Mamouna

Mamouna is the ninth solo studio album by the English singer Bryan Ferry, released on Virgin Records first on 31 August 1994 in Japan and then on 5 September in the UK. It was Ferry's first album of original material in seven years and he spent six years writing and recording it, under the working title Horoscope. The album peaked at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart.

The album features contributions from former members of Ferry's band Roxy Music, including Brian Eno who left the band in 1973.

Critical reception

Reviewing for AllMusic, critic Ned Raggett wrote of the album: “There are some songs of note — ‘The 39 Steps’ has a slightly menacing vibe to it, appropriate given the cinematic reference of the title, while the Ferry/Eno collaboration ‘Wildcat Days’ displays some of Eno’s old synth-melting flash. Overall, though, Mamouna is pleasant without being involving.”^[2]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Bryan Ferry, except where noted.

"Don't Want to Know" – 4:07
"N.Y.C." – 4:10
"Your Painted Smile" – 3:14
"Mamouna" – 5:11
"The Only Face" – 4:40
"The 39 Steps" – 5:01
"Which Way to Turn" – 5:44
"Wildcat Days" (Ferry, Brian Eno) – 4:34
"Gemini Moon" – 3:47
"Chain Reaction" – 5:08
"In Every Dream Home a Heartache" (Live) – 7:34 [Japan only bonus track]
"Bête Noire" (Ferry, Patrick Leonard) (Live) – 4:05 [Japan only bonus track]

Personnel

Bryan Ferry – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1-8, 10), Oberheim synthesizer (1), various synth sounds (2, 5, 6, 8), synth oboe (3, 9, 10), synth sax (4), Mellotron (4), vocoder (5), Roland Juno-106 (6), Prophet-5 (6), Roland Jupiter-8 (7), strings (9, 10)
Brian Eno – various sonics (1, 4-7, 9, 10), sweep treatments (8)
Richard T. Norris – programming (2, 3, 5, 9, 10), loops (8)
Rhett Davies – programming (7)
Guy Fletcher – synthesizers (10)
Neil Hubbard – rhythm guitar (1), guitar licks (2, 4, 6, 7), lead guitar (3, 5, 10), guitar (9)
Chester Kamen – guitar (1, 3, 4, 7-10), Latin guitar (5), gondola (6), guitar scratches (8)
Phil Manzanera – guitar (1, 7)
Jeff Thall – guitar (1-4, 6, 8, 10)
David Williams – guitar riff (1, 4, 6, 7, 8), backing vocals (2), rhythm guitar (3, 9, 10)
Nile Rodgers – rhythm guitar (2, 6, 9)
Robin Trower – guitar (6)
Neil Jason – bass (9)
Nathan East – bass (1, 2, 3, 5-10)
Pino Palladino – bass (4)
Guy Pratt – Wah bass (5, 6, 9)
Steve Ferrone – drums
Luke Cresswell – percussion (2)
Luís Jardim – percussion (3)
Steve Scales – percussion (9)
Maceo Parker – alto saxophone (2)
Mike Paice – alto saxophone (7)
Andy Mackay – alto saxophone (8, 9)
Carleen Anderson – backing vocals
Jhelisa Anderson – backing vocals (1, 9, 10)
Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (2, 9)
Yanick Etienne – backing vocals (5, 6)
Paul Johnson – backing vocals (6)
Nan Kidwell – astrologer (9)

Production

Bryan Ferry – producer, art direction
Robin Trower – producer
Johnson Somerset – assistant producer
Sven Taits – engineer
Richard T. Norris – additional engineer
Simon Puxley – engineer consultant
Bob Clearmountain – mixing
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Nick de Ville – art direction, design
James Ward – painting
Steven Cassidy – photography
Andy Gershon – management
David Enthoven – management
Juliet Mann – management
I. E. Management (London) – management company
Cohen Brothers Management (Los Angeles) – management company

Studios

Recorded at Utopia Studios, Master Rock Studios and Studio One (London, UK).
Mixed at MixThis! (Los Angeles, California, USA).
Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine, USA).

Charts

Album

References

^ "Bryan Ferry - Mamouna". Discogs. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
^ a b AllMusic review
^ EW review
^ Martin, Gavin (10 September 1994). "Long Play". NME. p. 45. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ Soto, Alfred (29 November 2023). "Bryan Ferry: Mamouna (Deluxe) Album Review". Pitchfork.
^ Rolling Stone review
^ Stylus Magazine
^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.

External links

Mamouna at Discogs (list of releases)