FOR YOUR PLEASURE

"Experimental Art/Rock", is the perfect "tagging"; for first time guests. A 1972-1973, Experimental Art Rock project... Roxy Music was "designed" as an experimental "Art-Rock" band (yes; that was the tag back then); conformed by musicians who dressed as visitors from Venus and made "strange" up-beat/off-tempo Rock music; with all kinds of instruments around the threaded stories of the singer/composer (Bryan Ferry, mastermind and vocalist), who seems like in pain and anguish most of the time. (in fact, that is how I will have described ROXY 1) with great penned/impro-like songs that move around the musical atmospheres these stories suggest. This environments are personal and intimate ( not "universal"; let's not fool ourselves, some songs are even RIO), so one has to have the disposition to accept such an invitation. On "FOR YOUR PLEASURE" I found a singer who had lowered down his scream-like voice approach, and now without stopping to sing; changed his whole style for better and for long. (still does; still great!). Bryan Ferry; out in the open "Planet Roxy" dictator, master-planner, master-songwriter and best of all "Visionary" Master. So as any Avant-Garde, Experimental "art" band, they wanted to set their own standards of language and therefore composition and concept, musical of course. (the fashion-statement came alongside), as any self proclaimed artist in any field. This is Roxy at its best, as it gets, with former; soon to be "exiled" member, *Brian Eno. (the other album is "Roxy Music "1"- *an unavoidable reference). You could build a different music-band with each song of this record (the same as in Roxy "4"). As it sounds. So different one song of the other; so rich and unique each one and yes!, irreverent, if needed and deep, without "out of the line", pretentions. So, there is game, wits, musical-language (the original kind, my favorite), but also there is "Elvis" of the bizarro planet, feathers, superflous glam and glitter, all tipped by a great sense of humour.... I mean, a "love" song for an inflatable doll and pull it off, to become one of my favorite (and followers) Roxy songs: "In Every Dreamhome a Heartache", which turns immediately into an "african chant, lullaby-like" song "Bogus Man"; which is also a favorite, as the next and on and on. ...If not for its "symbolism", I would have skipped "Do the Strand" (the first song) and rate it 4.5 stars in the R.M. personal discography. But, for this PA's "crossover" category, an easy and deserving *****5 star rating. Excellent masterpiece from a way ahead of its time, progressive/art/ rock-band ...... "For your own pleasure"......Don't miss!