As Time Goes By

If the idea of Bryan Ferry singing "The Way You Look Tonight" doesn't instantly make you excited, proceed directly to the next review, with blessings on your head. But if you're one of the millions of otherwise reasonable people who swoon for the former Roxy Music crooner's seductively debonair trill, feast upon As Time Goes By and lead a healthier, happier, more meaningful life. Ferry's voice has aged as handsomely as the rest of him, with a rough, smoky edge making his instrument more intimate than ever.

As Time Goes By is his much-anticipated standards album, torching up old-fashioneds like "Falling in Love Again," "Miss Otis Regrets" and "September Song" with simpatico backup musicians who swing more than they rock. It's the Divine Bryan's answer to Sinatra's September of My Years, a painfully erotic meditation on age, memory and staying power. As Bryan Ferry understands, the fundamental things apply, as time goes by.ROB SHEFFIELD