My Amazon Reviews: Bryan Ferry “Avonmore”

Avonmore Evermore
3 Out Of 5 Stars

There is still, always, that voice. The seductive, world weary croon that masters sublime mood and the occasional glimmer of funk-pop. The atmosphere of the best of Roxy Music and the various high points of his solo career, which has been maddeningly inconsistent. But at his best ("Avalon" will always be on my desert island list), Ferry has a grace few can equal. As he nears the age of 70, "Avonmore" strives to find those heights. Given his age, that old world weary man just slips into it like a glove.

Calling the CD "Avonmore" is hardly and accident. In much the same way that "Olympia" took a sample from "Avalon" to compose "Olympia's" "You Can Dance," the tempos and atmosphere are meant to evoke memories of that classic Roxy. However, the sound of "Avonmore" harkens more to "Boys and Girls" and "Bete Noire" than anything Roxy has recorded. Musically, I'd say he makes the mark about 50% of the time here. "Loop Di Li," "One Night Stand" and the title track are vintage Ferry, engaging pop with funky undertones, while "Lost" is the enigmatic Ferry (and also the shortest song here) and features Mark Knopfler on guitar. The cast also includes Flea, Nile Rodgers and Johnny Marr, even though you'd never know it because the sonics of "Avonmore" are just that consistent, even if the songs seem mostly to be retreads.

It's that consistency that lays a trap for the disc's final two songs. He covers Stephen Sondheim's "Send In The Clowns" and then Robert Palmer's "Johnny and Mary." Like his albums of classic cover songs during the Roxy era and his dreadful "Dylanesque," Ferry transforms these into his own. But covering Sondheim is a daunting task for just about everyone, and Ferry misses the target. It's just not a song to be Ferr-iszed. "Johnny and Mary" fares a little better by slowing Palmer's electronic groove down to a misty piano and bubbly synth. It makes the characters something of a middle aged couple who really do "need the world to tell him he ain't lonely." It's an odd way to end an album that, two songs before, had Ferry's position as an elder statesman of ennui secured. Adding these two songs at the end feels almost like an afterthought, like he just wanted to prove that he could take any song in the world and it would just drop into place. It doesn't work, and that is part of the reason I only rated "Avonmore" as an average, three star album.

     

Moon Martin Comes Out from The Darkness 
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Moon Martin's first album as a solo artist was a watershed for him as a songwriter. This album gave Mink DeVille "Cadillac Walk" and Robert Palmer "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor)" just to name the two biggies. Problem was, both of those artists actually sounded better on Martin's songs than Martin did, as this album has a live sound but thin production. That does not diminish from the fact that items like "Paid Killer" or "Victim of Romance" are ace bits of songwriting (and from the titles, should clue you in on Martin's view of relationships). And while Martin has a distinct voice, it isn't captured on "Shots" as well as it would be on "Street Fever" or "Escape From Domination" (where he managed a hit of his own with "Rolene"). As a relic of 80's New Wave singer/songwriters, "Shots From a Cold Nightmare" is a good work from a man who had better albums to come. Bonus points for the oddball cover of the Beatles' "All I've Got To Do."

     

My Amazon Reviews: Moon Martin "Escape From Domination"

Escape from Obscurity
4 Out Of 5 Stars

John "Moon" Martin earned his recording contract the old fashioned way; he duked it out in several unsuccessful bands (even releasing albums with a group called Southwind), got his songs placed with prominent artists like Mink Deville and Robert Palmer, and finally found his moment. Unfortunately, he never got the huge break his songs were worthy of. This reissue is the only time any of his solo albums have made it to single CD (and his remaining three Capitol albums "Street Fever," "Mystery Ticket" and "Shots from A Cold Nightmare," are are listed as coming soon on this CD's advertisement slip sleeve. one can hope!) and "Escape From Domination" was his finest hour.

In fact, his best known song and sole top 40 single, "Rolene" (Billbaord #30) is also here. Martin's interesting style, sort of a New-Wave Buddy Holly with rockabilly leanings and a keen sense of pop, is at its best here. "Escape" was produced sparingly by Craig Leon (The Ramones, Willie Alexander), with a live feel. It makes the AC/DC chords that open "Rolene" kind of surprising (albeit not as loud as the Aussies, but still rocking) and the brevity of the songs - all hovering around the 3:30 mark - expected. Rachel Sweet, once being groomed as a New Wave Linda Ronstadt, chose "I've Got a Reason" for all these reason. Sweet, stark and hooky, Martin should have had substantially bigger success.

"Escape" is also darker and more fleshed out, production-wise, than the debut. His steady touring band, The Ravens, gave the LP a tight sound. Other than the addition of new-wavey synths, the sound and songs are similar to the debut. (In addition, one of my fave artists, Jude Cole - "A View from 3rd Street" - was a bandmate.) Martin's appearance (think of John Denver crossed with Elvis Costello) was also attracting attention, making some of the edgier songs ("I've Got A Reason" and "Bootleg Woman") garner positive comparisons to the likes of EC and Nick Lowe. It made me wish Lowe had been at the boards for a Martin CD...now that would have been a match! As it stands, Moon Martin is an interesting cult item, one that I won't part with (and my autographed "Street Fever" letter is a prized possession). Now that you can find this (and I hope, the rest of his OOP catalog soon!) grab one.