Ray(mond Douglas) Davies Criticism
Raymond Douglas Davies, the influential British songwriter and musician, is celebrated as the founding member and lead singer of The Kinks. Emerging during the "British Invasion" of the 1960s, Davies's compositions propelled the band to fame with hits like "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night." Known for his catchy melodies and uniquely British themes, Davies's work often reflects the alienation and aspirations of the lower middle class, as observed in tracks like "Set Me Free" and "Lola." As noted in 'Something Else by the Kinks', his ability to evoke nostalgia and longing through sharp social commentary has garnered both a cult following and critical acclaim.
Davies's songwriting evolved significantly over time. Initially focused on top-40 pop and teenage experiences, his work took on more serious and distinctly British themes with songs like "A Well Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower of Fashion." Albums such as The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur reflect this shift towards concept albums with rich narratives about societal changes and the decline of British values, as explored by Mike Daly in his critique of Arthur.
Despite tensions within the band during the 1970s, Davies's creativity led to theatrical productions such as Preservation and Soap Opera, though they met with mixed commercial success. His later work, including Sleepwalker and Misfits, marked a return to more personal themes and a revitalized musical style. Albums like Low Budget, influenced by Davies's time in New York, showcased a harder musical edge and resonated with American audiences, contributing to The Kinks' renewed popularity in the U.S.
Throughout his career, Davies's songwriting has been characterized by its wit, satire, and exploration of humanistic themes, maintaining his status as a distinctive voice in rock music, as affirmed by critics such as Steve Lake and Steve Simels.
Contents
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Kink Is Still a Naughty Word
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In the following essay, Ray Davies contends that his songwriting aims to authentically capture everyday emotions and societal attitudes, challenging the notion that down-to-earth and factual music will be dismissed, while expressing his aspiration to evolve into a skilled songwriter akin to the "Francis Bacons of pop music."
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'Face to Face': The Kinks
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In the following essay, Paul Williams highlights Ray Davies' unique musical style and humor in the album Face to Face, praising its distinctiveness and depth while acknowledging that appreciation of the Kinks is a matter of personal taste.
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Doors & Kinks
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In the following essay, Sandy Pearlman explores the evolution of the Kinks, focusing on Ray Davies's penchant for brutal cynicism and metaphysical despair, observing how these themes are interwoven with their musical progression, which transitions from a style once considered repulsive to an increasingly palatable and dynamic sound, culminating in the album Face to Face.
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'The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'
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In the following essay, Paul Williams extols Ray Davies's songwriting in "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society," highlighting its nostalgic texture, emotional depth, and transformative power, while celebrating the unique bond among fans and comparing the music's impact to profound personal experiences.
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Records: 'Arthur'
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In the following essay, Mike Daly contends that Ray Davies' work with The Kinks, particularly on the album Arthur, represents a pinnacle of rock music, showcasing Davies' storytelling and musical genius while exploring themes of English identity, societal change, and personal reflection.
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'Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround (Part One)'
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In the following essay, John Mendelsohn evaluates Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround (Part One) as a profound rock and roll critique by Ray Davies and the Kinks, highlighting its exploration of the music industry's pitfalls and the allure of escapism, while deeming it potentially their finest album.
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A Limp 'Percy' from the Kinks
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In the following essay, Roy Hollingworth criticizes Ray Davies's film score for "Percy," performed by the Kinks, as lacking energy and failing to create a climactic impact, despite its potential effectiveness when paired with the film itself.
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The Kinks: Rockers in Rebellion
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In the following essay, Bob Palmer explores how Ray Davies and The Kinks, through their album "Muswell Hillbillies," challenge societal norms and bureaucratic uniformity with a blend of pub philosophy and rock, encapsulating a unity among the disaffected in a fragmented society against dehumanizing power structures.
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'Muswell Hillbillies'
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In the following essay, Saunders critiques the Kinks' album Muswell Hillbillies as an uncertain departure from the band's roots, noting its mix of British Music Hall and country influences, praising its cynicism and wit, but criticizing some uninspired and unenergetic tracks, while acknowledging the band's enduring legacy and fan devotion.
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'The Kink Kronikles'
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In the following essay, Mike Saunders examines Ray Davies' evolution as a songwriter through the Kinks' album The Kink Kronikles, highlighting how the early raucous energy evolved into intricate, introspective compositions, though he critiques the later sides of the album for lacking the band's distinctive rock vitality.
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The Kinks: An Only Partially Mythical Freeway to Hollywood
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In the following essay, Bob Palmer discusses Ray Davies's album Everybody's in Showbiz as a work that combines English nostalgia with an exploration of American showbiz, highlighting Davies's critique of the entertainment industry and his ability to blend traditional musical influences with contemporary rock.
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Kinks' Contrast
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In the following essay, Nancy Erlich examines the contrast between Ray Davies' poignant songwriting and his stage persona, highlighting the grim and occasionally cynical nature of "Everybody's In Show Biz" as an exploration of the complexities of a pop star's life, marking it as instructive albeit somber listening.
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Records: 'The Great Lost Kinks Album'
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In the following essay, Jim Miller evaluates The Great Lost Kinks Album, highlighting Ray Davies's transition from energetic rock to artful and socially insightful compositions, while appreciating the nostalgic and theatrical elements of the Kinks' music, despite disappointment with Davies's more recent works.
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'The Great Lost Kinks Album'
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In the following essay, Ken Emerson argues that The Great Lost Kinks Album showcases the organic consistency of The Kinks' work and challenges criticism of their later albums by highlighting the thematic depth and lyrical quality that persist despite musical changes.
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The Kinks: What Comes Next?
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In the following essay, Steve Simels examines Ray Davies's evolution as a songwriter and the Kinks' fluctuating success, attributing their enduring creativity and recent resurgence to Davies’s inventive lyrics, exploration of personal themes, and a refusal to conform to mainstream trends.
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Kinks: A Variety Act
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In the following essay, Ian Massey critiques Ray Davies's "Preservation Act 1" as being influenced by "Tommy," lacking the impact of earlier Kinks works, but still containing standout tracks that reflect Davies's characteristic wit and thematic preoccupation with societal change and nostalgia.
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What Happened to Swinging London?
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In the following essay, Loraine Alterman argues that Ray Davies's album "Preservation Act 1" powerfully critiques modernity's impact on individuality through its rich character-driven storytelling and musical versatility, while positioning The Kinks as a uniquely original British rock band deserving of greater recognition.
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The Kinks: Muswell's Hillbilly Satirists
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In the following essay, Steve Lake explores Ray Davies's evolution as a songwriter, highlighting his distinct satirical style and how the Kinks navigated their musical journey, from early success with simplistic riffs to the development of concept albums and a unique stage presence, all while maintaining their artistic integrity.
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Wry Davies
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In the following essay, Michael Watts critiques Ray Davies's concept albums "Preservation" for their lack of incisive satire and musical innovation, arguing that while Davies's warm humor and ambition are present, his work suffers from simplistic constructions and fails to deliver a convincing critique of political and social issues.
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Ray Rekindles Kinks
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In the following essay, Fred Schruers argues that Ray Davies, through his album Preservation Act 2, channels Brechtian theatrical influences and Marxist themes to create a compelling rock narrative that positions him as a genius in the music industry, despite his reluctance to commercialize his persona.
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Ray Davies—Just an Ordinary Man?
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In the following essay, John Swenson examines Ray Davies's theatrical rock productions, arguing that Davies uniquely integrates rock music with theatre to explore themes of identity and societal critique, as demonstrated in works like Preservation and Soap Opera, where his introspective songwriting and stagecraft provide a sophisticated commentary on ordinary life and stardom.
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The Kinks' New 'Soap Opera'
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In the following essay, Steve Simels critiques Ray Davies for his shift towards larger, concept-driven projects, arguing that despite some successes, this approach often dilutes his strengths as a songwriter and calls for a return to his forte of crafting poignant, concise musical narratives.
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Kinks Is No Disgrace!
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In the following essay, Allan Jones argues that Ray Davies' album "Schoolboys in Disgrace" marks a triumphant return to form, showcasing his trademark nostalgic and articulate songwriting, reminiscent of his earlier work, while exploring themes of educational pressures and societal conformity with clarity and sincerity.
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The Kinks: Music as Disposable as the Komix
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In the following essay, Linda J. Frederick critiques Ray Davies's album "Schoolboys in Disgrace," arguing that while the Kinks' theatrical style may thrive on stage, the album itself suffers from weak lyrics and lackluster execution, rendering it emotionally flat and less impactful as a rock opera.
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Popular Discs and Tapes: 'The Kinks' Greatest Celluloid Heroes
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In the following essay, Peter Reilly critiques Raymond Douglas Davies of The Kinks for his persistent irreverent style, arguing that while it occasionally succeeds, it often results in inappropriate or tedious work that fails to resonate with the more serious cultural tone of the 1970s.
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Have You Heard about the Midnight Rambler?: 'Sleepwalker'
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In the following essay, Allan Jones argues that Ray Davies' album "Sleepwalker" marks a significant artistic revitalization, showcasing his lyrical and melodic prowess while blending irony and humor with recurring themes of disillusionment and cynicism, thus highlighting the Kinks' enduring relevance and the strength of Davies' unique musical vision.
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'Sleepwalker'
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In the following essay, Billy Altman argues that "Sleepwalker" marks a triumphant comeback for Ray Davies and the Kinks, highlighting the album's exploration of themes such as fear, depression, and utopian disillusionment, while also praising Davies' songwriting for its complexity and emotional resonance, exemplified in songs like "Stormy Sky" and "Juke Box Music."
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Davies: England's Glory Boy
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In the following essay, Allan Jones examines Ray Davies's unique trajectory as an artist, highlighting his departure from mainstream rock to embrace a satirical and anglicized musical style, his avoidance of the celebrity culture of "Swinging London," and his focus on humanistic themes with irony, humor, and evocative nostalgia.
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Album Reviews: 'Misfits'
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In the following essay, Jim Green critiques the Kinks' album Misfits, arguing that Ray Davies has compromised the band's unique sound in pursuit of commercial success, resulting in an uncharacteristically bland and unexciting record, despite occasional bright moments.
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The Kinks: Victims and Victors
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In the following essay, Ken Emerson argues that Ray Davies' album Misfits is a poignant exploration of personal and artistic identity, illustrating both vulnerability and growth through its candid lyrics and introspective themes, marking it as one of the Kinks' most intimate and subtle records.
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The Kinks Get Tough
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In the following essay, Jon Pareles argues that Ray Davies's pragmatic pessimism in the album "Low Budget" resonates with contemporary realities, marking a return to impactful rock, but criticizes Davies's tendency towards sentimental and complacent songwriting, suggesting improvements are needed beyond the successful first side of the album.
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Album Reviews: 'Low Budget'
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In the following essay, Mark Fleischmann discusses how Ray Davies's album Low Budget reflects themes of modern urban malaise and self-affirmation, despite some flaws, and praises it as one of the year's best albums, highlighting the tension and fun characteristic of the Kinks' music.
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'Something Else by the Kinks'
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In the following essay, Janet Maslin extols Something Else by the Kinks as an ideal choice for a desert island record, highlighting Ray Davies's ability to evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia through a blend of sharp social commentary and melodic craftsmanship, which transports listeners into an introspective escape.
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Is British Rock More Hip than American?
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In the following essay, John Rockwell argues that Ray Davies's non-conformist nature and the lyrical rather than musical strength of the Kinks have hindered their mass success compared to other British rock bands, appealing more to rock critics than to mainstream audiences.
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Livest Kinks: You've Heard the Record, Now Buy the Videotape
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In the following essay, Dave Schulps argues that the Kinks have revitalized their relevance in the 1980s by successfully integrating past and present musical styles, showcasing their ongoing appeal through the live album "One for the Road" while highlighting Ray Davies's theatrical prowess and the band's renewed youthful energy.
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Kinks Klick
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In the following essay, Nicholas Schaffner critiques Ray Davies's evolution and continued relevance, asserting that the Kinks' album Give the People What They Want demonstrates Davies's unique, ironic style, which defies expectations of aging rock musicians and maintains an engaging freshness and humor that appeals to both new and loyal listeners.