Unrequited longing is ever so romantic, is it not? Especially in the hands of Bryan Ferry. He’s mastered the mood of romantic sorrow. It’s a perfect balance, to not topple into the maudlin. And it is not written from guesswork. The Bride Stripped Bare was his first album after Jerry Hall ditched him for Mick Jagger, and “the music became blues”. Several tracks on the album are covers, and a typically diverse bunch they are. The original tracks, however, are where reality shows through. The four originals are all very mournful. While it’s true that Ferry had been mining the vein of heartache since day one, there’s a particular dark sincerity on Bride Stripped Bare. There’s no hint of camp, no wink, no humor. He really means it this time.
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