Bryan Ferry's "Dylanesque"

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I know I started a thread on the sandbox or the old ILM, but I can't find it. Anyway, read the news here.

‘Dylanesque’ features eleven Dylan songs, recorded in just one week in the studio with his full touring band backing him. Ferry says, "I wanted to get away from that locked-in-the-studio feeling. We were doing live vocals, harmonica, live everything."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

But will he perform those songs on the road with near-complete tuneless indifference?

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:20 (eighteen years ago)

oh no

― emekars (emekars), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:21 (eighteen years ago)

That neatly describes the one and only Ferry performance I've seen (in '95).

(xpost)

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:22 (eighteen years ago)

WHERE IS THE ROXY ALBUM I don't care about this

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:28 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, but you should. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," the opener from the last record, was just outstanding, invigorated, exciting — pick your superlative...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:42 (eighteen years ago)

I'm troubled by the staid track listing. I wanted to see "Señor," "Sweetheart Like You," or "Tryin' To Get To Heaven." And a Ferry-sung "Summer Days" would have ruled!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:43 (eighteen years ago)

Eh, we'll see. I'll be interested to know whether his voice is even more lived in (as opposed to merely dined in, to nick an observation of Frantic's vocals) than it was last time out.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:59 (eighteen years ago)

Bryan Ferry is responsible for the greatest Dylan cover of all time, A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall. No way can he top that, but it'll be fun to hear him try.

I'd like to hear him tackle Sara. And Went To See The Gypsy too.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 5 January 2007 21:14 (eighteen years ago)

"But will he perform those songs on the road with near-complete tuneless indifference?"

you mean, just like Bob Dylan?

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 5 January 2007 21:15 (eighteen years ago)

I think that was the joke.

― jimn (jimnaseum), Friday, 5 January 2007 21:16 (eighteen years ago)

However, watching Ferry sing these live with a lean band and at an electric piano wearing a cowboy hat would make me seriously lose my shit.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 21:19 (eighteen years ago)

Warren Ellis, Eno and Robin Trower apparently appear.

yawn

― Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

Hopefully the release of this album will coincide with someone raping and killing his son.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:45 (eighteen years ago)

I just miss being excited by what he's doing. It's like he's in his Great American Songbook phase.

― Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 5 January 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)

Hopefully the release of this album will coincide with someone raping and killing his son.

Tory hater.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 5 January 2007 23:18 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

The cover's been released. Is he emulating the shoddiness of Saved and Shot of Love?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 26 February 2007 16:06 (eighteen years ago)

Link?

― baaderonixx, Monday, 26 February 2007 16:18 (eighteen years ago)

[From Amazon]ttp://www.amazon.com/Dylanesque-Bryan-Ferry/dp/B000LPR0SE/sr=8-1/qid=1172505864/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1892123-9015812?ie=UTF8&s=music[/link]

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 26 February 2007 16:21 (eighteen years ago)

OMG that's horrible

― baaderonixx, Monday, 26 February 2007 16:23 (eighteen years ago)

Have heard this a couple times, need to listen to it some more. Ferry, over the last three records, has gotten his voice back (moreso than Dylan, if you ask me), and he does sound pretty great in certain moments here (the way he trills "and wished that he'd gone straaaaiiight" in "Simple Twist of Fate," for instance), but though the album starts off quite strong, it sounded to me on those first two listens like it went downhill very quickly, after about track three or so. Actually, track 3, "Make You Feel My Love," the only song I'm not already familiar with, might be my favourite thing here, which I think is part of the problem. The more obviously iconic stuff on the album just sounds pointless, a bit who-cares. To pull off songs like "Knocking on Heaven's Door," "All Along the Watchtower," and "All I Really Wanna Do," you really better do something really special with those or forget it, and Ferry doesn't. Like I said, though, early impressions.

― sw00ds, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:32 (eighteen years ago)

If he fancies himself some sort of classic song interpreter, he needs to start adding more to his versions. I was unimpressed with that album of standards that he recorded in the past few years.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:39 (eighteen years ago)

(Not that I've actually heard this new one.)

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:40 (eighteen years ago)

And what IS it with these artists covering what is likely the worst song Dylan has written in the last 10 years ("To Make You Feel My Love")? Is it because it's so anonymous that anyone could have sung it?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)

I think the standards one worked in spite of the material and in spite of the sometimes hokey arrangements--I mean, I think his voice just sounded SO great on that record, I could overlook to a certain degreee what kind of seemed like a dumb idea. But yeah, he needs to bring more than just his great voice to the table--especially if he's going to cover such obvious material. I admit I'm still kind of not getting my head around the whole idea of a set of Dylan covers--it's preventing me from wanting to try to get into it too much (even though I agree with what someone said above about "Hard Rain"). That said, some lines on the album did seem too perfect, i.e., "She takes your voice and leaves you howling at the moon."

― sw00ds, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:54 (eighteen years ago)

Other people have covered that song, Alfred? What's it from originally?

― sw00ds, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:55 (eighteen years ago)

(please don't say Love and Theft because I'm supposed to be a fan of that record)

― sw00ds, Monday, 26 February 2007 17:56 (eighteen years ago)

Garth Brooks and Billy Joel. In the same year!!!!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 26 February 2007 18:19 (eighteen years ago)

Dylanesque has entered the UK album charts at number 5. This is the highest a new Bryan Ferry album has been since Boys And Girls in 1985.

Anyone heard it yet?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 12 March 2007 17:24 (eighteen years ago)

Yes. Pleasant little record, nothing less or more you would expect from an album like this. Thankfully the sound has a live feeling, and not this polished plastic background music which he made from 'Avalon' to 'Mamouna'. I don't know the Dylan discography very much, so a Dylan-fanatic maybe wouldn't like this.

― zeus, Monday, 12 March 2007 18:43 (eighteen years ago)

The atrocious cover prevents me from purchasing this.

― baaderonixx, Monday, 12 March 2007 21:10 (eighteen years ago)

This was described to me last week as 'Bryan Ferry with a pub band.'

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 12 March 2007 21:18 (eighteen years ago)

Your friend gave a smart ambivalent answer.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 12 March 2007 21:38 (eighteen years ago)

not this polished plastic background music which he made from 'Avalon' to 'Mamouna'

I would have been more interested in this, actually, if he'd applied some of that champagne bar haziness to these tunes.

― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 08:59 (eighteen years ago)

It sounds like the band thought they were making a rock record and Ferry forgot what was interesting about himself.

― i, grey, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 13:29 (eighteen years ago)

three months pass...

Anyone own this? I'm picking up a copy today – with trepidation.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 26 June 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

It's definitely a piece of shit. Took me a few listens to confirm, and I'll grant there are a few ok moments up top (and also that Ferry's voice sounds good), but the overall impression was a definitive yawn. Overly canonical songs boringly respected. Sorry if that's not what you were hoping to hear...

― sw00ds, Tuesday, 26 June 2007 16:32 (eighteen years ago)

Budokonesque.

That said, "Positively 4th St." is lovely, autumnal, and in contrast to the rest, Ferry actually seems to be cognizant of something.

― Roy Kasten, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 03:27 (eighteen years ago)

I love him, but he was decidedly average on Letterman last night. Looked good, tho.

― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 15:13 (eighteen years ago)

Saw that too. His harp playing was impressive. And yes, God damn, he always looks good. His guitarists looked like they were 14 years old.

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 17:39 (eighteen years ago)

I forgot he was doing an instore at J&R today. Dang!

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 18:19 (eighteen years ago)

I was once waiting for my luggage at the carousel in Heathrow. I look around and see Ferry red-eyed and disheveled in a white suit waiting for his. He picks up a quite a few, then an announcement comes up on the PA: "Passenger Ferry is expected at the front desk". He leaves, dazed and seemingly confused.

― baaderonixx, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 20:00 (eighteen years ago)

Was he returning from Nigeria?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 20:02 (eighteen years ago)

What the hell is Ferry doing getting his own luggage?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 20:34 (eighteen years ago)

ever traveled internationally A? you gotta stand at the carousel no matter who you are

― J0hn D., Wednesday, 27 June 2007 21:01 (eighteen years ago)

But I assumed Ferry's footmen handled the menial labor.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 21:09 (eighteen years ago)

No minions were in sight

― baaderonixx, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 21:11 (eighteen years ago)

I mean, he's the sort of guy who doesn't have an entourage: he has a retinue, complete with epaulettes.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 27 June 2007 21:12 (eighteen years ago)

It's funny, isn't it? I saw the saw thing in Heathrow a few years coming back from Rome - Oasis standing around waiting for their luggage. (Well, Liam and Gem and the drummer one. No sign of Andy Bell - who I might have actually gone up to - or the drummer.) Roadies were on hand, but they seemed to have their own roadie-luggage to pick up as well.

― mitya, Thursday, 28 June 2007 01:50 (eighteen years ago)

omigod the Letterman performance was GREAT! Sly and knowing. What a pleasure to hear him actually enunciating. His crew of young turks played the hell out of their tired blues licks too.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 28 June 2007 13:11 (eighteen years ago)

Finally got it. Greil Marcus got it right -- except it's about As Time Goes By: "Bryan Ferry is a god. This is the most boring album of the year."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 1 July 2007 23:57 (eighteen years ago)

six years pass...

so on relisten for the recent Roxy poll i gotta admit "gates of eden" really connected this time around. the record notsomuch but hey it's a start.

― resulting post (rogermexico.), Thursday, 27 February 2014 04:11 (eleven years ago)

Love this album

― da croupier, Thursday, 27 February 2014 06:01 (eleven years ago)

two years pass...

It's obvious why people wouldn't like it, but I dig this album.

― In Walked Bodhisattva (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 26 January 2017 01:51 (eight years ago)

It's actually not obvious, given his previous (three?) Dylan covers were largely exemplary. It's just not a terribly distinctive album.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 26 January 2017 14:41 (eight years ago)

doesn't seem a very ambitious album to me, but I can enjoy - production is a bit aggressive to my tastes

his Tom Thumb's good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aUR4K9zuzQ

― niels, Thursday, 26 January 2017 14:42 (eight years ago)

This album woud've been so much better if he recorded it during the same eras as his covers of "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" and "It's Not Me Babe". Wishful thniking.

― Everything Moves Towards The Sun (Ross), Sunday, 29 January 2017 01:18 (eight years ago)

this album would've been so much better if he'd rerecorded Empire Burlesquep.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 29 January 2017 07:31 (eight years ago)

I think he should have done an album of Lou Reed covers in the style of this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwUbk9W7jc

― Stevie T, Sunday, 29 January 2017 10:41 (eight years ago)

Oh my god I love these energetic cover versions Ferry does where you're never sure whether it's all a big joke or not.

― cpl593H, Wednesday, 1 February 2017 03:11 (eight years ago)

None of those are on Dylanesque though.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 03:13 (eight years ago)

the thing is Frantic was so fuckin good except for the Dylan cover that led off the record so you wait five years thinking, fuckin' A, if you had "Cruel" in you five years ago what do you got now and it...Dylan covers

― though she denies it to the press, (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 03:30 (eight years ago)

I love you, boo, but that's nuts. The other Dylan cover buried on Frantic is the nullity.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 03:34 (eight years ago)

hated 'em both!

― though she denies it to the press, (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 14:45 (eight years ago)

I should say I also think "Baby Blue" is a boring ass song for which I have no use so there's also that

― though she denies it to the press, (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 1 February 2017 14:46 (eight years ago)

Crazy talk

― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 13 February 2017 06:58 (eight years ago)

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