ALBUMS: Avalon (1982); MUSIQUE: The High Road (1983)
MVC Ratings : Avalon 4.5/$$$$; Musique 4.5 $$$
Over the years I’ve tallked to a lot of people about music. I’ve argued over albums that are underrated or overrated. I’ve talked about sound quality, which musicians are best at their instruments, and so on and on. It beats talking about the weather.
A lot of music lovers in my particular demographic i.e. balding older white males with mediocre dance moves, like or love Roxy Music. That may be a statement that is hard for me to explain. But, especially in Roxy’s later years( I mean early 80s), the group displayed a smooth sound with excellent instrumentals and a lead singer in Bryan Ferry who was the definition of smooth.
The High Road, a live EP from ’83, has two of the best rock covers I’ve heard: Jealous Guy (where they re-work the Lennon song;) and Like a Hurricane, Neil Young’s windy love song. This album is an EP with four song. But you get the two aforementioned songs on one side with about 15 minutes of music.
Avalon is a full length album.’ More than This’ was a No. 1 single in the UK, but surprisingly never cracked the top 100 here in the US. The title song and ‘Take a Chance on Me’ are a few other highlights. If you like the sound I’d buy both albums. I have an anthology of all their work on CD, and it is good but does not have these albums on it, instead focusing on older material like ‘(Do) The Strand.’ Now, one of their better songs — from the album Siren — is called ‘Love is the Drug.’ I like the crunchy guitar sound in that song. Again I have that digitally.
You may also have noticed the cover of The High Road is featured (bottom right) in a collage-like display on my Home Page.