Other People’s Lives

Ray Davies. <I>V2</i>

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Four decades after his Kinks helped spearhead the British Invasion, Ray Davies has finally launched a solo career. And it was worth the wait. Familiar and startling at once, Other People’s Lives finds his wry, wistful voice—a major influence on Morrissey and every other introspective rock crooner—in peak form, while the witty compositions crackle with a young man’s passion. Plumbing themes of change, aging, and triumphant renewal, Davies rebuffs his demons on the brooding “After the Fall,” sighing, “The sun will shine again,” then stares down mortality in the snappy, soul-influenced “Run Away From Time.” Fans of his quaint melodies and sympathetic portraits of everyday people may prefer the lovely “Next Door Neighbour,” but whatever the style, there’s not a false track in the bunch. Watch out for this exciting “newcomer,” because he’s off to a terrific start.

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THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

It’s the most important month of the year for our fundraising, with upward of 15 percent of our annual online total coming in during the final week—and there’s a lot to say about why Mother Jones’ journalism, and thus hitting that big number, matters tremendously right now.

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So we’re going to try making this as un-annoying as possible. In “Let the Facts Speak for Themselves” we give it our best shot, answering three questions that most any fundraising should try to speak to: Why us, why now, why does it matter?

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