And just like Hamilton’s most famous work, “Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?”, the Roxy Music album is a sprawling canvas of disparate musical styles that pays homage to the past while looking towards the future thematically, the debut basks in the celebration (and even hedonism) of the good life but also commenting on it with irony and detachment - as well as introducing Ferry’s ruminations on romantic angst and heartbreak.
(The comparison is not coincidental: Hamilton taught Bryan Ferry at Newcastle University during the ’60s). In some ways, Roxy Music’s unconventional self-titled first album from 1972 is the postmodern musical equivalent of a Richard Hamilton collage, juxtaposing seemingly incongruous elements to create a work that is provocative and groundbreaking.
