Reviews (page 2 of 8)
An attractive album, a bit glam, a bit experimentative. I really enjoyed it, both the style, instrumentals, however the big problem of it is it's totally unmemorable. It's a good experience, but I worry that it's missing that something. With time I grew to really love the vocals, the delivery. Not the strongest 5/5, far from it, not a masterpiece, but I just really like blasting this album in the background.
This was a fun listen. Can’t believe I’d never taken The time to check this band out.
I am absolutely floored by this album. Been a long Eno, Bowie, and Talking Heads fan but never got into Roxy. Now I am into it for sure
Brilliant!!
I was always so focused on the first three albums I never got to this one properly but it turns out it is great.
Amazing. Energetic, chaotic, creative. How have I not heard this before.
This album was excellent and a perfect Friday morning listen. No surprises there at all.
Another W. Never listened to before. Familiar with Avalon, but not this one. Teen me was familiar with the album cover haha
I enjoyed this album. I've heard of the group but couldn't name any of their songs.
Judging this album based off the art, I thought this was going to be garbage. But this might be one of the most unexpected pleasant surprises I've come across in this project. I absolutely love the sound quality and production, and each song is so unique and different making this a very eclectic and accessible album. An excellent listen. Top tracks: The Thrill Of It All, Out Of The Blue, Casanova
A new favourite type of rock (band). I loved the emotions, arrangements, sounds and how they were all tied together
Both Adam Ant and John Taylor named tracks on Country Life as being amongst their favourite songs, which was enough to send me scurrying to the shops for this in the early 80s. Having grown up in the 70s thinking Bryan looked a bit creepy on Top of the Pops, I'd been won over by Avalon in 1982, and a friend and I then lost no time in filling in our knowledge of what had come before by buying half of Roxy's albums each and swapping now and again. (Some home taping may have gone on, ahem.) So, this one was mine, which meant I had to stick a piece of paper over the cover when transporting it to school. Anyway, ever since, Roxy Music have been one of my favourite bands. I never get bored by them, and although there are a few tracks (across their whole catalogue) that I can't get on with, I usually love the melodies, chord structure, instrumentation and of course their style. Phil Manzanera is definitely one of my favourite guitarists. On this album, I particularly like All I Want Is You, Out of the Blue, and A Really Good Time. Their songs are nearly always about people and relationships, but there's always an interesting edge. All of their albums are fantastic.
Sublime. OK, Triptych is unintentionally hilarious, but groundbreaking at the time. And Ferry’s voice remains a thing of wonder.
Exceptionally great album, with an unique and interesting sound that is still listenable and accessible. The band showed how much ahead they were in time and they made really great music even after Eno's departure from the band. I love music with many twists and turns where I don't know where the next notes will lead but it still comes together so well as an album. The production is fantastic, too.
I remember seeing this album in record stores growing up. I went through every album looking for new music, of course I eyeballed this. But this is my first time listening. Just awesome. Doing morning things and this is mostly background, Casanova was the track that caught my attention. Now I'm relistening. This album is pro. All the instrumentation is outstanding, the guitar playing in particular. Thanks album generator. Super Badass.
Incredible album. This could be something produced today. It feels timeless. I had to double check the year as I couldn't believe this was released in '73! This is one of the rare gems on this list that I have never heard before.
Really interesting, diverse selection of good songs. Elements of everything from early glam to English folk.
Phenomenal stuff here!
I've always been a fan of Roxy Music since I saw them on "The Kenny Everett Video Show" in the 80s. I have all their records on vinyl in my collection. Amazing glam rock and Brian Ferry is the poster boy for "suave". Smooth as well-aged whisky. I also love their album covers. 5 stars!
Ein af mínum allra uppáhalds. Þrusugott stöff.
Pure sleazy, art rock party music.
Surprised by how clean and together this was. The sound is as attention grabbing as the cover lol
A truly superb listen as Roxy Music demonstrate there is life after Eno.
I've been a fan of Bryan Ferry for awhile and had previously sampled Roxy Music, but never been puzzled and delighted over and over again by it in this way. I held off returning a score for awhile, and I've found I can't quit this record.
Sure, the peaks in the first two Roxy Music LPs make the latter iconic selections for this list. But *Country Life* is certainly the British band's most cohesive record, with no dud in sight, and with a string of sellar cuts that must have made the quite recently departed Brian Eno mad with envy--odd how the songs on this album are still very much in tune with Eno's contemporary solo forays in those years, as if he and Ferry still had some sort of psychic connection, in spite of their rivalry. Ferry undoubtedly had flair for the dramatic AND the melodic for this fourth LP. On side one, "The Thrill Of It All", "All I Want Is You" and "Out Of The Blue" see his band honing their glam-rock skills to perfection. And side two is near-perfect as well, thanks to the moodier, cabaret-like, nightmarish or dreamlike "Bitter-sweet", "Triptych" and "A Really Good Time", not to mention the explosive closer "Prairie Rose". *Very* close to a 5/5 mark for this one. Number of albums left to review: less than 150 approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one) Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)
I definitely gave this album a try at some point several years ago. If I'm being completely honest, the cover was probably what piqued my interest back then. But the music didn't click with me at that time. Listening to it again now, I can appreciate it much more, maybe because I'm familiar with a lot more of the music that came after which was heavily influenced by Roxy. There are some fantastic songs on here, and no real bad ones. I think Brian Ferry's voice is a bit of an acquired taste, so maybe that is what put me off before. He has some great melodies though. I think I prefer their earlier album For Your Pleasure (which I only got via this generator last week, interestingly enough), but this is pretty much on par with that. 9/10
Relistening to Roxy Music makes me wonder if they're one of the greatest bands of all time. I'm honestly shocked Siren, Stranded, and Avalon aren't on this list when so much other crap is. This is art rock done right. Weird yet accessible. Influential while still being popular in their own way. Shocking while at the same time acting almost lame. I love it.
The opening track's guitar drama sets the the tone for the album's exploring the singularity of the Roxy approach. This is often called glam rock, but that doesn't really capture the complexity of Ferry's voicings or the shifting guitar, sax, synth interplay. When you think something's over, it's not, taking on new avenues. Deservedly brought Ferry into the higher echelons of rock wizardry.
I really like Brian Eno’s solo material, but never really listened to Roxy Music. I remember seeing the album cover and thinking it looked a little trashy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyways, man can these freaks really rock. Loved it, the vibes were A+
Excellent intro to a band I’ve heard about but never truly experienced.
this was a pretty fun album. I had always heard of Roxy Music but have never really given them a shot. the sound of this album has aged really well and has some pretty engaging sounds. i particularly enjoyed 'out of the blue' with the heavy flanging. overall, a pretty cool album that i could see myself getting further into upon additional listening. EDIT: yeah i listened to this again and it's pretty great!
Casi le doy un 4 o un 3. Pero lo escuché de nuevo y ...¡5!
Stunning first side, fine second and a double punch of Really Good Time and Prairie Rose to finish. Slightly more guitar-based with the departure of Eno, and after a shift taking place from the wild art experimentalism of the Eno era to their mid-era sophisticated Euro pop this is Roxy at the top of their game.
Classic Roxy album. I can't sit still when I hear "The Thrill of it All".
9/10 slightly weak for a Roxy album, but that’s like slightly less perfect than perfection
So cool
Beautiful, wonderful, love it
This album has a more or less conventional first few songs (with some non traditional rock elements) before hitting a rockabilly/blues rock track which leads into a suite like series of songs that are experimental, incredibly arranged, and very well executed. This is art rock of the highest degree and may represent the best of Roxy Music.
Great Album! Very Horny Cover)
Casi le doy un 4 o un 3. Pero lo escuché de nuevo y ...¡5!
Hef hlustað mjög oft á hana þessa, en mikill Roxy Music maður. Ég veit ekki með ykkur, en mér finnst hún frábær.
Weird but extremely listenable! Several highly skilled musicians exercising their creativity.
Clearly, the best British band ever with the best lyrics ever in general. Consensus back in the early 90s or so seemed to focus on the first three Roxy Music albums as being the ultraclassic albums. Only found out ten years later that Stranded and Siren and Avalon are 5* star alums too, and consensus seem to have changed in the meantime.
The best Roxy Music album here yet, by a long shot. Fun, focused, great songs, great production, this was everything I wanted an old school art rock album!
OK. I've never been a fan of Bryan Ferry's voice and really was't looking forward to the Roxy Music albums I knew we'd have to listen to as part of this project. The glistening ladies on the cover weren't helping with my dread either. But then...I loved it despite myself. I'm still not enamored with the vocals but this is bold and theatrical and I want to hear it again. I also want to give the cover models some towels and some warm, comfortable clothes.
While I’ve always heard about them, I have never listened to a Roxy Music album before. I’m impressed! The music is wonderfully complex, with orchestration and complex rhythms and arrangements. Some songs feel almost like show tunes. Really great! I’m impressed!
4 star minimum
I LOVED them! Glam rock is definitely on my radar now.
A really good album, it was a great plasure too listen to it… Thanks 🙏🏽
Country Life is arguably the best album Roxy Music ever made. The band has refined a lot of the more experimental/proggy aspects of their sound here, resulting in a really stylish, richly composed group of songs. But it's also still really musically diverse and full of all kinds of surprises. The band uses all the elements you might find in more mainstream music at that time - the bluesy piano, the saxophone, the guitar solo, the funky bass, the soulful vocals. But the band is painting with different brushes here. Their sound is more dramatic, artful, sensual, campy and strange. It elevated expectations for what you could do in in a rock or pop record in ways that changed how music would sound for years. This is the kind of album you can listen to endlessly and never get bored with it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Out of the Blue, Casanova, The Thrill of It All, Triptych, Bitter-Sweet, Prairie Rose, A Really Good Time, All I Want is You, Three and Nine, If It Takes All Night
Yo there are nips on the cover! Don’t get much better than that
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Weird, in a cool way
Capa polémica, som interessante
Sweet, songs for dancing to and songs for vibing!
I liked it a lot. Very eclectic
This rules
The height of glam rock, and my favorite Roxy album so far! "Bitter-Sweet" is epic!
british art rock w complex synths
Casi le doy un 4 o un 3. Pero lo escuché de nuevo y ...¡5!
Great album. Roxy Music is kind of a blind spot for me.
Never heard of them before, but I was into it
Insane. Brilliant. Absolute stormer
That rocked! I don’t know what more to say about it. Standouts are The Thrill Of It All, All I Want Is You and Casanova.
not entirely sure what I was expecting, but this was sick! A couple of tracks were very skippable and the mix is a bit muddy but still very very cool
Listened sober. Good for summer, I looked at the moon vibes a little, honestly fun and chill. Rock, gives a very 70s vibe. Nice smooth voice. I listened to the song More than this by the same group, diff album, it's really nice too Song 1: very nice, fun Song 2: same vibe but good for the evening. Also a harmonica. Song 6 is almost vampiric? Not my fav? Could be fun in some situations?
Here they expanded their sound, seems more mature.
I gave their self-titled album a 3/5 a couple of years ago, but this one actually has some pretty cool songs. It's definitely worth a re-listen sometime down the road. "If It Takes All Night" is a really cool, bluesy number that caught my ear. They definitely feature a lot of unique instruments across the record, like the timpani, harpsichord, oboe, etc. which keeps the arrangements interesting. The bass line on "Casanova" was great, too. I get major Velvet Underground vibes from some of the music, which gives the whole thing a neat, artsy edge. It's easily one of their best efforts. Favorite song: "The Thrill of it All"
A fascinating and unique album, describing this one is a challenge. The style feels somewhere between classic rock and British punk rock, oscillating between the styles while mixing in hints of country, prog rock, and synth pop. Some of the early songs like "out of the blue" were really catchy, while a good amount of the second half fell flat. A couple songs sounded almost Elvis style, while others mixed in harmonica or synths. All around this is an interesting album that I'm unsure of how exactly to rate it. Also the singer reminded me of rocky singing "sword of damocles" in rocky horror picture show.
This album hooked me from the start with it's impressive energy, tempo, and variety. Oboe, saxophone, and a great many instruments combine to support a progressive arrangement of guitar, drums, and bass for an album that is novel and enjoyable. With notes of Queen, Jethro Tull, and new wave pop, I found this album to be a great combination of sounds from its decade, and will listen to more from Roxy Music.
All Roxy Music is good.
I risk being fired for opening the Roxy Music at work. If only the music wasn't so gosh darn roxy. What does roxy even mean? My word, I am borderline illiterate. I think it's in reference to the "Roxy theatre", but who knows where they got that name or what that even is. Listen, I'm not going down a 1920's theatre rabbit hole. I just can't bring myself to care about that one. Did they hold pro wrestling there? If not, count this dullard OUT. This record is pretty fantastic, actually. Truly unique music. There are seemingly dozens of instruments used to create atmospheres ranging from dense to ethereal, under vocals that warble oddities to form complex and interesting rock music. I feel like a dork for even saying this, but this is music that feels "cool." Current bands like black.midi or Black Country, New Road owe a great debt to this band. I could absolutely see this record being released today, by kids who move to big cities (on their father's dime of course) in search of artistic credibility. Like a bitter pugilist, I must land my jabs at somebody, but not the record. Progressive and satisfying rock music. Excuse me while I wipe this image from my employee hard drive, and replace it with a pdf of uhh bar graphs or something. That oughta smooth things over. 3.5-4 GENRE: Can I say "Serving Cunt-Ry life"??
Really good. Could be right down the middle rock but there’s a slight touch of avante garde and Englishness that makes it feel artsy, without being self conscious or pretentious. I like the most bluesy of the songs (thrill, if it takes all night, prairie rose). Maybe my favorite album cover we’ve seen. The male gaze gets a bad rap. Without it, beauty would get boring.
I have a soft spot for the maximalism (and great bass lines) going on here
Strong album. Bowie adjacent, maybe a *little" Bowie lite, but could also detect how they were influencing each other around this time Well produced, couple of misses but more hits - look forward to hearing their other albums from this period on this list - my earlier impression of them seems to be unfairly mired in the 80s stuff.
Very surprised to see how early this album was. Influential on peak era Duran Duran for sure! Strong suite of songs which just about scrapes a four
Highlights: The Thrill Of It All, All I Want Is You, Out Of the Blue, Casanova, A Really Good Time, Prairie Rose I have a soft spot for Roxy and Ferry, so it got a bit of an inflated score. If it wasn't for their signature, I would have considered this to be quite average. Overall it's ok, but too artsy and too experimental for my liking. For instance Bitter Sweet with its mood shifts and German bits. Lyrically it's a bit preachy, but I like that about them. It's not a top 3 Ferry record for me, but it was alright.
Sharp and sexy, offbeat and English - super production (of course)! Favourite tracks: All I Want Is You, Out Of The Blue, A Really Good Time
I’m not quite sure why this is four stars for me. But it is.
This was an unexpectedly enjoyable album. They definitely bounced around in genres and experimented with some techniques that became ubiquitous later on in rock, but it felt natural. None of their forays felt forced. I’ll certainly be back to listen to them again!
I must say, glam rock is quite fun! All the high energy of traditional rock but injected with a hell of a lot of pop razzle dazzle and theatrical decadence (that provided some much needed balance). Didn't know what I was expecting from the cover art, though I came away from this record feeling lighter than I had 40 minutes prior. It's more 3.5 stars than a true 4, but I was feeling generous so I rounded it up.
Great album!
Geef toe, deze kende je van de hoes. Ik in ieder geval wel. Dus welke muziek schuilt er achter deze twee bevallige dames? Een boel artsy-fartsy glamrock-interessantdoenerij, maar wel gemaakt door mensen die weten hoe ze moeten musiceren. Hoewel sommige stukjes op de zenuwen werken (dat gedoe in het Duits, was, wer, wo, wenn, warum?) vond ik het al met al best een genietbare plaat. Niet te hard nadenken over wat je nou gehoord hebt, bei Zweifel die Schallplattenhülle wieder mal beobachten.
For Your Pleasure is among my favourite albums and I haven't listened to the RM albums after enough. I do need to rectify that. This one was great on a quick listen.
Høres ut som et proggete The Kinks. Hadde ikke trodd jeg skulle være så fan av Roxy Music.
On my first, surface-level listens of Roxy Music, I didn't quite understand what was so exciting and radical about this band other than some of the Eno bleep bloops in the early 70s. As I've learned more about pop music in the late 70s through the 80s, I now hear their influence everywhere. They sat somewhere between prog and glam, but avoided the worst excesses of both genres -- they sound like the first "new wave" band.
I liked this.
Solid Roxy album
Love the album cover, this music had some great vibes
Much more exciting than living in the country.
I like the quite weird vibe of this album, I like the diversity from one song to the onther Fav songs - The Thrill Of It All, Three And Nine, All I Want Is You 4/5
I really enjoyed this album, it has very diverse sounds and keeps me intrigued about what’s next. Sometimes I picture jack skellington singing because the lead singer’s voice reminded me of him.
Liked this more than I expected!! I also hear Jack skellington especially on that one track I forgot thr name
yeah that's pretty fun. perhaps a bit overpolished and occasionally the vocals are a bit to sloppy, but the band has got it for sure.
I totally vibe with this stuff. No hits but great balanced album
The Thrill of It All - 5/5 Three and Nine - 4/5 All I Want Is You - 4/5 Out of the Blue - 5/5 If It Takes All Night - 3/5 Bitter-Sweet - 4/5 Triptych - 4/5 Casanova - 4/5 A Really Good Time - 4/5 Prairie Rose - 5/5 Average score: 4.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
reminds me very much of pre-Tilt Scott Walker, which is obviously a huge compliment! wonderful playing (that rhythm section is wonderfully tight) and Bryan Ferry is hugely fun - wry, theatrical, self-lacerating. i can see how this would run together a bit for someone who isn't already predisposed to like the sound, but i am, so am quite tickled by the twists in the formula, and am also really content to just listen to the band in full glam-stomp mode. it's been hard for me to get a real handle on the lyrics, arch as they are, in so little time, but i'm looking forward to returning to this record (especially Out of the Blue, good lord) and getting deeper into Roxy and Ferry through this challenge!
4.5
3.5
I'm still not as high on RM as most, but this is my second favorite album of theirs. (8.35) ★★★★
This is a great album from a great band. It's not my favorite Roxy album, but there's some great stuff here. "The Thrill of it All" is one of their best openers, "All I Want is You", "Out of the Blue", and "Prairie Rose" are all great, and "Casanova" is one of their best songs. 4.5 stars.
By the time they Roxy Music came to record this, their fourth album, Brian Eno had long gone and they were distancing themselves from the sort of 50s retro glam theatrics of their early period, transitioning into the sleek hit making machine they became by the time of the Avalon album. This starts strongly with The Thrill of It All, All I Want is You and Out of the Blue. Three and Nine is forgettable enough and If it Takes all Night is a kind of bar room honky tonk. It sags a bit with Bitter Sweet, where they go off to The Threepenny Opera for a bit of Weimar Cabaret and then Triptych, where they visit the Renaissance Fair for a song about The Crucifixion of Jesus - bet you weren't expecting that - but it gets back on the rails to finish with the excellent Prairie Rose, Ferry's ode to his then partner, Jerry Hall. So not entirely good, but the high points are so good that you can forgive the lows. 3½ stars, rounded up because I've owned the vinyl for 50 years.
Definitely a classic album. I feel like everyone has heard this at least once. At least everyone has seen the cover - probably one of the most famous of all time? This marks #3 from Roxy Music on this list so far, that's probably it for them I would imagine. It's a banger of an album for sure. It's 50+ years old at this point and it's still a great listen. Out Of The Blue, Thrill Of It All, and Bitter Sweet are standouts for me. I would imagine that Roxy Music is not a band that has a whole lot of new fans, and that's really a shame. There's a lot to like, especially on this record. The whole Art Rock or Glam Rock genres basically died at least as far as mainstream music goes. But this is one that I think has a lot of value to revisit and one that I think most people would enjoy. 4/5
Great for what it is, 70’s glam/psych rock but not really my jam. I feel like they have inspired so much of the music of later years that it is hard to go back to the roots of the sound without it sounding like it’s been done before.
MDS Q CAPA É ESSAA oiiiiiiiiii FAVS (top 3): three and nine, all i want is you, out of the blue mençoes honrosas: the thrill of it all, if it takes all night, a really good time MUITO bom a primeira parte, a segunda meio sla mas a primeira mt boa! ADOREI MUITO out of the blue!!!!!!! foi add na playlist principal nota final: 4/5
Die Band war bis heute ein blinder Fleck bei mir. Sagte mir gar nix und mir war auch gar nicht klar, wie groß die waren. Werde mir mehr von denen geben.
My first experience with this band, not at all what I expected but I really enjoyed it! Thought I was having a stroke when "Bitter Sweet" switched to German. Fave Songs- The Thrill of it All and Prairie Rose
Wow, what a neat little record. Pretty groovy, great production and it sounds like they really chucked it all at the wall to get these songs. I don't think it quite lives up to the album cover but pretty good nonetheless. Bitter Sweet takes a real left turn with the German but a lot of this is really great pop rock and feels much less goofily 70s than early Bowie. Definitely liked it!
Mielenkiintoista. 3,5/4.
The Thrill of It All - 4.5/5 Three and Nine - 3.5/5 All I Want Is You - 3.5/5 Out of the Blue - 4/5 If it Takes All Night - 3.5/5 Bitter Sweet - 3/5 Triptych - 3.5/5 Casanova - 4/5 A Really Good Time - 3.5/5 Prairie Rose - 4/5 A good mix of eras between prog rock and the glam rock and/or art rock genres yet to come. It’s nice that they had a good amount of variety and they managed to hit on most of it. Good listen, probably more of a 3.5 but I’m feeling generous. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: The Thrill of It All, Out of the Blue, Casanova, Prairie Rose
Once again in that tough spot between a four and a five. The case for a five is this album’s influence and how ahead of its time it was. That all depends on you liking glam rock and new wave, which I very much do. Indeed, I enjoyed the *sound* of this album even more than anticipated… I played it even more times than my typical 1001 pick just to have nice background noise all day long. But I become to realize that to hit five stars for me an album had to speak to me emotionally, and I never quite found the message or feeling in Country Life that does that. But it did make me want to listen to more Roxy Music to see if it’s there elsewhere.
Occasionally gets a bit to arty, but mostly this just rocks. Riff-forward and rocking, keeping the best of their previous albums and culling most of the bad parts.
3. roxy music in 3 wuche oder so? geile afang. sehr 70er artrock ich ha gern. ouuuuuyeah. isch s cover chli grusig oder afoch mega gewagt? würkli guete song the thrill of it all. huere abwechsligsriich und fun. und füre. three and nine sehr cool, mundharmonika nice. background vocals au uhuere. tönt alles soo guet? out of the blue seehr cool. ich mues ELO lose aber das isch sehr cool. bass tönt super. und de flanger überall uuuuh bass break und denn refrain ouuuuyea?? ich finds würklich uhuere guet. a really good time slappt sehr fest. er singt super, chords sind super es überrascht eim. bis jetz perle album. s cover isch mer bitz unagnehm zum im newsroom zeige irgendwie.
A classic album that I've been listening to for decades.
какая сочная обложка
🎧Probably the best Roxy I’ve heard so far. Avalon, however, is my favorite and not on the list
++: The Thrill of It All, Three and Nine, All I Want Is You, If It Takes All Night, Bitter-Sweet, A Really Good Time, Prairie Rose +: Out of the Blue, Casanova +-: Triptych 9,1/10
En dehors de la pochette séduisante, un album qui emporte dans son ambiance !
Brilliant!
It sounds like the typical early 70s glam album (like say Bowie's Aladdin Sane, only not quite as good). It also sounds like something from a decade later in the middle of the synth pop craze in the early 80s. I thought it was good, but very little of it was great. 3.5
I thought Country Life was a very enjoyable album. Apparently this was the only Roxy Music album on this list that Brian Eno didn't work on. Overall i liked the glam rock vibe as it gave me that feeling that most of David Bowie's albums did with that extravagant jazzy feel which i can be a sucker for in a lot of cases. I honestly was expecting this to be overly self-indulgent especially with that album cover but this album managed to not do that so thankfully that never got to be an issue. I guess if i can think of one issue, it would be that the album could get a bit forgettable especially with the starting songs sounding a bit samey but i really enjoyed this one. Best Song: Bitter-Sweet Worst Song: The Thrill Of It All
I hadn’t thought about Roxy Music being on this list, but it makes perfect sense. I only knew a few of their tracks before this, but I found them catchy and unique. Listening to a whole album, it exudes that uniqueness. Songs sound entirely different from each other with different featured instruments and styles. It’s a smorgasbord of variety that’s pleasing to listen to and leaves you quite entertained.
I like their earlier work and later work better, but this was a solid album. Casanova is great
Genre defining tunes that resonate and influenced your favorites of today.
lowk prog i like it
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Well, the album cover is certainly something, I'll give it that. You know what else I'll give this album? Genuine praise because it's pretty good. This is my second encounter with Roxy Music after getting their self-titled debut about a year and half ago. I liked that album and I like this album too. I'm honestly not sure which one I like more. They're around the same level for me. A lot of what I liked there is still here, though not everything is the same as Brian Eno had left the band by this point. Of course, Brian Eno is a generational talent, but it seems Roxy Music managed to do just fine without him. The band's playful energy is still here in full force. I really dig the showmanship of Country Life. The whole album has this pizzazz to it that I derive a considerable amount of enjoyment from. The album's pretty quirky, but still grounded enough to give the album the balance that it needs. The songs are pretty good. "The Thrill of it All" and "Out of the Blue" in particular are great. I don't really have a ton to say. Country Life is just a consistently enjoyable rock album with some artsy flair. 4/5.
Þetta er dæmi um plötu þar sem summan er meiri en heildin.
That was pretty cool
yeah, this one is pretty good, even without the cover
# Album Name: Country Life # Artist: Roxy Music # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Very good album. # Top Tunes: Thrill of it all / 3 & 9 / All i want is you / out of the blue / Casanova # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Coldplay left me well, cold
Étonnamment rigolo.
Awesome bass player. Quite showy.
Roxy try new things on Country Life and plenty of them could, in less accomplished hands, be failures. Instead, the album holds together as a piece, the weaker moments being the more predictable ones.
3.5/5
On this album, you can really hear a refined evolution for Roxy Music. If you listen to their catalog from start to finish, you’ll notice a gradual growth in polish and refinement across their songwriting, instrumentation, and most importantly, their production. This is the album where they truly found their niche for radio friendly, glossy music with that cosmopolitan, glamorous sound. At the same time, they maintained their avant garde edge, which gives the record its sophistication.
Turns out that removing Brian Eno (god, how I loathe Brian Eno) is the best thing this band could do. It seems more contemporary than 1974, but still fits in the Bowie era.
This album cover is obviously legendary. I have never considered that the album would be any good. I enjoyed listening to this, and thought it was pretty awesome. I feel like I listened to things over multiple genres. There was some form of country, but also some crazy stuff there in the end with glam rock and other crazy stuff. Pretty cool, and I think I'd definitely listen to this again!
Bitter sweet es igual a Rocky horror movie show. Elaborete on that? No. Para mí un discazo, me gusta el juego de sonidos en una misma canción.
I love Roxy Music and this is a great album with a punchy sound. There are a few songs I'd skip though (e.g. the old fashioned R&R song If it Takes all Night).
Far better album than I anticipated. Great listen, and would listen again. Quite ahead of its time, despite being from the 1970s.
Always found Roxy an interesting band, if not one I tended to listen to. Not doubting their influential standing, and Enos work is always pioneering, Ferry a quite distinct vocalist/image, this album one of their more consistent, maybe slightly less quirky. I liked it today and will probably give them another try. 4 Star
Decent 4
Probably my favorite of theirs I've heard so far, even if I'm not totally convinced by them. 3.5/5
The album cover is so 70’s, but I can imagine why people bought it. Helps that music here is pretty good too! Solid glam rock offerings here. Love when a saxophone is thrown my way. All I Want Is You really reminds me of Is She Really Going Out With Him? Favorite songs were The Thrill Of It All, Three And Nine, All I Want Is You, Put Of The Blue, and A Really Good Time.
My third album from Roxy Music. Let’s hit it. That album cover is… striking? I approve. Their look is aggressively 70s-alternative, including the heavy eyeshadow, and the fact that they're naked. So there's a common theme between Roxy Music's album covers. Interesting, then, that the music doesn't really sound like the visuals. The sound is soft-rock, mirroring something like early Eagles or Steely Dan. You got the high, soft, pillowy backing vocals during the choruses, the crisp acoustic rhythm guitar panned to one side, the simple classic-rock drumming. Plus some wackier instruments like the harmonica and string section thrown in for good measure. It reads, hilariously, like dad rock. You know, the kind of dads that go on YouTube and comment "0% drugs. 0% nudity. 100% talent." The irony is palpable. The Thrill Of It All is fantastic. The strings really cut through the sound, the chords are great, and the various song sections make for a pretty interesting overall structure. It reminds me of the Rolling Stones circa 1970, particularly Gimme Shelter. Later in the album, All I Want Is You gives a similar feeling, along with a touch of Zeppelin. Must be the piano and chord progression. Out Of The Blue has a kick-ass bass break around halfway through that overshadows the rest of the song. Though the spacey guitar tone is also pretty nifty. Reminds me a bit of Moonage Daydream. The first half of the album stands the test of time well, and has at least somewhat abandoned the weird-for-the-sake-of-weird from their first two records. But they back into that rut with Bitter Sweet on side 2, which is just not enjoyable compared to anything earlier. Triptych is better. Very psychedelia and folk influenced. But Casanova is where we get a return to form, and with it some solid guitars and bass. The rest of the album is standard glam-rock, on par with Bowie's material from the same time period, and it's great. 4/5 Key tracks: The Thrill Of It All, All I Want Is You, Casanova
Good album altogether. Enjoyed listening to it
on third listen, yeah, is definitely a 4. out of the blue is one of my favorite roxy music songs.
An odd choice for Roxy Music. Their first 2 albums definitely belong here, but I think both Stranded and Siren have a stronger case. On this one, Ferry settles into that sort of crooner mode that served him well, but became his entire persona for a while. Some of the lyrics here are really bad. But still, it's Roxy Music. Four stars.
I remember being somewhat scandalized by this album cover when I saw it in record stores as a kid :) This is enjoyable stuff, even post-Eno. "Out of the Blue" is a highlight, but I enjoyed pretty much the whole album.
I'm surprised how much I liked almost every song on this album. Admittedly, I am a Brian Eno fan. A big fan. And I probably couldn't recognize Brian (?) Ferry from a lineup. But this album rocked...4 easy stars. Every cut was impressive, musically/lyrically.
One of the classic Roxy Music albums - though I do prefer the first two which had Eno on board.
I'm already a fan of Roxy Music so i might have an inclination on positive feedback/rating.This album has songs for everybody,but not everybody can listen to it.Tricky,isn't?Quite genius i say.It has so many influences:Glam,New Wave(before New Wave),Progressive and Art Rock to name a few.The band plays exceptionally the whole time supporting their creative and interesting ideas:Brian Ferry's expressionism and falsettos,virtuoso keys,guitars,bass,drums,sax,flute,horns.. The songs that really impressed me: The Thrill Of It All,powerful with great guitars,piano and awesome from start to finish with exceptional lead vocals.Some''quiet''artful bridges adds to the song especially the backing vocals.One of my favourites. All I Want Is You.New Wave vibes,this could have been a Cars song. Out Of The Blue,this reminded me a bit of Duran Duran and Bowie.Absolutely fantastic guitars(the solos!) and groovy bass,flanger,chorus,reverbs.delays fx treated as art. Bittersweet reminded me in the "quiet" parts a bit of the Crystal Ship of Doors,the vocals resonance.It has theatrical tensions with German lyrics at times which i didn't liked that much though. Triptych,exceptional baroque harpsicord keys,medieval polyphony in vocals.Highly progressive rock elements mixed with Roxy weirdness.Brilliant. Casanova,tongue to cheek,ironic lyrics and the whole band's amazing playing throughout the song. A Really Good Time,orchestral background, some synth arp,bluesy vocals,sweet saxophone.Bliss. Prairie Rose,new wavish with great vibes.Sparse sax in tune and totally in time along with great guitar.Nice bass change at the end. Too bad Brian Eno left,but they did great apart.
Finally, a Roxy Music album without Eno, and it's pretty rocking. "The Thrill Of It All" is a blistering opening that really sets up everything else that follows. Also an S-tier album cover....
I don't like it
Bowie-esque in a good way. I enjoyed it on first listen. Would listen to again but not sure if I ever will.
Better than Coldplay
I'm surprised I haven't spent time with this album before given how many listens I gave Avalon. I think I could have obsessed on this one, too, had I been paying attention back in the day.
Roxy Music are another rock band that I really should like more than I do and it's hard to put my finger on why I don't. I find them Ok, more than Ok actually, but aside from a greatest hits compilation, that I owned on vinyl many years ago, I now only posses their debut album, and rarely play it. I had never heard "Country Life" before today and it's a very good album (4/5) that marks a noticeable, if occasionally jarring (schizophrenic), shift from their early Art Rock toward a smoother Pop/Rock sound. The standout tracks for me were: - "All I Want Is You": A high-energy rocker featuring great lead guitar, prominent saxophone, and a stomping drum beat that perfectly fit the 1974 UK glam scene. - "Out of The Blue": Shares a similar powerful, driving vein with "All I Want Is You." - "Bitter-Sweet": is a dramatic song, cabaret influenced, partly sung in German. Decadent and dark. It's right up my Straße so to speak! - "Casanova": A hard-rocking tune defined by sharp guitar work and a signature sneering Bryan Ferry vocal. Side one 1 "The Thrill of It All" (4/5) 2 "Three and Nine" (3/5) 3 "All I Want Is You" (5/5) 4 "Out of the Blue" (5/5) 5 "If It Takes All Night" (3/5) Side two 1 "Bitter-Sweet" (5/5) 2 "Triptych" (3/5) 3 "Casanova" (5/5) 4 "A Really Good Time" (3/5) 5 "Prairie Rose" (4/5) Total - 40 Average - 4 152/1001 82/152 albums reviewed were new to me.
Enjoyable
Buenardo, no tenía ni idea, suena a glam pero un pelín más duro, como un Bowie que se bajó al gym. En el segundo tema hay una armónica que suena a lego arturito. Me lo acabé escuchando un par de veces y gozándomelo que flipas.
Only aware of their singles really. A band I wanted to check out. Starts strong, 70s art pop sound is cool, then the bluesy tracks hits not so fresh. Loses me for a bit but I'm back by the end. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Some Owned: No: 24/96 (25%) Will I get? ?
First listen - a little bored for first handful of tracks. Then increasingly intrigued by the lead singer’s Dracula-like intonations. In the end: a fan
Lowkey seductive.
ok.I likedit
Album 936 of 1089 Roxy Music - Country Life (1974) Rating : 3.5 / 5 I’ve always enjoyed Roxy Music and the unique space they carve out in the rock landscape. I’ve never considered them the very top of the heap, but they’ve also never let me down - this album is another solid example of their craft (even with the recent departure of Brian Eno). The songs are stylish and well put together, filled with that blend of sophistication and edge that defines their best work. It flows beautifully, balancing the romantic with the moody, the melodic with the experimental. Maybe not their all-time best, but a fine, confident record from a band that consistently delivered quality and class.
I didn't care for the first two Roxy Music albums on this list, but this one I dug. Rocked pretty hard but still had some pop sensibilities and prog weirdness to keep this interesting while adding some glam rock flare. Shades of Bowie, Peter Gabriel era Genesis with a shade of Zeppelin makes this concoction a fine listen. A quibble. Avalon should have been on this list as well. Still, solid stuff.
A very solid album, but I recognise is in no small part influenced by my pre-existing fondness for this time period and genre. It can be a bit experimental, but it has an Oresteian feeling to it; unlike the earlier Deee-lite album which relies on cheap gimmicks, this album maintains strong fundamentals which carry it through its less rhythmic moments. While there is some experimentation with stereo sound I feel this was under-utilised, and broader deployment across tracks would have added depth.
The two girls on the cover are the sister (white bikini) and girlfriend (black bikini) of Can's Michael Karoli. It captures the mood and style of 'Country Life' as perfectly as any cover ever has- it's almost a certainty that the way you feel about the album cover you will feel about the music on the album. The lead vocals are absolutely perfect; Bryan Ferry sounds effortlessly sophisticated and both ahead and behind his time. The music predicts both punk and new wave and frankly sounds positively alien. I remember first seeing this album when I was around 11/12 and being fascinated by the two girls on the cover and asking my dad if I was going to look like them someday. "We'll see." he said SPOILER I did not grow up to have a positively perfect body but also my face looks nothing like Michael Karoli's girlfriend's (girl with the black bikini bottom) face and for that I'm grateful as I always found her face (★★⯪) a tiny bit off. On first listen Country Life sounds flawless but after a few spins it clearly isn't a perfect album but it's awfully close.
Bittersweet and Triptych are strange, both require another listen. Everything else has been winding, bendy, sexy, sleazy, cool, jazzy and funky. Prairie Rose (last track) is my favorite.
Started strong. Back half not as great
Almost as good as the bazookas on the cover
These guys rule
I had heard of Roxy Music but don’t think I had heard of them or could even place their era or genre. This was great - love the energy of the first track (The Thrill of It All) and it went back to that level quite frequently. Even the things that were a bit more out there were well done and exciting. Very solid, will seek out more of their work. While Roxy Music is obviously geographically distinct I see a lot in common with the CBGB bands that I’ve to some extent discovered that I love through this (Television and Talking Heads in particular)…I had been generally familiar with the era and the names of the bands but had equated the style more with the Ramones (also great but not as interesting to me), which has been a major benefit of exploring this list.
Really enjoyed this one!
I really enjoyed this one—I’d never heard of Roxy Music before.
This is an album that stands out immediately for its, um, album cover… and one that I’ve listened to occasionally over the years. I actually didn’t realize until this listen that it’s two albums removed from Brian Eno’s involvement in the band. Sonically, it’s quite impressive and varied, and sounds ahead of its time in some ways. Out of the Blue is my personal favorite.
Fun and eclectic. Must confess I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics. But the music was enjoyable.
Very interesting album, I liked a lot of the songs, did start off slow and I thought it was going to be a mid album but found myself enjoying it quite a bit
Just about a perfect album from the glory years.
Okay I liked this one MUCH more than the last Roxy Music album, fun and funky without overstaying its welcome
NIPPLES!! funky, groovy, effortlessly cool didn't quite give me what i need for a five (and i'm kind of struggling on why), but an entirely excellent album and another exciting find through this journey! could this be my gateway into liking 60s and 70s rock? would play this album for traveling through space!
I expected and wanted to hate this album, but I really didn't.
First half is brilliant, not so much the second half.
I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to! A bit of a "kitchen sink" approach to some of the songs but definitely offers variety. I like it better than their later work. Top Track: Out of the Blue
I really liked this album, would likely spin this again. However, that album cover is so edge lord
hey this was pretty fun - had no problem putting this on and going about my day today. great stuff!! but also, an aside: starting to notice a pattern where everybody blames brian eno for everything. didn't quite realize my guy was the jack antonoff of the 70s... highlights - the thrill of it all, all i want is you, out of the blue, triptych, casanova, prairie rose
Cohesive whilst retaining a broad spectrum of sounds. I've found more to enjoy here than with previous Roxy Music offerings, with perhaps the exception of For Your Pleasure.
I thought I'd like this even more because there's some really good stuff, but still something makes it not quite deserving of the 5 stars.
Opening song is excellent. Definitely other shiny bits and pieces.
A fine work!
85% Best: The Thrill Of It All; Out Of The Blue; Casanova; Prairie Rose Must-Hear? Sure
First of all, I absolutely fucking despise that album cover. But other than that, this feels like a slightly improved version of the previous album I've listened to, which is of course "Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire", great album. Favorite tracks: 1. Out Of The Blue 2. Prairie Rose 3. The Thrill Of It
Not what I was expecting. Enjoyed it! Lots of different styles blended on 1 album 4 ⭐️
I was ready to write this off after the first 6 songs but total 180 after Bitter Sweet. Astounding 5 song run. Glad to be proven wrong for once.
The first half is a great album. The second is weird but still likable.
Great album
I've listened to them before and got kind of bored and I thought listening to this album might be a change of pace but I got kind of bored again. But for some reason I kept listening to their discography and it played their self titled album album from 1972 "roxy music" and that album kicks ass.
I've never listened to Roxy Music before but I think I will listen to more of their stuff after listening to Country Life. This album offers a wide range of vibes with deep instrumentation. This is one of those albums you can listen to 10 times and still discover new stuff you didn't catch in the background.
Love this but not quite as much as s/t, for your pleasure, or avalon.
79/100 absolutely incredible, makes me wanna listen to more glam rock and more foxy music in general, probably my third favourite albim from this project so far
Quite enjoyed this
Didn't expect to enjoy this after listening to their debut album, but I was very pleasantly surprised. A good amount of variety and nicely balanced experimental touches. Some tracks were not so engaging.
By far the best Roxy music album I've been forced to listen to bu this program. Fyi, theres NO WAY theres at least 3 albums by them in the top 1000 albums ever.
My relationship with Roxy Music and their music has always been a little divided. Just as I am with the music of Brian Eno. Of course I knew the cover of the album. Now I've heard it for the first time. I liked it for the most part. I will listen to it again in more detail. 4/5
This album absolutely rips. I'd seen the album cover but never listened to Roxy Music before and they're fucking awesome. If I started listing best songs, I'd end up listing the entire album. Bryan Ferry's vocals are kinda similar to David Byrne of the Talking Heads Three and Nine is a great, chill tune with kind of a Ray Davies delivery Out of the Blue is a ripper, awesome guitar solo at the end. If It Takes All Night is a fun Elvis sorta pastiche Bitter Sweet is an amazing dramatic vaudeville song that wouldn't sound out of place on Pink Floyd's The Wall Triptych has some baroque vibes with almost chamber-like vocals and harmonies Casanova simply kicks ass. Funky as hell. A very strong 4
Ooh, nearly naked & super skinny women on the album cover! Edgy. But I’m enjoying the music.
Been a while since we’ve had some Roxy! This was a solid offering. Not something I’d go for again and again but it was consistent and I have no complaints. Light 4.
Heard it before. I think there isn't a Roxy Music album that I dislike. Great album 4/5
All good. Love roxy
So smooth and well crafted audio
‘You’ve had enough of the blues and stuff’ - too fucking right. At times this album is too busy, packing itself with a standard 4-piece setup and adding, strings, piano, and harmonica sporadically to the mixes. I feel the album could have benefited from a more stripped back, driven, rawer mix. That said, the instruments are all played well, the arrangements are all nice and catchy, as are the vocals - are marked improvement from For Your Pleasure. A good length, a strong collection of songs; solid album that while sometimes feels disjointed, particularly with the more unorthodox pieces in its second half, feels like a fun prototype for late 70s/early 80s new wave rock and pop. The Thrill of it All (8/10) Three and Nine (7/10) All I Want is You (8/10) Out of the Blue (8/10) If It Takes All Night (8/10) Bitter Sweet (7/10) Triptych (7/10) Casanova (7/10) A Really Good Time (8/10) Prairie Rose (7/10) 7.5/10
Great album felt like being in a bar in 1974: came out swinging with The Thrill of It All and kept my attention through most of the album.
Dope
Brian Ferry’s voice is like butter, so smooth and unmistakable. Great album.
4.7
I knew the name, but I wasn't really familiar with their sound. And that is pretty good: entertaining, enough variations and experimentations so that it is not boring, not too long... The artwork is cringe, but the music is nice.
Interesting mix of styles. I know Roxy Music but hadn't listened to this album. Definitely needs repeat listens.
A very good Roxy Music record. Not my favorite, but has some incredible songs on it...
of the Roxy Music albums i’ve listened to, i think this one is my favorite
“The Thrill of it All” is such a killer opening. The music theory on this record in general is chef’s kiss, I love when pop music uses uncommon intervals - but knocking this down a star for the Bryan Ferry of it all 😑
Nice groove on "The Thrill Of It All". Nice harp on "Three And Nine" and "If It Takes All Night". The Franz Ferdinand- like "Bitter-Sweet". Nonetheless the album needed a few runs to grow on me from two to weak four stars. 3,5
Interesting! I had never heard a full album of theirs before.
an album that grew on me and sounded much better on a second listen. fave songs; bitter-sweet (WOW?!), out of the blue (slaps so hard), a really good time (so good!) and the thrill of it all (banger).
Really digging this. Proggy but rockng. A lot of cool stuff going on. Will come back to this. 4 1=Crap that shouldn't be here 2=I didn't like it but get why it's here 3=I thought it was ok or even like it, get why it's here, but won't revisit 4=I like it, will revisit 5=This is some of the best music I've ever heard and will continue listening to it
Rock aus den 70ern. KLingt aber noch frisch und gut hörbar. Gute Melodien, die Texte interessant. 4/5
Awesome album. top to bottom a very enjoyable listen.
A wild album for sure. There’s so much going on, this is a Roxy Music album unlike any other.
Super éclectique. Pourquoi il y a un blues rock-a-billy en plein milieu? If it takes all night Ça parle en allemand sur Bitter sweet? J'aime bien Triptych qui est une genre de marche de Renaissance avec du clavecin Les emprunts classiques me font penser à Jethro Tull, et la voix du chanteur aussi d'ailleurs. Dans l'ensemble très intéressant bien que je ne connaissais pas du tout. Comme Guillaume avec Depeche Mode, je me serais bien vu découvrir ça à l'adolescence en bon trippeux de prog rock (la couverture aidant avec les hormones, comme quand j'avais découvert The Darkness)
Great album. Definitely hear the influences they had on Brit pop acts such as pulp and blur.
I found Country Life to be a much better record than "For Your Pleasure". Here, they lean much more into the rock side of their music. They also manage to keep the record interesting and innovative but accessible at the same time. The first half of the album was the strongest for me. It does get a bit weird around the middle, but it still works for me. No Brian Eno also means that the weirdness isn't as experimental as before, but this also helps keep the record grounded in Art Rock territory. One big improvement is Ferry's singing, he manages to complement the music much better, dialing down the excessive vibrato singing heard in "For Your Pleasure". My favourite track was "Out Of The Blue", and "Prairie Rose" was great too, the guitar work on both tracks is excellent, and the drums are pretty good.
Thom Yorke covered Bitter Sweet for the Velvet Goldmine movie, so I’m well aware of that song and I love its campiness. In fact, campy is the name of this entire albums game. Each song feels like it’s being delivered with a smile and a wink. This may end up being one of the better albums from 1974. It’s definitely the first Roxy Music album that I enjoyed.
Great album I enjoyed a real good time
cool
This band is really great but their album covers truly are outdated in a way I can't even describe.
Fantastic rock with a good helping of 70s pop. A couple of the tracks I could have skipped, but generally a good time. 4.5/5
Reminded me of Echo and the Bunnymen, but FUNKY.
Performative British art rock with a heavy splash of glam. Proof this can work if done well.
If It Takes All Night and Prairie Rose are total bangers
Roxy Music really knows how to party. Their albums are always ambitious and delightfully audacious. "The Thrill of it All" and "All That I Want is You" are the standouts for me.
Never heard of Roxy Music before this, and I found the album a very enjoyable listen. Every element works together in ways both expected and unexpected. It's hard to describe but I'd say it's a... Sophisticated rock sound. The album feels delicately and deliberately constructed, not just like they threw everything at the wall to see what sticks, and it comes out sounding great.
Bit indecisive on this one but I think it just about scrapes a 4 star rating
Many years ago, I bought this album on CD knowing extremely little about Roxy Music. I had been on a Brian Eno kick and knew that he got his start with this band. I'd also heard that this was their best album. So it was a little disappointing to realize that Eno had already departed by this time (evidently so bored that he was daydreaming about doing laundry while on stage). In retrospect, it seems to have been for the best for everyone. Even after seeking out the earlier stuff, I have to agree that this is the band's best. It's not necessarily revolutionary, just a solid album without a single bad track. It's not quick art rock, not quite glam but it feels very early 70s. It's vaguely spacey and Krautrock inspired (apparently one of the models on the riskee cover was the sister of a member of Can). There are better rock albums out there, and better experimental albums too. But that's fine. There's still a lot to love here.
Pretty good. Just barely four stars. They caught me in a generous mood. YOU OWE ME, ROXY MUSIC.
I need to be better about checking out Roxy Music, so many musicians I love were in that band. This is the non-Eno lineup I believe, but they still had Phil Manzanera. Definitely revisiting.
ahhoz képest, amire a borító alapján számítottam, mindenképpen egy masterpiece. :D de tényleg, a three and nine meg a triptych el is lett mentve rögtön, nagyon érdekes album ez!
Great tits, great music.
Wat een album! Eigenlijk ben ik altijd een Roxy Music fan geweest zonder dat ik het wist. Dit is gewoon Talking Heads, maar iets anders. 4.2
Not what I was expecting and I actually quite enjoyed this. Very easy to listen to with a nice variety, with almost everything being chucked at some of the tracks. I love the vocal style. It's somewhere between 3 and 4 stars I felt, but I'm marking it up, as I did go back and listen to half of it again.
Art rock before art rock, new romantic before the new romantics, Roxy Music clearly wanted to push new ground and, with a wide range of pretention and musical chops, they're clearly throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks! It's not the most cohesive album, considering how the genre subtly changes every track, but somehow the overblown feel of it all works out - a lot of fun, honestly, and not an album I would have picked up otherwise.
3.9
Prairie Rose and titties
+1 Stern für Album Cover +1 Stern für coolen Sound +1 Stern für coolen Gesang +1 für generelles Gefühl beim Album. Hat sich gut angefühlt 4 Sterne
Dieses Album ist damals (trotz des Covers) an mir vorbeigegangen. Leider kann ich jetzt nur sagen. Aber lieber spät als nie. Großartig.
Overall: 7/10 Boobies! Pretty decent music too. It took a while for me to get used to the vocals but I enjoyed the second half of the album a lot. Not sure how often I'll listen to these guys but this way enjoyable. Fav Song: Bitter Sweet Least Fav Song: Triptych
A little goofy but genuinely fun. I would have no objections to listening to this album again.
Great
Cool! Nog een keer goed luisteren
This album was made in 1974? Jesus this album feel incredibly ahead of its time. It wouldn't sound out of place in the 80's I wouldn't think on some songs. Always meant to listen to it, just never got around to it. Really good stuff, especially the lead song The Thrill of It All.
With Avalon and Siren being my favorite RM albums, this one is not far off. A very cool listen with a lot of stylistic stuff going which at the time was pushing the envelope in the glam/rock world for sure. And how can you not love the iconic album cover.
The perfect album cover doesn’t exi… OH. Enjoyed this quite a bit. Need to give another listen but solid on my first time through. Was nervous cuz Brian Eno ain’t my bag. Then realized he already left RM by this point. Yay! 3.75/5
This is a brilliant album, a genuine 5/5, and one I absolutely wasn’t expecting to give. It’s the first time I’ve properly listened to a full Roxy Music album, and I was hooked. As soon as it finished, I went straight into Avalon and then followed it up with For Your Pleasure. That says everything. There’s something incredibly confident about Country Life. It balances art rock experimentation with sharp, melodic songwriting. You can hear how influential it’s been, from the dramatic poise of Morrissey to the darker romanticism of Nick Cave. The glamour, the moodiness, the slightly detached cool, it’s all here. I loved Prairie Rose, A Really Good Time, All I Want Is You, and Out of the Blue. There are so many strong tracks that the album never dips. It feels cohesive but never dull, stylish without being shallow. Favourite track: Out of the Blue, brilliant from start to finish. The driving bassline carries it, and the instrumental break in the middle is superb Least favourite track: Bitter-Sweet, this one didn’t quite click and felt more like atmosphere than a song Album artwork: Lovely, bold, provocative, and instantly iconic, perfectly matching the album’s confident and slightly decadent feel
Οχι ιδιαιτερα ευπεπτη μουσικη αλλα απιστευτες πραγματικα παραγωγες. Συνεχεια εναλλαγες και γενικα γινονταν πολλα πραγματα ταυτοχρονα σε ενα κομματι χωρις να ακουγεται σαν ενα mess. Επειδη πιστευω θα βελτιωθει με each listen βαζω ηδη 4 , ενω κανονικα θα βαζα 3.
I dug this more than I expected and think a lot of it is due to the instrumental work being pretty full in the background. I think I'll come back to this one for more listens. It may have just caught me on a good day but I dig what I'm hearing more than their last album I heard.
Nothing wrong with the music but it's a huge letdown after the cover.
Uno de los trabajos más influyentes de los '70s, la elegancia y picardía de Roxy Music destaca en el cuarto trabajo de los británicos, quienes venían renovando la forma de producir (gracias a las brillantes maquinaciones de Eno), desde hace ya algunos años. Country Life no tiene nada que envidiarle a otros grandes de la alternativa, como Low de David Bowie o cualquier disco de Can. Por favor, escúchelo. PD: Buen trabajo, pero no tan bueno como el debut de la banda.
## In-Depth Review of *Country Life* by Roxy Music Roxy Music's *Country Life*, released in 1974, marks a significant point in the band's evolution, showcasing their unique blend of art rock, glam, and pop sensibilities. This album stands out not only for its musical innovation but also for its lyrical depth, production quality, thematic exploration, and cultural influence. Below is a comprehensive analysis of these aspects, along with a discussion of the album's pros and cons. ### Lyrics ****Exploration of Themes**** The lyrics of *Country Life* are characterized by Bryan Ferry's sophisticated wordplay and thematic diversity. The album often explores themes of love, desire, and the complexities of human relationships. Songs like “The Thrill of It All” and “All I Want Is You” delve into romantic longing and emotional intensity, while “Casanova” presents a more cynical view on love and attraction. Ferry's lyrics frequently juxtapose romantic imagery with darker undertones, as seen in lines from “Casanova,” where he provocatively mentions drug use alongside flirtation. This duality reflects the glam rock ethos of the time, blending allure with an underlying sense of danger. The song “Triptych” further showcases Ferry's lyrical prowess with its madrigal-like structure, evoking a sense of nostalgia and reflection. ****Narrative Style**** Ferry employs a narrative style that invites listeners to interpret the songs on multiple levels. For instance, in “Out of the Blue,” the lyrics oscillate between a sense of euphoria and existential contemplation. The phrase “If you ever change your mind / I’ve a certain cure” suggests both romantic hope and an acknowledgment of fleeting moments. ### Music ****Musical Composition**** Musically, *Country Life* is a rich tapestry that incorporates various genres including rock, funk, blues, and even elements reminiscent of country music. The album opens with “The Thrill of It All,” which features a powerful bassline and dynamic instrumentation that sets an energetic tone. Phil Manzanera’s guitar work throughout the album is particularly noteworthy; his solos are both expressive and technically proficient. Tracks like “Out of the Blue” highlight Roxy Music's ability to blend melodic hooks with avant-garde soundscapes. The song transitions from a gentle introduction to an explosive climax, showcasing the band's knack for dramatic contrasts within their compositions. ****Production Quality**** Produced by John Punter at George Martin’s AIR Studios, the production quality on *Country Life* is exceptional. Punter’s approach adds clarity and depth to the sound, allowing each instrument to shine while maintaining cohesion across tracks. The use of flanging and echo effects enhances the psychedelic elements present in songs like “Bitter Sweet,” creating an immersive listening experience. ### Themes Thematically, *Country Life* encapsulates a range of ideas reflective of the early 1970s cultural landscape. The album’s title itself references the British magazine known for its portrayal of rural life, contrasting with the urban sophistication embodied by Roxy Music. This duality is mirrored in the music and lyrics—there’s an exploration of both high society and more grounded experiences. ****Cultural Commentary**** Ferry’s lyrics often serve as social commentary on fame and desire. In tracks like “Casanova,” he critiques superficial relationships while simultaneously embracing their allure. This tension between aspiration and reality resonates throughout the album, making it relevant not just as music but as a reflection of societal attitudes during that era. ### Influence *Country Life* had a significant impact on both contemporary music and subsequent generations of artists. Its blend of styles influenced genres such as new wave and post-punk, with bands like Duran Duran citing Roxy Music as a key inspiration. The album's artistic approach paved the way for future explorations in glam rock and art pop. Moreover, *Country Life* has been recognized for its bold aesthetic choices—both musically and visually. The controversial cover art featuring scantily clad models sparked discussions about sexuality in music marketing, further solidifying Roxy Music's position as provocateurs in the industry. ### Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Diverse Musical Styles**: The album showcases a wide range of musical influences—from glam rock to funk—demonstrating Roxy Music's versatility. - **Lyrical Depth**: Bryan Ferry's lyrics are sophisticated and thought-provoking, offering listeners multiple layers to explore. - **Production Quality**: John Punter’s production enhances the overall sound quality, making it one of Roxy Music’s most polished albums. - **Cultural Impact**: The album has left a lasting legacy on various music genres and continues to influence artists today. #### Cons - **Uneven Track Quality**: Some critics note that certain tracks do not reach the same heights as others; for example, songs like “If It Takes All Night” have been described as less engaging. - **Accessibility**: While innovative, some listeners may find the experimental nature of certain tracks challenging or off-putting. - **Initial Controversy**: The provocative cover art may overshadow the music for some audiences, leading to misinterpretations about the album’s content. ### Conclusion Roxy Music's *Country Life* stands as a landmark achievement within their discography and within 1970s rock music at large. Its intricate blend of lyrical sophistication, musical innovation, high production values, thematic richness, and cultural significance makes it an enduring classic. While it may have its uneven moments, the highs far outweigh any shortcomings, solidifying its place in music history as both an artistic triumph and a reflection of its time.
Pretty solid! Reminded me of bowie.
Awesome
4/5
si si
Unevenly brilliant; sound feels too full in parts. 4
I liked this a lot. Writing this a day later though I can't remember any standout moments so I'd have to listen to it again.
4 out of 5. This beats For Your Pleasure by a long mile, with only a slight dip somewhere in the middle.
Something here that reminds me of one of my favorite bands, so it's not hard to hear some of the inspiration they had. Also a lot of fun.
Country Life is the fourth Roxy Music album, which was the work that brought them fame in the US. The album is regarded as more consistent and refined than their earlier albums; the album's polished feel seems appropriate for the band's focus on art rock. The cover art features two models in translucent lingerie; the controversy around the artwork may have added to the notoriety of the album. The album includes "All I Want is You," which was one of the band's most successful singles. Singer Bryan Ferry's seductive tenor is the most notable feature of Roxy Music; his crooning is part of the stylish, effortlessly cool persona that is at the center of Roxy Music's presentation of art rock.
The Thrill Of It All // Three And Nine // Out Of The Blue // A Really Good Time //
It was an interesting album. I know Avalon as a child of the 80s but have never really listened to 70s Roxy Music and found it interesting enough to want to explore the first 5 albums. Will definitely listen to more Roxy Music. Its an upper 3 so I will give it a 4
Wow, I have never heard of Roxy Music, but they surprised me. Solid, super solid. Certainly ahead of their time.
Pretty good. Would listen again. Songs seem to have held up over the years
3.9 - I enjoyed as much as the other albums, but thats 3 now
All sounded exactly the same but lowkey loved it
Wonderful surprise, the adjective that comes to mind is "refined", specially for "Out of the Blue".
Never heard this but excellent. Loved the opening track.
专辑上来的那段旋律好喜欢
Good songs, nice vibe.
Unfamiliar with Roxy Music but enjoyed this a fair amount. Lots of variety and interesting instrumentation. Never know what to expect with each song. Favorite tracks: Bitter Sweet, Triptych, A Really Good Time
I always enjoy a glimpse of the twilit demimonde that seems to exist in the fevered imaginations of Ferry and co. There was a period where these guys were untouchable. This album is part of that run.
Really enjoyed this. Shall be checking out some more Roxy Music in the future. Simpsons: No
Neat album.
Almost every song here is so close to being something great, and so most of them just end up in the good territory. This still leads to a solid album that's lacking in Eno weirdness, but is solid glam rock nonetheless. It just always feels weirdly lacking, whether it be the vocals or the instrumentation, if one piece is peak, the other is mid. Good album, even great at times, but it falls short of the god tier glam rock album I took this for in passing.
Favorite Tracks: Casanova The Thrill Of It All Three And Nine
Fantastic album cover and the album as a whole is really enjoyable
album. The B side grabbed me quite a bit more than the A side, especially the startling, strange German oom-pah song “Bitter Sweet.” I’d honestly never heard Roxy Music before. I recognized the album cover of half-nude models against a background of pine needles—it’s kind of hard to forget. My impressions without reading anything about the band yet: they have a clear knack for theatricality. There was something extremely flamboyant about this album. The lead singer has this half-sung, half-spoken thing going on, but his voice isn’t super unique. The arrangements are dense and polished, which isn’t always my favorite, but the album certainly had some texture to it. It did sound ahead-of-its-time for 1974, and clearly inspired later new wave and electro-pop sounds that became popular later in the decade.
Definitely needs more listens to really sink in, there's a lot going on here, in a good way. Every song felt unique, great playing. Poppy rock music can still be super interesting when done by great musicians like this one is.
Прикольный рок, хорошо слушается
I mean come on
Please believe me when I say I'm not sexist, but the one on the right is hotter. Favourite Songs: The Thrill Of It All, All I Want Is You, Out Of The Blue, Bitter Sweet. Least Favourite Songs: If It Takes All Night, Triptych.
I expected cheap thrills based on the album cover, but this was much better than I expected! It felt varied and experimental enough, while maintaining a unified feel and still producing an enjoyable sound. Pleasantly surprised