BRIAN FERRY
''MAMOUNA''
SEPTEMBER 20 1994
45:28
**********
1 /Don't Want to Know
Bryan Ferry/4:07
2 /N.Y.C.
Bryan Ferry/4:09
3 /Your Painted Smile
Bryan Ferry/3:13
4 /Mamouna
Bryan Ferry/5:10
5 /The Only Face
Bryan Ferry/4:39
6 /The 39 Steps
Bryan Ferry/5:00
7 /Which Way to Turn
Bryan Ferry/5:43
8 /Wildcat Days
Brian Eno / Bryan Ferry/4:34
9 /Gemini Moon
Bryan Ferry/3:46
10 /Chain Reaction
Bryan Ferry/5:07
**********
Carleen Anderson /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Luke Cresswell /Percussion
Nathan East //Bass
Brian Eno
Yanick Etienne /Bass (Vocal)
Steve Ferrone /Drums
Brian Ferry /Oberheim Synthesizer, Piano, Prophet Synthesizer, Synthesizer, Vocals, Vocoder
Guy Fletcher /Synthesizer
Neil Hubbard /Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
Luis Jardim /Percussion
Neil Jason /Animal Sounds
Jhelisa /Bass (Vocal)
Paul Johnson /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Chester Kamen /Guitar
Andy Mackay /Guest Artist, Sax (Alto)
Phil Manzanera /Guest Artist, Guitar
Mike Paice /Sax (Alto)
Pino Palladino /Bass
Maceo Parker /Guest Artist, Sax (Alto)
Guy Pratt /Wah Wah Guitar
Nile Rodgers /Guest Artist, Guitar (Rhythm)
Steve Scales /Percussion
Jeff Thall /Guitar
Fonzi Thornton /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Robin Trower /Guest Artist, Guitar (Electric)
David Williams /Bass (Vocal), Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Ned Raggett
Sufficiently recharged via Taxi, Ferry got down to business and the following year released Mamouna, notable among other things for being his first recordings with the help of Brian Eno since the latter split from Roxy Music back in 1973. Rather than playing the wild card as he so often did, though, Eno concentrates on (to use his own descriptions in the credits) "swoop treatment" and "sonic awareness." Slightly more to the fore are Ferry's usual range of excellent musicians and pros. Steve Ferrone once again handles drums as he did on Taxi, while Richard Norris also reappears on loops and programming; other familiar faces include Nile Rodgers, Robin Trower (the album's co-producer), and Carleen Anderson. One of the most intriguing guest appearances comes at the very start -- "Don't Want to Know" has no less than five guitarists, including none other than Roxy's own Phil Manzanera. Whereas his '80s work seemed to fit the times just so, with his own general spin on things providing true individuality as a result, on Mamouna Ferry seems slightly stuck in place. Compared to the variety of Bete Noire, Mamouna almost seems a revamp of Boys and Girls. Combine that with some of Ferry's least compelling songs in a while, and Mamouna is something of a middling affair, almost too tasteful for its own good (and considering who this is, that's saying something). There are some songs of note -- "The 39 Steps" has a slightly menacing vibe to it, appropriate given the cinematic reference of the title, while the Ferry/Eno collaboration "Wildcat Days" displays some of Eno's old synth-melting flash. Overall, though, Mamouna is pleasant without being involving.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
While his tenure as the frontman for the legendary Roxy Music remained his towering achievement, singer Bryan Ferry also carved out a successful solo career that continued in the lush, sophisticated manner perfected on the group's final records. Born September 26, 1945, in Washington, England, Ferry, the son of a coal miner, began his musical career as a singer with the rock outfit the Banshees while studying art at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne under pop conceptualist Richard Hamilton. He later joined the Gas Board, a soul group featuring bassist Graham Simpson; in 1970, Ferry and Simpson formed Roxy Music.
Within a few years, Roxy Music had become phenomenally successful, affording Ferry the opportunity to cut his first solo LP in 1973. Far removed from the group's arty glam rock, These Foolish Things established the path that all of Ferry's solo work -- as well as the final Roxy Music records -- would take, focusing on elegant synth pop interpretations of '60s hits like Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," and the Beatles' "You Won't See Me," all rendered in the singer's distinct, coolly dramatic manner.
Roxy Music remained Ferry's primary focus, but in 1974 he returned with a second solo effort, Another Time, Another Place, another collection of covers ranging from "You Are My Sunshine" to "It Ain't Me, Babe" to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." His third venture, 1976's Let's Stick Together, featured remixed, remade, and remodeled versions of Roxy Music hits as well as the usual assortment of covers. Released in 1977, In Your Mind was Ferry's first collection of completely original material; the following year's The Bride Stripped Bare, a work inspired by his broken romance with model Jerry Hall, split evenly between new songs and covers.
Ferry did not record another solo album until 1985's Boys and Girls, a sleek, seamless effort that was his first "official" solo release following the Roxy breakup. For 1987's Bete Noire, he was joined by former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr on the shimmering "The Right Stuff," and notched his only U.S. Top 40 hit with "Kiss and Tell." Another covers collection, Taxi, followed in 1993; Mamouna, an LP of originals, appeared a year later, and in 1999 Ferry returned with a collection of standards, As Time Goes By. After a brief tour in support of As Time Goes By, there were rumors of a Roxy Music reunion. The next summer, the practically unimaginable came true when Ferry joined Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera for a tour of Europe and the U.S. It was a celebration of hits, and the band's first jaunt out in more than a decade.
In summer 2002, Ferry returned to his solo career for the electrifying Frantic. Dylanesque, a set of Bob Dylan covers, followed in 2007, featuring assistance from several longtime associates (including Brian Eno, Chris Spedding, Paul Carrack, and Robin Trower). Ferry signed with the Astralwerks imprint for the release of 2010's Olympia. In 2012, he assembled the Bryan Ferry Orchestra and recorded The Jazz Age. This completely instrumental album features his band re-recording some of his biggest hits in a 1920s jazz style.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
''MAMOUNA''
SEPTEMBER 20 1994
45:28
**********
1 /Don't Want to Know
Bryan Ferry/4:07
2 /N.Y.C.
Bryan Ferry/4:09
3 /Your Painted Smile
Bryan Ferry/3:13
4 /Mamouna
Bryan Ferry/5:10
5 /The Only Face
Bryan Ferry/4:39
6 /The 39 Steps
Bryan Ferry/5:00
7 /Which Way to Turn
Bryan Ferry/5:43
8 /Wildcat Days
Brian Eno / Bryan Ferry/4:34
9 /Gemini Moon
Bryan Ferry/3:46
10 /Chain Reaction
Bryan Ferry/5:07
**********
Carleen Anderson /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Luke Cresswell /Percussion
Nathan East //Bass
Brian Eno
Yanick Etienne /Bass (Vocal)
Steve Ferrone /Drums
Brian Ferry /Oberheim Synthesizer, Piano, Prophet Synthesizer, Synthesizer, Vocals, Vocoder
Guy Fletcher /Synthesizer
Neil Hubbard /Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
Luis Jardim /Percussion
Neil Jason /Animal Sounds
Jhelisa /Bass (Vocal)
Paul Johnson /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Chester Kamen /Guitar
Andy Mackay /Guest Artist, Sax (Alto)
Phil Manzanera /Guest Artist, Guitar
Mike Paice /Sax (Alto)
Pino Palladino /Bass
Maceo Parker /Guest Artist, Sax (Alto)
Guy Pratt /Wah Wah Guitar
Nile Rodgers /Guest Artist, Guitar (Rhythm)
Steve Scales /Percussion
Jeff Thall /Guitar
Fonzi Thornton /Baritone (Vocal), Bass (Vocal)
Robin Trower /Guest Artist, Guitar (Electric)
David Williams /Bass (Vocal), Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Ned Raggett
Sufficiently recharged via Taxi, Ferry got down to business and the following year released Mamouna, notable among other things for being his first recordings with the help of Brian Eno since the latter split from Roxy Music back in 1973. Rather than playing the wild card as he so often did, though, Eno concentrates on (to use his own descriptions in the credits) "swoop treatment" and "sonic awareness." Slightly more to the fore are Ferry's usual range of excellent musicians and pros. Steve Ferrone once again handles drums as he did on Taxi, while Richard Norris also reappears on loops and programming; other familiar faces include Nile Rodgers, Robin Trower (the album's co-producer), and Carleen Anderson. One of the most intriguing guest appearances comes at the very start -- "Don't Want to Know" has no less than five guitarists, including none other than Roxy's own Phil Manzanera. Whereas his '80s work seemed to fit the times just so, with his own general spin on things providing true individuality as a result, on Mamouna Ferry seems slightly stuck in place. Compared to the variety of Bete Noire, Mamouna almost seems a revamp of Boys and Girls. Combine that with some of Ferry's least compelling songs in a while, and Mamouna is something of a middling affair, almost too tasteful for its own good (and considering who this is, that's saying something). There are some songs of note -- "The 39 Steps" has a slightly menacing vibe to it, appropriate given the cinematic reference of the title, while the Ferry/Eno collaboration "Wildcat Days" displays some of Eno's old synth-melting flash. Overall, though, Mamouna is pleasant without being involving.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
While his tenure as the frontman for the legendary Roxy Music remained his towering achievement, singer Bryan Ferry also carved out a successful solo career that continued in the lush, sophisticated manner perfected on the group's final records. Born September 26, 1945, in Washington, England, Ferry, the son of a coal miner, began his musical career as a singer with the rock outfit the Banshees while studying art at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne under pop conceptualist Richard Hamilton. He later joined the Gas Board, a soul group featuring bassist Graham Simpson; in 1970, Ferry and Simpson formed Roxy Music.
Within a few years, Roxy Music had become phenomenally successful, affording Ferry the opportunity to cut his first solo LP in 1973. Far removed from the group's arty glam rock, These Foolish Things established the path that all of Ferry's solo work -- as well as the final Roxy Music records -- would take, focusing on elegant synth pop interpretations of '60s hits like Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," and the Beatles' "You Won't See Me," all rendered in the singer's distinct, coolly dramatic manner.
Roxy Music remained Ferry's primary focus, but in 1974 he returned with a second solo effort, Another Time, Another Place, another collection of covers ranging from "You Are My Sunshine" to "It Ain't Me, Babe" to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." His third venture, 1976's Let's Stick Together, featured remixed, remade, and remodeled versions of Roxy Music hits as well as the usual assortment of covers. Released in 1977, In Your Mind was Ferry's first collection of completely original material; the following year's The Bride Stripped Bare, a work inspired by his broken romance with model Jerry Hall, split evenly between new songs and covers.
Ferry did not record another solo album until 1985's Boys and Girls, a sleek, seamless effort that was his first "official" solo release following the Roxy breakup. For 1987's Bete Noire, he was joined by former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr on the shimmering "The Right Stuff," and notched his only U.S. Top 40 hit with "Kiss and Tell." Another covers collection, Taxi, followed in 1993; Mamouna, an LP of originals, appeared a year later, and in 1999 Ferry returned with a collection of standards, As Time Goes By. After a brief tour in support of As Time Goes By, there were rumors of a Roxy Music reunion. The next summer, the practically unimaginable came true when Ferry joined Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera for a tour of Europe and the U.S. It was a celebration of hits, and the band's first jaunt out in more than a decade.
In summer 2002, Ferry returned to his solo career for the electrifying Frantic. Dylanesque, a set of Bob Dylan covers, followed in 2007, featuring assistance from several longtime associates (including Brian Eno, Chris Spedding, Paul Carrack, and Robin Trower). Ferry signed with the Astralwerks imprint for the release of 2010's Olympia. In 2012, he assembled the Bryan Ferry Orchestra and recorded The Jazz Age. This completely instrumental album features his band re-recording some of his biggest hits in a 1920s jazz style.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
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