I've been listening to 2001's 'The Best Of Roxy Music' in the car quite a lot lately and reflecting on the band's prolific output. I haven't associated the word 'prolific' with either Roxy or BF for many a decade now, but notwithstanding the 'sabbatical' that paused all new Roxy releases for three of their ten year recording career, there were still eight albums.

Undoubtedly, 72/73 was a defining period: three albums encompassing their debut, the follow-up deemed probably their finest and their first number one. Roxy were everywhere during this time, and their influence was both huge and underestimated at one's peril.

I love early Roxy. Artistically, they were extraordinary, providing a thoroughly audacious assault on the senses. But listening to 'The Best Of', it's almost impossible not to ponder which of their musical styles was their golden age. We all know Roxy had three distinct phases prior to their live comebacks, but as far as their starkly different albums are concerned, I think they fall quite neatly into just two categories 72/75 and 79/82. For all the achievements of the former, I can't help thinking the latter constitutes their finest period.

Three albums in four years, platinum sellers, their biggest and easily most enduring hit singles, their only number 1. A rapid maturity in songwriting and soaring production values. To make an analogy with a firework display (obviously!) 72/75 saw Roxy exploding like bangers but merely lighting the blue touch paper of the fireworks to come.

I've just finished re-reading the thread Gardner kicked off a couple of years ago to mark 'Flesh+Blood's 42nd anniversary and it simply reinforces my view that this period was Roxy's finest hour. Music journos might disagree, but ultimately, I'm certain it's the period that endures in the public consciousness the most, and will continue to do so. And F+B really is at the heart of it. Hot on the heals of two massive comeback hits and heralded with the NYE premier of a brilliant (if unconventional) cover of 'In The Midnight Hour', the only album to spawn three genuine hit singles and with real capacity for more. Songs like 'Oh Yeah' and 'Running Wild' so simple in lyric and structure but so profoundly timeless and moving, even 44 years later. It's the album dismissed by many, but really, you only have to listen to 'Over You' to conclude this is close to popular music perfection. The album is the Catherine Wheels to early Roxy's bangers and the soaring rockets of 'Avalon'.

It's always been an absolute joy to be a fan of Roxy and its members, but the sheer heights they achieved in their final phase of recording made it special indeed.

A real gem of a post. Wow!

Thanks Uwe, that's very kind.

I'm acutely aware it's something of an exercise in Roxy 'navel-gazing' and there's little in it that hasn't been said or pored over before. But sometimes artistry like this is so mind-bogglingly accomplished, you just have to find some way of capturing your perception of its remarkable impact.

How opinions can differ. Considering Flesh + Blood as Roxy's finest hour, I can't wrap my head around that. Okay, maybe it represents a peak in popular music, but certainly not a creative or artistic high point. I also can't understand the adoration for Midnight Hour. Like Eight Miles High, it stands as a low point in Roxy's catalog. And while the album cover was magnificent and the accompanying tour was similarly impressive (Bryan’s outfit, however, was extremely disappointing), it doesn't compare to the truly golden period from '72 to '76.

UK Richard.
Firstly, great post & subject.
I adored F+B on release (covers aside). The leap in soundscapes & recording were exceptional at the time. Had Trash been a hit single and Dance Away not been released this album may never have come to fruition the way it did. But, Dance Away was huge and this gave Ferry the moment he had been waiting for to produce some perfect pop for mass consumption. What a beautifully orchestrated plan. Over You may be the perfect Pop moment and Same Old Scene moved the dance floor. There are a couple of love/hate moments besides the the covers, Oh Yeah being a hate one for me. It sounded such cliche, even then. For me the album started with SOS, the title track always sounded like a demo to me (so much better with Phil on the live version), My Only Love was an epic, beautiful love song. Once past Over You and the other cover there is Rain, Rain, Rain & No Strange Delight, both great tracks. But Running Wild took the soundscape and production to another level. It was classic Roxy.
I see the argument for the case of finest period. But the two periods feel like two separate bands. The first was Ferry using the group as a vehicle for his own ends. The second, Ferry using compliant members plus session musicians to his own ends.
I believe Avalon to be as experimental in it's sound and studio techniques as the first Roxy album. The new Dolby Remaster/Remix is stunning.
Thanks again.

Sentimental Fool -

Respectfully, I didn't say F+B was Roxy's finest hour, simply that this period as a whole (79/82) could be seen as such, with F+B at its heart. Nor that I 'adored' Midnight Hour, merely that it was a brilliant cover, which it is. But since you mention it, I do adore it. I'd go so far as to speculate that had it been released as the first single from F+B maybe (just maybe - who can say, after all?) it might have been the band's first number one. Such was the crest of a wave they were riding at the time, here in the UK at least.

Triptych - hard to disagree with anything there (apart from 'Oh Yeah' - there's something about that 'storytelling' style of songwriting that I'm a sucker for!). I agree with your closing comment about Avalon too - sure, it was something of a conclusion to a trilogy of albums, but as one reviewer at the time pointed out, it made 'Manifesto' look like 'London Calling' by The Clash. So, by that measure, there's much to commend the view that it could be seen as just as experimental as Roxy's debut.

UKRichard
I didn't say F+B was Roxy's finest hour, simply that this period as a whole (79/82) could be seen as such, with F+B at its heart.
True, and point taken.
Nor that I 'adored' Midnight Hour, merely that it was a brilliant cover, which it is. But since you mention it, I do adore it.
Yep, I knew it...

Triptych (yet another Roxy enigma that surpasses the 'perfect pop for mass consumption')
How opinions can differ (Vol. 2): the title track, Rain (3x), No Strange Delight are the highlights of the album. But Running Wild sucks, especially because of that nasty Dylan organ.
We totally agree on the misplaced covers.

Though I adore half of Manifesto, later period Roxy leaves me a little cold. I go back to both F&B and Avalon, and every time, though I enjoy the songs, my dissatisfaction is with the production of each.

On F&B, aside from the aforementioned unsatisfying covers, the album might have been improved by different production. "Running Wild" always was the one standout track on F&B to me, and Ferry's alternate version, released to my knowledge only on Soundcloud, strips the song down to a more elemental rock song and its essence is divine. Though, if "Dylan organ" is not your cocktail of choice, perhaps not.

If you have not heard it, it's on Ferry's Soundcloud page:
https://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/running-wild-alternative

Same sentiment overhere: after Stronger Through the Years it was over and out with Roxy.
Thanks by the way for the alt-RW version, but still it ain't my cup of tea. That's to say, it could have been a nice Ferry song, but not a Roxy...
Final remark about those damn covers: the conclusion that the originals are much, much, much better is fatal.