Music review: Bryan Ferry – 鈥楤itter-Sweet鈥�
鈥淭his time is made for love/Let鈥檚 play together/In every bar and club/Now and forever,鈥� croons Bryan Ferry on the reworked 鈥淎lphaville鈥� from his latest solo release.
Inspired by Ferry鈥檚 work on the German television series 鈥淏abylon Berlin,鈥� 鈥淏itter-Sweet鈥� embraces elements of ragtime, blues and jazz, infusing a nostalgic charm to a set of select Roxy Music and Ferry solo arrangements such as 鈥淣ew Town,鈥� 鈥淟imbo鈥� and 鈥淏itters End.鈥�
The Roxy Music frontman鈥檚 sophisticated vocals gently navigate the elegant soundscape, evoking classic jazz flavorings from the 1920s with a refreshing twist.
Showcasing a mixture of vocal and instrumental numbers, Ferry鈥檚 reimagined tracks build on his earlier influence highlighted on 1999鈥檚 鈥淎s Time Goes By鈥� and 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Jazz Age.鈥�
Roxy Music first captured my attention with 1975鈥檚 鈥淪iren鈥� and the intoxicating hit 鈥淟ove Is the Drug.鈥� The seductive and polished tone of 鈥淢anifesto鈥� produced 鈥淒ance Away鈥� and 鈥淎ngel Eyes鈥� and firmly secured the 1979 release as my favorite album from the British band.
鈥淏itter-Sweet鈥� highlights include the 73-year-old singer鈥檚 performance on 鈥淲hile My Heart Is Still Beating鈥� from 1982鈥檚 鈥淎valon鈥� and the instrumental version of 鈥淪ign of the Times鈥� from 1978鈥檚 鈥淭he Bride Stripped Bare.鈥�
This time around, 鈥淒ance Away鈥� carries a big-band sway that conveniently creates a lush craving for simpler times with its romantic rhythm and whimsical pace.
鈥淭hat look in your eyes, the brush of your cheek/These are the moments in life that I seek,鈥� proclaims Ferry on 鈥淩eason or Rhyme.鈥� It鈥檚 an elegant declaration of love and affection as Ferry continues, 鈥淭he sun and moon and all the stars/They bow down to you whenever you pass.鈥�
鈥淏oys and Girls鈥� serves as the haunting closer, relaying a fragile sense of sadness and isolation as Ferry hauntingly declares, 鈥淒eath is the friend I鈥檝e yet to meet.鈥�
If you are looking for a stocking stuffer for the music lover on your Christmas list, I would suggest Roxy Music鈥檚 1972 eponymous debut or Ferry鈥檚 鈥淎vonmore.鈥� Both efforts feature Ferry at his stylish best.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.