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In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
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Author:  UKRichard [ Sun Feb 05, 2023 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Clearly, the many merits of this album have been mentioned here countless times, but I'm not sure we've had a topic dedicated to The Fourth Roxy Music Album. If I'm mistaken, I can't in all good conscience apologise because further appraisal is certainly no bad thing.

I always have a feeling this is an album that somehow slips between the cracks and is overlooked. Its predecessor was and still is the subject of much discussion following the departure of Eno and is notable as the band's first No.1. Its successor is remembered as spawning the band's biggest hit up to that point and heralding a three year hiatus. And inbetween, there's 'Country Life', admittedly a top 5 album but with the dubious distinction of having the shortest chart run of all the original albums.

And yet, as we at least know, it's such a musical treasure. Every time I listen to it I'm blown away by the sheer musicality of this work which sounds as fresh on the cusp of its 50th birthday as it did when it was born. 'Stranded' might have marked a change in musical direction and a more mature sound but it was consolidated completely within these ten tracks. Phil recently commented that "30% of Roxy’s repertoire wasn’t up to scratch", but I can't imagine how that statement even remotely applies to this album. Indeed I'd argue it's the band's most 'complete' and accomplished collection.

OK, it's more mainstream than any of the first three albums but it retains an edge. The lyrics have become markedly more accessible but remain inventive, witty and, at times, even charming. Musically it's a tour de force. Notwithstanding the advancing production standards, Roxy has never sounded so tight, so driven, dynamic and accomplished. Arguably they never will again - that's not to decry the greatness of their later work, just to acknowledge what a high water mark this was.

This is collection of ten truly great songs that sit alongside each other with as much ease as the much vaunted 'concept album' feel of Avalon. It's a seamless body of work that I don't think any other Roxy album could lay claim to, with the possible exception of said final album. In my view, each one of the other 7 albums either have one or more tracks that can leave me slightly ambivalent (not that I'd choose not to have them, just that several hundred listens later they don't invoke the passion or affection of others) or - more likely - have one or more tracks that sit uncomfortably amongst the rest. You just can't level those charges at 'Country Life'. Quite simply, it's a triumph and one made all the more remarkable given the breakneck output of the band and associated solo projects in 73/4.

I'd love to hear where this album sits in the affections of esteemed others!
Author:  Gardner [ Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
I agree with 99% of what you say - The only fly in the ointment for me is 'If it takes all night' - To a certain extent I don't mind the song on it's own .. It has an air of fun and camp and the band play well - but I don't think the blues vibe sits well in the collection - As far as Americana goes, the galloping Oklahoma energy of Prairie Rose is a much better fit . However putting this aside, the whole album has a thrilling dark teutonic feel. I love the cover art - apart from the obvious sexual vibe it's probably one of the most bizarre and iconic album covers.. and the title itself adds to the drama. 'The Thrill of it all' is the perfect introduction .. I've always thought that Ferry's voice is perfect around this time.. (on this album and Another Time Another Place.) Despite it being a more commercial sound It's still a distillation of everything I thought Roxy were in the mid 70's.. and in my wilder flights of fancy it's sometimes hard to believe that it exists. I mean, as a teenager the juxtaposition of listening to Triptych and looking at the album cover art was gloriously bewildering.
Author:  EERO [ Mon Feb 06, 2023 12:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
In my appreciation of Roxy, I'm of the ilk that prefer the first Five over the latter Three. But of the first Five, Country Life is my least favorite and the one I listen to least. There are a few songs I feel that are among their best, (Prairie Rose, Out of the Blue), but Three and Nine is a trifle after the great opening of Thrill of It All and Triptych is for me, entirely cringeworthy. I love Bitter Sweet, and think that the recast version in 20s-style Jazz is one of the finest things Ferry has done.

I also find the production of the album a little cold-not so severely as Flesh and Blood, but its sound lacks the warmth of Stranded or richness of Siren. These are just my opinions. I know many fans consider this a highlight in the catalogue. But for me it's just okay.
Author:  billy porter [ Mon Feb 06, 2023 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Undoubtedly one of their finest for me... loved the whole package, The LP sleeve, possibly the best ? the inner lyric sleeve.. and the songs of course, eight out of ten of the tracks are up there with their best work.
Casanova would have made a great 7" single release.
Author:  pianoman [ Wed Feb 08, 2023 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Country Life was an album I really awaited - it was shortly before Christmas 1974 and it costed a lot of Deutsche Mark for a 15-year-old boy. But of course, it was worth every Pfennig (penny) ;) .

All I Want Is You, the single record, was obviously designed for chart success, but it was ok. And yes, the album has "a thrilling dark teutonic feel", Gardner, not only because of the German verse on Bitter-Sweet. Phil works more in the foreground, instead of electric pianos (Rhodes, Wurlitzer etc.) they used mechanical ones.

As Casanova is very heavy and too slow IMHO I prefer the LST-version), I really do like Out Of The Blue's virtuosity, Prairie Rose's country rock style with a genuine chorus, Triptych's medieval sound and Bitter-Sweet's sinister thoughts as well as its Brecht/Weill character. And I love A Really Good Time and most of all Three And Nine (sorry, Gardner): This song comes first to my mind when I look at the album sleeve 8-) .

All in all an album that perfectly fits into the canon of Roxy Music albums. And if you listen to it 49 years later it takes you back in time ... the grass was greener when we were young, as we all know :D.
Author:  Gardner [ Thu Feb 09, 2023 12:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
pianoman wrote:
Country Life was an album I really awaited - it was shortly before Christmas 1974 and it costed a lot of Deutsche Mark for a 15-year-old boy. But of course, it was worth every Pfennig (penny) ;) .

All I Want Is You, the single record, was obviously designed for chart success, but it was ok. And yes, the album has "a thrilling dark teutonic feel", Gardner, not only because of the German verse on Bitter-Sweet. Phil works more in the foreground, instead of electric pianos (Rhodes, Wurlitzer etc.) they used mechanical ones.

As Casanova is very heavy and too slow IMHO I prefer the LST-version), I really do like Out Of The Blue's virtuosity, Prairie Rose's country rock style with a genuine chorus, Triptych's medieval sound and Bitter-Sweet's sinister thoughts as well as its Brecht/Weill character. And I love A Really Good Time and most of all Three And Nine (sorry, Gardner): This song comes first to my mind when I look at the album sleeve 8-) .

All in all an album that perfectly fits into the canon of Roxy Music albums. And if you listen to it 49 years later it takes you back in time ... the grass was greener when we were young, as we all know :D.
Pianoman !!! I love ‘A Really Good Time‘ and I like ‘Three and Nine’ - it was ‘If it takes all night’ that I’m not so keen on :-) Another thing I’d like to point out about Country Life - is that there aren’t really any stories about it’s creation or recording… There are some about the other albums - The info on the deluxe debut album - writing the lyrics for FYP , the way Mother of Pearl came about.. The late night sessions for Avalon .. etc But other than how they made the cover - it feels like the Country Life recording sessions have never been discussed ..
Author:  Windswept2 [ Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Mes Amis,
W2 appreciates UKRichard’s enthusiasm for ‘Country Life’ but would apply all of his words to another album - ‘Stranded’ - simply because it has an infinitely superior set of songs.
Will there ever be a better back to back collection of chansons ? Good as it is, nothing on ‘Country Life’ rivals ‘Just Like You’, ‘Seranade’, ‘Mother Of Pearl’ and ‘A Song For Europe’. To name but four.
In fact the only true rival to ‘Stranded’ in the Roxy pantheon has to be ‘Avalon’ n’est ce pas ?
Salutations a tous,
W2
Author:  pianoman [ Thu Feb 09, 2023 2:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Gardner: Pianoman !!! I love ‘A Really Good Time‘ and I like ‘Three and Nine’ - it was ‘If it takes all night’ that I’m not so keen on :-).

Oops, Gardner ... mea culpa. I mixed up a passage of EERO's post with yours, sorry :| . To me 'If It Takes All Night ' always had a certain flip side flavour - as if they hadn't produced enough songs and so they took a Blues pattern to end the A-side of 'Country Life'. Not bad but definitely no highlight.

What came to my mind while listening to CL: I didn't like that the album sound was so awfully distorted. Bryan's voice, Phil's guitar, Andy's sax, Eddie's piano in the above mentioned IITAN , Casanova, Prairie Rose - at the age of 15 I wasn't sure whether my (of course cheap) record player would always produce such as noise :D . With 'Siren' everything was right again ...
Author:  Alan [ Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
Interesting reading comments about the sound and the production of CL. I don't know much, but Chris Thomas has claimed that Roxy were having trouble finishing the album, or were unhappy with the sound, and he was brought in to help out, but was not credited on the sleeve. I wonder whether he wasn't available originally as working with other artists at time of recording, being as he had worked on the previous two albums and would produce the next, Siren.
Author:  Stabbs MacKenzie [ Fri Feb 10, 2023 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Appreciation Of 'Country Life'
For me, THE Roxy Music album...at their zenith both in the studio and live...stunning.

And 'If It Takes All Night' is a belter, The Emperor at his mightiest, as he is throughout the album.
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