Customer Reviews

The Bride Stripped Bare

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ferry`s - The Bride Stripped Bare, is an album which really shows Ferry at his best in terms of his early solo work and succesfully bridges the lean mid seventies period. This album contains an eclectic selection of covers (mostly R&B and Soul)and originals supported by a strong cast of Brit Rock champions. Highlights include Can`t Let Go, a great driving song, What Goes On from Velvet Underground, a beautiful rendition of a traditional Irish lilt "Carrickfergus" which Ferry takes ownership of. Sign of the Times which sounds like it should have been on Roxy Music`s Siren. An intense, theatrical, This Island Earth and some sublime vocal performances, Thats How Strong my Love Is. Same Old Blues. Ferry demonstrates his love of R&B and his ability to mimic the genre. An overlooked album which did not receive the sales that it should have.

This is an interesting record! Half originals, half covers. Some longstanding musical partners, some hired gun session musicians. The sound is quite straightforward, certainly as mainstream as any Bryan Ferry-associated record. The new HDCD remasters of the Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry catalogs are fabulous.

This album has a reputation of being Bryan Ferry's darkest and least esoteric of all his work. This is partly true, but only partly. True that the cover design is thematically very dark and some of the lyrics are darker than usual for him especially on "Sign of the times" and "This Island Earth", but the album still has all of Ferry's trademarks: meticulous production, unique arrangements, excellent musicianship and a prevalent sense of romantic longing. What sets this album apart from all of his other work is how eclectic and more raw than usual it is. It starts with the dark rocker "Sign of the times", shifts to the epic and wonderfully arranged "Can't let go" to soul "Hold on I'm coming/That's how strong my love is" to blues "The same old blues" and the unique synth-driven atmospherics of the closing track "This Island Earth", to a few other genres in between including astounding funk "Take me to the river". By being a mix of six covers and four originals, it allows Ferry to produce a unique and highly intriguing album full of his unique production touches and ability to handle several styles vocally and musically, but it is not more or less esoteric (or as some call it more human) than any of his other works. What it is is Ferry's last album as a solo artist before entering his sonically fog-shrouded, experimental phase (which was equally intriguing and produced masterworks such as BOYS AND GIRLS and MAMOUNA) and an underrated, extremely enjoyable piece of eclectic music filtered through Ferry's unique style.

I've been a fan of Bryan Ferry and R.M. since the 70's.. "The Bride Stripped Bare" is another high quality solo effort released in 1978.The "back story"-Ferry went into "self exile" in L.A., removing himself from the lingering unpleasentness of his recent break-up with model Jerry Hall. Not a happy period for the man, as the somber looking cover photo suggest.Ferry goes back to having a mixed assortment of originals and other artist's songs- mostly R&B, with an Irish folk song"Carrickfergus" and Lou Reed penned number"What Goes On"
. For once Ferry seems not to be hiding behind his "world weary lover" character, as songs written by him are more personal and less detatched."When She walks Into The Room", "Can't Let Go" and my fave "This Island Earth"- are all some of his best he's done. What I think detracts from this album is the use of the L.A. studio musicians. Waddy Wachtel is fine for Linda Rondstadt,, Warren Zevon and the like, but his playing here is dry and sadly inferior to say the creative flourish of Phil Manzanara or Chris Spedding. There is a sterile quality(?) to the whole album except "This Island Earth" which retains a Roxyish layered dream-like way to it and is indeed, somewhat ruined by Waddy's pedestrian playing. This is a good CD. Every time I hear these songs I think "Too bad he moved to LA.". PS.-Not an LA basher- I grew up and was living in So Cal when this album came out.

Bryan Ferry is a classic crooner in the same sense that Frank Sinatra was - he can sing anything and imbue it with his own style, interpreting it meaningfully and casting it in a new light. Starting in the 70s, Ferry established a long tradition of occasionally releasing solo albums that featured cover versions. The Bride Stripped Bare is, in my opinion, the best example of this: filled with `The Same Old Blues,' `Carrickfergus' and `Take Me to the River,' it can't fail. The arrangements are tasteful and accomplished, and Ferry's own compositions (almost) keep up with the covers. His version of `That's How Strong My Love Is' has to be heard to be believed - it's completely over the top to the point of being camp, and emotionally touching and sincere at the same time... quite an accomplishment. Most people would think of this as a `minor' record at best, a footnote made by someone who was famous for something else; I think it deserves to be loved for being fearless and really showcasing Bryan Ferry's unique and sensuous voice. (Reviewed at my blog http://teabowl.net)

This is an exceptional CD. Bryan Ferry has displayed many flashy images - but this is the closest we may ever get to his real heart. Recorded the same '77 year Punk Rock hit home, Ferry shows awareness - almost sympathy - with that movement. It may have been temporary, but the result is loose thrilling fun. 'Sign of the Times' & 'The Same Old Blues' rock without a care. It's so much fun to hear Ferry this way. He covers the Velvet Underground with a powerful 'What Goes On' - for my money far superior to the original. The acoustic 'Carrickfergus' highlights what Bryan Ferry truly is - a great soul singer. There are some duff tracks ('This Island Earth' & 'Can't Let Go' are dull). But the best tracks are as fun as any Roxy Music album, and promise a unique brave musical future.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. This record bombed spectacularly. Ferry then reunited Roxy Music, creating a Make-Out Music Monster that sold enough (and sucked enough) to make happy millions wonder what all the fuss was about with the astonishing original Roxy. Despite all the bags of cash, Bryan Ferry wouldn't regain his musical self-respect until '93s "Taxi".

If timing isn't everything, it sure still means a lot. I think that timing is what makes this record as good as (I think) it is. While I'm not an avid fan, I have enjoyed a lot of what Roxy Music and Brian Ferry have offered. This has always been my favorite Ferry solo release. The album has a unity and feel that separates it from the rest of Brian Ferry's solo work. Plus, the dark
theme of separation and loss pervade the entire album. There has been much carping about the L.A. musicians, and I think it is a load of nonsense. These are the right musicians for this album.

The Bride Stripped Bare is a lost classic, and ranks with the best work that Brian Ferry has done with Roxy Music.

Supposedly his response to getting jilted by his then-gf Jerri Hall (for Mr. Jagger, no less!), this album reaches well beyond any personal issues to encompass anguish and uncertainty in more universal terms. While a return of sorts to the hybrid covers/originals formula of earlier records, this is also a step forward stylistically. Simultaneously painful and uplifting, Ferry once again shows others how to express complicated emotions and still be immensely entertaining. Essential.

This is Ferry's best solo work. The production doesn't sound horribly dated like some of his 80's and 90's stuff; the covers aren't bizzare or kitschy ("what goes on" is wonderful, as is "carickfergus"). But the originals are what makes the album the best of his solo lot with "Sign of the Times" and "When she walks in the room" standing out as compositions worthy enough to be on "Siren".

A mix of covers and originals, Bride allowed Ferry to indulge his love of R&B and incorporate them into the Roxy universe. Although not as unusual as his earlier Roxy work (and also lacking any extras I might add), Bride is a great place to start experiencing Bryan's solo career. Bride also provides a transition to the next Roxy album the R&B/new wave flavored Manifesto. A pity that there are no bonus tracks as some of the other covers (and one original) have turned up either on other albums or single releases. It would have been interesting to hear how Dance Away differed from the Roxy version.