Without
Brian Eno
,
Roxy Music
immediately became less experimental, yet they remained adventurous, as
Stranded
illustrates. Under the direction of
Bryan Ferry
Roxy
moved toward relatively straightforward territory, adding greater layers of piano and heavy guitars. Even without the washes of
Eno
's synthesizers,
's music remains unsettling on occasion, yet in this new incarnation, they favor more measured material, whether it's the reflective "A Song for Europe" or the shifting textures of "Psalm." Even the rockers, such as the surging "Street Life" and the segmented "Mother of Pearl," are distinguished by subtle songwriting that emphasizes both
Ferry
's tortured glamour and
's increasingly impressive grasp of sonic detail. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine