It is a fact that voices change during a long and varied career. Mostly they sound deeper, weaker and more fragile. But, no doubt, there are exceptions. Bowie, Clapton, McCartney, Paul Carrack, Paul Rodgers. Even Sting tends to be a Chansonnier these days.

But what do we really want from our favorite artist? Bryan Ferry is still alive, interested in any kind of arts. He loves his work, plans new records and concerts and we do not need any revival band (to see "his ghost") as there exists for The Beatles, Pink Floyd or Abba. Isn't that great?

By the way, let's be thankful for the early Sixties & Seventies, when very special voices like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and so many others - maybe even "Virginia Plain"-Bryan - got their record contracts. The special timbre and the message were much more important at at that time compared to vocally virtuous R'n'B-Girls …

I must confess that a new Roxy album in 2006 (or so) would have topped the "RM is back hype" at that time. But it ain't over till it's over

I am happy with "Johnny & Mary", delighted with the chance to hold another Ferry album in my hands - sometime - and would be in heaven if our hero could once find his way back to Germany.

At the moment I tend to be a positive and grateful fan.

Yours, roxologist Peter ("pianoman") from the Bavarian Alps

I agree with you, pianoman. Bryan Ferry can't be held responsible for the natural changes of his voice. There are only two choices: either he adapts his style of singing to the changes of his voice or he stops singing alltogether. I'm very grateful that he chooses the first option and I still love his singing. I love his broken voice on Reason Or Rhyme and I also like the breathy style of singing on Johnny And Mary. Maybe on Johnny And Mary he exaggerates a bit, but I'd rather tend to see that as going through some experimental phase as he is redefining his style of singing and graciously adapting to the natural changes of his voice.

Greetings from Hamburg to the Bavarian Alps!

Not a big Palmer fan (although liked his cover of Marvin's Mercy Mercy Me), so wasn't familiar with this song, but I like it.

I think it suits the mature BF voice rather well; it won't get much airplay, but it would have sat nicely as a track on a BF solo album (and may yet still do so, for all I know...).

Methinks that this is taking the same route as You Can Dance and Shameless and that we'll see a fuller fully BF version as his next single before the album.

Johnny and Mary is probably the Robert Palmer song I like least so I am undecided about this version with Bryan on vocals. I wonder if he picked out the track to cover or it was already in the can and was just asked to do the vocal for Terje?

I guess this answers my question!

Most recently, Ferry contributed his star power to Norwegian house producer Todd Terje's debut album, with a remix of Robert Palmer's '80s classic, Johnny and Mary. Terje had produced Ferry's 2010 album, Olympia.

"I have always liked Robert Palmer's beautiful song Johnny & Mary with its haunting lyrics ... Initially we tried it fast like the original, but later Terje gave it a different slower feel, which was much better," he says in a news release. "I played some piano on this version which I hope compliments Terje's futuristic programming. It is a real pleasure to collaborate with such a rising talent."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/musi ... s/7199637/



PS, I think I would have liked to hear Bryan tackle RP's "She Makes my Day"

Roxy,
You have impeccable taste. "She Makes My Day" is a fabulous song.
The Palmer tracks I'd love to see him interpret are "Riptide" and "Spanish Moon" (although this one was written by Lowell George I always thought Palmer's take was amazing).
That said, having listened to J&M multiple times I do think our hero does a fabulous 'noir' job on it.
I always loved Palmer's work and I even think his album covers are up there with Bryan's.
'Pressure Drop,' 'Double Fun' and 'Some People Can Do What They Like' all had fabulous artwork and he certainly demonstrated great musical and stylistic sensitivities.
Another friend from the North. A great artist that I miss him every day — loved his stuff mais, c'est la vie!
RIP Robert.
Regards,
Windswept

Btw Johnny And Mary has now been officially released - or whatever the correct word for it may be, since it had been officially published on youtube before - but anyway now you can officially buy it. I just downloaded my copy from Amazon's. It always relieves my conscience to replace the youtube download with a legal copy...

In the meantime I have listened several times to Todd Terje's album. Apart from our hero's contribution (including Ollie on guitar and Cherisse on drums !!) the whole record is highly recommendable. Especially if you always liked intelligent synthesizer sounds and had a slight preference for electronic acts like Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Human League etc. Sometimes a little bit jazzy, a pinch of bossa nova, upbeat instrumentals and - of course - Bryan sings (or whispers) something about Johnny & Mary. Bryan & Robert - what a good team they could have been - oh no, the really are!

Another interview with Terje reveals that Bryan also recorded "Addicted to Love". Now that I would love to hear!!

''We had to find the YouTube link when we were in the studio and then I was like, 'Oh yeah, sounds quite good','' the Oslo-based Olsen says with a laugh. ''I hadn't really been that much into Robert Palmer. He did some really good tracks, but I've only listened to the occasional track of his that works for DJs - which aren't that many, really - mainly B-sides and the weird stuff.''

The story gets stranger still. They also ended up recording yet another Palmer song, the mega-hit Addicted To Love. So Ferry and Olsen are Palmer fanatics, then?

''Well, he is!'' howls Olsen, who had met Ferry through the singer's son, Isaac, having also previously remixed some Ferry tracks.



''I just do what he says. I'd never heard that one either!''


http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/mus ... z2yU2nCskb