[SACD-R][OF] Bryan Ferry - Let’s Stick Together - 1976/2015 (Rock)

foobar2000 1.3.8 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-07-31 10:55:05

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Analyzed: Bryan Ferry / Let's Stick Together
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR12 -3.71 dB -17.68 dB 3:00 01-Let's Stick Together
DR13 -4.00 dB -19.61 dB 2:47 02-Casanova
DR13 -4.38 dB -21.04 dB 6:12 03-Sea Breezes
DR11 -3.96 dB -17.26 dB 3:16 04-Shame, Shame, Shame
DR13 -4.81 dB -19.63 dB 3:16 05-2HB
DR11 -5.32 dB -18.21 dB 3:28 06-The Price Of Love
DR12 -7.02 dB -22.51 dB 3:16 07-Chance Meeting
DR11 -5.46 dB -18.89 dB 3:50 08-It's Only Love
DR13 -6.51 dB -22.00 dB 2:43 09-You Go To My Head
DR13 -4.09 dB -18.38 dB 2:44 10-Re-Make / Re-Model
DR12 -5.30 dB -19.45 dB 3:30 11-Heart On My Sleeve
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Number of tracks: 11
Official DR value: DR12

Samplerate: 2822400 Hz / PCM Samplerate: 176400 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 5645 kbps
Codec: DSD64
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Bass – John Wetton
Chorus – Doreen Chanter, Helen Chappell, Jacqui Sullivan, Martha Walker, Paddie McHugh, Vicky Brown
Drums – Paul Thompson (2)
Engineer – John Punter, Steve Nye
Engineer [Assistant] – Jon Walls, Nigel Walker (2)
Guitar – Chris Spedding
Percussion – Morris Pert
Photography By – Richard Wallis
Producer – Bryan Ferry, Chris Thomas
Soprano Saxophone – Mel Collins
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Mercer
Trumpet – Martin Drover
Violin, Synthesizer – Eddie Jobson
Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica – Bryan Ferry

Review by June 8, 2015 (sa-cd.net)

Although Bryan Ferry was the main songwriter for Roxy Music, his solo recording career was noted for his choice of cover songs by other artists. Let's Stick Together would consist of 6 covers and 5 songs written by Ferry but recorded previously by Roxy Music. It was an interesting approach to re-recording his own material that actually benefited all of these songs for inclusion on this third solo album from 1976.

Let's Stick Together is a pop/rock release with jazz, R&B and even cabaret stylings that works exceeding well in the context of Ferry's aesthetic sense for all the songs. Four of the Ferry written tunes are taken from the first, self titled 'Roxy Music' album and he changed the arrangements by initially stripping away the Brian Eno influence of electronic processing. This first album is my least favourite of Roxy Music's eight studio albums which I found 'cold' sounding in recording choices. For example, "Sea Breezes" finds Ferry turning this number into a gorgeous pop ballad on Let's Stick Together by injecting it with a very warm and personal feeling. And the self-penned song "Casanova" from 'Country Life' turns from a hard rock, guitar driven track into a smooth, slower tempo R&B melody dominated by some silky sax playing.

However, what really impressed me is how Bryan Ferry chooses to rock out on three cover songs: Let's Stick Together (Wilbert Harrison); Shame, Shame, Shame (Jimmy Reed); and The Price of Love (Everly Brothers). Ferry's mannered singing style becomes highly expressive as you sense this robust emotion introduced into the music. "Shame, Shame, Shame" has a this rock swagger and swing to it; and "The Price of Love" may not have those great soaring Everly harmonies, but Ferry offers his vocals as a counterpoint to some fine background singers. From my perspective, he set out to make a fundamental rock and roll album that is outwardly defined by these rock edged songs.

The first thing I noticed in listening were songs originally well recorded on the source tapes. For this SHM SACD, it was DSD flat transferred from the UK original analogue master tapes. It was edited in DSD by Manabu Matsumura in 2015.

Bryan Ferry's vocals tend to be well centred and the stereo imaging is exceptional. The instrument separation is superb and as an example, in the title song "Let's Stick Together", the sax is beautifully toned with horns and harmonica that are very dynamic. But the most impressive instrument is the bass, played by John Wetton (King Crimson, UK, Asia), that is always consistently full and very firm by holding the bottom end up in the musical 'pocket' (it is understandable why Wetton was in high demand as a session musician). Plus, there is a superior soundstage with depth. With everything added up, the SHM SACD qualifies as excellent high fidelity recordings.

Let's Stick Together is an album absent of art rock leanings but it is full of powerful pop/rock statements. I found Bryan Ferry's vocals to be particularly invigorating in his interpretation of the material. Although the songs as a unit may lack some overall cohesion, it is still a very worthy record. In addition, the sonics makes this SHM SACD a bonafide quality release.