Roxy Music
Country Life
1974
It can't be just me who's fixated on this fantasy time. Ah, '74…the music, the film, the cars, the porn, the fucked-up glamorous excess of it all. This here is one fully realized time capsule. The Thrill Of It All indeed. And yes, saxophones can fit into rock bands (oh yeah, the guitar solos are in there - just check behind the disco bass). Three and Nine - the Schoolhouse Rock of Sex. Out of The Blue - oh, the ascension of the verse! Then, is it Goodnight Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you. Goodnight.? Nope, that was only Act I (pretend you have the LP here). Intermission.
Act II.
This is the Kurt Weill sound, right? In parts circus-like, Germanic, melodramatic.
"These vintage years…." Brilliant Ferryisms. Next, the courtly,
harpsichord chorale that is Triptych. And again, the ascension, the
verse. Jesus Christ. He rises, eh? Next is the story of a particular man down
here on earth. Tough gig. Lotsa swagger. Casanova (is that your name,
or do you live there?)- allow me to introduce you to Amazona* - maybe
you'll have a Really Good Time. Orchestrated Mayfield? Hayes? Definitely
a soundtrack closer. But no! This soundtrack ain't over yet. There's still
the rousing Prairie Rose. A commercial for the big state of Texas.
A song of woo for a big 'ol drag queen. The man can't explain it, but it's
a high stepper! Whoo ya! Goodnight Ladies and Gents. Thank you and Goodnight.
-Julia Brown
(*note: for an encore, go back one album to Stranded - the first piece of post-Eno finery)