THE ATLANTIC YEARS 1973-1980

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*)