That's a good point, True2Life. I always had my problems with 'Mamouna' (except from the title track). It was more groove and mood than melodies and chords. Sometimes even close to monotony ... With 'Avonmore' Bryan has returned to what I call songwriting. Verse, chorus, melodies, various chords etc. I like to play some of his new songs on the piano. And I cannot remember that I ever tried to play songs like 'Wildcat Days', 'Gemini Moon' or 'You Can Dance' ...

It's easy to criticise the material on this new album for being weak but would you rather that 'Avonmore' wasn't released at all?
Personally I like most of the songs,especially 'Johnny & Mary' surprises with it's sublime production,and I'm grateful for finally seeing 'Loop De Li' + 'Midnight Train' getting an official release.
That said,'Mamouna' still is my favourite BF album but 'Avonmore' is a record that grows everytime I listen to it.
Anyway at my age you don't get many album releases these days of much interest or quality IMHO.The only ones I can think of are Pink Floyd 'The Endless River' and Simple Minds' 'Big Music'.

Kind regards,
Henrik

I think you are completely right. The new thing with this album is that we get BOTH groove and melody. On the Mamouna album there was a lot of groove. To name the opposite, in a song like "Goddess Of Love" there is only melody. Besides, I think you have to play this album loud enough to also figure out the voice of the newer tracks.

I'd rather it hadn't been released. I feel no desire to listen to it . Unlike all the previous albums .. I could listen to them up to months afterwards before I lost interest - even if the songs had been from other sessions. The package must rank as the most cobbled together BF album cover art ever ... And that's taking 'Lets stick together' into consideration. The Font is truly awful. An eyesore.

Anyway at my age you don't get many album releases these days of much interest or quality IMHO.The only ones I can think of are Pink Floyd 'The Endless River' and Simple Minds' 'Big Music'.
Kind regards, Henrik

I am amazed at SMs Big Music - their best in 30 years. I still believe Roxy should have taken the chance after the 2001 tour to produce a new album.. anyway that's history.

It's easy to criticise the material on this new album for being weak but would you rather that 'Avonmore' wasn't released at all?
I appreciate Avonmore and anything which is released. Yet I still have that feeling that Bryan (& RM) could have gone to new heights. Did Bryan fully use and exhaust his genius creativity? I don't think so, and now time has caught up with him. Best wishes to Bryan, hope he is well enough to play in Hamburg on Saturday..

Philosophical Philanderers,
Two weeks of listening has me convinced that 'Avonmore' is a worthy addition to the canon.
It's certainly playable in its entirety and there are four tracks that I will doubtless return to time and time again.
For me, that is the acid test and in the entire Roxy & solo catalogue, it's only 'Frantic' that I don't play a lot. That said I can understand that some aficionados are disappointed. It doesn't have the out and out creativity of 'TJA' or a 'ATGB' but, it is distinctive and recognisably Ferry. And, as I've said previously the provenance or time scale of the recording doesn't bother me.
What does bother me however is the direction of the live show.
The way things are turning out, I'm extremely pleased that I went to Dublin for this year's FerryFix. The show with the Rte was amazing and the set list and arrangements were great.
Outside of that, the videos I've seen of this new band leave me completely cold and I feel like I've been transported into an episode of TOTP or Soul Train. It comes across as stripped of the great art that fabulous musicians have put into these songs over the last fifteen years and it all has such a 'Lite' feel.
Up to and including AEWBF the shows had been on an upward trend that seemed to be unstoppable. Roxy and Ferry's solo shows were always been great but with ATGB and all that followed, the craftsmanship that went into the arrangements and the sets (including '01 Roxy Revival),just took things to an entirely different level.
No doubt this was primarily the work of our hero but it was also very much driven by the partnership with Colin Good and the contribution of amazing musicians (sadly some no longer with us) who slipped in and out of the line up depending on the orientation of particular shows.
Doubtless the overall direction was driven by the duo's love of Stork and Cotton club type environments and I'm sure it was all very expensive but it delivered some of the greatest shows in the pantheon of jazz and rock.
Happily I saw them all and I do hope that today's scenario is just a blip and that normal service is resumed for 2015.
Regards,
W2

What DO you think? I could agree with your last point, but I`ve stopped saying such a thing `cause it`s simply unrealistic. I don`t think it`s a very even album in terms ot quality. Also on this album some tracks are mere fillers. "Midnight Train" continues where "Loop De Li" ended, but has a bit less to offer. Save for "Mamouna", the BF albums contain to much saccarine to my taste. -But I don`t like "Mamouna" either. "Soldier Of Fortune" is very down to earth to be Ferry. It could be a track taken from his "Frantic/Dylanesque" period. Young people will giggle at the cheesy parts. Something happended after "Boys And Girls". It became quiet. The real follow up to "Avalon" was Dire Straits` "Brothers In Arms".

Hmmm. What do I think...

Regarding the album Avonmore, the overall sound is numbing and it doesn't seem to get better with repeated listenings. I had a long car trip over the weekend and I played the cd full through a few times. It will be a while before I think of doing that again. Tara F is an OK drummer, but his thumping wears thin on me after a few tracks....

In a larger context, I think we are staring over the abyss into a world we are all getting older and BF is slipping slipping away into a mere shadow of his former glory. Maybe next spring all will be well and a resplendent BF will take Britain by storm in a whirlwind tour that will make everyone forget the multitude of cancelled shows that occurred in late 2014. Maybe. But the handwriting is on the wall. BF can't keep touring the way he has (tried) of late. His vocal chords can't sustain extensive touring. And it appears that the writing and recording of NEW songs is a chore that he dreads. So where is this headed?

One of these days I'm gonna have to give up the ghost and just say ENOUGH. But, fool that I am, I still keep thinking something might come to light from the Roxy 2015-06 recordings.

My own opinion is that I have really enjoyed this album.I agree with the Daily Telegraph review that 40 years on ,no records sound quite like Mr Ferry's.I find it a very reflective piece.
All being well I hope to see the first night of the tour next year in Belfast.

I like the soundscape of Avonmore. All credits to Tara Ferry, Pratt and Miller. Bit strange that Jorja doesn't play on any track, vital as she is to RM2.
To BF: Thank you for two splendid concerts and a fabulous album. Please go to a warm place now, drink some good wine and relax!