weary vocals. [25 Feb 2006]

Mojo

At moments Other People's Lives sounds weird and forced, but it's never less than fascinating and it's frequently sublime. [Feb 2006, p.93]

Lost At Sea

Other People’s Lives is a record to get lost in, especially for those who can close their eyes and trust a sly old cuss to bring them back.

Pitchfork

At times Davies matures backward, trading the Kinks' tergiversating sophistication for rash generalization.

Q Magazine

If none are the kind of songs likely to be remembered with misty-eyed affection in another 40 years, they at least entertainingly tackle matters few others would. [Mar 2006, p.104]

The Guardian

An album that delights as much as it disappoints, leaving the listener not celebrating the rebirth of one of England's greatest songwriters, but slightly confused.

Under The Radar

[The] glossy, over-the-top production style... detracts from the beauty and wit of the songs themselves. [#12, p.90]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Sounds too much like a man chasing trends.

Stylus Magazine

The biggest flaw with Other People’s Lives is that the songs play to Davies’ weaknesses rather than his strengths, coupled with overproduction that veils any remaining virtue under a gauzy blanket of unnecessary studio witchcraft.

NOW Magazine

Uniformly mediocre.... It leads one to assume he's either lost the ability to discern the padding from the profound or he just didn't give a shit.

The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jim gave it a10:
Ray is the man! Superb album!!

Lance S gave it a10:
I have been a Kinks fan for my whole life, and I had very little expectations for this new Ray Davies album, and I couldn't have been more wrong. All She Wrote is a devastatingly brilliant song, and Stand Up Comic is the funniest song Ray has ever wrote. All that needs to be said is that "Other People's Lives" is the BEST ALBUM OF 2006. Period.

House gave it a10:
Ray Davies releases his first solo album at age 61! Better late than never and better than ever. There are many who emulate him but only one orignal. This album was worth the wait. You'll laugh, you'll cry...Ray Davies at his best!

Tim C gave it a10:
Ray makes an album that only gets better with repeated listenings. This album will stand out over time.

Fred F gave it a10:
If you are a Kinkophile, this one will satisfy your yearning for a return to Ray's magnificent take on all things this life has to offer. "Other People's Lives" just may hit you on a sunny afternoon, and if it does, it will leave you happy. It really got me.

T.P. Reitzel gave it a9:
After listening to Other People's Lives for over a month, it's still as strong as first time. I don't have a favorite, but I'm partial to the lyrics of the title track, Other People's Lives, as it hits the target without getting overbearing. I absolutely LOVE the female singer and rhythm on the title track as well as Ray's brilliant vocal delivery. My main concern is the lack of a harmonica solo on the Getaway. All in all, this CD is a billiant piece of work. It grows on the listening like a well-worn pair of jeans.

jerry H gave it a9:
Much, much better than expected. Excellent melodies, lyrics, songwriting.

Other People's Lives by Ray Davies

Other People's Lives
by Ray Davies