My music collection includes the complete Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry, and in large measure, both always have been far more about mood, setting and musicianship than deep lyrical content. T. Cole Rachel’s review at Pitchfork hits the target’s center:
… Ultimately, Avonmore is a fine addition to Bryan Ferry’s oeuvre, if not necessarily a terribly challenging one. At this point, Ferry’s well-documented good taste is both an asset and possibly a curse. While this new record is slick and often quite lovely—recalling ’80’s masterworks like Boys and Girls or Bête Noire — one can’t help but wish that Ferry might go spend a little more time in the studio with someone like (Norwegian producer Todd) Terje. His voice remains one of the most singular and finely-honed sounds in popular music, it would just be nice to hear it dropped into new settings more often.