Recorded live in France in 1982 but not released on CD in the U.S. until 1990,
Heart Still Beating isn't quite in a class with
Roxy Music's first live album, Viva, but nonetheless gives us a lot to be excited about. Lead singer
Bryan Ferry and guitarist
Phil Manzanera sound quite inspired much of the time, and
Manzanera delivers some excellent solos. Longtime
Roxy devotees will want to savor engaging versions of "Out of the Blue" and "Both Ends Burning" (both of which were heard on Viva), as well as such favorites as "Dance Away," "Avalon" and the clever "Love Is the Drug."
Roxy comes closer to a mainstream rock sound on enjoyable interpretations of
Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane" and
John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," but even then, the distinctive band's quirky art-rock tendencies remain. ~ Alex Henderson