Ray Davies returns with a direct follow up to 2017’s Americana album, “Our Country : Americana Act II”. The first (and title) track being, “Our Country”. Based loosely on his 2013 book, and the complicated relationship Davies has with the USA. Putting his love of American music and culture against set backs such as being shot in New Orleans 2004 and the Kinks being banned from touring there from ’65 to ’69.
It’s now an established trend to progress to a country album late in your career (I blame Mark Knopfler). Paul Young, Billy Bragg, Thomas Dolby and Kylie are among those who have tried in recent years, to varying degrees of success. For perhaps the most quintessentially English songwriter to take on country is perhaps more of a stretch though… In truth, these tracks are more like an stylised version of country. “Our Country” takes the mythology of the big sky, and the land of the free and melds it into the kind of British pop song that views the wild west through a rose tinted filter, with added steel guitar and gospel choir.
The track is an advance from the new album out on June 29th.
