Review: Ray Davies' 'Working Man Cafe'

Above: Ray sings the title track to his new album.

In a review of "Working Man’s Cafe" in the current Rolling Stone, writer Chris Hoard says of the song "Peace in Our Time," it’s "that kind of anti-war anthem (that) has been more or less written a thousand times before."

That’s biting criticism to be sure, and it’s also flat wrong. In fact, "Peace" uses Neville Chamberlain’s 1938 statement of appeasement as an obvious metaphor for relief from domestic travail; the song has nothing to do with relations between nations.

Were I Ray Davies, that would tick me off. As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame leader of the Kinks, and as someone short-listed as one of the rock era’s greatest songwriters, you’d think he’d deserve the attention of critics who actually listen to his music.

Davies has rarely done things that others have done "a thousand times before." His has typically been the road less traveled. While everyone else dropped acid in the late ’60s, Davies looked to the comforts and discontents of quotidian British life as inspiration. When others in his generation condemned punk in the late ’70s, Ray and his brother, Dave, turned up the Gibsons and wrote more concise songs. When other songwriters, notably John Lennon, were going confessional and first-person, Davies turned out song cycles based on dramatic devices, character and narrative.

Today, while others of his generation are caged by past expectations (Mick Jagger as the aging tomcat, Paul McCartney as the thumbs-up pop mannerist), Davies is free to follow his muse, free to be as mature or rebellious as he pleases. On "Café" he has it both ways, often at the same time.

"No One Listen" finds him railing, familiarly, against indifferent bureaucrats, this time in the wake of his wounding during an altercation with a robber in New Orleans in 2004. "Morphine Song" examines his own mental state and the cast of characters in the hospital where he convalesced from the shooting.

Time spent in the Americas informs many of these songs, even the ones that focus on his native Britain, often because -- as he sings in the lovely title track -- his surroundings there "look like America."

It’s a tender lament for the passing of an era, while "The Real World" is an equally compassionate take on the pains of a lost soul. "Imaginary Man" addresses a perennial Davies obsession: identity and its confusions, both personal and cultural.

Throughout these songs, some personal, some in character, Davies writes with the consummate skill one would expect from the author of "Lola" and "Twentieth Century Man."

"Working Man’s Café" was produced by Davies and Ray Kennedy, knocked out in an efficient nine days -- a stark contrast to his last record, "Other People’s Lives," which, for all its merit, sounded a bit labored. Kennedy is best-known to rock fans as Steve Earle’s other half in the Twangtrust production team. He assembled a crack band for these sessions, including guitarist Patrick Buchanan, who plays in the spirit, but not the shadow, of Dave Davies.

This is a wonderful album that’s certain to appeal to Davies’ considerable fan base, who will almost certainly give it a closer listen than a certain writer in Rolling Stone.

|Steve Wilson, Special to The Star

Editor's  note: Rolling Stone also ran this Q&A with Ray Davies.

Comments

[dreadpirate82]

You do realize Rolling Stone is famous for being a massive joke when it comes to music reviews, right? When I see a 2-star review in that magazine, I rush out to the store and pick up the album. Laughable, man! HA!

[RaiderHawk]

It's usually where artists 50 and older go to get four-star reviews. Ray D apparently isn't in Jan Wenner's ring of suck-up confidantes.

[bill blackmon]

Thanks for pointing out the stupidity and ignorance of the Rolling Stone reviewer; though it was predictable it still pisses me off. Thanks for a much better overview of Ray and his new album. He'll probably be preaching to the choir at this point but others outside of the Kinkdom deserve to give this offering a listen.

[bill blackmon]

Thanks for pointing out the stupidity and ignorance of the Rolling Stone reviewer; though it was predictable it still pisses me off. Thanks for a much better overview of Ray and his new album. He'll probably be preaching to the choir at this point but others outside of the Kinkdom deserve to give this offering a listen.

[Rick]

Davies may have a 'considerable fan base' but not here. When I saw him perform his excellent biographical show at Memorial Hall a few years ago, the number of empty seats throughout the place was disheartening. Sure, he could try to re-form the Kinks (there're always rumors floating about) and fill concert halls by playing the old hits, but I respect his decision to build a credible solo career.
Also, 'Other Peoples' Lives' didn't sound "labored" to me. That's one of those knee-jerk adjectives used most often by writers at rags like ... Rolling Stone.

[sjwilson]

to answer a few points ...
1. Rolling Stone is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, and frequently a stupid one. Easy to kick around. In fact they have some pretty good writers, chiefly David Fricke, so it's hard to tar with too broad of a brush, That said, yes they are often full of it.
2. Yes, we all know that anything the Stones or Dylan do will always get four stars thanks to Wenner's generational favoritism and bloodymindedness.
3. "Considerable fan base" is relative, I suppose. Ray's is piddling compared to, God help us,
Van Halen's. Still, he doesn't have to ask for work in his old age; he's always welcome somewhere.
4. "Labored?" Yeah, I wondered about that usage. I think "OPL" was a pretty good record. However, to be more expansive than I could be in the review context, I think it suffered from a few Dire Straits-isms (to wit: too many good three minute songs trapped inside of five minute tracks, forty percent devoted to intros and fades). But, yeah, labored may have been more harsh than I intended. As for comparing me to a Rolling Stone writer, I guess it comes down to cases. If we're talking about a David Fricke, thanks. If we're talking about whatever fresh outta college radio kid they've let on board ... ouch!

[Tim Finn]

One of my all-time favorite live shows was his "Storyteller" show at Liberty Hall in '98 or '99 -- probably the best show ever in a small theater.
I had a phone interview with him for the show at Memorial Hall -- a venue that is way too big for him and a lot of bands/performers half his age -- and it was one of the more intense phoners I've ever had. He's a complicated guy, very polite and warm but a bit impatient and demanding. Bring your lunch when you talk to him. But that's because he's so smart and well-read and all that. (Ian Anderson is the same way).
Davies' very best material is unsurpassed; but he has issued a lot of decent-but-forgettable stuff. In a way (and this is a big stretch), he's like Prince: so smart he's prolific but not the best judge or critic of his own material. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder because he thinks the Kinks, overall, beyond the usual KY/classic-rock songs, aren't as widely appreciated as the Who or the Stones and I completely agree with him. But I also understand why.

[steve wilson]

Tim - I saw the 'Storyteller' show in Minneapolis at a beautiful old downtown theater. It was packed, as was the Liberty Show. I guess I didn't see the Memorial show, but as you say at 3,000 or so capacity that may have been too big for that show. The first time the Kinks played there in '75 it was only 1/2 to 2/3 full, but great anyway. Funny, though, that later in the 80's they were selling out Starlight.

I agree that his best material is nonpareil and that he's done some stuff over the last several decades that has been good but not remarkable. Still, when you go back and listen to "Sleepwalker," or "State of Confusion" and compare it to 99% of whatever was going on at the time it stands up fine. Even "Phobia" had a few great songs, like "Scattered."

I think that the big difference when you compare the Kinks to the Who and the Stones is that the Kinks 'sound' is just Ray and Dave, no matter how well Pete, Mick, and whoever else acquitted themselves, whereas the Stones and Who had all players contributing to what made their ensemble sounds unique. And unfortunately Ray did too much to suppress Dave's individuality which as a guitarist and harmony singer was central to the band's success. Even as an occasional songwriting contributor he offered cool relief, as any fans of his late 60's output like "Death of a Clown," "Mindless Child of Motherhood," etc. appreciate.

I think the best rock interviews - the ones with smart, creative characters - invariably have an undercurrent of tension. These guys, no matter how great or successful they are, have chips on their shoulders and feel misunderstood; it goes with the territory, at least it did with Lou Reed, Ian Hunter and several other guys I interviewed.

I only ever spoke, briefly, to Ray, but he was a very pleasant chap at the time.

Later, Steve W.

[Tim Finn]

The Brits, unfailingly, are polite (and punctual), at least everyone I've spoken with. Lou Reed was a monster.

[smartman]

One of the best, and best sounding shows, I've ever been to was the Kinks at Memorial Hall in '80 or '81...The One From The Road Tour. The Kinks have always been a bit misunderstood and under appreciated. Ray and Dave are brilliant musicians and songwriters even when they have their brothers spats. The Kinks have always been smart, current and relevant and I think the same can be said of their fans.

[Jon Lunkwicz]

I really like the new CD. I didn,t even know Rolling Stone was being published still. Why waste money on a magazine when you could go out and buy more music. God save The Kinks, God bless Ray Davies.

[garrity]

saw ray last night and i do believe that this rubbish is completly biased. this is the BEST thing out there and ray is a master musician who does not get what he deserves. you praise panic at the disco who were influenced by the kinks. then you do not give ray his props.
next thing you will do is say the konks are great but the kinks studio was a failure. PLEASE rolling stone hire people over 40 to review and represent you