Customer Reviews

Bete Noire

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4 star:		(10)
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Having tasted more American Success with "Avalon" and "Boys and Girls" than in his entire career, Bryan Ferry went for broke with 1987's "Bete Noir." He opted for Patrick Leonard as producer, and while that might have shocked many at the time, as Leonard's best known client was Madonna, it added a dance floor edge to parts of "Bete Noir" that actually enhanced Ferry's romantic detachment as opposed to nullifying it. (Leonard's eventual Toy/3rd Matinee band projects show he was deeper than many folks originally may have thought. Check out their albums on Amazon.)

Those extra measures of bass and rhythm gave Ferry his sole American solo hit with "Kiss and Tell," which was featured in the Michael J. Fox and Keifer Sutherland (pre "24" years) movie adaptation of "Bright Lights, Big City." "The Right Stuff" and "Limbo" also were possessed of a higher energy than prior Ferry solo albums, but that didn't mean Ferry had completely lost his flair for the melancholic. "Day For Night" and "The Name Of The Game" depict the artist as tortured soul, a familiar character in Ferry's repertoire.

The collaborators were also a who's who of the time. Johnny Marr of The Smiths co-wrote "The Right Stuff" and spiked it with a great lead line; David Gilmour, Andy Newmark and Guy Pratt also put in appearances. This mix of musicians (with emphasis on MUSICAL) and Ferry's willingness to make an album concurrent with the times via the linkup with Leonard make "Bete Noir" the best of his solo albums. This album, "Boys and Girls" and "Avalon" make a great trilogy -- get them all.

Bryan Ferry is hidden by his own shadow. He was the front man for Roxy Music and remains so whenever the band regroups. But he has been issuing solo albums since almost the beginning of his Roxy career. Initially, these were seen as side projects, where he could explore his love of (and peculiar take on) pop standards, or subsequently where he could present more American-style rock songs and arrangements.

When Roxy Music finally drifted off into Avalon, Ferry made solo albums that continued to pursue diverse agendas -- sometimes rocking, sometimes Roxy-like, sometimes paying tribute to the compositions of songwriters from Richard Rodgers to Bob Dylan.

1987's "Bete Noire," all of it written or co-written by Ferry, is one that deserves much more attention, but it is among the hardest to find. Even the major downloading services don't include it. It is seen as a follow-up to "Boys and Girls," but it is, in my view, far superior. Its more muscular rhythms recall the hard-disco sound he brought to Roxy Music with "Love is the Drug" and the album "Manifesto." But the dreaminess of the melodies and musical arrangements resemble "Avalon"'s excursions into shimmmering romanticism and spacy fantasies. The two strands tied together are irresistable.

Ferry's best music is assembled carefully, like an abstract painting, everything for effect, mood and color. Here, even the lyrics have a curiously atmospheric quality, in which cliches and movie titles swirl around to convey feelings without drawing you in to a particular story or point of view. This is music of the night, and music of nights recollected half in dreams.

The title cut, the final song on the album, connects the electronic, amplified music that dominates the previous eight songs with a much longer tradition of late-night romantic dreaminess. The instrumentation on this one song is mostly accordions, violins and percussion, and you could imagine hearing this played in a French or Italian cafe. What he demonstrates is that, the music has changed in our era, but only on the surface, new instruments in service of the old heartbreaks, nostalgia and imaginined worlds far away.

I had first heard of Bryan Ferry as the front man of Roxy Music and I simply adored the song "Avalon." I had really liked Ferry's voice and I loved the songs "Slave to Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance" from the Boys and Girls album but at that point had not purchased his music. When the "Limbo" video first aired on MTV back 1987, I simply fell in love with his voice and style and the song itself. Shortly after, the video for "Kiss and Tell" was released and I loved that song even more than "Limbo." Even then I still had not purchased any of his music or Roxy Music for that matter.

Those songs lingered with me for years until I finally bought the Bete Noire CD in 2000.

This album is a masterpiece. All the songs are rich yet beautifully dark and haunting. This album's production utilizes some of the best producers, musicians and session singers of the era. The guitar riffs and bass lines on this album are fantastic. I don't think there is any song on this album that I don't like.

The sound is timeless and Ferry's voice, along with the backing vocalists is very soulful. When I'm in a mood to lay back in relax, I put on this CD. It's perfect for listening to when you are inside on a rainy day having, your favorite glass of wine.

If you have never heard this album or any of Bryan Ferry's songs, you will not be disappointed. Bete Noire is top-notch and worth buying.

When Roxy Music split in 1983, Bryan Ferry made the decision to go forward with the style of music they had so perfected with the landmark "Avalon" album in 1982. First, he did "Boys and Girls," in 1985, which was decent, but I find it to be too slow and tranquil at times. In 1987, he got it entirely right with this album.
Sure there are slower moments, but there are some terrific upbeat, dance moments here. What makes this album work is its diversity. Bryan and company toy with various clubby dance rhythms on tracks like Limbo, Kiss and Tell, and the Right Stuff; they slow things down considerably with the epic and powerful "Name of the Game," and even close the entire album out with the title track, a fun and clever tango.
Also worth mentioning here is Ferry's terrific lyrics. THough a musician and singer of the highest regard, his lyrics have never been as deep and clever as many of his contemporaries. That is not the case here. "Bete Noire" is filled with some of Ferry's finest wordplay.
Though it's 15 years old now, this album still sounds fresh and vibrant. It reflects Bryan Ferry at what was somewhat of a creative peak in the 80's.

What I've always liked about Bryan Ferry back from his Roxy Music roots to his smooth crooner ballads of late, is the fact that he has such a gentlemanly appearance, but there is something almost sordid running beneath the surface... it's very attractive... I bought this album due to his collaboration on an old Smiths track, I am a big Smiths fan... that got me here and it opened up a whole new musical world to me... God love Bryan Ferry AND Roxy Music... definitely worth the purchase if you love a good relaxing cd knowing there is a dark undercurrent... cheers, Craig.

I will always be indebted to a lady who brought this CD into work around 1990 and told me to "give it a spin. I think you'll like this guy's sound."

I have been a big "Bete Noir" and Bryan Ferry fan ever since.

No matter how many times I hear the songs on this disc, I never get tired of them. This guy's music was different, and fascinating to me, then and now almost 20 years later.

As the years have passed and Ferry has deleved into very old standards, Bob Dylan tunes, etc., I still wish he'd stick with the kind of songs he made here and with albums just prior to this, like "Boys and Girls."

These are original, haunting ballads with a beat, if that makes any sense. They are still unique to me, and great stuff. You cannot go wrong with this CD, or the above-mentioned "Boys and Girls." It is Bryan Ferry at his best.

Bryan Ferry might be an aquired taste, but there's no doubt he's made some classic tunes, especially with Roxy Music. Of his solo work I've come to like this the best. "Boys And Girls" is also excellent, and has a few hits of it's own. I find this album as a whole to be very good, but I'll admit it's "Limbo" and "Kiss And Tell" that make it so damn great. Few songs are as catchy and emotionally pleasing, to me anyway. Come to think of it, I'm shocked he hasn't had a proper solo collection out yet. Still, this is one of the first albums to get of his, if not the first. There's a reason I have it on CD, cassette, and vinyl.

Actually, I'd have to give this one a close second behind "Mamouna", if only because the songwriting is a bit stronger and more varied on the later disc. Still, Bete Noir is probably my favorite Ferry album, as it consistently gives off spooky/sexy vibe perfect for late night listening. Much has already been said in these posts about "New Town" and the title tune, but for my money the best song on the album is "Zamba." Almost unbearably atmospheric, the song floats seductively along a droning synthesizer riff while Ferry croons about a former lover. A great album.

This album can really be thought of as a sister album to Avalon and Boys & Girls: if you like those two, you should like this. That being said, I view Bete Noire as the better of these three classics and, in fact, one of the best albums I own.

The songs are all really interesting to listen to with a lot of different instruments and various sounds working in perfect harmony. There's such an incredible atmosphere created in each song, and the production is up to Ferry's high standards. Everything is in its right place here. Even people who are already fans of the hit "Kiss & Tell" will be delighted to discover that the album version is longer with more going on. There's a really cool lead-in with typewriter noises. Everything really fits. I can't forget to mention the vocals, of course. Ferry gives his standard excellent performance with some pretty well placed female backing. The highlights here are just too many to mention. There are only two songs on here that I skip and the rest I really couldn't do without.

If you like Avalon or anything else by Bryan Ferry I strongly urge you to give this album a listen. I can't imagine you being disappointed with this one.

Having tasted more American Success with "Avalon" and "Boys and Girls" than in his entire career, Bryan Ferry went for broke with 1987's "Bete Noir." He opted for Patrick Leonard as producer, and while that might have shocked many at the time, as Leonard's best known client was Madonna, it added a dance floor edge to parts of "Bete Noir" that actually enhanced Ferry's romantic detachment as opposed to nullifying it. (Leonard's eventual Toy/3rd Matinee band projects show he was deeper than many folks originally may have thought. Check out their albums on Amazon.)

Those extra measures of bass and rhythm gave Ferry his sole American solo hit with "Kiss and Tell," which was featured in the Michael J. Fox and Keifer Sutherland (pre "24" years) movie adaptation of "Bright Lights, Big City." "The Right Stuff" and "Limbo" also were possessed of a higher energy than prior Ferry solo albums, but that didn't mean Ferry had completely lost his flair for the melancholic. "Day For Night" and "The Name Of The Game" depict the artist as tortured soul, a familiar character in Ferry's repertoire.

The collaborators were also a who's who of the time. Johnny Marr of The Smiths co-wrote "The Right Stuff" and spiked it with a great lead line; David Gilmour, Andy Newmark and Guy Pratt also put in appearances. This mix of musicians (with emphasis on MUSICAL) and Ferry's willingness to make an album concurrent with the times via the linkup with Leonard make "Bete Noir" the best of his solo albums. This album, "Boys and Girls" and "Avalon" make a great trilogy -- get them all.