I should begin this profile with the disclaimer that Roxy Music seems to be a band I could never bring myself to love as much as I felt I ought to.
I like their stuff, usually. But it’s rare for me to really love a Roxy Music song, let alone a whole album. Bryan Ferry has a peculiar singing style—kind of an affected, warbling croon—that I sometimes find intriguing and other times find completely annoying.
But maybe it’s just me—Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry are highly esteemed among the critics in general. They pioneered a brooding, artsy style of glam rock that incorporated the electronic experimentation of early member Brian Eno. They would be a profound influence on early ‘80s British synth-pop and the synth-and-dance-based ‘80s new wave.
I’ve compiled a whopping three playlists for your enjoyment.
Playlist 1: The Eno Years
Their first two albums, with Brian Eno, feature some of Eno’s signature eerie and edgy synth work. The music here tends to be a bit more self-consciously arty than in later years.
Playlist 2: The Classic Years
For the next few albums, Roxy Music came into their own, freed from Eno’s influence. Siren might be their best all-around album.
Playlist 3: All About the Mood
After a four-year hiatus, Roxy Music reemerged with a smooth, sultry sound that had more of a dance and synth-pop vibe. The aesthetic seems almost the culmination of years of obsession with image and surface above substance. For young people of my generation, Avalon had the reputation of being one of the classic make-out albums (although truth be told I don’t recall ever using it as a make-out soundtrack myself).
Note: What’s with the obsession with fashion and beauty? Almost all their album covers feature scantily clad women in wanton poses—case in point, the gatefold cover of Stranded, featuring a model in a soaked, torn, and twisted red dress splayed seductively across a toppled log. Not exactly the kind of album cover I would have wanted my parents to see me smuggling into the house—but then again, maybe that was part of its appeal.
Cover Art:
- Viva! Roxy Music, Stranded: Source, Discogs.com, Fair Use.
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