From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V12 #13 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Saturday, January 20 2007 Volume 12 : Number 013 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [AVALON] Countryesque ? ["Dick & Petra Verseput" ] To leave the list, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon-digest ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2007 22:50:46 +0100 From: "Dick & Petra Verseput" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Countryesque ? Dear Reecy, Thanks for this review and your coment ( and Humor ) over the new BF album. lucky B. that you have listen to it already! I know for sure that I will ask you in a few mouth's time what your favourite songs are after listening over and over again. You know we always do, I often change on favourite after a while. Did not on frantic, but a few times with the As Time Goes By album. At first I tough that BF was killing his career, love it after a sort while and see what it gave us at the end. We are looking forward to listen to it and we will see what our favourites will be then. Hope to talk with you about it at one of the gigs! CIAO PETRA/DICK Ps I'm NOT a "Country boy" aswell but love to listen to Country Life!? - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Johnny Reece" To: Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 2:54 AM Subject: [AVALON] Countryesque ? > First impressions ? > Oh, I'm not very good at them. I had better make that crystal clear. > Today, due to my usual radio contacts, I received a promo of > 'Dylanesque'. > > I am being very careful of my first impressions - I have to be, due to my > history of ending up with the opposite opinions I began with. > I did it with Mamouna, back in 1994. I remember it well. > I was working in France for a local FM Station at the time, and ended up > with a promo, on cassette of all things, some 3 months before the Album > release date. > My first impressions then, were of my horror at 'Your Painted Smile' > being talked of as a Single release, as, due to my ears on first play, it > should surely be the strongest of all the tracks on the Album, 'Wildcat > Days' ? > Now, several years down the line, I am of the opposite opinion. > I love YPS, it has become one of my BF faves, whereas Wildcat Days is a > 'skip that one' type of situation. > > First impressions, Part 2 - came to me when I received 4 tracks upfront > from As Time Goes By, some months before release, because of the same > contacts. > I was, at the time, horrified. > The only one I could really listen to at first, was the one which, I > suppose you could say, 'doesn't fit' on that Album, being 'I'm In The Mood > for Love'. > I really could not take the rest of it. At all. > An opinion that did not change when I first had the whole Album. > Now, again, several years down the line, all has changed. > I grew to adore As Time Goes By, and the accompanying Tour Dates were a > revelation, amazing musicians, the string quartet, and an incredible mix > of ATGB material with wonderful versions of Roxy numbers such as 'Bitter > Sweet' and 'Sunset' thrown in. > It was my favourite solo tour, by a long way. > And it remains, now, one of my favourite Bryan Ferry Solo albums. > > And so, to 2007, and I am back in first impression land again. I'm > useless at it. > But here goes, anyway. And, can I say, any impressions I give here, will > probably be the complete opposite of what we'll discuss in venues and bars > throughout the lands in months to come. I make no claim whatsoever of > keeping my following first thoughts ... > > It begins strongly, to my ears. > I really like Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues. A strong start. > Simple Twist Of Fate, I wasn't sure at first, but it grew on me as it > went along. > Slight concern over country tinges (sorry - personal opinion I know - but > I cannot abide country music). > Make You Feel My Love took me by surprise - I do not know the original, > and it is a very beautiful song. I like this. A lot. Very dreamy. > Next up - the Single - The Times They Are A Changin'. It wouldn't have > been my choice. > It rolls along nicely, but it is 'straighter' than I thought. > All I Really Want To Do - no. I am biased here, as The Byrds version is > a marvellous cover, and I find it difficult, possibly because of that. > It's sung in a very strange key, too. > Knockin' On Heavens Door is pretty much a straight cover. Very straight. > In a way, I wanted Bryan to stamp his own touch all over this Album on > some tracks (a-la 'Hard Rain') but it clearly wasn't going to happen, this > time. Slightly Gospel feel to this. > Positively 4th Street surprised me. Now, I'm not the biggest Dylan fan in > the world, but this is one of my Dylan favourites, a great, vicious, nasty > number, cleverly done. So, this was a surprise when it turns out to be > mainly piano backing on Bryans version. Much more low-key than I expected. > Whereas Dylan's original is in your face and almost slaps you as you > listen to it, Bryan's version is more withdrawn, lost, apologetic even. > If Not For You is far too close to country for me, as is Baby Let Me > Follow You Down, though the latter has much more energy than I expected. > Again, country tinged, and that harmonica was inches away in his pocket, > it seems. > There's a lot of harmonica on this Album ! > However, this track could well turn out to be a 'live' favourite, because > of the energy it could create in that particular setting. > Gates Of Eden could have been taken straight from 'Rogues Gallery', such > is the sea shanty quality to it. Not sure it fits, but then again, it is > a nice change to the previous 2 tracks, something Bryan did to good effect > on 'Frantic', I seem to remember, the running order of the tracks > deliberately throwing up a surprise or two, just when you think he is > going down a certain road - and the direction changes. > Actually, the more I hear this, it's growing on me, this track. > All Along The Watchtower is pretty much a straight cover. This could be > such a great thrashing number 'Live'. I could see it being extended to an > extraordinary length with extra guitar solos, and it would work a treat, > it really would. > It surely must be in the forthcoming set - it is absolutely made for > gigs, by the sound of it, and by the time it ends here on the Album, I > thought it was far too short ! > > First impressions then - well, a little less country feel if you please, > and keep the harmonica in the pocket a bit more if you don't mind, but > there are a few nice surprises along the way. > I did expect, or hope, that there may have been the Bryan 'stamp' on a > little more of it, you know, a San Simeon or Hiroshima feel somewhere, but > that is not the case. > I do get the impression that some of the more quieter country tinged > tracks, to my ears, began their life several, several years ago. > Others - the straighter covers were perhaps done fairly quickly. > > 1, 3, and 11. They are the ones for me, at this point. > Tom Thumb, Make You Feel, Watchtower. > Especially the 2 latter ones. Marvellous. > But of course, these things change. > So don't quote me on that, come March/April ! > > > > Finally, the customary 'dash to the front' for me come March, is now > out of my hands. > It is with the gods. A rather sensational stress fracture of the > metatarsal and badly damaged tendons has me hobbling around for 5 to 6 > weeks minimum, (hey, out for the season !) still, it gives me time to put > the knackered foot up, and get used to the Album ! > See you on the Tour. Hobbling. > > > > > > Reecey... > > > > np : 'Dylanesque' > > > > > > . > > > > . > > > > . > > > > . > > > > . > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love > (and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list. > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.14/636 - Release Date: 18-1-2007 > 4:00 ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:00:56 -0000 From: "Martin Stockman" Subject: RE: [AVALON] Dylanesque Thanks to the two John's for their excellent previews of the album. One or two Avalonions have started to lodge concerns and criticism and I'm keen to proffer an alternative and more positive note to the debate. My start point is that this is a labour of love for Bryan. The world wants a new Roxy album - especially the press who can't wait to laud new Roxy (at last BF doing what he should be doing, back with Eno, yadayada)or pan it (old rockers should give up, Ferry should go back to killing animals in the country.)By doing something close to his heart, by gathering great musicians and in an almost live situation (by his standards) knocking out an album that interests him, he is being true to himself. His affection for Dylan - a man dissimilar to Ferry in so many ways - illustrates his complexity and depth. He has spent 35 years being pigeon-holed by different generations of rock scribes, sourcing their information from hastily assembled cuttings, and I, for one, am constantly amazed by the breadth of his influences and his ability to remodel those influences into cool and hugely enjoyable music. Country music gets a very hard time from old rockers like Reecey but I am the worst kind of convert. I adore it. Costello's Almost Blue was an epiphany and got me into all sorts - Gram Parsons, Emmylou et al. Nowadays I listen to the wonderful Laura Cantrell almost as much as Ferry or Amy Winehouse. (Oh, that's another embarrassing addiction.)All I can say to la vie Avalon is give it a chance. Ive said in these pages, to unanimous bewilderment, that my favourite Ferry song is "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know" so you can only guess at my excitement when reading Johnny comparing much of the Dylanesque groove to that little known pearl. Bring it on... Mx - -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.12/631 - Release Date: 1/16/2007 ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:27:56 +0100 From: "Michiel van Sleen" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Dylanesque Yeehaw! - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Martin Stockman" To: "'Johnny Reece'" ; Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 1:00 PM Subject: RE: [AVALON] Dylanesque > Thanks to the two John's for their excellent previews of the album. One or > two Avalonions have started to lodge concerns and criticism and I'm keen > to > proffer an alternative and more positive note to the debate. > > My start point is that this is a labour of love for Bryan. The world wants > a > new Roxy album - especially the press who can't wait to laud new Roxy (at > last BF doing what he should be doing, back with Eno, yadayada)or pan it > (old rockers should give up, Ferry should go back to killing animals in > the > country.)By doing something close to his heart, by gathering great > musicians > and in an almost live situation (by his standards) knocking out an album > that interests him, he is being true to himself. His affection for Dylan - > a > man dissimilar to Ferry in so many ways - illustrates his complexity and > depth. He has spent 35 years being pigeon-holed by different generations > of > rock scribes, sourcing their information from hastily assembled cuttings, > and I, for one, am constantly amazed by the breadth of his influences and > his ability to remodel those influences into cool and hugely enjoyable > music. > > Country music gets a very hard time from old rockers like Reecey but I am > the worst kind of convert. I adore it. Costello's Almost Blue was an > epiphany and got me into all sorts - Gram Parsons, Emmylou et al. Nowadays > I > listen to the wonderful Laura Cantrell almost as much as Ferry or Amy > Winehouse. (Oh, that's another embarrassing addiction.)All I can say to la > vie Avalon is give it a chance. Ive said in these pages, to unanimous > bewilderment, that my favourite Ferry song is "I Forgot More Than You'll > Ever Know" so you can only guess at my excitement when reading Johnny > comparing much of the Dylanesque groove to that little known pearl. > > Bring it on... > > Mx > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.12/631 - Release Date: 1/16/2007 > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V12 #13 **************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest