Customer Reviews

More Than This: The Best Of Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music

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

 

 

Roxy Music was very innovative for their time and their sound progressed with every album. In particular, they used the synthesizer in a new way to create compelling textures in their fresh take on art rock. Much variety is displayed here in great rockers like Street Life and the frenzied pop of their first major hit Virginia Plain. There is also the majestic buzz of Love Is The Drug and the slick croon of Dance Away and More Than This, another take on plastic soul? Avalon impresses with its mature lyricism while their interpretation of the classic Smoke Gets In Your Eyes has stood the test of time very well. But my favourite is Ferry's bizarre version of Bob Dylan's A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, a truly amazing tour de force of hypnotic beats and weird vocals giving the song a complete make-over. This is a truly outstanding collection of songs and though it may not please all the hardcore fans, it provides the cream of Roxy and Ferry's hit singles, making it the perfect anthology for exploring the man and the band.

"Bryan Ferry" once sang with "Roxy Music", and between them there are many collections. "Bryan Ferry" himself has no "best of", that I'm aware of, other than an album of his ballads. "Roxy Music" has one, but no "Ferry" solo stuff on it. Then there are a few "Roxy/Ferry" collections around. The 20 track "Street Life", which is pretty good, but out of print. The "Ultimate Collection", which is 15 tracks, not as good, and out of print. Another entitled "More Than This", which is roughly the same as this one, and out of print. And Finally this one, which is also called "More Than This", and IN print, but is an import. These are all fairly similar, in length and song selection, but the others you may have to search more for. But between them all, I think this one has the best "Roxy Music", and "Bryan Ferry" songs, just at an import price. So you could get this, or look through the used stores in town for the others. Or you could always just get "Avalon" from "Roxy Music", or "Boys & Girls" from "Bryan Ferry". Luckily, it's all incredibly cool.

Bryan Ferry, either solo or as lead singer with Roxy music, made the top ten of the British charts in the seventies and eighties with fifteen singles and an extended play EP. He also had several other hits so they couldn't all be included here.

Bryan wrote a lot of his own material but he also recorded some distinctive covers. Two of the songs here date back to the thirties. Of course, most people remember the Platters for Smoke gets in your eyes, but it was actually written in 1934. The other oldie, These foolish things, was originally an American number one hit for Benny Goodman in 1936. Bryan eventually emphasized his love for such songs by recording a whole album of them later in his career. Other distinctive covers include Jealous Guy (John Lennon), which provided Bryan with his only UK number one hit, and A hard rain's a gonna fall (Bob Dylan).

Most of the essentials are here including all the songs already mentioned plus Let's stick together, Virginia plain, Love is the drug, Dance away, Angel eyes, Oh yeah and More than this - are here. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that apart from some of the minor hits, Over you (a top five UK hit) and the UK top ten hits Price of love, This is tomorrow and Pyjamarama are also missing.

A single CD cannot do full justice to Bryan's music but this is a strong collection.

First of all, I like Roxy/Ferry, but I can't believe this cd does not include wonderful tracks like "Lover" (remember MIAMI VICE?), "My only love" and "Bete noire". However, it has the rest of the good ol' ones. Buy it

From 1973 till 1994, Ferry had 9 recordings. To make a best of, I bought all nine, used for around with shipping, $50 and with my little recording studio, made my Best of Brian Ferry, and it's just fantastic. I am doing these a lot these days to the fact that most artists, or the companies that own their music are usually, lousy compilators. They should do their homework. Anyway, it's worth it...

I LOVE THIS CD!!!!!! DANCE AWAY, ANGEL EYES, SLAVE TO LOVE, OH YEAH, JEALOUS GUY, MORE THAN THIS, AND AVALON ARE ALL MY FAVORITES. I THINK I HAVE WORN THEM OUT. I LISTEN TO THEM WHILE DOING HOUSEWORK. MAKES THE DAY GO FASTER. I WOULD RECOMMAND THIS TO ANY BRYAN FERRY FAN.

this is definitely a great cd collection to own i have been following their music for years

Thank-you for sending me this album, I still buy vinyls and it came just fine. I put it on right away as I missed hearing Bryan Ferry. All my friends and I were listening and enjoying it so much.

Thanks again,

Tina