Frantic

1	It's All Over Now, Baby Blue 4:05
2	Cruel 3:55
3	Goin' Down 3:08
4	Goddess of Love 3:33
5	Don't Think Twice, It's All Right 4:05
6	Nobody Loves Me 3:23
7	Ja Nun Hons Pris 0:35
8	A Fool for Love 4:44
9	Goodnight Irene 3:20
10	Hiroshima... 3:13
11	San Simeon 4:36
12	One Way Love 3:05
13	I Thought 5:40

Barnes & Noble

The Sultan of Suave has never exactly been known for exhibiting the sort of vibe the title of this disc implies -- and while Frantic isn't exactly a super-caffeinated collection, it is Ferry's most iconoclastic album in ages. As he has on most of his solo discs, he trots out an intriguing collection of covers, highlighted here by languid renditions of a pair of Bob Dylan tunes ("It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright") and an appropriately mournful take on Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene." More intriguing, however, are the originals that he's conjured up this time around, which cover considerably more ground than Ferry's recent lounge-y discs, as evidenced by the dark-hued "Hiroshima," which features the guitar of Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Most of the new tunes -- such as the smoky, romantic "Cruel" -- were co-written with ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart, but Ferry reunites with his old Roxy Music cohort Brian Eno for the haunting album closer, "I Thought." Yes, he's still kinda laid-back, but Frantic proves that Bryan Ferry is a long way from being laid out. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Frantic manages to touch upon virtually every musical style of Bryan Ferry's career. Ferry has proved to be as interested in covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Music Guide