Have you ever had to complete a report at work and you think to yourself, ‘you know what, if I use the introduction from the one about the air conditioning project that I did three weeks ago, then modify the contents of the one I did about alternative energy sources last Monday and then use as the conclusion a slightly altered version of my report about water filtration systems nobody will suspect a thing? Me neither, I’m a far more responsible employee than that.
But some people would.
Bryan Ferry did pretty much just that on his 1976 album ‘Let’s stick together’, released when Roxy Music were ‘on a break’. Five of the eleven tunes present here are re-recordings of tracks from the first and fourth Roxy Music albums – the remaining six are perfectly executed cover versions of well-known standards ranging in quality from soulful to soulless.
Recorded between 1973 and 1976 (I’m struggling to avoid the words ‘cobbled’ and ‘together’ here), this disjointed album still has the distinction of containing some classic tracks and is surprisingly listenable. Of the Roxy Music tunes, ‘2HB’ is probably best, and of the cover versions it’s the opening tracks on each side that really stand out – ‘Let’s stick together’ (with additional ‘vocals’ by Jerry Hall) opens side 1 in fine style, while a blistering version of The Everly Brothers’ ‘The price of love’ introduces us to side 2.
One major word of caution though (particularly for fans of the first Roxy Music album); If you possess a ten-foot bargepole you might want to hunt it out in readiness for Bryan’s ‘cheesy listening’ reworking of ‘Re-Make Re-Model’. Difficult to believe that this is the same amazing track that, in its original version, ushered in one of the most astonishing albums ever made.
Always stylishly turned-out, the look that Bryan seeks to achieve on the album cover is ‘Private Walker from Dad’s Army’. He pulls this off with considerable aplomb.
Label – E.G. Records Ltd.
Year - 1976
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