Guess what I did today? I attended my first Record Fair in over three years this afternoon and even though I didn't have anything in specific to root out, I certainly found a few new (to us) records to bring home because, well ... of course I did.
Among the four records I found today was this Avalon album by Roxy Music.
I admit, I came to the Roxy Music part much too late and, even then, I tend to gravitate towards the earlier, weirder Eno-era Roxy Music. However, I happened to hear More Than This played over an in-house stereo system somewhere and fell in love with it. At the time I thought it was potentially something that I hadn't yet heard by a more modern band, The War on Drugs perhaps?
But, no ... it was Roxy-fucking-Music!
Released in 1982, this was actually their last (their eighth) release. It was recorded between 1981 and 1982 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and is regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of the band's later work.
Not exactly the kind of shit I thought I'd ever be listening to, then or now ... but here I am.
I also remember
Despite being their last, Avalon is Roxy Music's most successful studio album. It stayed at #1 on the UK Albums Chart for three weeks, and stayed on the chart for over a year. Although it reached only #53 in the US, Avalon endured as a sleeper hit and became Roxy Music's only million-selling US record, ultimately receiving platinum certification.
So while I was prepared to hate it, aside from More Than This of course, it ended up being a pretty fucking incredible listen, meaning that adult-contemporary pop might just be my new jam.
God help us all.
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