Crossed my mind last night that 1974 was the year when BF's voice was at it's strongest / most satisfying - Not that I don't like the previous years ( I know ... 73 was the big year for output - those albums are fantastic and I love the madness on the first album ) but... I feel the best vocal performances are on Country Life and Another Time Another Place. His voice seems to lose some warmth on Siren and never returns to the 74 OOMPH .. However I still think it's beautiful on Flesh and Blood and Avalon.

And the evidence is all there on Bryan Ferry Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1974 and Viva! Roxy Music)
( as well as the studio recordings of the time )

True! And then I think of his voice on ‘A really Good time’ and ‘It ain’t me babe’ .

You may be right, Gardner. The 70s were the most creative phase of Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry. I'd like to add two songs from 1974:

From the Musikladen DVD (early 1974 recording): Roxy/Ferrys live performance of "Psalm". Fantastic! During these years BF was absolutely at his best.

Another example is "Funny How Time Slips Away" from ATAP, where he changed a Willie Nelson country ballad into a rhythm'n'blues song with a lot of soul. One of my favourite Ferry performances. I'm thankful for such highlights!

-p-

Agree with the positive comments here. 1974 was a golden year for BF's vocals. CL is a tour de force musically, lyrically and vocally and there are great performances too on ATAP, not least 'Fingerpoppin".

I wonder to what extent the change in vocals from 1975 onwards was entirely natural, attributable to production styles or simply because lyrics and arrangements just didn't call for the power shown previously. Maybe subtle combinations of all three?

It's a shame that such a prolific and outstanding period in Roxy and BF's history is not so far being commemorated with the SDEs so many of us would love to see. Against the backdrop of these truly peak performances, it would be fascinating to collect together demos, outtakes and live work for our enjoyment and posterity.

It must be connected to John Punter's production - he seemed to
get the best out of BF'S voice..

Great topic!
True, in 73/74/75 was His Masters Voice at his best. RM was at their best. 72/73 were the avant garde years (Montreux), 73/74/75 were the rock years. BF was in those days a stunning persona: curious, self-confident, stubborn, unprdectable. And with his sensational outfits a source of inspiration for contemporaries (including Bowie and Jagger).
On Spotify recently appeared a ‘new’ RM release The Thrill Of It All, a New York Broadcast from 76. Such a magnificent performance: Roxy rocks (Whirlwind!), His Master’s Voice powerful and mature (listen to FYP).
Like Viva this release prooves:
1. RM and BF peaked at the first half of the 70s in writing, sound and performance (afterwards it became less and less and less… Did someone overhere really rates Mamouna ahead Roxy?! That must be a provocation)
2. Nothing sounds better than Roxy as a six piece band
Amen!

Absolutely correct Sentimental Fool. The 70’s were by far the best era for Roxy and solo Ferry