roxy music - stranded & country life

Today’s music is a couple of genuine 100% classics. Roxy Music’s Stranded and Country Life.

Both contain some really top notch songs (among the classics are “Mother Of Pearl”, “Song For Europe”, Street Life”, “Amazona” on Stranded and “All I Want Is You”, “Out of The Blue”, “A Really Good Time” and “Casanova” on CL) and both albums are brilliantly produced with even the weaker songs garnished with delightful little touches. “Triptych” is especially cleverly constructed with both startling choral vocals on the middle section and harpsichords on the opening and closing parts.

Both albums have striking covers (with perhaps CL having one of the most striking covers by anyone, ever), both feature the stunning violin work of Eddie Jobson, especially on “Out Of The Blue”, Manzanera plays a blinder on both (“Amazona” is a real tour de force) and Andy Mackay contributes some of his best ever saxophone work on “A Song For Europe”. Paul Thompson’s drumming is never better (just listen to his power drumming throughout “The Thrill Of It All” or at the start of “Mother Of Pearl” and the sudden switch when the song changes down a gear – brilliant). Ferry’s lyrics are beautifully bitter sweet and perfectly sung (listen to the high notes that he reaches on the gorgeous “Just Like You”). And there are even touches of humour – the backing vocals on “Mother Of Pearl” are terrific – as Ferry sings ‘well I’ve been up all night’ the backing vocals chip in with a sarcastic ‘again?’ which is a very clever touch. Also very funny are the strident German vocals on “Bitter Sweet” as the oompah chorus contrasts brilliantly with the lovely oboe-led verses, and the cry of ‘ahhhh more champagne…’ in “If It Takes All Night” always makes me laugh - the imagery of Ferry smoothly stalking his way round party after party would come to haunt him in later years, but back in 1974 that’s exactly what he was doing.  

Both albums are so good, but for me Country Life just edges out Stranded for position as my favourite RM album. Mainly because of the beauty and self pitying melancholy of “A Really Good Time” which contains one of my all time favourite Ferry lyrics and arguably Jobson’s prettiest violin work.

But whatever, they are both superb records.