ROXY MUSIC

Certainly this debut album was worth all the hype that it got upon its release as it was truly groundbreaking, novel and was also catchingly commercial but really overtly so. A very eye-grabbing pin-up girl cover with a very trendy glitter/glam-dressed group on the inside were certainly commercial concessions, but musically the music was definitely more challenging and actually must've been quite a risky affair.

Right from the first second of the opener, we are hearing that Roxy is in a different world than most everything ever done before them, with those crazy Eno synths, Manzanera's Fuzz guitars, Mackay's inventive sax breaks, Ferry's good vocals (he was probably not yet fully aware of his crooner potentials). Roxy was clearly from another planet than GonG or any other usually frequented by progheads. But something was bound for these two universes (glam and prog) to collide, and Roxy was the one to do it - well they cheated as they use also some mellotrons, although sparingly.

Ladytron with its weird synths and psychey fuzz guitars but also its lenghty mellotron- laden intro, Re-make/Re-model's wailing sax (you'd swear this was Lol Coxhill blowing it), Eno's Fender Rhodes (Ratledge-like) tape loops on 2HB, Eno's synths and loops and Thompson's drum heavy rolls in The Bob, all these might make you think that this is an experimental album, but do not be mistaken, we are firmly in pop-rock domain here.

There are also some much less interesting tracks on the album as the semi-countryish If There Is Something, and the hit single Virginia Plain and the succession of shorter tracks on side 2 (tracks 6 to 10 - even if Sea Breezes has some charms that brings you back to the more adventurous spirits of side 1) until the aptly-titled closing track.

As much as this album is original, Roxy Music will better themselves with the following For Your Pleasure, until Eno will leave after it and much of RM's soul with him.