Abandoning the intoxicating blend of art rock and glam-pop that distinguished
Stranded
and
Country Life
,
Roxy Music
concentrate on
Bryan Ferry
's suave, charming crooner persona for the elegantly modern
Siren
. As the disco-fied opener "Love Is the Drug" makes clear,
Roxy
embrace dance and unabashed pop on
, weaving them into their sleek, arty sound. It does come at the expense of their artier inclinations, which is part of what distinguished
, but the end result is captivating. Lacking the consistently amazing songs of its predecessor,
has a thematic consistency that works in its favor, and helps elevate its best songs -- "Sentimental Fool," "Both Ends Burning," "Just Another High" -- as well as the album itself into the realm of classics. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine