A lot of waspish things have been said about Roxy Music; that they ceased to be a viable proposition after 1976 for example. The truth is they merely grew up and - in a style that befits their carefully attired image - quite gracefully too. As was the case with their last three albums the singles were top notch on 'Flesh + Blood'. 'Over You' is a dazzling throwaway gem, 'Oh Yeah' is a warm pop single refreshingly at odds with those bands who tried too hard to be new romantics (Roxy Music didn't have to try at all) and finally there's 'Same Old Scene' a superb slice of head-spinning decadence; as is often the case that was the single that missed the Top 10 but its combination of Ferry's breathless vocal, keyboard riff and Phil Manzanera's guitar thrusts make up their last truly thrilling record. There is little to match the singles and events reach an all-time low with a poor 80's-funk-style cover of 'Eight Miles High'. However, two more songs which pitch Ferry as the loser in love are well worth the mention, namely the unsettling ambience of 'No Strange Delight' and the desperation conveyed on the ballad 'My Only Love'. The rest is pretty disposable suggesting a band who were out of time in 1980 but 'Avalon' at least ensured a fond farewell.