Customer Reviews

As Time Goes By

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Love songs have lost their feeling as singers with limited talent attempt to convey the emotion necessary to make a real love song work. Bryan Ferry not only makes the love songs on this CD work, he wrings them for all their worth, without falling into over-sentimentalized or melodramatic phrasing. His voice is smooth and elegant, allowing the lyrics to speak for themselves. Unconcerned with his own style (or perfecting a different one), Ferry has unconsciously fashioned that rare commodity, seamless blending of the old and new. The orchestrations are heavily weighted with period sounds, yet Ferry's voice never falls into croonership, or overextends itself to imitate singers of the past. Ferry's audience is sophistcated and Ferry plays this card to its fullest. The songs are obviously chosen with care and even those we might think we're tired of hearing (most notably, the title track, As Time Goes By,) sound fresh and speak not only about the joy of love, but also the melnacholy of love as well, which may be Ferry's greatest asset, true melancholy without the angst that mars so many other love songs. Not simply willing to re-issue the quaint and nostalgic, Ferry seems to be reaching for something more and finds it in such numbers as Sweet And Lovely, Love Me Or Leave Me, and the poetic and usually over-wrought, September Song. With these songs, Ferry reaches into the past, to bring us up to date on the sorry state of modern love songs. The songs on this CD are prime examples of the (almost) lost art of lyric writing.

This is by far the best recording ever conceived by Bryan Ferry. His previous works like Boys and Girls will remain classics in the New Romantic style of music, but if you like his old stuff with Roxy Music such as Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and These Foolish Things, then you'll love As Time Goes By. Ferry's more matured voice is evident in these recordings and his choice of band members make for a flawless musical accompaniment. I love this album so much that I decided to give in to the price of purchasing the limited edition import version.

For those of you that are not familiar with Bryan Ferry or Roxy Music...Lately, most of my music interest lay in the range of the acid jazz and techno, but this album has no boundaries and is sure to be enjoyed by all ages, regardless of musical preconception. It's just a classic interpretation of music from a beautiful era.

This CD of classics from the 1930s is sultry and smoky, like a soundtrack for your most perfect romantic fantasy. The mellow tempo of the songs sound totally unlike anything on contemporary radio (to his credit). Ferry and his band Roxy Music have always been ones to try the untried, experiment, and break new ground. He has blazed a new trail with old material, as only he can this time. On this record, the lyrics have a rich, emotional quality, a credit to craftsman songwriters like Cole Porter. Bryan Ferry brings them all to new life in his signature classy, elegant style. Bravo to the _King of Cool_ for topping himself once again!

With this magical production, Ferry has obviously alienated those near hopeless naysayers reared on a monomaniac diet of "modern" music with all its catchy synth trappings and infinite levels of overproduction.

When the musical alchemist strips down those unnecessary layers, mines for the gold, and reveals the beauty and simplicity inherent in timeless structures, is it any wonder that some must flee? Beautiful, haunting, lush, moving, elegant, poignant, pleasantly addictive, are expressions and words that this creation objectively warrants.

One who can transform songs from the distant past into aural pearls that so easily eclipse contemporary options, is worthy of much praise. Bryan Ferry is a gift to the world of music.

Every artist should be entitled to do an album that THEY want to do... and this is Bryan's. Those who have followed and enjoyed Ferry's work over the decades from Roxy Music through his solo efforts know he has a soft spot for the "classic oldies" and this collection of 20s and 30s "hits" is a wonderful addition to his musical resume. The musicians shine brightly and provide an authentic "sound" of the era from which these songs were written. I wouldn't recommend this as a "first" Bryan Ferry CD, but it proves his versatility and is a very enjoyable and relaxing collection of songs. I agree with some of the previous reviewers that I hope we have yet to hear more "original" material from him because that is what most of us crave musically from him. But this is a very pleasant interim album that I recommend to any true fan of Mr. Ferry.

I first heard this CD on my friends car stereo while we were driving two weeks ago. He borrowed me CD to listen for a while, I bought it next day and I cannot stop listening to it since then how great it is. Excellent.

Bryan, thankyou so very much. Having always been a fan of yours I pounced on As Time Goes By the moment it hit the shops, but nothing prepared me for the pleasures that awaited me upon loading the CD into my stereo. It took a few plays, but as time went by I grew to love this album more and more. My only memories of any of these songs come from scratchy old 78rpm or movie soundtracks, settings in which they sound quaint and old fashioned. However you, Bryan, have succeeded in breathing new life into them with your sympathetic and stylish renditions, turning them into utterly ageless compositions, and exposing for the musical gems they truly are. I have not tired of this album yet, and my one complaint is that this is the only time you have managed to put sound to tape in five years. Please treat us to more of the same, just as soon as you are able. Long may you continue in your chosen career Bryan, because there is nobody amongst the endless ranks of pop pap today that even remotely looks like being capable or worthy of carrying your torch when the tragic day you retire finally arrives.

This is an incredible album of 1940's music. A lot of familiar tunes and some not so familiar. This version of 'I'm In The Mood For love' is the best I've ever heard. Bryon sings a straight version of 'Miss Otis Regrets' as opposed to the dark comedy upbeat version by Bette Midler - both versions are worth a listen. The orchestration is top rate as are the arrangements. Most songs are reasonably short so they don't stand the chance of becoming boring and beat to death. Great buy.

This one's going to be an acquired taste for most Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry fans. A smart, if somewhat predictable collection of 30's and 40's tunes, Ferry manages to make the songs his own. The song arrangements are more straight forward than what Ferry fans have come to expect, but still effective.

This album seems to portend a change in direction for Ferry's original material as well. Which means the next album of original material should be, if nothing else, challenging and interesting.

I bought this album for three reasons:

1. These old classic songs are great. After hearing them many times for many years I never tire of them

and I always find them romantic and moving; and as with a previous reviewer, they transport me to

another time and place.

2. The band on this CD is absolutely first-rate and the musical arrangements are perfectly matched to the

time period and lyrics of each song.

3. I love Bryan Ferry's unique, not-to-be-mistaken-for-anyone-else's voice. It really goes great with this

music.

As a bonus, Amazon.com's low price for this album was way below what I expected to pay.