RAY DAVIES

See My Friends

[Decca]

Former Kinks leader Ray Davies’ all-star duets project seems at first like a gimmicky tease. As Springsteen and Bon Jovi growl and wail through some of Davies’ more delicate gems, one can’t help but wonder what the point of all this might be. But eventually the bigger names stop chewing up the scenery, and the pairings become more like true collaborations than curiosities. Lucinda Williams’ weary take on “Long Way From Home” turns what used to be a message from one brother to another into a moment of honest self-reflection. Paloma Faith adds even more sexual confusion to “Lola” by spinning the gender-bending tale into a story about a woman who falls for a woman who turns out to be a man. See My Friends is seemingly unnecessary, but if it inspires Davies to write new songs or results in more teenagers picking up on his classic Kinks work, its existence will be justified. –David Styburski