Frantic

英国ロック界きっての伊達男としても知られるRoxy Musicのフロントマン、Bryan Ferryの11作目のスタジオ・アルバムが23年ぶりに再発!オリジナルにカバーが混在する作品だが、彼の世界観で統一された傑作。アートワークはBryan御大自ら監修!

2002年4月15日にVirgin Recordsよりリリースされた11作目のスタジオ・アルバム。プロデュースはRhett Davies、Colin Good、Bryan Ferryの3人のチームが行い、Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)、Robin Trower(Robin Trower Band)も数曲参加。全英アルバム・チャート6位を記録。参加ミュージシャンも要チェック:Roxy Musicの盟友=Brian Eno(Key、Back Vo)&Paul Thompson(Ds】、Chris Spedding(G)、Marcus Miller(B)、RadioheadのJonny Greenwood(G) etc。「A Fool for Love」や「San Simeon」といった傑作オリジナル曲に加え、Bob Dylanの「It's All Over Now, Baby Blue」やLeadbellyの名曲 「Goodnight Irene」への印象的な解釈も堪能できる。日本のファンなら何を歌っているのか知りたくなる「Hiroshima Mon Amour」(エキゾチックなアジアを描こうとしているか??)。
オリジナル・リリースの2002年以来初めての再発。Bryan Ferry自らアートワークを監修し刷新。
■仕様:過去のパッケージより一回り大きめのスリーヴ・タイプ

Frantic manages to touch upon virtually every musical style of Bryan Ferry's career. Ferry has proved to be as interested in covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography. ~ Tim DiGravina

昨年のロキシー・ミュージック再結成の勢いをそのままに、ブライアン・フェリーのソロ新作が届けられた。ボブ・ディランやレッドベリーのカヴァーも興味深いが、ブライアン・イーノ、ジョニー・グリーンウッド（レディオヘッド）の参加によって広がりを持ったサウンドが印象的。〈伊達男〉だの〈ダンディー〉だのといわれるフェリーだが、枯れることなく年齢を重ねるさまは立派。ステキなオジサマだけど、ステキなロッカーだ。
bounce (C)米田貴弘