Bryan Ferry BRIDE STRIPPED BARE,

Personnel: Bryan Ferry (vocals); Waddy Wachtel (guitar, background vocals); Neil Hubbard (guitar); Mel Collins (saxophone); Martin Drover (trumpet); Ann Odell, Steve Nye (electric piano); Herbie Flowers (acoustic bass); Alan Spencer, John Wetton (bass); Rick Marotta, Preston Heyman (drums).
All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology.
Personnel: Bryan Ferry (vocals, harmonica, piano, keyboards, background vocals); Waddy Wachtel (vocals, guitar, slide guitar, background vocals); Richard Wachtel (guitar, keyboards); Alan Spenner, Neil Hubbard (guitar); Mel Collins (saxophone); Martin Drover (trumpet); Ann Odell (piano, electric piano, organ); Steve Nye (electric piano); Preston Heyman, Rick Marotta (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Bob Ludwig.
Audio Remixers: Jimmy Douglass; Lewis Hahn; Simon Puxley.
Recording information: Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland; Mountian Studios.
Photographer: John Swannell.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Peter Revill; Ahmet Ertegun.
Arranger: Bryan Ferry.
A concept album of sorts, inspired in part by Brian Ferry's highly public breakup with supermodel Jerry Hall, THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE features songs whose view of romance is, unsurprisingly, a tad bleaker than previous. The singer's persona here is less lounge lizard than the sort of guy who drives around L.A. in the rain ("Can't Let Go"), hoping to wipe out on Dead Man's Curve.
A strong batch of originals is on offer here, which, thanks in part to guitarist Waddy Wachtel, lean more toward the West Coast studio rock of Jackson Browne or Warren Zevon than is usual for Ferry. There are also a couple of covers that reinforce the bleak breakup theme, including what must be the most morose version of Sam and Dave's "Hold On (I'm Coming)" ever recorded. Not necessarily Ferry's best album, but certainly his most human.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop