Bryan Ferry – Avonmore (Red Vinyl)

Bryan Ferry's Avonmore arrived in 2014 as his fifteenth solo album and his first set of new songs in nearly four years, following the detour of The Jazz Age. It returns to the sleek, nocturnal pop Ferry does so well, pairing his cool romanticism with polished production and a cast of guests that includes Johnny Marr, Nile Rodgers, Marcus Miller, Mark Knopfler and Flea. Contemporary reviews noted how naturally those collaborators fold into Ferry's own atmosphere rather than pulling the record off course.

The album balances mostly original material with two carefully chosen covers: Stephen Sondheim's Send in the Clowns and Robert Palmer's Johnny and Mary, the latter in collaboration with Todd Terje. Songs such as Loop De Li and Driving Me Wild underline the record's blend of elegance, melancholy and late-night groove, while longtime associate Rhett Davies helps give the album an icy, luxurious finish that recalls Ferry's later Roxy Music years without simply repeating them.

This edition also explains why Avonmore has become newly visible to vinyl buyers: it is the first vinyl pressing since 2015, issued as a limited red-vinyl release with updated artwork overseen by Bryan Ferry. For anyone drawn to Ferry's refined solo catalogue, it is a stylish late-period set that keeps his sense of poise intact while letting a few new voices into the room.

Features

• LP, 180g, Red Vinyl, Limited Edition
• First time on vinyl since 2015
• Updated artwork overseen by Bryan Ferry

Reviews

• a fine addition to Bryan Ferry’s oeuvre - Pitchfork
• Ferry still sounds admirably fresh, even five decades into his career. - The Guardian