ISOTOPE — Illusion (review)

ISOTOPE — Illusion album cover Album · 1974 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Isotope’s second album is a fairly different beast than its predecessor, since half the group is gone, including the main songwriter, keyboardist Brian Miller. In to replace Jeff Clyne is Hugh Hopper fresh from Soft Machine (Boyle and Hopper had met on Yamashta’s East Wind group), while the keys are taken by the relative unknown Lawrence Scott, while Boyle and Morris remain pat. Released still in 74 and again on Gull Record, with a stunning headphones artwork, hitting a bit pretentiously at how much of an earful the album is.

Needless to say that the line-up change totally changes the group’s sound, definitely tilting the balance in Boyle’s favour, newcoming Scott simply not able to fill Miller’s shoes right from the bat. Songwriting-wise, Boyle and Hopper take the lion’s share, while Scott gets two tracks in, and not exactly the weakest – there are none in this album.

What strikes with Illusion is the way the album is much more Mahavishnu-esque, most noticeable in Spanish Sun, but in the title track, or in short Boyle’s songs. Boyle is obviously enamoured with McL’s playing and tries to emulate it, and somehow manages it to his own credit and no ridicule, far from it. Hopper’s tracks don’t necessarily have the Soft machine edge you’d expect, but they do have that little rockier edge (as do Scott’s two tracks) over Boyle’s. Generally the album has its own red-hot sound, despite Boyle’s MO influence, and Hopper’s Sliding Dogs and Golden section are absolute corkers that deserves the album highlight. And just past Boyle’s acoustic Marin Country Girl, Hopper’s Lily Kong offers a last hurrah for Hugh, while Scott closes the album with the MO-influenced Temper Tantrum.

Family’s Poli Palmer’s is not exactly top notch though, thus stopping this album to get an even higher rating, but make no mistake, this is Isotope’s best album with some margin. After Illusion’s recording, the group would tour Western Europe, just as it had before it. Then an Ameruican tour came, some reinforcements (De Souza on percussion) brought in, Scott leaving just before financial problems forced Hopper to leave as well, leaving Morris and Boyle to rebuild once more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Christopher Parker & Kelley Hurt and No Tears Project : Humanitics Avant-Garde Jazz
CHRISTOPHER PARKER & KELLY HURT
Buy this album from MMA partners
Walkabout Avant-Garde Jazz
ROB BROWN
Buy this album from MMA partners
I’m Just Say’n Avant-Garde Jazz
JOE MCPHEE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Renascence World Fusion
CYMANDE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Self 21st Century Modern
CHES SMITH
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Cymande - Chasing An Empty Dream (Official Visualiser)
CYMANDE
snobb· 6 hours ago
Piero Umiliani - Musica Dell' Era Technologica - 1972 - Full Album
PIERO UMILIANI
js· 2 days ago
Use Of Light: Kurt Rosenwinkel + Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos (OJM) - Live At CARA
KURT ROSENWINKEL
js· 2 days ago
Emma-Jean Thackray - Wanna Die (Official Video)
EMMA-JEAN THACKRAY
snobb· 2 days ago
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder - Balloon Pop (Official Audio)
HIROMI
snobb· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed