The Frantic Cult Of Bryan Ferry - Fri 17th May

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The Frantic Cult Of Bryan Ferry
17 May 2002

The Frantic Cult Of Bryan Ferry
Friday May 17, 2002 @ 04:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff


Scary Bryan Ferry

There's something about Bryan Ferry that creeps us out. We can't quite put our fingers on it but there's definitely something that's just too suave about him. Skimming through his press photos, we've been hard-pressed to find one that doesn't depict the legendary vocalist looking pensive or stylishly playful. You can never really trust someone that looks that good. Seriously, look at the picture at the top of this page. He's up to something. We know it.

While our suspicions of some strange hipster cult living in the dark underbelly of the earth (of which Ferry is the leader) are unconfirmed, we can tell you for certain that Virgin Music will release a brand new solo album from Ferry on Tuesday, May 28.

It's mandatory for us to mention the fact that Ferry was a key member of ’70s grandiose pop icons Roxy Music, but we're going to move right along to give you some more current (and less obvious) news concerning the record. Entitled Frantic, the disk's 13 tracks feature Ferry's own songs alongside a few carefully selected covers. Among them, the singer attempts two Bob Dylan songs ("Don't Think Twice" and "It's All Over Now Baby Blue"), a medieval composition and a couple of blues standards.

For the kids out there that are getting antsy reading about a pop star who reached his prime in the mid-’70s, you'll be happy to know that Ferry has enlisted Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood to contribute his guitar skills to a track called "Hiroshima." It's impossible to deny the fact that Roxy had some influence on the Radiohead sound so the collaboration shouldn't come as a big surprise. A couple former members of Roxy Music (and a few new recruits from their 2001 reunion tour) also make appearances on the new disc. Most notably, Ferry collaborates with electronic pioneer and former musical partner Brian Eno on the record's closing track.

According to his record label, Ferry will hit the road in June to showcase some of the new material, but we suspect he has other ideas. If you know anyone that is particularly swayed by artsy middle-aged celebrities then we suggest you keep them away from the venue when Ferry sweeps through your city. All it takes is one look into those dark eyes or one song serenaded over a sea of fans for Ferry to convert a regular concert-goer into a card-carrying member of his cult. We're probably just being paranoid, but we'll willingly leave you with Frantic's track listing in fear of being punished for not complying with demands.

"It's All Over Now Baby Blue"
"Cruel"
"Goin' Down"
"Goddess Of Love"
"Don't Think Twice"
"Nobody Loves Me"
"Ja Hun Hons Pris"
"Fool For Love"
"Goodnight Irene"
"Hiroshima"
"San Simeon"
"One Way Love"
"I Though"

Neil Haverty

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