THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS

"The Complete Studio Recordings" is a very special compilation album of Roxy Music that was released in 2012. This is an economic package that includes the entire studio discography of the band on only one package. But, besides that, it has also two extra CD's with singles, B sides singles and alternative mixed versions. So, it can be an interesting purchase for those who don't have yet all these studio albums individually and they can have also some extra things.

As I've already reviewed all these albums previously on Progarchives, in an extensive way, I'm not going to do it again. So, if you are interested to know, in more detail, what I wrote about them before, I invite you to read all those reviews.

"Roxy Music": "Roxy Music" is an excellent, original and fantastic debut album. It's with "For Your Pleasure", one of the two albums that represent the first period, the most experimental and avant-garde period of them. They represent also the most interesting phase for all prog heads. Some songs of this album remind me the new wave music. Their debut is a classic album. Roxy Music was a band that proved the innovative music can also be melodic and accessible.

"For Your Pleasure": "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure" are the two less accessible albums of the band but are also the best and most experimental and avant-garde of their career. Both albums represent the most interesting phase of the band for prog heads. Still, "For Your Pleasure" is better because is more balanced, mature and adult. Ferry took the reins a little more and Eno's influence diminished. There's no doubt this was the album which put the art into rock.

"Stranded": "Stranded" is a mark in the change of the musical direction of the band. The musicianship is excellent and the production is very professional. "Stranded" is one of the most sophisticated and charming albums of Roxy Music. This is, perhaps, their best work after the departure of Eno. Even Eno later rated it as Roxy Music's finest album. So, if you're really interested in their most prog phase without their avant-garde phase, "Stranded" is the right place to start.

"Country Life": Of all Roxy Music's studio albums, "Country Life" is their most rock album. It's essential for those who love the decadence, the glamour and the passion of art rock. Overall, "Country Life" is another step out of the more experimental sound of the first two Roxy Music's albums. If you liked "Stranded" you will not be disappointed. The new sounds are great, even if they aren't quite complex. The new language made of Roxy Music a band ahead of their time.

"Siren": "Siren" marks the end of an era, the end of the second era of Roxy Music. "Siren" is a fantastic album and a landmark in the progressive rock music of the 70's. It's a model of the modern rock and we can't forget that the Rolling Stone magazine considered "Siren" as the Roxy Music's masterpiece and ranked it in number 371 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. "Siren" is a solid offering from Roxy Music, one of their defining truly essential albums.

"Manifesto": Returning to action after almost four years of solo projects, Roxy Music redefined their sound and strips away, and once for all, of their experimentalism and the art rock influences in favour of short concise pop songs with some kind of stylish disco rhythms, while retaining in the generality a good and consistent song writing. "Manifesto" is a transition album from the art rock to pop. So, for all prog heads, it hasn't the kind of music we expected from them.

"Flesh + Blood": I always considered "Flesh + Blood" as better than "Manifesto" is. "Flesh + Blood" is better balanced, cohesive and consistent than "Manifesto is. However, it lacks to it a touch of progressiveness to be a great prog work. Like Genesis, Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music succeeded where other bands like Renaissance, Gentle Giant and Emerson, Lake & Palmer failed and weren't able to achieve and sustain a commercial success in those difficult days of the 80's.

"Avalon": "Avalon" is the most well produced, mature, accessible, commercial and bestselling album of Roxy Music. This is a unique album on the entire band's career that takes us to another dimension. It's true that "Avalon" isn't truly a progressive album but it's a charming album that still sounds fresh, cool and sophisticated after all these years. I still can hear it with great pleasure, even nowadays. So, "Avalon" is highly recommended for any art rock enthusiast.

Conclusion: "The Complete Studio Recordings" is a very good and very interesting compilation album of Roxy Music. It's very complete with all their studio albums on only one package. But, beyond that, it has also two extra CD's of outtakes, B sides and some rarities. So, with all these material, "The Complete Studio Recordings" is an excellent alternative for all who don't have the studio discography of Roxy Music and they can have also some rare material at the same time. It's true that there is another compilation album of Roxy Music very similar to this one "The Studio Albums" also with all the eight studio albums of the band. But, "The Complete Studio Recordings" is a better option because you can have also the two extra CD's. So, we can say that "The Complete Studio Recordings" is indicated to all who don't have their studio albums yet and for those who are hard fans and wish to have everything from the band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)