Summary:Covers are nothing new for the Roxy Music frontman, but 'Dylanesque' marks the first time Ferry has dedicated an entire album to the work of a single artist. (That would be Bob Dylan, in case you didn't notice the title.)
Purists may cry sacrilege, but the Roxy Music singer vastly improves Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and All Along the Watchtower by imbuing their edgy agitation with his classicist pop sensibility.
Dylanesque is a mess. Nearly every album has a few bright spots, but this is a lazy collection of covers that offers no insight into the catalog of one of the twentieth century's foremost songwriters.
I wonder what Dylan himself thinks of this,the "other"master as usual plays quiet .But what a disc ! I always was hoping for a Ferry/Dylan I wonder what Dylan himself thinks of this,the "other"master as usual plays quiet .But what a disc ! I always was hoping for a Ferry/Dylan whole album and guess,i got my wishes fulfilled ! It's been turning in my player and turning some more.It's a grower and just havintg read it was recorded in a week....It seems untrue,knowing how layered and timely/expensive Ferry's recordings have been for about the past 20 years.Class-act and solid !…Expand
The red printed Bryan Ferry on the sleeve and the ferris wheel blue behind hint I suppose at the prime colours of Oh Mercy, Dylan's late The red printed Bryan Ferry on the sleeve and the ferris wheel blue behind hint I suppose at the prime colours of Oh Mercy, Dylan's late 80s (magnificent) record. And your own thoughts on Ferry? Those other sleeve covers of Roxy Music are barely surpassed. And whilst the others went on to various nice things, I haven't really caught the voice of Bryan Ferry over the years since. Then, just this weekend, sort of cosy on the sofa, I saw him on the Culture Show sing that great song Positively 4th Street. Tears in the eyes at the end, I was faced with the simple truth that I had (apart from Hendrix on Watchtower) never heard Dylan sung as good (better?) than Dylan. And I have been devoted to his songs since the 60s. This is curious. I suspect this record has been in gestation for a very long time. Ferry clearly loves these songs. Just back from pressing play again. My third time through these songs. "Just like Tom Thumb's Blues" is starting up. The band are painting a languishing picture, with (Ferry?) really nice harmonica. This isn't supposed to be a big essay. So, before this song finishes, what is going on? Bryan Ferry is touching the essence of the song, gently, not tempted much to extend those last lines into an excursion of vowels on, "Simple Twist of Fate" (the way weaker interpreters always do). It is the way he sings "old canal, so confused I remember well" - and hauntingly "brought on by a simple twist of fate". Lovely. He sort of drives down the centre of the road and just gently pulls up where you expect (from all those exaggerated Dylan covers) a press down on the accelerator. I note that Robin Trower plays some acoustic on track 11, but I couldn't quite hear that. I could go on and on. But this is not simply a good review, it is a recommendation to buy this record, and listen for years to come (like Oh Mercy in that respect). I do know this is the product of love of these songs. And I can only say, these interpretations have allowed me to love the songs even more.…Expand
Love it and have been waiting for it's release since I heard of the project! His voice melts me and it's definitely better than Love it and have been waiting for it's release since I heard of the project! His voice melts me and it's definitely better than listening to Dylan singing these tunes.…Expand
The Perfect tribute album, Dyalnesque pays due respect to both of these semi-legendary artists. Ferry isn't interested in the extremely The Perfect tribute album, Dyalnesque pays due respect to both of these semi-legendary artists. Ferry isn't interested in the extremely rare (imagine what he might have done "Foot of Pride" or "She's Your Lover Now". The mind boggles.) but he doesn't avoid risk either. Consider Gates of Eden, a song that close to noone has ever attempted because of its perfection. Ferry takes a subtle arrangement, breathes the vocal gently, and releases the subtleties beneath the words which in the origninal were harsh and at times accusatory. Even better, consider Positively Fourth Street, which insists on revealing the personal pain behind a line like "You don't know what a drag it is to see you." Finally, consider this: Ferry takes a warhorse, a dead-on obvious choice like "The Times They Are a Changing" and creates a new message. This is a song that can be considered quaint or hopelessly dated, but Ferry gets tougher here, insisting the song still has relevance, and in the process, makes the listener believe it as well. There may not be anything groundbreaking here, but for fans of both of these artists (and who isn't one deep down?), this is a collection of small treasures, the kind that last.…Expand
Huh. i guess Pitchfork was weighted right on out of here on this one. They gave it a 1.9 (19 in Metacritic), so i'll give it a 2 on Huh. i guess Pitchfork was weighted right on out of here on this one. They gave it a 1.9 (19 in Metacritic), so i'll give it a 2 on Pitchfork's behalf.…Collapse
