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 Post subject: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:59 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:12 pm
Posts: 837
Translated by le freak:

Infinitely elegant. Heavy handed band doesn`t match Ferry`s dandy voice.

How you age as a rock star depends, among other things, a lot from where you start. Musically and in appearance more than geographically. Bryan Ferry looked and sounded like an elderly, a bit sedate, dandy already as a 26 year old in Roxy Music. 45 years later at Stockholm Waterfront, he still does. Impeccably dressed in his costume, Ferry moves so discretely that he never looks stiff. He sings beautifully, with the same measured, maybe distanced elegance as ever. Maybe mostly in ballads like “Jealous Guy” and “Avalon”, but in fact also in the hybrid of American south state Boogie Woogie and Northeast English glam rock as in “Virginia Plain”.

Bryan Ferry doesn`t seem to have become any older at all, quite simply. This is what you can`t say about, say, Keith Richards, who is close to this 70 year old when it comes to age.

Just a couple of things tell that Ferry has reached a bit into the age of retirement. First and foremost he plays harmonica, elder rock men’s security blanket, just like Bob Dylan, whose songs he often has returned to during his career. And he has chosen a band that fleshes out more than they should. Sometimes, when the clever guitar solos grow in quantity and duration, the musicians are only a couple of steps from sounding like an optional Swedish Saturday TV entertainment from the year 1986. “Love Is The Drug” doesn`t get it`s usual jerky groove, but sounds mostly slow and heavy-footed, and the delicate “More Than This” gets an unnecessary rough treatment. Even if saxophonist Jorja Chalmers is seemingly impeccable, and easily moves from smooth 80s rock to slightly cracked jazz sounds, her impact is possibly out of proportion.

At the same time there are plenty of moments when the 9 men band really excels, and from a little detail, like the castanets in “Don`t Stop The Dance” build up a luxurious sound behind the infinite elegant, Bryan Ferry.

Mattias Dahlström.

3.


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 1:25 pm 
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Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:32 pm
Posts: 41
Thank you for translating this interesting review. It is nice that Ferry will probably never have to worry about turning into a dessicated Raisinet or - as one newspaper commenter recently noted about ALL of the Stones - as if he'd just climbed out of his casket. :lol:

I can't imagine maintaining the rigors of a tour at the age of 70.5. Hope he doesn't wear out the voice permanently, which he does sometimes seem to skate perilously close to doing.


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 3:31 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:58 pm
Posts: 1029
Here's a trenchant observation that brought forth a chuckle:

"the musicians are only a couple of steps from sounding like an optional Swedish Saturday TV entertainment from the year 1986."

Gotta love computer translations!

Also, this phrasing struck me as intriguing:

"First and foremost he plays harmonica, elder rock men’s security blanket"

Ha!

I must admit that BF's harmonica riffing generally strikes me as rather perfunctory and never very engaging, but others might disagree...


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 6:31 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 8:12 pm
Posts: 837
DCJ wrote:
Here's a trenchant observation that brought forth a chuckle:

"the musicians are only a couple of steps from sounding like an optional Swedish Saturday TV entertainment from the year 1986."

Gotta love computer translations!


I didn`t use a computer, just stuck as close as possible to the original text. Obviously the author tries to be interesting...


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 6:42 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:58 pm
Posts: 1029
lf:
My apologies!!! You are to be commended for your multi-lingual skills!!!

My grandmother used to speak Swedish in her sleep when she would visit us when I was a young. But that was as close as I've ever gotten to the language...


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 7:29 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:23 pm
Posts: 1568
Elegantly Ageing Hipsters,

Un grand merci a monsieur le freak for the translation.

The assessment of the band is interesting.

W2's personal opinion is that they are very, very good but yet there is something that stands between them and greatness.

It's certainly not a shortage of musical talent. IWNSHO (In Windswept's Not So Humble Opinion) it hinges around the keyboards and the lead guitar. Discussing it almost feels like treachery but whilst both are note perfect they do miss a certain style and depth that some of their predecessors brought to the party.

That said putting a band of this quality together is a massive work and after the triumph that was AEWBF for our hero to turn the page and put together an outfit of this quality is a huge testimony to his musical prowess, work rate and leadership skills.

W2 does violently disagree with DCJ's assessment of our hero's harmonica skills.

Ferry is undoubtably one of the foremost exponents of the pocket rocket and W2 just adores his playing. There are numerous examples of his prowess in this department. Who could listen to his playing on 'Gates Of Eden' or his live version of 'The Only Face' without having their timbers completely shivered.

There is only one problem with The Bonny Lad's harmonica playing and that is, we don't get enough of it !

Salutations,

W2


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 8:59 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:58 pm
Posts: 1029
Wow. It's like old time again. WS2 and DCJ disagreeing "violently" about an issue of earth-shaking consequence!

Hey, if you think BF is a great harmonicist (is that a word?) who am I to rain on your parade. Shivers??? Not for me. The truth is he is merely serviceable when it comes to blowing the "pocket rocket" - But whatever...

WS2 comments regarding the piano and lead guitar are pretty much on the mark. Beard and Q are hardly disasters, but compared to their predecessors they come across as journeymen, not masters.

One thing I did note in watching various youtube clips of the latest gigs was how tasteful and enjoyable Neil H's solo on BD's Dream can be. Not flashy, but very soulful. And IMHO soulful is not a word that comes to mind with Q...


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2016 11:11 pm 
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Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:32 pm
Posts: 41
I am not among the big leagues of all the (lucky) veteran concertgoers here; my opinions can only be based on vinyl and computer listening with a very good headset.

To this ear Ferry is among the best harmonica players ever. Quistgaard seems technically very skilled, but chilly. Very, very cerebral rather than playing from the gut. He's good, just cold.


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Wed May 11, 2016 3:54 pm 
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:23 pm
Posts: 1568
sonnet18 wrote:
To this ear Ferry is among the best harmonica players ever. Quistgaard seems technically very skilled, but chilly. Very, very cerebral rather than playing from the gut. He's good, just cold.


Hedonistic Hipsters,

sonnet18 puts it well on both counts.

The great thing is, they are a good band and hopefully their already significant prowess will build and build as the tour progresses.

Following the AEWBF line up was always going to be an impossible challenge and our hero has doubtless done the right thing by going back to basics.

Salutations,

W2


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 Post subject: Re: Waterfront, Stockholm, translated into English
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2016 6:33 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:32 pm
Posts: 305
Bonjour à tous!

Oh my, wished I had gone to Malmoe. Reason or Rhyme, one of my all time favourites!

It`s tiring, but I have to join the great W2 and others: Bring back Colin Good and Oliver Thompson! And, openly sexist as I am, a couple of glamorous chorus girls!


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