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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Roxy Music – ”Stranded” (1973)

Roxy Music’s third album and the first without Brian Eno. This was one of 2013 Christmas presents for my mother, who had been hunting in the town’s stores for used LPs. This must surely have been a funnier Christmas gift hunting than the usual on Wal-Mart, H & M or the local book shop. I am happy to receive more Christmas gifts like this.

Despite Roxy Music's legendary status, the band is a relatively unexplored area for me. But it feels great that there is still unknown territory even within rockn’ roll’s more well-known areas. On the album cover you’ve got Bryan Ferry's then girlfriend Marilyn Cole, who was also the Playmate of the Year 1973. Ferry had a habit of putting his girlfriends on the band's album covers. Although it’s relatively daring it’s still innocent compared to the cover on the subsequent Country Life, which my wife doesn’t allow lying around when we get visitors at home.

There are many who believe that this is Roxy Music's best album, one of these is actually Brian Eno. Personally, I also think it's a very good album. You’ve got a mix between some fast paced numbers, such as the classic opening track Street Life, and quieter pieces like Psalmor the beautiful A Song For Europe. Many of the tracks must be described as almost epical, with its various twists and parts. Epic glam and art rock. The great Mother Of Pearl is an example of this, which after a loud and messy intro takes a completely different turn. Also Amazon takes a somewhat unexpected turn into a more dreamy path after some initial minutes with a completely different sound.

Rolling Stone magazine wrote at the time:

Roxy Music has been unable to cross the Atlantic so far, but that should change with this album. Stranded is one of the most exciting and entertaining British LPs of the Seventies.

A really great album without any real weak tracks, according to me. Bryan Ferry, the main songwriter, confirms his expertise and talent as a composer. Perhaps it’s the absence of Brian Eno that makes Stranded lacking a little of the previous album For Your Pleasure’s more strange and difficult pieces. If this is positive or negative is a matter of taste, personally I think both albums are great.