MarkFusion93

Mark Hall
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Registered more than 2 years ago · Last visit more than 2 years ago

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2 reviews/ratings
BRAND X - Unorthodox Behaviour Fusion | review permalink
BRAND X - Moroccan Roll Fusion | review permalink

Jazz Genre Nb. Rated Avg. rating
1 Fusion 2 4.50

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BRAND X Moroccan Roll

Album · 1977 · Fusion
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This is Brand X's most famous album but in my opinion not nearly as strong as the previous release. This album is much more experimental than Unorthodox Behaviour with songs like the opener which is a middle eastern themed track featuring experimental vocals provided by Phil Collins. Another experimental moment is Orbits, a Percy Jones Bass workout featuring just the Bass guitar and some percussion sounds in the background. Percy Jones and Phil Collins feature prominently in all the music on this album more than Unorthodox Behaviour and Lumley and Goodsall are less the centre pieces of each song with Jones offering further developed incredible bass playing all through which is very prominent in all the songs, particularly Malaga Virgen which is one of the highlights of this album.

Why Should I Lend You Mine shows the more mellow side of Brand X's music with a song that progresses from slow mellow acoustic jazz to energetic Fusion in the course of it's 11 minutes. More is put into song arrangements on this record which is very much demonstrated in this and Disco Suicide which is another lengthier track featuring incredible playing from all musicians.

For those who want to hear developed music with more emotion this record definitely offers this perfectly, but if you want the true spirit of Brand X and Jazz Fusion Unorthodox Behaviour is definitely the record to get. This effort deserves 4 Stars for it's very well arranged and executed jazz fusion but it is not a masterpiece.

BRAND X Unorthodox Behaviour

Album · 1976 · Fusion
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This album is in my opinion the finest ever representation of British Jazz Fusion, and it is so very un-British! Phil Collins here comes out of his shell and offers some absolutely stunning performances and from the first seconds of Nuclear Burn you know you are in for 40 minutes of other-worldly musicianship and incredible Jazz Fusion. This is the first time a British Jazz Fusion act made something as technically proficient as the Spanish and American giants of the genre. Most of the music is clearly influenced by Mahivishnu Orchestra and you could easily accuse this record of being unoriginal but at a time when Jazz Fusion was dead in the U.K this album brings it back to life in stunning fashion. Nuclear Burn is for me the highlight of the record with some absolutely amazing drumming interspersed with technical and blisteringly fast Guitars and Keyboards. The record also features slower songs similar to the work of Return To Forever. Euthanasia Waltz and Born Ugly both show this influence very well. One of the more unusual pieces is Smacks of Euphoric Hysteria which features more of a funk vibe than other tracks on the album and showcases some fantastic keyboard and guitar playing.

This album easily grabs 5 stars for me being not only the album that proved wrong my perceptions that a fast exciting British Jazz Fusion record was completely elusive but also showcases the finest playing Phil Collins accomplished and combines the finest moments of Mahivishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever into a complete Jazz Fusion experience.

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