TS: Bryan Ferry's "Boys & Girls" vs "Bete Noir"

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Or: the battle of the post-Avalon solo albums. Airy, creamy, inconsequential, BAG has always seemed to be the weaker of the two, despite the presence of "Slave to Love," "Windswept," and "Don't Stop the Dance."

BN has the advantage of faster tempos and employing Madonna collaborator. Although it runs out of gas after the first side, "Day for Night" and especially the great "Kiss & Tell" are two of his best solo songs.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 16 January 2006 16:46 (twenty years ago)

I love Boys & Girls!

― Baaderonixx, born again in Xixax (baaderonixx), Monday, 16 January 2006 16:52 (twenty years ago)

Bete Noire

― dave q (listerine), Monday, 16 January 2006 17:16 (twenty years ago)

both are overproduced 80s nightmares, boys & girls marginally less so. And I love BF.

― anna graham, Monday, 16 January 2006 17:17 (twenty years ago)

bete noir suck. boys and girls is pretty good.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 16 January 2006 17:31 (twenty years ago)

bete noir sucks. boys and girls is pretty good.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 16 January 2006 17:31 (twenty years ago)

sorry

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 16 January 2006 17:32 (twenty years ago)

Boys and Girls. Actually that might be the last Bryan Ferry album I can really say I like. I haven't heard Bete Noir for a long time (not even sure if I still have a copy anywhere), so it's hard to be concrete about what I didn't like about it, but it was just pretty blah. Bete Noir may have had faster tempos (did it? I don't remember it that way), but I found the rhythms on Boys and Girls more interesting.

You don't mention "Sensation" as one of the better tracks on BAG?!

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Monday, 16 January 2006 17:38 (twenty years ago)

I do actually prefer "Bete Noire". "Boys And Girls" may have contained the most famous songs, but personally I consider "The Right Stuff" and "Kiss And Tell" better singles than "Slave To Love" and "Don't Stop The Dance" anyway.

"Bete Noire" is more glossily produced, more typically 80s and more typically late period Roxy Music. Thus, "Bete Noire".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 16 January 2006 22:37 (twenty years ago)

"The Right Stuff" never takes off; the backup singers exert themselves more strenuously than Ferry does.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Bete Noire is pretty great, and "The Right Stuff" never taking off is kinda the point! Still, the answer is Frantic, which despite a terrible opening cover of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," has "San Simeon" which is utterly vintage Ferry

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:37 (twenty years ago)

I must stress how unspeakably awesome "Kiss & Tell" is: the Chic-ish rhythm guitar, that bold bass, lyrics that match the music's mysterious, namelessly irresistable pulse.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:41 (twenty years ago)

yr right Alfred that's good stuff

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:45 (twenty years ago)

(I'm not going to tell anyone I actually prefer Boys & Girls to Avalon or they will never take me seriously again on this thread, or even ever. I understand why people think Avalon is great, actually, I just find it too depressing for whatever reason.)

Nobody thinks "Sensation" is great? That wasn't a single? I didn't really start listening to much RM/BF until rather late (early 90s), and only then after a friend made me a tape. (In fact, though, he may have worked against his cause by his excessive proselytizing.)

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:58 (twenty years ago)

I like the way "Sensation" sounds like it's being put together from fragments of rhythm in the beginning, although that doesn't last very much.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:00 (twenty years ago)

no i understand that although I don't agree with it, particularly. avalon is awfully overplayed in comparison and arguably influenced a lot of shitty easy listening pap. (xpost)

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:01 (twenty years ago)

I like the way "Sensation" sounds like it's being put together from fragments of rhythm in the beginning, although that doesn't last very much.

According to Ferry, the take on the album is the first take; both the drummer and guitarist were warming up!

I like "Sensation" as an album opener fine.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:02 (twenty years ago)

This isn't really an aesthetic or sound I like very much. I don't especially like 80s pop, etc. But if I am going to reach for something this slick and chilly, "Don't Stop the Dance" is pretty hard to argue with. (Bete Noir seems like the point at which BF succeeded in refining himself out of existence or something, which maybe is the point for those that like it.)

x-post:

That's very interesting about "Sensation."

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:08 (twenty years ago)

I'm not much for lyrics, but "Don't Stop the Dance" and "Kiss & Tell" are unimpeachable.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:15 (twenty years ago)

seriously ppl "San Simeon"

if you didn't hear it, get on it, it's prime Ferry

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:17 (twenty years ago)

Frantic is his best post-Avalon ever.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:25 (twenty years ago)

I bet Devendra outsells it by about 5:1

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:26 (twenty years ago)

i can't believe i'm typing this, but xgau otm!

Boys and Girls [Warner Bros., 1985]
Sure "Make believing is the real thing." When Ferry is grooving, though, the emphasis is on the make-believe, not the real. Here there's heavy slippage, especially on side one. His voice thicker and more mucous, his tempos dragging despite all the fancy beats he's bought, he runs an ever steeper risk of turning into the romantic obsessive he's always played so zealously. B-

Bête Noire [Reprise/EG, 1987]
As with Mick Jagger, of all people, the signal that self-imitation has sunk into self-parody is enunciatory ennui--vocal mannerisms that were once ur-posh are now just complacent. Except for the Parisian title tune the second side is unlistenable. The first side is faster. C+

― anna graham, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:04 (twenty years ago)

But he was always a hesistant Roxy/Ferry fan. These albums are for cultists only.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:15 (twenty years ago)

Still, the answer is Frantic, which despite a terrible opening cover of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue,"...

Are you fucking KIDDING me? That song--esp. heralding his big comeback, situated as it is to open Frantic--is one of the best Bryan Ferry solo moments, period.

Anyway, I'm the hugest Ferry fan -- and I don't own either of these records. Nor do I care to. Would anyone here call either of them superior to Avalon, even?

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:20 (twenty years ago)

but he rated the previous solo albums Bs, B+s and A-s - and i think the lesser grades for the 2 in question reflects an actual dropoff in quality. Sort of a stopped clock being right shokah for bob.

― anna graham, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:28 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, I'm the hugest Ferry fan -- and I don't own either of these records. Nor do I care to. Would anyone here call either of them superior to Avalon, even?

Stop listening to Back to the Egg, Matthew ;)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:42 (twenty years ago)

jeez those xgau remarks are the most conventional of all conventional takes ever ... there's self-parody in "virginia plain" for pete's sake. "of all people"? who else? wow, imagine that, a glimmer twin has something in common with a glam god! besides ms. hall! also, though he seems to think they're degrees of the same malady, his criticisms of the albums actually contradict each other--which is it, bob, deadly sincerity or deadly artifice?! has he become what he mocked or, still worse, is he not what he's become!?!

ahem. i think bag is a better album through-and-through, but it lacks a "kiss and tell." as well as an anomalously good johnny marr cameo.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 02:57 (twenty years ago)

Stop listening to Back to the Egg, Matthew

You always bring that up like you're telling me to stop wetting my bed or something.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:05 (twenty years ago)

There's a HUGE difference b/w the self-parody of "Virginia Plain" and the self-parody of, say, "The Chosen One" -- namely, beats.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:09 (twenty years ago)

I know, Matthew: it's so easy.

But I'm surprised you dont' own these two records. They're his two biggest American sellers.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:10 (twenty years ago)

There's a HUGE difference b/w the self-parody of "Virginia Plain" and the self-parody of, say, "The Chosen One" -- namely, beats.

sure. but i don't see xgau articulating that, really.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:16 (twenty years ago)

Xgau - "Right For All the Wrong Reasons!"

― anna graham, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:18 (twenty years ago)

I think BG and BN are very much like any Ferry solo project--three or so amazing, perfect songs and a bunch of other stuff.

― ian in Brooklyn, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:19 (twenty years ago)

I think BG and BN are very much like any Ferry solo project--three or so amazing, perfect songs and a bunch of other stuff.

Actually, that's about what I think of Roxy Music as well (but I'd still consider them a favorite band because the stuff I think is amazing is really pretty unique).

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:23 (twenty years ago)

But I'm surprised you dont' own these two records. They're his two biggest American sellers.

They're also among the worst things the great man ever did. At least

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:27 (twenty years ago)

A lot of albums qualify: Another Time, Another Place, In Your Mind...

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:28 (twenty years ago)

As his worst records?!? You've got to be kidding...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:31 (twenty years ago)

In Your Mind in particular is no worse than Boys & Girls, and thanks to "This is Tomorrow" it's got a bit of a heads-up.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:40 (twenty years ago)

now i'm confused. no ... better? or ...

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:42 (twenty years ago)

(Let's Stick Together has more than two or three amazing songs on it though. Maybe Bride Stripped Bare as well.)

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:43 (twenty years ago)

And listen, I'm not trying to derail this thread -- debating the merits of his smoothie 80's output is fine. It's just his work after 1980 or so is seriously leagues apart from where he was at during, say, 1974 or so. The fault line, if you believe everything you read, was In Your Mind, which tanked upon release and is more or less his bid adieu to the early Roxy sound --Paul Thompson's thunder drums, the vampiric vibrato, etc.

And while Avalon clearly shows him at the apex of that new sound, with Boys and Girls and Bete Noir following close behind, it's not nearly as sophisticated he fancied it (or ironically, given his intentions, as sophisticated as his earlier work). As Xgau hits OTM, by that point, he's clearly bought into the "In Every Dream Home" character by that point. Fascinating, but for all the wrong reasons -- none of them musical.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:44 (twenty years ago)

(edit "by that point")

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:45 (twenty years ago)

The covers of "It's Only Love," "You Go to My Head," the more-good "2HB," and even the weird less-good but still pretty neat "Casanova" all spring to mind. besides the hits, that is.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:47 (twenty years ago)

(re: Let's Stick Together.)

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:48 (twenty years ago)

Matthew, you're pretty much OTM. I would posit The Bride Stripped Bare as even more of a jump-the-shark moment. For once he tried to have it both ways (feigning sincerity and sincerely feigning) and the album is half-assed as a result, although fascinating and, along with These Foolish Things and Frantic, his best solo album.

I've written extensively about Mamouna, in many ways the best of his synth-smoove albums. There's something to be said about the ego-subversion practiced post-Avalon. His voice disappears as his evocations of ever-more-vaporous objects of desire are foregrounded and transformed into guitar licks, backup singers, and synth lines.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:51 (twenty years ago)

As Xgau hits OTM, he's clearly bought into the "In Every Dream Home" character by that point.

xgau in "i read minds" shockah. (when i'm not busy contradicting myself.) i still disagree, this is so so so the easy soundbite answer--completely irrefutable because it's completely speculative.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:55 (twenty years ago)

It's not as simple as Xgau puts it. I sort of see his Dream Home character as akin to the fly genes in Seth Brundle--occasionally the rocker ironicist would peek out of the bug, but less so with the years.

― Ian in Brooklyn, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:58 (twenty years ago)

thank you. the notion that a professional ironist could somehow manage to completely snow himself just doesn't hold water for me. i'm no fan of ada wither, but i'd never presume it was nabokov becoming humbert or something ...

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:06 (twenty years ago)

yes, I think he knows what he's doing.... you should see him in Breakfast on Pluto, where you could argue he takes the character to its logical conclusion....

― bugged out, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:12 (twenty years ago)

Re. the 80's, I would agree with all that, Alfred -- except that what's happening in his synth-smoove albums is more compelling as a pop career narrative than it is as pop music. That's all.

That said, there's exactly ONE exciting moment on Mamouna: the "hangman's card" bit in "Gemini Moon". It's like all the languid Robin Trower blues licks and lazy vocal slurs disappear for one bewitching moment. And then it's gone again...

As for becoming-the-Dream-Home-character, it's clear that it was always there -- lurking, more willing to reveal itself as his commercial and critical successes began to dry up in the late-70s and he became more vulnerable. Thus, the ample evidence that Ferry was actually using the irony to hide it even. There are other examples, but all you need to do is read that Allan Jones interview from '78 or '79 or so that ran in a recent Uncut where Ferry goes ballistic on his critics, staking his rightful claim to the pop charts while inhaling about six kilos of coke...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:13 (twenty years ago)

the problem is, if he's not articulating any distance from the character in the music, which I don't think he is really, at least on Bete Noire, which I remember as an airy-fairy bit of Euro hi-society disco wank when it came out, then it doesn't really matter if he still knows it's a character or not...

― bugged out, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:16 (twenty years ago)

I need to know how good he was in Breakfast in Pluto.

I would argue that most compulsive ironists have a core of sincerity from which they draw inspiration -- the successful ironists, anyway. I never doubted that Ferry meant all that growing-potatoes-by-the-score melarkey on the first album, and it's this ambivalent sincerity which accounts for most of his greatness.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:17 (twenty years ago)

he was fine. he played the role of a seemingly charming guy who picks up a tranny and then tries to strangle him/her with a silk tie. it was five minutes, there wasn't enough there to be good or bad about.

― bugged out, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:19 (twenty years ago)

i tried to go see this last night and it was gone! damn!

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:20 (twenty years ago)

Ferry interviewed is possibly the least compelling major rock & roller in history. Having finished David Buckley's excellent Roxy/Ferry bio a few months ago, it was obvious that the distance between Ferry-the-man and Ferry-the-artist is bottomless. He has never had anything of interest to say about his own music: its creation, his obsessions, tics, etc.

I don't hold this against him, of course; the dialectic is fascinating in the same way that the old Roxy albums were.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:20 (twenty years ago)

I like both of these albums a lot...overproduced and dated, yes, but some great songs. I'd probably have to give it to Bete Noire overall: "Limbo", "The Right Stuff", "New Town", "Day for Night" are all fantastic songs, in my book. B&G has got "Sensation" and "Don't Stop the Dance" and probably lots of other good ones I can't recall right now. Never really got into "Slave to Love" all that much, but it's not bad.

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:22 (twenty years ago)

while inhaling about six kilos of coke ...

ok, you COULD completely snow yourself this way.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:22 (twenty years ago)

ps i'm curious, re: "commercial and critical successes began to dry up"--how do the sales figures all compare? i guess i always stupidly assumed these years, and BG as well, were when he cashed in. no?

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:27 (twenty years ago)

Those records did well, I think -- Avalon gave the guy a 5-10 year reprieve for sure. I'll never forget Arthel Neville on E! interviewing him around the time of Mamouna and talking about how many of her girlfriends had gotten it on to Bryan Ferry. He completely blushed -- I felt ill.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:31 (twenty years ago)

Boys & Girls is thus far his only US gold album. Avalon is certified platinum.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:32 (twenty years ago)

wasn't flesh + blood kinda huge too?

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:34 (twenty years ago)

(fyi -- I said when his commercial and critical success dried up in the "late-70s")

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:36 (twenty years ago)

I think the argument would be: he always wanted to be a rich, rock star/country life gentlemen, but from his Warhol and art theory studies, saw in irony a way to play with and disguise his ambtions and status fantasy.

When a decade came along that embraced everything hypertrophied and content-null, he dropped the pose and came was armed and ready with his emptiest stuff.

― Ian in Brooklyn, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:39 (twenty years ago)

sorry then nit, i was wrongly operating under the "began to" implies continuation hypothesis ... and OK, strictly speaking, 1980 isn't the late 70s. but what about Manifesto? not a big seller? again i'm just curious, i always thought they kind of got bigger, if not more beloved of critics, with Siren and never really deflated after that.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:46 (twenty years ago)

"nti," whoops again.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:47 (twenty years ago)

Heh -- well, it's getting late. Anyway, if memory serves, it was his solo career that began to flag -- thus, necessitating the return to Roxy and Manifesto...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:48 (twenty years ago)

ah--there's the distinction i was missing. apologies,i gotta go too.

― literalisp (literalisp), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 04:49 (twenty years ago)

frantic is pretty good, really, just listening to it now for the first time. this album vanished almost immediately when it came out, didn't it? I remember there being more hype about Taxi (which sucked)

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 06:37 (twenty years ago)

The run of albums starting with Manifesto through Bete Noir were by far Ferry's biggest American successes.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

Frantic is better than both late '80s Ferry albums.

― zeus (zeus), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 15:10 (twenty years ago)

Are you fucking KIDDING me? That song--esp. heralding his big comeback, situated as it is to open Frantic--is one of the best Bryan Ferry solo moments, period.

to my ears, covering "Baby Blue" is kinda like saying "OK, I give up, here's a fucking Dylan song" - I was quite surprised by how good the rest of the album was 'cause I was pretty much ready to write it off by the midway point of "Baby Blue"

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 15:26 (twenty years ago)

"I know it's mainlyl nostalgic old folks who're listening now - you guys like Dylan, right? Boo-yah!"

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 15:27 (twenty years ago)

covering "Baby Blue" is kinda like saying "OK, I give up, here's a fucking Dylan song"

Not really. He always covered classic tunes on his solo albums, all the way back to the early 70s. If he can do Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, he can do Baby Blue.

― bugged out, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 15:31 (twenty years ago)

That slant would make more sense if it were the first time he was covering Dylan.

x-post

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

His cover of "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" is more redundant.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 17:40 (twenty years ago)

to my ears, covering "Baby Blue" is kinda like saying "OK, I give up, here's a fucking Dylan song"

How do you feel about the fucking Lead Belly song?

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 18:29 (twenty years ago)

But how was he in the movie?

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 18:33 (twenty years ago)

"Goodnight Irene" is the other one on the album I'm not nuts about! I mean...jeez, whatever, maybe other people aren't so sick to death of hearing people sing these songs, but I sure am - short of raising Caruso from the grave to hear his take on it, I don't care if I never hear somebody sing "Baby Blue" again

however at least the arrangement of "Irene" is kinda interesting

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 20:00 (twenty years ago)

I just love this so much I had to post it again. If Bryan Ferry doesn't use it as his epitaph, I'm going to use it as mine.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:24 (twenty years ago)

from Frantic to Frenzy

― literalisp (literalisp), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

and in between the bride is stripped bare.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:29 (twenty years ago)

covering "Baby Blue" is kinda like saying "OK, I give up, here's a fucking Dylan song"

Not really. He always covered classic tunes on his solo albums, all the way back to the early 70s. If he can do Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, he can do Baby Blue.

Yes, and he can do it REALLY FUCKING WELL. Seriously, it's one of the best, most thrilling takes of that song ever. And that includes The Byrds' version...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 03:02 (twenty years ago)

Let us at least acknowledge how marvelously The Man has aged. Bowie wishes he looked this debonair:

http://www.fantasygames.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics/2005/09/22/bmplay22.jpg

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 03:08 (twenty years ago)

Seriously, it's one of the best, most thrilling takes of that song ever.

The worst ones were probably done by Genesis P-Orridge.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 03:22 (twenty years ago)

Ferry's "Baby Blue" is "thrilling"? that koolaid must be way tasty

― Mr Straight Toxic (ghostface), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 03:45 (twenty years ago)

Sure is.

Also, Alfred -- you got some writings on Mamouna to share? I'd be interested...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 04:20 (twenty years ago)

Check your mail, Matthew.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:56 (twenty years ago)

Of the two, I've listened to Boys & Girls more than Bete Noir over the course of the last two years. But I loved Bete Noire so much I wore out my audiocassette copy of it (& then had to purchase another one at a Half Price Books). I like to groove a lot more than I like to swoon, though Bryan Ferry makes it very easy to swoon as you groove. "Windswept" is to me what Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" was to a generation of John Cusack-loving Gen-Xers, i.e. magic, magic stuff, and I can't say enough positive things about Boys & Girls's title track, but I think I'm going to have to go with Bete Noire here, mainly because "Limbo", "Kiss and Tell", "Zamba", and "The Right Stuff" are all FRICKIN' AMAZING. Oh, and whomever said Ferry lost the plot post-1980 must not remember the two greatest solo songs he ever recorded, "Is Your Love Strong Enough" and "Help Me", were both post-1980 works.

― It's Me Again, But Only For A Limited Time (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 20 January 2006 00:46 (twenty years ago)

If someone wants to send "Help Me" (with Nile Rodgers, no?) via YSI i'd be most appreciative :)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 20 January 2006 01:14 (twenty years ago)

"Help Me" is good. What's that even from?

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Friday, 20 January 2006 01:17 (twenty years ago)

The Fly soundtrack. No?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 20 January 2006 01:41 (twenty years ago)

Correct, Alfred. Which makes watching the video for the song kinda squicky because it's got clips from the movie interspersed with the performance footage of Ferry singing the song (including some bits when Jeff Goldblum's character starts to turn into that icky flybeing), but heck, I can just close my eyes and listen to the song and everything is peachy.

So, how should I do the YSI? On the board or via email?

― It's Me Again, But Only For A Limited Time (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 20 January 2006 03:06 (twenty years ago)

On the board.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 20 January 2006 04:04 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for letting me know, "Alfred". ;)

Here's the YSI linkage for Bryan Ferry's "Help Me". Enjoy.

― It's Me Again, But Only For A Limited Time (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 20 January 2006 04:41 (twenty years ago)

bete noir? Bête Noire!

― Louis Balfour (Louis Balfour), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:16 (twenty years ago)

Downloaded and listening to Boys and Girls now. If you like this sort of thing, "Sensation" is a great opener, agreed. And there's certainly a certain quality (or attempt thereat) of "perfection" in this. But Bryan Ferry without irony is like Coke without fizz.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 22 January 2006 01:40 (twenty years ago)

Well I don't like this sort of thing, but I sill like it.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Sunday, 22 January 2006 02:00 (twenty years ago)

I agree, Matthew. Try to parse the lyrics to "The Chosen One." Bryan was inhaling too many perfume-bottle fumes.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 22 January 2006 03:07 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

I heard "Help Me" in the cafeteria! Yay!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 July 2007 19:01 (eighteen years ago)

I dl'd "Help Me" from this thread -- never did much for me, sadly.

However, I also spent a fair amount of time with Boys and Girls and Bete Noir -- more w/ the former b/c I like it more. There's no question that throughout much of Boys and Girls Ferry's sense of melody is still pretty strong -- it's less so on Bete Noir and totally gone by Mamouna. But if "Windswept" is pretty effective uptown languor, "Sensation" is, well, pretty sensational gated funk. I'm actually not so much a fan of "Slave To Love" or "Don't Stop the Dance" -- if anything, they're a bit too facile with their melodies.

Where Boys and Girls is soft and pillowy, Bete Noir is much harder and brittle -- and to my ears, less pleasing to the ear and nourishing for the brain. I enjoy "Zamba" "The Right Stuff" fine -- but they just kind of remind me of some Zalman King OST...not much more.

Ultimately, while I could stand to give Bete Noir a bit more time, I'd say that while neither's exactly some classic, Boys and Girls is superior.

― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 20 July 2007 21:50 (eighteen years ago)

I don't have time to reread the thread, but "Day For Night" and "Kiss and Tell" are the real sleepers, and quite strong melodically (especailly the latter)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 July 2007 21:52 (eighteen years ago)

80s Roxy and 70s Roxy were two different bands. I prefer 80s Roxy because I love Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Icehouse, Japan etc.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 20 July 2007 22:17 (eighteen years ago)

And, accordingly, I also love those mid 80s Ferry albums, because they sound like late period Roxy Music.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 20 July 2007 22:17 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

"Don't Stop The Dance" playing in the school bookstore.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 17:07 (seventeen years ago)

I learned how to play Slave to Love the other day. what a great song.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 17:12 (seventeen years ago)

on the pie-anna?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 17:15 (seventeen years ago)

gee-tar

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 17:19 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

I've been thinking about how much I'd love to hear Ferry's more gravelly ageing voice on a more intimate, maybe just piano version of "Slave to Love".

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:54 (sixteen years ago)

Boys and Girls by a nose.

I really like 'As Time Goes By', btw.

― La religion est une fatigante solution de paresse (Michael White), Thursday, 4 March 2010 23:12 (sixteen years ago)

In my Roxy chat with Scott Woods, I dwelt on the possibility of Rick Rubin sitting Ferry down at a piano.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 March 2010 23:15 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

These albums are like a gooey grilled cheese sandwich - unhealthy but oh so satisfying. I love it all - the backup singers, that bass sound, that guitar style, electric piano. The high points like "Kiss & Tell" and "Slave To Love" are just so epic, and Ferry makes me BELIEVE.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 5 November 2011 01:18 (fourteen years ago)

x2 haha

― your way better (Eazy), Saturday, 5 November 2011 01:28 (fourteen years ago)

I can't resist them either.

You might enjoy the 1:20 minute discussion Scott Woods and I devoted to this period in Ferry's career:

http://rockcriticsarchives.com/audiovisual/index-roxy.html

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 5 November 2011 01:40 (fourteen years ago)

two months pass...

"day for night" slayssss

― donna rouge, Monday, 9 January 2012 07:28 (fourteen years ago)

my friend had a pandora station running while we flipped thru the tv on mute. this made for a great alternate soundtrack to 'internal affairs'

― donna rouge, Monday, 9 January 2012 07:29 (fourteen years ago)

A shooting star
can so far
It's where I wanna be

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 January 2012 11:52 (fourteen years ago)

"Day For Night" is the lovely dead end of the Patrick Leonard-Madonna sound of '86.

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 January 2012 11:52 (fourteen years ago)

hey bryan just got married. to someone younger than me!! http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2012/01/10/bryan-ferry-66-marries-amanda-sheppard-29-on-caribbean-island-115875-23693612/

― tylerw, Tuesday, 10 January 2012 23:16 (fourteen years ago)

six months pass...

Love his mirror moves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU-8jmMs-Q0

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 20 July 2012 02:30 (thirteen years ago)

two years pass...

iMostly for nostalgic reasons, I just love the sound & atmosphere of both albums. So lush and evocative...

― packeronline, Thursday, 16 July 2015 16:02 (ten years ago)

four months pass...

In the wild at fast-casual pita joint: 80s-licious "Limbo."

― my harp and me (Eazy), Monday, 16 November 2015 02:52 (ten years ago)

voodoo
warning
is calling

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 16 November 2015 02:54 (ten years ago)

six months pass...

more songs should've imitated "Live to Tell":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrrG2WTzFXw

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 18 May 2016 23:53 (nine years ago)

still the most dapper gentleman there is imo

― dc, Thursday, 19 May 2016 00:12 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

No concrete jungle
Dancing feet
Cul-de-sac of desire
Is in itself destroying me
I've got to live down
Don't want to dwell in history
That's why I'm leaving now

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 July 2016 02:50 (nine years ago)

one year passes...

Long-lost SNL appearance from December '87 with Johnny Marr AND G.E. Smith.

https://rutube.ru/video/9f55ee3c7a347b9bd0ebcdada26b0ca7/

― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 January 2018 17:43 (eight years ago)

I remember that episode really well -- i watched it when i was 12, i had no idea who Bryan Ferry was, but i thought he was a cool-ass mfer. those two songs were permanently implanted in my head after that.

― omar little, Thursday, 4 January 2018 17:51 (eight years ago)

Andy Newmark on drums? Maybe Marcus Miller on bass?

Anyway, Ferry there elooks like the big brother of Stop Making Sense era David Byrne.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 4 January 2018 19:02 (eight years ago)

Immaculate cuffs, perfect hair, as usual looking better than the 1980s.

― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 January 2018 20:26 (eight years ago)

two years pass...

"day for night" slayssss

― donna rouge, Monday, January 9, 2012

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 August 2020 00:49 (five years ago)

four years pass...

Guy Pratt shows us his bass part from "Kiss and Tell":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQxEYigj9eA

― the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 January 2025 14:00 (one year ago)

Worth tracking down the elusive SNL performance. No Pratt, but with Fonzi Thornton, Johnny Marr, Andy Newmark, Marcus Miller, and G. E. Smith in the band.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 3 January 2025 15:17 (one year ago)

Scroll back.

― the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 January 2025 15:18 (one year ago)

Ha! We have come full circle.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 3 January 2025 15:19 (one year ago)

eight months pass...

Happy birthday to the Holy Spirit of Divine Melancholy

― The Luda of Suburbia (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 September 2025 12:27 (seven months ago)

Bob Clearmountain remixed both of these records for Dolby Atmos (5.1 + overhead/upfiring speakers) and if you have a home theater system that can play it, they both sound wonderful. “Windswept,” in particular, is absolutely amazing.

― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 2 October 2025 13:43 (six months ago)

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