boys and girls continues Bryan Ferry's search of the romantic. Accompanied by a huge host of musicians Ferry produces a very atmospheric record. Stabs of synthesiser, saxophone, werid percussion and guitar etc. come out at you from everywhere while Ferry sings like a ghost.

The album was released in 1985 and is dedicated to his father who dies a year before. This probably explains the mood of the record which has Ferry keening as much as crooning and there's a great sense of loss throughout the music.

The huge radio hits, 'Slave to Love' and 'Don't stop the dance' are present and accurately reflect the rest of the album.

The first song, 'Sensation' is probably the livliest on the album and is introduced with a bare stilted drumbeat before the whole lushness of the arrangments come in. Notably it is also complete with those ethereal female vocals we remember from Roxy Music's 'Avalon'.

Its another lovely album to listen to. Uniform in its mood its suitable for background music, yet the beauty of the sound begs you to listen in more depth.

It was mastered by the peerless Robert 'Bob' Ludwig but the vinyl copy I have is mastered at Townhouse in London. It sounds wonderful and I am not sure if a US pressing with 'Bob's initials in the deadwax would sound any better.

Ferry continues the mood of this record in his next few albums, the next one being Bete Noire which was a 1987 release.