Bryan Ferry releases his first original song in a decade, the artful 'Star'
29 August 2024, 12:52
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He's as artful as ever.
Based on his brand new song 'Star' - his first offering of original new music in a decade - Bryan Ferry is keeping his fans on their toes.
The former Roxy Music frontman has released the new single as part of his upcoming album titled, Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023.
Featuring painter and writer Amelia Barratt on vocals - who also appears in the music video - the song sees Ferry exploring new sonic territory.
During his time with Roxy Music, Ferry was renowned for musical experimentation, though his solo career has generally seen him reinterpret the songs of music icons.
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Throughout the years, Bryan Ferry has covered the likes of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, John Lennon, Neil Young, Canned Heat, the Velvet Underground, and even Amy Winehouse.
As he approaches his 79th birthday however, Ferry has returned to the experimentalism that defined his earlier career.
Watch the music video for 'Star' below:
Bryan Ferry - Star feat. Amelia Barratt (Official Video)
The statement accompanying the release of 'Star' notes that the song "began as a sketch by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails."
It was then "developed by Bryan Ferry and Amelia Barratt into an anxious, darkly gleaming slab of pounding post-techno."
"The song sees Ferry continuing to explore uncharted creative territory, with Barratt and Ferry creating a duet that blurs the lines between art, music and poetry."
Ferry continued by saying 'Star' is "a collaboration with the painter and writer Amelia Barratt. A couple of years ago I helped her record an audiobook here in my studio."
"I was very impressed by her writing, and this is the first song we did together. I’m very excited about this new work - there’s a lot more to come."
'Star' is one of 81 tracks that will feature on Ferry's upcoming five-disc album which is set for release on 25th October 2024.
The 'retrospective' will cover his entire solo career, spanning his sixteen solo albums across fifty years in music.
It's divided into five different sections: "The Best of Bryan Ferry," "Compositions," "Interpretations,", "The Bryan Ferry Orchestra". and "Rare and Unreleased."
The album will include tracks such as Ferry's Bob Dylan covers, R&B favourites, instrumental sketches of Roxy Music classics, and newer unreleased material.
Ferry has already released his ruminative new version of Dylan's 'She Belongs To Me', which was the first offering from his upcoming retrospective.
Bryan Ferry - She Belongs To Me (Official Visualiser)
See the track-listing for Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023 below:
Disc One: "The Best Of Bryan Ferry"
1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
2. These Foolish Things
3. The 'In' Crowd
4. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
5. Casanova
6. Let's Stick Together
7. Sign of the Times
8. Slave To Love
9. Don't Stop The Dance
10. Windswept
11. Kiss and Tell
12. As Time Goes By
13. Your Painted Smile
14. I Put A Spell On You
15. Which Way To Turn
16. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
17. Make You Feel My Love
18. You Can Dance
19. Love Letters
20. Johnny and Mary
Disc Two: "Compositions"
1. Can't Let Go
2. Tokyo Joe
3. This Island Earth
4. Love Me Madly Again
5. Limbo
6. When She Walks In The Room
7. Boys and Girls
8. Zamba
9. Chain Reaction
10. Bête Noire
11. I Thought
12. The Only Face
13. Valentine
14. Loop De Li
15. Reason or Rhyme
Disc Three: "Interpretations"
1. The Price of Love
2. Shame Shame Shame
3. Hold On (I'm Coming)
4. Just One Look
5. Girl of My Best Friend
6. What Goes On
7. That's How Strong My Love Is
8. You Go To My Head
9. Where or When
10. The Way You Look Tonight
11. One Night
12. Simple Twist of Fate
13. Positively 4th Street
14. Song to the Siren
15. Fooled Around and Fell In Love
Disc Four: "The Bryan Ferry Orchestra"
1. Virginia Plain
2. Do The Strand
3. While My Heart Is Still Beating
4. This Island Earth
5. Bitter-Sweet
6. Dance Away
7. Zamba
8. Reason or Rhyme
9. Avalon
10. Back To Black
11. Limbo
12. Young and Beautiful
13. Love Is The Drug
14. Sign of the Times
15. Chance Meeting
Disc Five: "Rare and Unreleased"
1. Feel The Need
2. Mother of Pearl (Horoscope Version)
3. Don't Be Cruel
4. I Don't Want To Go On Without You
5. I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know
6. Crazy Love
7. Whatever Gets You Through The Night
8. Bob Dylan's Dream
9. He'll Have To Go
10. A Fool For Love
11. Lowlands Low
12. Is Your Love Strong Enough
13. Sonnet 18
14. She Belongs To Me
15. Oh Lonesome Me
16. Star (with Amelia Barratt)