ROXY MUSIC

"More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" is a compilation album of Roxy Music that was released in 1995. This is a compilation album featuring music of some songs of Roxy Music and music of the band's lead member and singer Bryan Ferry with some songs as a solo artist. The name of this compilation album was taken from the song "More Than This", one of the songs of the eighth Roxy Music's studio album "Avalon", which was released in 1982.

This is the second hybrid compilation album published by Roxy Music. The first one was "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" released in 1986. As I mentioned before, when I reviewed that previous compilation album, Roxy Music always was a singles' band where many were more successful than the singles of the majority of the bands on this site. On the other hand, with the passing of time, especially when Brian Eno left the band, Ferry has become synonymous of Roxy Music and vice versa. So, it isn't strange that compilation albums of Roxy Music appear with songs of Ferry's solo repertoire.

"More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" has twenty tracks, ten from Roxy Music and ten from Bryan Ferry. About the Roxy Music's tracks, "Virginia Plain" was their debut single. It wasn't recorded on the original version of their debut album "Roxy Music". Still, after the success of their debut album it was included on later reissues. It was released as a new single with "Pyjamarama" in 1977. It was made to be a hit single. It has interesting appointments by Eno. "Street Life" is from "Stranded". It's an enjoyable song in the pop/rock style and made in the commercial vein. It's well performed and Ferry's vocal style is good. "Love Is The Drug" is from "Siren". It's an incredible song, melodic and with good quality. It has an incredible performance. MacKay and his saxophone are great, Manzanera and his guitar work is great too and Ferry and his vocals are fantastic, as always. "Dance Away" is from "Manifesto". Despite it has nothing of progressive, it has good simple lyrics, a fantastic melody and a great dancing rhythm. I always loved this song. This is, for me, one of the greatest pop songs ever written. "Angel Eyes" is also from "Manifesto". It's a pop oriented song featuring a rock style. It's better than many songs on "Manifesto". It's well performed, in spite of be a normal simple song. "Oh Yeah" is from "Flesh + Blood". It's a catchy pop song, well made and that improves the good commercial quality of the song writing on "Flesh + Blood". "Same Old Scene" is also from "Flesh + Blood". It has a strong bass line, nice vocals, great keyboards, and especially it has a fantastic saxophone work by MacKay. This is a great Roxy Music's song. "Jealous Guy" is a cover song of Lennon. It was originally released on "Imagine" of Lennon in 1971. It was only released as a single, and was made after the dead of Lennon as a tribute to him. This is a great version of a fantastic song, a perfect fit for Ferry's persona and Roxy Music's adult rock. "More Than This" is from "Avalon". It's a good commercial pop song made for an easy radio listening. We may say this is a perfect hit pop song of the 80's. "Avalon" is also from "Avalon". It has good lyrics and the music is perfect and invites you to dance slowly like when the party is over. The voice of Ferry is fantastic and the female chorus voices are warm with a nice touch.

About Bryan Ferry's tracks, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is of "These Foolish Things". It's a cover song of Bob Dylan. "These Foolish Things" is also of "These Foolish Things". It's a cover song of Harry Link, Holt Marvell and Jack Strachey. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is of "Another Time, Another Place". It's a cover song of Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach. "Let's Stick Together" is of "Let's Stick Together". It's a cover song of Wilbert Harrison. "Slave To Love" is a Ferry's song of "Boys And Girls". "Don't Stop The Dance" is also of "Boys And Girls". It's a Ferry and a Rhett Davies song. "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" is a Ferry's song. It was taken from the soundtrack of "Legend", a film of Ridley Scott of 1986. "Legend" is a soundtrack album of Tangerine Dream with its music by Ferry and music with lyrics by Jon Anderson, "Loved By The Sun". It was never released on any studio album of Ferry. "Kiss And Tell" is a Ferry's song of "Bete Noire". "I Put A Sell On You" is of "Taxi". It's a cover song of Screamin' Jay Hawkins. "Your Painted Smile" is a Ferry's song of "Mamouna". These are all great tracks but aren't progressive. So, I'm not going to review them here.

Conclusion: "More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" is a hybrid compilation album like "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" compilation is. Still, while "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" has more Roxy Music's tracks than Ferry's tracks, "More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" is a compilation album perfectly balanced between Roxy Music and Ferry's tracks, with ten tracks from each. By the other hand, fifteen tracks on "More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" are also present on "Street Life: 20 Great Hits". The only five new tracks are all from Ferry's solo work. So, in a Roxy Music and progressive point of view, "More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" is less interesting than "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" is. So, "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" is a better option. However, if you don't know yet Ferry's solo career "More Than This, The Best Of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music" is probably a better option.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

"Street Life: 20 Great Hits" is a compilation album of Roxy Music that was released in 1986. This is a very special compilation album because it features music of Roxy Music and music of the band's lead member and singer Bryan Ferry as a solo artist. And this is even more special because the songs that belong to the Roxy Music's repertoire are songs that were released as singles. This isn't really a very strange thing, because we all know that Roxy Music always was a singles' band where many were more successful than the singles of the majority of the bands on this site, indeed.

"Street Life: 20 Great Hits" has twenty tracks, fourteen from Roxy Music and six from Ferry. About Roxy Music's tracks, "Virginia Plain" was their debut single. Originally, it wasn't recorded on "Roxy Music". After the success of their debut, it was included on the later reissues. It was released as a single, together with "Pyjamarama", in 1977. It's an interesting song made to be released as a hit single. It has good appointments by Eno. "Pyjamarama" was never released on any of their studio albums. It was released as a single to promote "For Your Pleasure". As I said before, it was also released as a single, together with "Virginia Plain". Like many of the early Roxy Music's tracks, it's fantastic and rocks nicely. The guitar work is great. "Do The Strand" is from "For Your Pleasure". It has a fantastic vocal work by Ferry that sings some curious lyrics. It has also great guitar, keyboard, and saxophone performances, well accompanied by strong and vigorous drums. This is a great song plenty of energy. "Street Life" is from "Stranded". It's a song in the pop/rock style, enjoyable and composed in the commercial vein. It's well performed and Ferry's vocal style is good. "Love Is The Drug" is from "Siren". It's an incredible song, melodic and with great quality. It has an incredible performance. MacKay and his saxophone are really great, Manzanera and his guitar work is great too and Ferry's vocals are fantastic, as always. "Dance Away" is from "Manifesto". Despite it has nothing of progressive, it has good and simple lyrics, a fantastic melody and a great dancing rhythm. I always loved this song. For me, it's one of the greatest pop songs ever written. "Angel Eyes" is also from "Manifesto". It's a pop oriented song featuring a rock style. It's better than many of the songs on "Manifesto". It's well performed in spite of be a normal and simple song. "Oh Yeah" is from "Flesh + Blood". It's a catchy pop song, well made and that improves the good commercial quality of the song writing on "Flesh + Blood". "Over You" is also from "Flesh + Blood". It has a high melodic guitar work, supported by pulsating drums and bass. This is a catchy pop song well made reaching its objectives well. "Same Old Scene" is also from "Flesh + Blood". It has a strong bass line, nice vocals, great keyboards, and especially, a fantastic saxophone work by MacKay. This is a great Roxy Music's song. "In The Midnight Hour" is also from "Flesh + Blood". It's a cover song of Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper originally performed by Pickett in 1965 and released on his 1966's studio album "The Exciting Wilson Pickett". I don't know the original song, but from what I read, this is a different version. It's a good song with a cool sound that has become a classic Roxy Music's song. "More Than This" is from "Avalon". It's a good commercial pop song made for an easy radio listening. We may say this is a perfect hit pop song of the 80's. "Avalon" is also from "Avalon". It has good lyrics and the music is perfect and invites you to dance slowly like when the party is over. The voice of Ferry is fantastic and the female chorus is warm with a nice touch. "Jealous Guy" is a cover song of Lennon. It was originally released on "Imagine" of Lennon in 1971. It was only released as a single, and was made after the dead of Lennon as a tribute to him. This is a great version of a fantastic song, a perfect fit for Ferry's persona and Roxy Music's adult rock.

About Bryan Ferry's tracks, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is from "These Foolish Things". It's a cover song of Bob Dylan. "These Foolish Things" is also from "These Foolish Things". It's a cover song of Harry Link, Holt Marvell and Jack Strachey. "Let's Stick Together" is from "Let's Stick Together". It's a cover song of Wilbert Harrison. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is from "Another Time, Another Place". It's a cover song of Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach. "Sign Of The Times" is a Ferry's song of "The Bride Stripped Bare". "Slave To Love" is also a Ferry's song of "Boys And Girls". I know very well all these tracks. They're all great, but since they aren't progressive, I'm not going to review them here.

Conclusion: "Street Life: 20 Great Hits" is an interesting and curious compilation album of Roxy Music. It's a hybrid compilation with a great collection of songs with good quality. As the title suggests, it's concentrated exclusively on Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry's most commercial successful tracks, ignoring completely their more complex, creative and progressive tracks. About Roxy Music's tracks, almost all their studio albums are represented here. Unluckily, "Country Live" isn't. So, almost their entire career is represented here. Nevertheless, half of the tracks belong to their less creative and progressive phase. However, the tracks of those albums are, in general, good. About Ferry's tracks they're good, but we can't say that they're properly progressive tracks. Regardless, this is a good compilation album.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

"Siren" is the fifth studio album of Roxy Music that was released in 1975. This album and the previous "Country Life" are considered by many critics as two of the most sophisticated original and consistent British albums of those times. It follows the same oath of "Stranded" and "Country Life". Thus, the last studio album of their second phase is no longer really new accents, which doesn't mean that the band would have completely lost their sense for bizarre sound compositions. In general, witty little ideas in rhythm and arrangements are always incorporated into the songs, really.

The lovely front cover of the album features Bryan Ferry's then girlfriend and model Jerry Hall, on rocks near the South Stack Island, Anglesey in Welsh. Jerry Hall later became the wife of Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones. At this time Bryan Ferry had a relationship with this American supermodel. We can't deny the great impact of her on the music and image of the band. Beyond appear on the front cover of "Siren", she served as inspiration for several songs of the band and also on the music video for "Let's Stick Together", the third solo studio album of Bryan Ferry, released in 1976.

The line up on "Siren" is the same of their two previous albums and is Bryan Ferry (vocals and keyboards), Andy MacKay (oboe and saxophone), Phil Manzanera (guitar), Eddie Jobson (violin, synthesizers and keyboards), John Gustafson (bass) and Paul Thompson (drums).

The album has nine tracks. The first track "Love Is The Drug" written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is another great beginning of a Roxy's Music album. It's an incredible great song, very melodic and with a very good quality. I know that this is more a Pop/Disco song but it has an incredible musical performance. Andy MacKay and his saxophone are absolutely great, Phil Manzanera and his guitar are very well and Bryan Ferry and his vocals are fantastic as always. It's a song played live in the live tours of the group since it was released. The second track "End Of The Line" written by Bryan Ferry is a very soft, melodic and pretty ballad. It has sentimental vocals, nice piano, beautiful harmonica, a very melodic violin and a good rhythm section. The third track "Sentimental Fool" written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is another very nice ballad with a prolonged and agonizing atmosphere in the beginning and then go to a romantic pain love song. The performance of all members of the band functioned particularly well on this song too. The fourth track "Whirlwind" written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera is another giant rock song of the group. We may say that this is a really hard rock song of the band. It's a powerful song with an incredible rhythm very well performed by all band's members. Eddie Jobson and Phil Manzanera are at their best, John Gustafson on bass is great and Paul Thompson on drums is very energetic. The fifth track "She Sells" written by Bryan Ferry and Eddie Jobson is a simple song very well performed with some good and interesting musical moments. Despite being a very good song I think this is probably the less interesting song on the all album. The sixth track "Could It Happen To Me?" written by Bryan Ferry is another very good, beautiful and melodic song with interesting and energetic rhythm. In style, is more a commercial pop song, but once again is performed with an impeccable, irreproachable and fantastic professionalism. The seventh track "Both Ends Burning" written by Bryan Ferry is a classic Roxy Music's song. It's one of the highest moments on the album, one of my favourite songs, one of the most loved by their fans and is also one of the songs most performed live by the band too. This is a great musical moment with an absolutely, fantastic and incredible performance. It's absolutely an unforgettable song. The eighth track "Nightingale" written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera is another very great musical moment on this album. It's very well sung and has also excellent guitar, violin, bass and drums. This is, without any doubt, a great moment on this great album. The ninth track "Just Another High" written by Bryan Ferry provides a very well end to this album. It's a soft rock and very melodic song, once more fantastically performed by all members and represents another highlight on this album. Are musics like this that keep high the quality of this album, naturally.

Conclusion: "Siren" marks the end of the second era of Roxy Music. The first era includes the first two studio albums of the band, "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure" and corresponds to their experimental avant-garde period with Brian Eno. The second era includes their next three studio albums, "Stranded", "Country Life" and "Siren" and corresponds to their art rock period. "Siren" marks the end of their most experimental, innovative and creative period of music. Brian Eno himself later acknowledged the quality of "Stranded" and "Country Life" that followed his departure of the group. I will add "Siren" to that list. "Siren" is a fantastic album and a landmark in the prog rock music of the 70's. It's a model of the modern rock and we can't forget that Rolling Stone magazine considered "Siren" as the Roxy Music's masterpiece and ranked it in number 371 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, published in 2003.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Phil Manzanera easily switches from sensitive guitar runs to a wild wah-wah drenched and tremolo-arm driven Jimi Hendrix tribute (Ladytron), and I love the guitar duet with Chris Spedding in the sensational version of Both Ends Burning (also featuring Bryan Ferry on mouth organ).

Andy Mackay is still such an important part of the distinctive Roxy Music sound with his awesome work on brass and woodwind instruments, from soaring clarinet to screaming saxophone.

Drummer Paul Thompson is the musical heartbeat, dynamic and powerful.

And how about Bryan Ferry? Well, who dares to state that he cannot sing, shame on you, what an excellent performance, of course he acts like a dandy, a Casanova, but he embellishes every song with his typical voice and cheerful presence, thumbs up!

The set-list features most of the Classic Prog era of Roxy Music, from the hypnotizing In Every Dream Home A Heartache (atmospheric organ layers, increasing tension and then that spectacular outburst) to the swinging Love Is The Drug (including two 'Moulin Rouge looking' female beauties).

But my absolute highlight is the presence of Lucy Wilkins, she does the incredible job to let you forget the two memorable Roxy Music members Brian Eno and Eddie Jobson, on her two VCS-3 synthesizers, and the electric violin. Especially the extended solo in Out Of The Blue is amazing, the ultimate mariage between skills and passion, goose bumps and wet eyes, how beautiful music can be!

Although not every Roxy Music song on this setlist is my cup of tea I consider this live DVD as a masterpiece, and every serious proghead should experience the violin solo in Out Of The Blue during this Apollo 2001 concert, what a thrill, don't miss this, prog rock history in 2001!

"The First Seven Albums" is a very special compilation of Roxy Music. This is an economic package that includes their first seven studio albums on only one package. It's a very interesting compilation because it includes almost the entire studio discography of Roxy Music in only one package, with the only exception of their last studio album "Avalon". So, it can be an interesting purchase for those who don't have these albums already. It probably saves money and space.

As I've already reviewed all these albums previously on Progarchives, in a more extensive way, I'm not going to do it again. So, if you are interested to know, in a more detail, what I wrote about them before, I invite you to read all those reviews. However, in here I'm going to write something about them in a more short way. So, of course, I'm not going to analyze them track by track, as I did before, but I'm only going to make a global appreciation of all those seven albums.

"Roxy Music": "Roxy Music" is an excellent, original and fantastic debut album. It's with "For Your Pleasure", one of the two albums that represent the first period, the most experimental and avant-garde period of them. They represent also the most interesting phase for all prog heads. Some songs of this album remind me the new wave music. This isn't really a surprising thing because, as we know, Roxy Music was one of the big inspirations of the new wave movement. Their debut is a classic. Roxy Music was a band that proved the innovative music can also be melodic and accessible.

"For Your Pleasure": "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure" are the less accessible albums of them but are the best and most experimental and avant-garde of their career. Both albums represent the most interesting phase of the band for prog heads. Still, "For Your Pleasure" is better because is more balanced, mature and adult. Ferry took the reins a little more and Eno's influence diminished. There's no doubt this was the album which put the art into rock. We can question what would have been Roxy Music if Eno stayed in the band. But, I think there was no place for Ferry and Eno.

"Stranded": "Stranded" is a landmark in the change of the direction of the band. Without Eno their music lost the avant-garde and the experimentation of their previous two studio albums and became more art rock. The musicianship is excellent and the production is very professional. "Stranded" is one of the most sophisticated and charming albums of them. This is, perhaps, their best work after the departure of Eno. Even Eno later rated it as Roxy Music's finest album. So, if you're interested in their most prog phase without their avant-garde phase, "Stranded" is the right place to start.

"Country Life": Of all Roxy Music's studio albums, "Country Life" is their most rock album. I always thought this is an underrated album. "Country Life" is a great album that isn't inferior to "Siren". "Country Life" is essential for those who love the decadence, the glamour and the passion of art rock. Overall, "Country Life" is another step out of the more experimental sound of the first two Roxy Music's albums. If you liked "Stranded" you will not be disappointed. The new sounds are great, even if they aren't quite complex. The new language made of Roxy Music a band ahead of their time.

"Siren": "Siren" marks the end of an era, the end of the second era of Roxy Music. "Siren" is a fantastic album and a landmark in the progressive rock music of the 70's. It's a model of the modern rock and we can't forget that the Rolling Stone magazine considered "Siren" as the Roxy Music's masterpiece and ranked it in number 371 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. "Siren" is a solid offering from Roxy Music, one of their defining truly essential albums.

"Manifesto": Returning to action after almost four years of solo projects, Roxy Music redefined their sound and strips away, and once for all, of their experimentalism and the art rock influences in favour of short concise pop songs with some kind of stylish disco rhythms, while retaining in the generality a good and consistent song writing. "Manifesto" is a transition album from the art rock to pop. So, for all prog heads, it hasn't the kind of music we expected from them.

"Flesh + Blood": I always considered "Flesh + Blood" better than "Manifesto". "Flesh + Blood" is a bit better balanced, cohesive and consistent than "Manifesto is. However, it lacks to it a touch of progressiveness to be a great prog work. Like Genesis, Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music succeeded where other bands like Renaissance, Gentle Giant and Emerson, Lake & Palmer failed and weren't able to achieve and sustain a commercial success in those difficult days of the 80's.

Conclusion: "The First Seven Albums" is a great compilation album of Roxy Music. As I mentioned before, this is a very complete compilation album with almost all their studio albums with the exception of the last one, "Avalon", which hadn't yet been released at the time. Who are used to with the career of the band knows that Roxy Music is a special band in the panorama of the prog rock music. They were responsible for two of the best and most innovative prog albums at the time, "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure". We also know that "Stranded", "Country Life" and "Siren" are also three great prog works. So, this is an excellent alternative option for those who don't have these works already.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

'Country Life' is the fourth studio album of Roxy Music and was released in 1974. Bryan Ferry took the album's title from the British rural lifestyle magazine with the same name. The album is considered by many critics to be one of the most sophisticated original and consistent British albums of the 70's. There isn't much change from its predecessor.

The beautiful front cover of the album features two models, Constanze Karoli who is the sister of Michael Karoli, the German guitarist, violinist, composer and the founding member of the very influential krautrock band Can and Eveline Grunwald. Ferry met both women in my country Portugal, in a bar, and persuaded them to appear on the front cover of this album. Although the cover image was very controversial in some countries and because of that it was censored on some releases. So, some albums had a different cover shot. Instead of Constanze Karoli and Eveline Grunwald posed in front of trees, the reissue used a photo from the album's back cover that featured only the trees. Despite my LP had the original front cover, I saw a censored version for sale in my home country in those days. I really think that would be a shame doesn't have one of the most creative, original, sensual, sexy and artistic front covers of any album, indeed.

The line up of this album is the same of their previous album 'Stranded'. The album has ten tracks. The first track 'The Thrill Of It All' written by Bryan Ferry, is another great opener for a Roxy Music album, as is always usual on this band. It's a Roxy Music classic rock song very frenetic and with great individual musical performances. Deserve special attention Phil Manzanera's individual job and the powerful presence of the violin of Eddie Jobson. The second track 'Three And Nine' written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is a small and melodic song very cool in a ballad style. It's a beautiful song where the special musical highlight goes to the nice sound of the saxophone of Andy MacKay and also for the voice and harmonica of Bryan Ferry. The third track 'All I Want Is You' written by Bryan Ferry is a song who returns a little to the formula of the first song of the album. It's a powerful song full of energy, very melodic and with an absolutely fantastic guitar job performed by Phil Manzanera. The fourth track 'Out Of The Blue' written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera is, without any doubt the high point of this album and one of the best songs of the band too. This is absolutely an extraordinary song. It has everything what a song should have. It's a rock song with plenty of energy with great vocals, good piano, great synthesizer effects, a fantastic violin solo and an amazing guitar work. So, no wonder that soon it became one of the favourite songs of the fans in the live concerts of Roxy Music. The fifth track 'If It Takes All Night' written by Bryan Ferry is a slow song more in the vein of 'Three And Nine'. It's a nice song in a blues rhythm with good vocals and interesting harmonica and saxophone works. In my opinion, this is probably the lowest point of this album. The sixth track 'Bitter-Sweet' written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is another high point of the album. It's a song that reminds me the ambient of the cabarets in the old Berlin of the 30's and 40's. It's a great avant-garde art rock song where Bryan Ferry, once more, decided to unveil his linguistic skills, singing in German, with the help of the translation of the two ladies. The seventh track 'Triptych' written by Bryan Ferry was for me a complete surprise when I heard this album for the first time because it's a song so intense and at the same time so strange and unconventional in their discography. It brings to us the atmosphere of the Middle Age and gives to us a weird, beautiful and unforgettable moment in their music. The eighth track 'Casanova' written by Bryan Ferry is a pretty nice rock song with good energy. It's very well performed by all musicians and I like especially the keyboard and guitar works in contrast with the rhythm section. The ninth track 'A Really Good Time' written by Bryan Ferry is a slow, calm and nice ballad. It's a song in the same vein of 'Three And Nine' and 'If It Takes All Night'. These are the less interesting songs on the album. The tenth last track 'Prairie Rose' written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera seems to be inspired by Ferry's then girlfriend and model, Jerry Hall, which would featured the art cover of their next album 'Siren'. This is a memorable and remarkable song of Roxy Music. It's a great energetic and inspired rock song where the individual performance of Phil Manzanera and Andy MacKay are absolutely unforgettable. I really think this is a perfect way to close this excellent art rock album.

Conclusion: 'Country Life' is one of my first LP's and it's also my first album of the band. Of their all studio albums, it's their most rock album. I always thought this is an underrated album that deserves a better rating. 'Country Life' is, in my opinion, a great Roxy Music album. Sincerely, I don't think this album is inferior to 'Siren'. 'Country Life' is an essential album for those who love the decadence, the glamour and the passion of the art rock. Overall, 'Country Life' is another step towards the more experimental sound of the first two Roxy Music albums. It's in the same vein of its predecessor 'Stranded'. If you like 'Stranded', as a proghead, you'll not be unhappy and disappointed with this album.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

6. Over You for the monolithic synth, for Bryan who distills his voice; ah the riff definitely smells of rising new- wave; it's soft, it's a little tight, but it still looks great with this break; do not shoot the grizzly bear; the crystalline piano solo makes me shiver, ah how beautiful it is to have memories... and this sax which brings back a layer of them; time stops, it's prog since we witness a title hanging with 7. Eight Miles High which leaves immediately; marshmallow rhythm I like a bit like JAPAN who also had big names in their ranks; ah I love the 'Black Limousine' moment, well I'll cut it afterwards! too repetitive even if the outro was a tad progressive 8. Rain, Rain, Rain what VANGELIS here? ah no good rain rain rain that's it for the brutal end; yes it's a bit fair 9. No Strange Delight with the new-wave clique before its time, a little BLONDIE, it starts well and then the air which fades, drags on; ah we enter the title there with a latent verse bringing the rolling bass, yes we had to be satisfied with that, but the beauty of the memory is also important; barely 4 minutes and the end with a piano solo and the variation, soft art rock, whether you like it or not, a piece of musical culture 10. Running Wild for the SCORPIONS slow, well... almost; the melody, the ballad with a devastating air, with Bryan who had a beautiful organ, a title that could spend hours on end, you didn't know if you were at the end or not; Paul Carrack launches into his keyboards while Andy blows.. into his sax, yes we will have had it often; go for a Gilmourian guitar solo or almost for the finale which finally takes off what is ultimately missing from this souvenir album.

Roxy Music was a British progressive rock band that was formed in London by art students in 1971. I think that many of you can agree with me when I say that Roxy Music's sense of style, by turns effete, subversive, sexy and confounding, was only exceeded by their brilliance as one of the 70's most avant-garde and finest art rock bands. I think only Queen and David Bowie can be compared with them, in their very own way. Roxy Music featured some great and inventive instrumentalists in Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera, and two genuine musical visionaries in Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, whose tumultuous and brief collaboration between Ferry and Eno had an enormous influence in Roxy Music's music, mainly in the beginning of their career. In the course of the band's history, many other musicians like Paul Thompson, Eddie Jobson, John Wetton and Paul Carrack also joined the band at times. Roxy Music was able to achieve a great commercial success all over the world during their entire career, especially between the years of 1972 to 1982.

During their career, Roxy Music released eight studio albums plus several live albums, DVD's, compilations, EP's and singles. In relation to their studio albums, we can divide their career into three phases. The first phase comprises the two first studio albums of the band, their eponymous debut in 1972 and "For Your Pleasure" in 1973. This was clearly the best, most progressive, avant-garde and creative phase of Roxy Music, the phase with the presence of Eno. Both are two great works, the best things made by the band, at least in terms of prog. After Eno have left the band, Roxy Music released three more studio albums, "Stranded" also in 1973, "Country Life" in 1974 and "Siren" in 1975. These albums belong to their second phase. These are also three great works, the works that are more linked with the art rock style. Then, Roxy Music had a hiatus between 1976 and 1978. Their third and last phase comprises three more albums, "Manifesto" in 1976, "Flesh + Blood" in 1980 and "Avalon" in 1982. The first two are more linked with the pop and disco, so in fashion at the time. "Avalon" can be considered something like a cross between this third and their second phase.

So, it's now time to talk about this EP, an EP that belongs to the third musical phase of Roxy Music. "The High Road" is a live EP that was released in 1983. This live EP is composed by four live recorded tracks that were taken from a recorded live show, filmed on their "Avalon" live tour at the Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland on 30th August 1982. It must not be confounded with the live DVD with the same name taken from a recorded live show, filmed on their "Avalon" live tour in Frejus, France on 27th August in the same year. The DVD has fourteen tracks, "The Main Thing", "Out Of The Blue", "Both Ends Burning", "A Song For Europe", "Can't Let Go", "While My Heart Is Still Beating", "Avalon", "My Only Love", "Dance Away", "Love Is The Drug", "Like A Hurricane", "Editions Of You", "Do The Strand" and "Jealous Guy". As I said, this EP has only four tracks, "Can't Let Go", "My Only Love", "Like A Hurricane" and "Jealous Guy".

So, about the four tracks, "Can't Let Go" isn't a Roxy Music's track but a Bryan Ferry's track that was originally released on his solo studio album "The Bride Stripped Bare" in 1978. This is a fine love song boasting sympathetic and contrasting string arrangements and pointing the way to the more conventional music. This is an effective composition that is wonderfully arranged. "My Only Love" is a Roxy Music's track that was released on their studio album "Flesh + Blood" in 1980. This is, in my humble opinion, a type of song that pushed Roxy Music into some lush soundscapes. It's a song with a very simple and catchy melody and wistful lyrics and also with nice guitar and saxophone sounds. It has nothing to do with progressive rock music, but it's a great pop song, one of the great pop songs on "Flesh + Blood". Despite it, I really like this song. "Like A Hurricane" isn't a Roxy Music's track but a Neil Young's track that was originally released on his solo studio album "American Stars 'n Bars" in 1974. It has all the attributes of a classic Neil Young's epic track. This is one of the Young's most gripping songs of the time. The tale is so vivid and is carried brilliantly by the emotion in the music. "Jealous Guy" isn't a Roxy Music's track too, but a John Lennon's track that was originally released on his solo studio album "Imagine" in 1971. This is simply a straight up gorgeous song. The melody is spectacular, the piano is sublime, with a pretty riff, and the strings are compelling, stirring and sweet without being syrupy. It also boasts a brilliantly tortured, pathetic vocal and an eloquent string arrangement. I always loved this song.

Conclusion: Besides all I wrote before and as a complement, I must say that "The High Road" EP is a very nice EP. It's true that it has nothing to do with the progressive rock music, even for the progressive rock standards of the band. We all know that Roxy Music never was one of the most progressive rock bands. But here, this is even more evident. The only track from the band belongs to their most pop phase without anything prog. The track from Ferry's solo career has nothing to do with prog too. As we know, as a solo artist, Ferry isn't a prog musician. In relation to the other two tracks that don't belong to the band too, are from non-prog musicians despite the quality of them. Both are great songs, my favourites here. As a conclusion and despite this isn't progressive music I like this EP very much. So, I give to it 3 stars.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

I already reviewed some of the discography of Roxy Music on Progarchives. Everybody who knows me on this site and is used to read what I wrote about Roxy Music knows that I'm a big fan of the band. But, above all, I consider Roxy Music as one of the most important and innovative bands of the 70's and one of the most influential bands in the music of the 80's. Of course I'm referring of the many bands that belong to what was called the new wave movement and that where strongly influenced by Roxy Music's music. I'm talking especially about the music that belongs to their two first studio albums, their eponymous debut and "For Your Pleasure". Both were really two of the most avant-garde works.

"The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" is one of the many compilation albums of the band mentioned on this site. It was released in 1983. As its name indicates, this is a compilation album that is only focused in the Atlantic years of the band and that only covers the years between 1973 and 1980. So, it doesn't cover the entire musical career of Roxy Music.

"The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" is compilation album with ten tracks. The first track "Dance Away" is a song originally recorded on their sixth studio album "Manifesto" and that was released in 1979. Despite it has nothing of progressive really, it has good and simple lyrics, a fantastic melody and a great dancing rhythm. I always loved this song which is, for me, one of the greatest pop songs ever written. The second track "Angel Eyes" is also a song originally recorded on their sixth studio album "Manifesto". It's another very pop oriented song featuring a rock style. It's better than some of the many songs on "Manifesto". It's very well performed in spite of be a normal and very simple song. The third track "Over You" is a song originally recorded on their seventh studio album "Flesh + Blood" and that was released in 1980. It's a song with a high melodic guitar work, accompanied by pulsating drums and bass. This is another catchy pop song very well made reaching its objectives perfectly well. The fourth track "Love Is The Drug" is a song originally recorded on their fifth studio album "Siren" and that was released in 1975. It's an incredible song, very melodic and with good quality. It has an incredible performance. Andy MacKay and his saxophone are absolutely great, Manzanera and his guitar work is great too and Bryan Ferry and his vocals are fantastic as always. The fifth track "Oh Yeah" is a song originally recorded on their seventh studio album "Flesh + Blood". It's a very catchy pop song which is very well made and that improves, in general, the good commercial quality of the song writing of their album "Flesh + Blood". The sixth track "Ain't That So" is another song originally recorded on their sixth studio album "Manifesto". It's a song with a mix of pop, disco and avant-garde music. It's an interesting music with a nice and catchy tune, well played and that was made to be danced. The seventh track "My Only Love" is a song originally recorded on their seventh studio album "Flesh + Blood". In my opinion, this is the type of songs that pushed Roxy Music into lush soundscapes. It's a song with a very simple and catchy melody and wistful lyrics and also with nice guitar and saxophone sounds. This is another great pop song, really. The eighth track "In The Midnight Hour" is another song originally recorded on their seventh studio album "Flesh + Blood". It's a cover of a song of Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on his 1966's album "The Exciting Wilson Pickett". Sincerely, I don't know the original song, but from what I've read, this version is completely different. It's a very good song with a cool sound that has become a cult classic Roxy Music's song. The ninth track "Still Falls The Rain" is one more song originally recorded on their sixth studio album "Manifesto". It's a very nice song with some funky influences. It's probably the most beautiful song made on "Manifesto", very simple and with some great musical moments on it. The tenth track "Do The Strand" is a song originally recorded on their second studio album "For Your Pleasure" and that was released in 1973. It's a perfect way to open "For Your Pleasure" brilliantly. This is a song with a fantastic vocal performance by Bryan Ferry that sung some strange and curious lyrics. It's also a track with a great guitar, keyboard and saxophone performances, very well accompanied by some strong and vigorous drums. This is an excellent song plenty of energy.

Conclusion: "The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" is a bit different compilation album of Roxy Music. As I mentioned before, this is a compilation album focused on their albums released to Atlantic Records, with only tracks that belong to their albums released between 1973 and 1980. Thus, "The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" doesn't cover all Roxy Music's career. So, it doesn't cover their debut and last studio albums, "Roxy Music" and "Avalon". But, besides of that, "The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" is essentially focused on their pop/disco phase. It has eight tracks from their two weakest studio albums, four from "Manifesto" and four from "Flesh + Blood". On the contrary, it has only one track from "For Your Pleasure", one track from "Siren" and it doesn't have tracks from "Country Life". So, "The Atlantic Years 1973-1980" is by no meanings a balanced and representative compilation album of the band. If you need one, there are better options.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Roxy music was an English progressive rock band that was formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry and the bassist Graham Simpson. Ferry became the band's lead vocalist and also the main songwriter of them. Roxy Music was involved in the art rock movement and had a great fascination with fashion, glamour, cinema and also with pop and avant-garde art, which was a different mark from the other contemporary progressive rock bands in the 70's. Dressed in a very bizarre way, the group played a defiant variation between art rock, avant-rock, pop sound and some electronic experimentation.

"Stranded" is the third studio album of Roxy Music and that was released in 1973. The splendid art cover of the album represents Bryan Ferry's then girlfriend Marilyn Cole, who was the Playmate of the Year in 1973. The line up on the album is Bryan Ferry (vocals, piano and electric piano), Andy MacKay (oboe, saxophone and treatments), Phil Manzanera (guitar and treatments), Eddie Jobson (synthesizers, keyboards and electric violin), John Gustafson (bass guitar), Paul Thompson (drums and timpani) and Chris Lawrence (string bass). On this album, John Gustafson replaced John Porter on the bass. The album had also the participation of The London Welsh Male Choir on chorus on "Psalm".

The album has eight tracks. All songs were written by Bryan Ferry except "Amazona" that was written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera and "A Song For Europe" that was written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay. The first track "Street Life" was released as a single and is a good way to open the album. It's a song in the pop/rock style, very enjoyable and composed more in the commercial vein. The Bryan Ferry's vocal style is very good and musically it's very well performed. The second song "Just Like You" is one of best, soft and beautiful songs on the album. This is a typical song of what would be many of the future songs written by Bryan Ferry for the group and also for his solo studio albums. It's basically a song composed for the voice and piano of Bryan Ferry but it has also a very melodic and beautiful guitar work by Phil Manzanera. The third track "Amazona" is really a great song and is one of my favourites on the album. This is, in my opinion, probably the most experimental and progressive song on this album. The highlight point of this song is the fantastic guitar performance with great effects by Phil Manzanera that is kept all over the song. The fourth track "Psalm" is, for me, the Achilles heel of this album. It seems that this is the first song written by Bryan Ferry, is a religious gospel song and I always thought that it's quite long, repetitive and boring. Sincerely, I'm convinced that this song is one of the weakest of the group, and to me, it was better on a Bryan Ferry's solo album. The fifth track "Serenade" despite being one of the shortest songs composed by the group is a great song too. It's a very strong song with good vocals, great guitar, good bass and powerful drums. It's one of the strongest points of the album. The sixth track "A Song For Europe" is, in my opinion and without any doubt, the highest point on the album and I think that is probably the best song made by the group. It's a quiet and very beautiful song, one of the most loved by their fans and one of the most played live by them during decades. It's a song with beautiful and very emotional vocals by Bryan Ferry and with a fantastic and very beautiful saxophone work performed by Andy MacKay. It's a very European song where Bryan Ferry decided to unveil his linguistic skills on the song, singing in Latin and French beyond singing in his mother language, the English. On the final, the song ends with the charming whistling of Bryan Ferry. It's a fantastic song. The seventh track "Mother Of Pearl" is the other song with "Amazon", which appears with the same spirit of art rock, avant-garde, experimentation and the progressively of their two previous albums. The song is divided into two distinct parts. The first part has a crazy rock rhythm very aggressive and somewhat chaotic The second part is more a conventional slow ballad with very emotional Bryan Ferry's singing very well accompanied by one very safe and amazing chorus. The last track "Sunset" is a good way to ending the album. This is a typical song totally composed by the voice and the piano of Bryan Ferry. It's a very pleasant song which provides us a wholly enjoyable and enchanting listening, indeed.

Conclusion: "Stranded" represents a mark in the change of the musical direction of the group. Without Brian Eno their music lost the avant-garde and the experimentalism of their previous two studio albums and became more art rock and pop art rock. By the other hand it's the first album where all the music isn't all written by Bryan Ferry. This happened due to the complaints of the other members about Bryan Ferry's composition dominance. The musicianship of the album is excellent, the production is very professional and it sounds very well. "Stranded" is, for me, one of the most sophisticated and charming albums ever made. This is, without any doubt, their best musical work after the departure of Brian Eno. Even Eno later rated it as Roxy Music's finest album. So, if you're interested in the most progressive phase of Roxy Music, without the avant-garde of their two first albums, "Stranded" will be the ideal place to start, really.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)