Roxy Music had long moved past its early 70’s art rock phase with Brian Eno by the time the early 80’s rolled around, but the band’s deep and rich history of avant garde synth pop is still present underneath all the wonderfully manicured pop sheen found littered throughout Avalon.
From the sultry saxaphones to the synth lines to the glorious reverb that drenches each guitar, Avalon delights in its sheer listenability. There are few albums I’ve listened to this year that are one hand incredibly easy to digest and yet on the other hand also make me feel like I’ve become a more intelligent musician after listening to it. Avalon is the sort of experience you traverse unwittingly, guided through the fog as the band slowly breaks down your mental barriers until you’re a blank slate ready to be painted on.
If imbuing meaning by osmosis is what Roxy Music was going for here they assuredly nailed it. Its simplicity through effortless world-class musicianship is something to be truly admired. I haven’t been able to shake that feeling ever since hearing the album in full for the first time. I’ll certainly be back.
Standout Songs: “More Than This”, “To Turn You On”, “True To Life”, “Avalon”
