Bryan Ferry
As Time Goes By
[Virgin]
Rating: 7.5
Anyone expecting a goofy, throwaway retro- lounge/ neo- swing affair on
As Time Goes By is sorely underestimating this ambitious project
from smooth operator Bryan Ferry. Ferry, unlike so many of his rock
contemporaries who consistently fail to reinvent themselves in any
remotely interesting fashion, once again distances himself from trends
and tired rock n' roll stances here. So, if there are still any Cherry
Poppin' Voodoo Daddies in K-Mart Zoot Suits and thrift- shop Fedoras
out there, stick to your 8 ½ Souvenirs and Brian Setzer Orchestra crap,
'cause these jazz- age covers aren't fashioned into anything resembling
your damned modernized swing. Rather, they're as irony- free and faithful
to the originals as you could possibly hope for.
Ferry has always brought more to cover songs than just a verbatim remake. For
him, including cover songs on his albums has never been just a symptom of
writer's block (like it is for so many) or the result of just plain age-
related laziness. A true respect and sense of tribute always seems to be in
evidence. His interpretations of "In the Midnight Hour," and Dylan's "A Hard
Rain's A Gonna Fall," among others, are proof that his renditions can often
be every bit as vital as the originals.
As the title suggests, these songs are romantic popular standards from the
1920s and '30s. Represented here are the likes of Cole Porter, Kurt Weill,
Rodgers and Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, etc. Strict authenticity and adherence
to tradition is the rule, with Ferry's crack backing musicians sounding like
they were hand- picked and acquired via time warp from a slick 1920's big
band orchestra. Guitarist Neil Solberg cooks up some jaunty, ragtime-y lines
straight out of some smoky Depression- era speakeasy. And Ferry's sweet
(though not incredibly versatile) vocals certainly do ample justice to these
classic compositions. Ferry's interpretation of Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets"
is certainly no less haunting and heartbreaking than the original. And other
classics that benefit from Ferry's input are Jerome Kern's "The Way You Look
Tonight," and another standout Porter tune, "You Do Something To Me."
It's easy to discern Ferry's high reverence for the material, as he handles
these delicate tunes with kid gloves, nearly to a fault at times. He keeps
his vocals restrained at an even keel throughout-- at kind of a half- whisper/
half- croon so as to blend in with the orchestration. He seems to take extra
precaution not to disrupt the flow of each song with any showy histrionics.
But really, as much as I love Ferry's unique voice, the overall feel and
arrangement of these songs is what ultimately makes As Time Goes By
so endearing. The timeless "I'm in the Mood for Love" is one of the album's
hands- down highlights. It's rife with the kind of atmospherics a lounge
band like Combustible Edison constantly strives to perfect, yet never seem
to escape creating inevitable tongue- in- cheek impressions.
And although I do have an affinity for the Little Rascals' rendition of
"I'm in the Mood for Love" (with Alfalfa singing in that shaky falsetto of
his), Ferry's version couldn't be more appropriate. Here, the percussion
plunks out a cool samba-ish beat, outdoorsy noises echo in the background,
a harp tiptoes behind Ferry's voice, celestial string sections hover just
over the vocals, and even Ferry's old Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera
ably takes on some light acoustic rhythm guitar duties.
As Time Goes By isn't that surprising a move for Ferry-- after all,
his last collection of cover songs, the largely mediocre Taxi, came
out only a few years ago. And as far as his penchant for singing other
people's songs is concerned, this record is easily Ferry's most worthwhile
endeavor yet. And it's an apt and artful treatment of these once- popular
classics that have, for whatever reason, all but faded from popular
consciousness. Besides, what other rock star would have the cojones to
pull off demanding vocal numbers like these? Actually, I'm still anticipating
the rumored release of Soft Lights, Sweet Music, and Pullin' Birds, Man!:
Keith Richards Sings Irving Berlin.
-Michael Sandlin