Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated - Day 23

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

Today's album under the microscope, is "Avalon" by Roxy Music. Now Roxy Music I never really got into, one of the main reasons is because I loathe the saxophone, an instrument I have always hated and Roxy Music used it quite a lot on "Avalon" and "Flesh + Blood".

Prior to the album being released, "More Than This" was released as a single in April 1982, and reached number 6 in the UK Singles chart, this is a track I do like, despite the saxophone creeping in here and there.

The album was released in May 1982, when Roxy Music were at their height of fame. The album was a huge success and reached Number 1 all over Europe, including here in the UK, if I remember correctly I didn't buy this album for quite a while and actually bought "Flesh + Blood" at the same time, undoubtably their best albums.

In June 1982 they released the the title track as a single, another track I like, it reached number 13 in the UK Singles chart. The final single released off the album was the track "Take A Chance With Me", released in September 1982, which made the top 30 in the UK Singles chart, surprisingly, their last major chart success in the UK.

If I am honest, I rarely listen to either of the Roxy Music albums I own, some tracks have stood the test of time well, whilst others haven't, so it's an album I can take or leave.

Our track recommendations for this album, are a bit thin on the ground, and i would have to go for the singles "More Than This" and "Avalon". There is only one track on the album I really dislike and that is the track "Tara".

Our overall rating for this album is 50/100

The album is available from Amazon for just over £5 here