Sunday, 16 February 2014

BRAND X: US reviews



BRAND X – REISSUES (…ANYTHING ABOUT/MISSING YEARS/LIVE AT THE ROXY) 
February 02, 2014by Tommy HashNo Comments
Band : brand x
Label : Gonzo Multi Media


One of the bands that heralded a new era of jazz-fusion, it was Brand X that really brought a more guitar oriented and rock and roll blueprint to the table. Probably one of the ‘lost’ bands from the era, they are best known for being a band that once featured Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins) behind the drum kit, but looking deeper into the picture, the guitar of John Goodsall, the bass of Percy Jones, along with the dueling keyboards of Robin Lumley and Peter Robinson; it’s criminal for the musicianship to be overlooked. 

Three reissues have been unleashed, including a studio album, a collection of rarities, and a live album. The studio album ‘Is There Anything About’ marked the end of an era from the band, as this 1982 release would be the final for almost a decade. Like many records in this aura studio wizardry collides with the musicianship ranging from the steadfast funky groove of “Inpanemia” and the spacey synth prog of “Swan Song,” the album des have it’s mixture of variant vibes; overall it’s slick like Becker & Fagen, risky as the Headhunters, and intense as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, they beheld musical ideology that was their own. One thing that you will notice is that Collins drumming is a lot different from his style in genesis, a much more jazzier syncopated and even intense style; but don’t let that end there, Goodsall’s guitar playing and everybody else involved, hear it for yourself and you’ll get the picture. 

The Missing Period release is the first official release of the band’s earliest recordings from the mid-seventies, often bootlegged, this is the first time that this music has been officially commissioned by the band. High quality for the most part, the album offers up an extension of the band’s career; High Point: Ancient Mysteries.” The live release, Live at the ROXY L.A. does have it’s gritty quality, reaming listenable, but the good performance showcasing that these guys weren’t just some product of studio magic.

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