Audio CD review:
Ultravox - Systems of Romance

Ultravox - Systems of Romance

Band: Ultravox Title: Systems of Romance Rating: Release Date: 09 August, 2004 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Slow Motion 2: Can't Stay Long 3: Someone Else's Clothes 4: Blue Light 5: Some Of Them 6: Quiet Men 7: Dislocation 8: Maximum Acceleration 9: When You Walk Through Me 10: Just For A Moment

Customer Reviews The ultimate art rock band And on a decent stereo this time around! The music sounds incredible, this is the mother lode -- this album is fantastic, perfect, powerful, creative, beautifully produced and makes you dance around the room AND think. How incredibly great to hear this album again after all these years. Maximum acceleration. . . Ultravox ought to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And by that I mean the ONLY version of Ultravox worth listening to, that being the John Foxx era. Incredible music. Literally perfect. You have a heard a thousand excretable imitations of this music. This is the real thing, the source of the Nile, a piece of the True Cross. Taut, focused, experimental. It just doesn't get better than this. Truly original and creative. Early Roxy Music and the all-too-brief John Foxx era of Ultravox bookend the 70s. Undeservedly unknown. You must hear this. Lost Classic Too bad, it is brilliant. This album was so different from everything Ultravox did I am guessing people just ignored it. The songs are full of energy and enveloped by an atmosphere that is magical. A masterpiece from beginning to end. Best Synth Album of the 70's I played this repeatedly for over a year back in 78/79'. This is my favorite John Foxx era Ultravox Album. Back then i was getting into those bands who were trying out the new synth sounds like 'Human League' & 'Devo' & who along with 'Ultravox' were among a select few bands taking punk into a whole new direction & a whole new feel without being New Wave & overly radio friendly. That would be left to Gary Numan i suppose. Long droning synth lines might sound passe & quaint nowadays with Trance/IDM using complex programming to give intricate soundscapes but sometimes less is more & in the hands of those who know what they're doing it can really bring out a powerful atmosphere in the music, just take 'Slow Motion's' opening drone which lifts to a Roxy Music like Chorus. John Foxx's lyrics are alway's interesting and imaginative & the whole album seems very introspective and perhaps even depressing to me. At least it would be if you go purely on the lyrics alone. But the music saves the songs from being too maudlin & is beautifully executed. For the most part the album is upbeat, save for 'Just for a Moment' & 'Dislocation'. Simple synth lines, quick sharp guitar licks (check out 'Blue Light') & Mr Foxx's distinctive voice. Everything on this record sounds crisp and sharp. Great car music for my money on those long trips. Remember that this was released in 1978 and what else back then was sounding anything like this rock/synth mix back then, not a whole lot. It's definitely up there in my top 10 favorite albums. Give it a listen why don't you and it may become one of yours too. . You can see a complete list of all Ultravox discography, or go back to the Ultravox tabs