Your Favourite Roxy Music Album

Manifesto!!

 

Really? I find that the band's albums get better with each album up to Siren. Manifesto still embodies the older ethos of Roxy in terms of the topics and quality of the songs while, with Flesh + Blood it was even more about popular style over content.

 

I rank the last three albums in this order:

Avalon
Manifesto
Flesh and Blood

Avalon is sophisticated pop at its best.

 

First album and Felicity Jones got my vote

 

I haven't heard much their their earlier material. Need to remedy that. 'Avalon' is one of the most incredible sounding albums I've heard

 

An excerpt from one of my absolute favorite songs by any band mimed by one of the most beautiful ladies I've ever seen. I'm in love with that scene, I admit it.

 

Not really a relevant post but I've been revisiting Ferrys "Another Time Another Place" recently and hidden at the very end of what is merely an OK collection of covers housed in a great gatefold sleeve (or the b-side of the "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" 7") lurks an absolute killer: The title track which somehow would make an excellent companion to "Country Life"s (last song) "Prairie Rose". Also from 1974.

One of the very best Bryan Ferry deep cuts ever, revived/ rescued in 2013 for concerts.

 

How can Manifesto only receive 7 votes. It's a terrific listen. Bizarre.

 

I have fond memories of this compilation, what I first cut my teeth on in the 80s, along with Avalon. It definitely made a convert out of me.

I've always enjoyed it, particularly side one. I like it more than Flesh and Blood, but I can't say that I prefer it to the earlier albums.

 

My intro to them was 'Do the strand' on The Old Grey Whistle test.
'For your pleasure', it is.

 

It's nice to see appreciation for almost all of the Roxy albums. Which is understandable, as all of them are great, or have their great moments.

My favorites would have to be Siren and Avalon, but then these are the only ones I have on LP, and the ones I have spent the most time with. I have Manifesto and Viva! digitally and they are great albums too, al;though I still prefer the former two. Still have to pick up Country Life at some point!

With regard to Roxy Music, an article on The Quietus a few years back revealed that Mark Lanegan (of Mark Lanegan Band, Queens of the Stone Age, Soulsavers, Screaming Trees...) is in fact a big Roxy fan, and would have preferred his voice to sound like Bryan Ferry's (note that Mark's is this deep, bottomless baritone). He highlighted Country Life as a particular favorite when running errands around the house (which is a great image in itself).

For those interested, find it here: The Quietus | Features | Baker's Dozen |

 

Agree - easily a better listen than Flesh + Blood, in my opinion.

 

The last three albums for music, first 3 albums for album covers.

 

My introduction to Roxy as a record buyer (apart from Virginia Plain). I love this piece of wax and its cover.
Rainbow leopardskin, gold vinyl and distorted models pointing in a spooky way. Great selection of tracks all killer (etc).
Other than this I vote for the 1972 debut (Ladytron, 2HB. Bitters End, Remake/Remodel - come on folks - Dance Away is as nothing compared to these).

 

1. Country Life
2. For Your Pleasure
3. Avalon
4. Flesh + Blood
5. Siren

Very tough to call this one...

 

The later EG / Virgin Made in Holland ones sound better. Still unremastered, but better sources were used to my ears. And they can be picked up for peanuts.

 

That compilation was everywhere at the time wasn't it! I never owned it but it's a strong memory

 

Yes, I never understood this. The material on Manifesto is better than Flesh + Blood by miles.

 

The first... there was nothing like it at the time, and it still feels light years ahead of everything else

 

I gave this to friend (Jennifer Lee where are you?) as a gift--they let me live in their apartment over a very difficult summer for me in Los Angeles. They liked Avalon and wanted another Roxy Music album but earlier...so I figured this would be a nice sampler and they could determine if they liked the early stuff from that. They didn't. I probably should have gotten them Flesh + Blood!

 

I loved Angel Eyes disco version (single only?) but could never get into Flesh and Blood. I really liked Avalon though, much to the consternation of my school pals in the mid 1980s, as they thought I only listened to "weird" stuff as I was obsessed with Brian Eno's music at that time.

Same Old Scene is my all time favourite Roxy / Ferry song. I just love it for some reason, wonderful. Followed or tied with the title track of For Your Pleasure. But my favourite album is the first.

 

You couldn't ask for a better compilation imo.

 

It also has the rare (at the time) single mixes of a couple of tracks as well.

 

The single disco version of "Angel Eyes" replaced the "rock" version in the UK when it became a hit which meant the rock version wasn't available until Reprise reissued Manifesto in the U.S. on CD and they were remastered by Ludwig. The version of "Dance Away" was slightly different on the Uk vs. U.S. Release eventually for the same reason.

I think Avalon garnered the most votes because it was 1) their most popular in the U.S. selling a million copies (even though it didn't chart highly it was a stuborn album being s big catalog seller for Roxy) and bexause of the endless air play (and the New aromatic movement) on MTV?