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Bryan Ferry - New Town Video Review

writer uncredited

Pulse! July 1990

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New Town: Bryan Ferry in Europe

From the ridiculous to the sublime, we turn to New Town: Bryan Ferry in Europe (Virgin Music Video). This elegant film, codirected by Ferry and Peter Scammel, was made in December '88 to give a belated push to his most recent album, Bête Noise. New Town does indeed contain lots of noir-ish touches, from the high-tech opening montage of Paris settings, to the bathing of Ferry and company alternately in blue and white lights -- the latter to accentuate color -- throughout the concert. And, reflecting the way the different instruments weave in and out of the instrumental mix, the cameras are ever busy, moving to wherever the different sounds call them.

Backed by six musicians (including Steve Scales, Neil Hubbard and Andy Newmark) and three female vocalists, Ferry offers energetic readings of several songs from his two most recent albums, notably "Down in Limbo," "Slave for Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance." Of course, there's also room for Roxy Music standards like "Avalon" and "Do the Strand." Don't let this excellent, otherwise unavailable performance escape you amid all the hoopla over the recent Roxy and Ferry albums recently reissued on CD.

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Text copyright 1990 Pulse magazine, used without permission.
Pages maintained by Grant Goggans.