Avalon [Bonus Track]

1	More Than This 4:30
2	The Space Between 4:29
3	Avalon 4:16
4	India 3:26
5	While My Heart Is Still Beating 1:45
6	The Main Thing 3:53
7	Take a Chance With Me 4:42
8	To Turn You On 4:16
9	True to Life 4:24
10	Tara 1:33
11	Always Unknowing Bonus Track 5:21

Barnes & Noble

By 1982, it must have been clear to Brian Ferry, Phil Manzanera, and Andy McKay -- the remaining charter members of Roxy Music -- that their time was up, for there are clues throughout this recording that they would soon disband and move on to solo projects. Avalon concludes a second run for Roxy that was as commercially successful as their first run (1972 to 1976) was artistically fruitful. With Manifesto, in 1979, Roxy had scored legions of fans without sacrificing any of their trademark innovation. Avalon, which features the hit "More Than This" (remade into a hit again in 1997 by a post-Natalie Merchant 10,000 Maniacs), was a profoundly influential work. Its light, shimmering tone was imitated frequently throughout the '80s, most notably by Human League and Duran Duran, but the lyrical quality has rarely been matched. Ferry sings from an after-hours perspective where the focus is no longer the moment at hand, but tomorrow -- a fitting conclusion for a forward-looking band. Martin Johnson

All Music Guide

Flesh + Blood suggested that Roxy Music were at the end of the line, but they regrouped and recorded the lovely Avalon, one of their finest albums. Certainly, the lush, elegant soundscapes of Avalon are far removed from the edgy avant-pop of their early records, yet it represents another landmark in their career. With its stylish, romantic washes of synthesizers and Bryan Ferry's elegant, seductive croon, Avalon simultaneously functioned as sophisticated make-out music for yuppies and as the maturation of synth pop. Ferry was never this romantic or seductive, either with Roxy or as a solo artist, and Avalon shimmers with elegance in both its music and its lyrics. "More Than This," "Take a Chance With Me," "While My Heart Is Still Beating," and the title track are immaculately crafted and subtle songs, where the shifting synthesizers and murmured vocals gradually reveal the melodies. It's a rich, textured album and a graceful way to end the band's career. [Virgin's 2003 version included the bonus track "Always Unknowing."] Stephen Thomas Erlewine