COUNTRY LIFE

After mentioning the first two Roxy Music albums I might as well make an honorable mention of this release. Country Life might not be the masterpiece that most mainstream critics seem to give it credit for but it has some adventurous moments mixed in with glam pop/rock sections. Plus it's always nice to have Eddie Jobson on board!

The Thrill Of It All is a well recognized Roxy Music anthem that may not hold up to the previous great opening tracks but, in a way, it gives a hint of the things to come. Halfway thought the album starts to sink into a somewhat bluesy/country vibe with If It Takes All Night which I don't like that much but things get a whole lot better once the intro to Bitter Sweet fades in. This track is the only true moment of greatness that this album has to offer and it definitely made enough impression on me, which is probably the main reason why I mention this album in the first place!

The final part of the album is crafted with a couple of enjoyable tunes and one boring final track which drags on for too long for my tastes. I remember that, while listening to this release for the first time, I just had to go back and replay Bitter Sweet because I just couldn't believe that such a composition actually made it on this album since it sounds nothing like the rest of the material.

***** star songs: Bitter Sweet (4:50)

**** star songs: The Thrill Of It All (6:24) Three And Nine (4:04) All I Want Is You (2:53) Triptych (3:09) Casanova (3:27) A Really Good Time (3:45)

*** star songs: Out Of The Blue (4:46) If It Takes All Night (3:12) Prairie Rose (5:12)