Brand X was some other ane of those bands who were honey of other musicians in addition to the to a greater extent than discerning of critics but which despite everything, never had the commercial success that it deserved.
They were a jazz fusion band active 1975–1980. Noted members included Phil Collins (drums), Percy Jones (bass), John Goodsall (guitar) in addition to Robin Lumley (keyboards). Not long later jazz/rock fusion greats Brand X release their 1980 album, Do They Hurt?, the band members went their divide ways (until their comeback inwards 1992, which exclusively featured Goodsall in addition to Jones).
However, they withal owed their tape label ane to a greater extent than album. The solution? Release a rarities album! The problem, though, was that Brand X hardly had whatever unreleased cloth inwards the vaults at all; almost 3 or 4 tracks at the most. But with a lilliputian doctoring & remixing of tapes, keyboardist Robin Lumley extended that issue to 6 tracks (still scant, but improve than four), in addition to released Brand X's appropriately-titled collection, Is There Anything About?, inwards 1982.
It is the finally album to characteristic Phil Collins on drums in addition to includes some absolutely gorgeous slices of Brand X at their real best. This is a peculiar album; at the fourth dimension many critics panned it, frequently because it didn't audio anything similar the anodyne popular music that Phil Collins was making elsewhere inwards his career. However, inwards my see in addition to that of thousands of fans worldwide, it acts every bit a satisfying coda to a trunk of function that has real few paralells inwards the globe of Jazz fusion.
Is it a masterpiece? No. But is it bad? Absolutely not. "Is There Anything About?" DOES comprise some real cool Brand X nuggets. Even the "filler" tracks, inwards my opinion, are enjoyable. Let's banking concern agree out the material, shall we?:
"Ipanemia": written past times guitarist John Goodsall, this piece is an fantabulous jazz/rock popper. Very cool in addition to breezy."A Longer April": this rails is precisely what it says it is---a longer version of "April," from 1979's "Product." Either this is how Brand X originally recorded the melody earlier having to edit it downwards for the "Product" album, or Robin Lumley extended the rails past times doing some re-mixing on it. Either way it's a real dreamy, pleasant piece, in addition to I similar it. I likewise similar the spacey lilliputian twosome department that's been added to it. "TMIU-ATGA": every bit the liner notes say, the championship stands for "They're Making It Up As They Go Along." Lumley, immature homo keyboardist Peter Robinson in addition to bassist John Giblin improvised this brusk piece inwards ane take, in addition to Lumley stuck it onto the album. Filler? Perhaps. Instrumental noodling? Perhaps. But it's interesting."Swan Song": a fun, poppy, keyboard-heavy instrumental, with a big "Ohh-ohh" chorus at the finale. Some fans reacted to this rails with, "Oh my God, they've gone pop!" Chill out, you lot guys. I shout out upward there's ever been an oh-so-subtle popular influence to a *little bit* of Brand X's music (just a lilliputian bit, hear you), in addition to so I don't hear if the band become whole pig in addition to arrive at a rare, full-on pop-music piece. And "Swan Song" IS a real skillful pop-music piece."Is There Anything About?": Now hither is a Brand X instrumental no ane should lead maintain whatever complaints about. I can't tell when the band genuinely recorded it, but it is a smokin' hot, jammin' piece, simply every bit nifty & funky every bit anything Brand X lead maintain recorded inwards the past. Brilliant."Modern, Noisy, And Effective": Brand X become popular ane time to a greater extent than (gasp!) with a re-mixed, pop-flavored instrumental rendering of the vocal "Soho," originally from "Product." Extra keyboards in addition to handclaps are tossed into the mix. Again, I don't lead maintain a work with it. It's a fun piece with a skillful groove.And, to transcend off the album, the band's performances are juuuust fine, give thank you lot you real much, with Lumley, Giblin, Goodsall in addition to ace drummer Phil Collins all getting inwards some tasty licks (as good every bit bassist Percy Jones on the outstanding championship track).
I'm happy to lead maintain it sitting amongst classic Brand X albums similar "Unorthodox Behaviour," "Moroccan Roll," in addition to their fantabulous comeback unloosen from 1992, "X-Communication." I give "Is There Anything About?" 3 1/2 stars, thus, 4 stars on the average curve. I know it's a pretty darn hard CD to larn a concur of these days, but arrive at essay it out. If you lot are a Brand X fan, PLEASE lead maintain an opened upward hear with "Is There Anything About?", in addition to I promise you lot similar it. I do!
Notes
This album is outtakes from the Product (1979) sessions.
TMIU-ATGA agency "they're making it upward every bit they become along".
"A Longer April" is a re-engineered version of "April" from the Product (1979) sessions.
"Modern, Noisy, in addition to Effective" is a recycling of the backing rails of "Soho" from the "Product" album; that rails had been engineered past times Collins, who was described every bit "modern, noisy, in addition to effective." This phrase, inwards fact, commencement appears inwards the cinema "Three Dates with Genesis" (1978); the narrator describes the scene inwards which the phase has been torn downwards in addition to all the equipment loaded into trucks thus: "Like the stone band they service, the trucks are noisy, modern, in addition to effective; at 2:30 on a Fri morning, they last out Mannheim to drive halfway across Europe to the Dutch border."
Tracks Listing
1. Ipanaemia (4:30)
2. H5N1 Longer Apr (7:00)
3. Tmiu-Atga (5:07)
4. Swan Song (5:30)
5. Is There Anything About? (7:52)
6. Modern, Noisy, in addition to Effective (3:56)
Total Time: 33:55
Line-up / Musicians
- Phil Collins / drums in addition to concussion (1-3)
- Percy Jones / bass (5)
- John Giblin / bass, Whitbread, vocal (1-4,6)
- Robin Lumley / keyboards in addition to vocal
- Peter Robinson / keyboards (6)
- John Goodsall / guitar
- Raf Ravenscroft / saxophone (2)
- Stephen Short / syndrums in addition to vocal (4)
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