Both Ends Burning

Album: Siren
Year: 1975

. . .

One of Bryan Ferry’s great lyrical talents was taking phrases that were otherwise cliches and making something original out of them: “All I Want Is You,” “The Thrill of It All” are two prime examples, as is the majestic “Both Ends Burning,” the final single from Roxy Music’s early run.

After the initial attention-grabbing sound effects, “Both Ends Burning” explodes from the speakers led by Andy MacKay’s sax and a soaring swirling Eddie Jobson synth part over a straight-up disco groove from bassist John Gustafson and drummer Paul Thompson.

[Read more…] about Certain Songs #2124: Roxy Music – “Both Ends Burning”

Album: Siren
Year: 1975

For their first four albums, one of the contradictions inherent in Roxy Music was the contrast between Bryan Ferry’s incredibly put together style and the crazed anarchy of many of their songs. And given that Roxy Music was Ferry’s band — especially after he canned ol’ sourpuss Brian Eno a couple of years prior — it was inevitable that they drift in his direction. And in retrospect, it’s surprising it took them this long to do it.

“This long” of course, being three years, as while Siren was their fifth album, it was still only three and a half years after Roxy Music. As a contrast when the Arcade Fire went all disco sleek on their fourth album, it was nearly a decade after their debut.

[Read more…] about Certain Songs #2123: Roxy Music – “Love is The Drug”