BRAND X — Unorthodox Behaviour (review)

BRAND X — Unorthodox Behaviour album cover Album · 1976 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
While Brand X’s debut is highly derivative of the band's fusion heroes, that’s not necessarily an insurmountable problem. In fact, ‘Unorthodox Behaviour’ has some blisteringly good moments, even if from start to finish the compositions aren’t all as powerful as the opener or as effective as ‘Euthanasia Waltz.’ If nothing else, this album will remind you that Collins is a great drummer.

The fact that the record instantly brings the Mahavishnu Orchestra to mind puts the listener into familiar territory. It’s a fair comparison, as would be a mention of Billy Cobham or Weather Report’s work – both their early atmospheric output and slicker pieces. But that same aspect, that familiarity, also adds to the absence of discovery for the listener. There aren’t enough surprises here and many songs lack melodic muscle. ‘Born Ugly’ for instance, despite a nice Santana/McLaughlin-esque solo in from Goodsall, is indicative of such shortfalls. There are some quirks to the arrangement, yes, but no grit to the funk. ‘Smacks of Euphoric Hyst’ doesn’t really go anywhere and the title track doesn’t have a pay-off, it seems to do so little with its running time in a way that say, Miles Davis’ ‘In a Silent Way’ is never guilty of.

On the other hand, ‘Running on Three’ is another fantastic charge of energy, with Collins driving the band into high gear before they rein it in again for ‘Touch Wood’ where, in part thanks to the acoustic guitar, the track feels like one of the pieces least indebted to the past. It’s actually a toss-up for my favourite on the album (the other being ‘Nuclear Burn.’) This inclusion of acoustic guitar is one of the most distinctive aspects of ‘Unorthodox Behaviour’ and something I think is a really welcome aspect of their sound – especially in ‘Euthanasia Waltz.’

After finishing the album however, I’m often left feeling that I just heard something good, something that’s great at times, but not an album that floors me. Still, three stars overall, with a couple of five star moments throughout.
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