Mamouna

Mamouna
Studio album by Bryan Ferry
Released	31 August 1994 (1994-8-31) [1]
Recorded	1988–1994
Studio	Utopia Studios, Master Rock Studios and Studio One (London, UK)
Genre	Sophisti-pop
Length	45:04
Label	Virgin
Producer	Bryan Ferry Robin Trower
Bryan Ferry chronology
Taxi (1993) Mamouna (1994) As Time Goes By (1999)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B+ [3]
NME	5/10 [4]
Pitchfork	8.0/10 [5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
Select	[7]
Stylus Magazine	(favorable) [8]

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.

1. "Don't Want to Know" – 4:07
2. "N.Y.C." – 4:10
3. "Your Painted Smile" – 3:14
4. "Mamouna" – 5:11
5. "The Only Face" – 4:40
6. "The 39 Steps" – 5:01
7. "Which Way to Turn" – 5:44
8. "Wildcat Days" (Ferry, Brian Eno) – 4:34
9. "Gemini Moon" – 3:47
10. "Chain Reaction" – 5:08
11. "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" (Live) – 7:34 [Japan only bonus track]
12. "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), guitars (9)
• Chester Kamen – guitars (1, 3, 4, 7–10), Latin guitar (5), gondola (6), guitar scratches (8)
• Phil Manzanera – guitars (1, 7)
• Jeff Thall – guitars (1–4, 6, 8, 10)
• David Williams – guitar riff (1, 4, 6–8), backing vocals (2), rhythm guitar (3, 9, 10)
• Nile Rodgers – rhythm guitar (2, 6, 9)
• Robin Trower – guitars (6)
• Neil Jason – bass (9)
• Nathan East – bass (1–3, 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 – 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 at MixThis! (Los Angeles, California, USA)
• Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine, USA).
• 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

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Peak Position
1994	Australia (ARIA Charts) [9]	78
1994	UK Albums Chart	11
1994	Billboard 200	94

References

1. "Bryan Ferry - Mamouna". Discogs. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
2. AllMusic review
3. EW review
4. Martin, Gavin (10 September 1994). "Long Play". NME . p. 45. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
5. Soto, Alfred (29 November 2023). "Bryan Ferry: Mamouna (Deluxe) Album Review". Pitchfork .
6. Rolling Stone review
7. SP (November 1994). "New Albums: Soundbites". Select . p. 100. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
8. Stylus Magazine
9. 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)