COUNTRY LIFE

'Country Life' is the fourth studio album of Roxy Music and was released in 1974. Bryan Ferry took the album's title from the British rural lifestyle magazine with the same name. The album is considered by many critics to be one of the most sophisticated original and consistent British albums of the 70's. There isn't much change from its predecessor.

The beautiful front cover of the album features two models, Constanze Karoli who is the sister of Michael Karoli, the German guitarist, violinist, composer and the founding member of the very influential krautrock band Can and Eveline Grunwald. Ferry met both women in my country Portugal, in a bar, and persuaded them to appear on the front cover of this album. Although the cover image was very controversial in some countries and because of that it was censored on some releases. So, some albums had a different cover shot. Instead of Constanze Karoli and Eveline Grunwald posed in front of trees, the reissue used a photo from the album's back cover that featured only the trees. Despite my LP had the original front cover, I saw a censored version for sale in my home country in those days. I really think that would be a shame doesn't have one of the most creative, original, sensual, sexy and artistic front covers of any album, indeed.

The line up of this album is the same of their previous album 'Stranded'. The album has ten tracks. The first track 'The Thrill Of It All' written by Bryan Ferry, is another great opener for a Roxy Music album, as is always usual on this band. It's a Roxy Music classic rock song very frenetic and with great individual musical performances. Deserve special attention Phil Manzanera's individual job and the powerful presence of the violin of Eddie Jobson. The second track 'Three And Nine' written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is a small and melodic song very cool in a ballad style. It's a beautiful song where the special musical highlight goes to the nice sound of the saxophone of Andy MacKay and also for the voice and harmonica of Bryan Ferry. The third track 'All I Want Is You' written by Bryan Ferry is a song who returns a little to the formula of the first song of the album. It's a powerful song full of energy, very melodic and with an absolutely fantastic guitar job performed by Phil Manzanera. The fourth track 'Out Of The Blue' written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera is, without any doubt the high point of this album and one of the best songs of the band too. This is absolutely an extraordinary song. It has everything what a song should have. It's a rock song with plenty of energy with great vocals, good piano, great synthesizer effects, a fantastic violin solo and an amazing guitar work. So, no wonder that soon it became one of the favourite songs of the fans in the live concerts of Roxy Music. The fifth track 'If It Takes All Night' written by Bryan Ferry is a slow song more in the vein of 'Three And Nine'. It's a nice song in a blues rhythm with good vocals and interesting harmonica and saxophone works. In my opinion, this is probably the lowest point of this album. The sixth track 'Bitter-Sweet' written by Bryan Ferry and Andy MacKay is another high point of the album. It's a song that reminds me the ambient of the cabarets in the old Berlin of the 30's and 40's. It's a great avant-garde art rock song where Bryan Ferry, once more, decided to unveil his linguistic skills, singing in German, with the help of the translation of the two ladies. The seventh track 'Triptych' written by Bryan Ferry was for me a complete surprise when I heard this album for the first time because it's a song so intense and at the same time so strange and unconventional in their discography. It brings to us the atmosphere of the Middle Age and gives to us a weird, beautiful and unforgettable moment in their music. The eighth track 'Casanova' written by Bryan Ferry is a pretty nice rock song with good energy. It's very well performed by all musicians and I like especially the keyboard and guitar works in contrast with the rhythm section. The ninth track 'A Really Good Time' written by Bryan Ferry is a slow, calm and nice ballad. It's a song in the same vein of 'Three And Nine' and 'If It Takes All Night'. These are the less interesting songs on the album. The tenth last track 'Prairie Rose' written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera seems to be inspired by Ferry's then girlfriend and model, Jerry Hall, which would featured the art cover of their next album 'Siren'. This is a memorable and remarkable song of Roxy Music. It's a great energetic and inspired rock song where the individual performance of Phil Manzanera and Andy MacKay are absolutely unforgettable. I really think this is a perfect way to close this excellent art rock album.

Conclusion: 'Country Life' is one of my first LP's and it's also my first album of the band. Of their all studio albums, it's their most rock album. I always thought this is an underrated album that deserves a better rating. 'Country Life' is, in my opinion, a great Roxy Music album. Sincerely, I don't think this album is inferior to 'Siren'. 'Country Life' is an essential album for those who love the decadence, the glamour and the passion of the art rock. Overall, 'Country Life' is another step towards the more experimental sound of the first two Roxy Music albums. It's in the same vein of its predecessor 'Stranded'. If you like 'Stranded', as a proghead, you'll not be unhappy and disappointed with this album.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Share this ROXY MUSIC review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to VianaProghead
• Report this review (#2964246)
• Buy ROXY MUSIC music online with PA partners
• Show all ROXY MUSIC MP3/Stream
• Go to ROXY MUSIC page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Country Life page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for ROXY MUSIC related discussions