Brand X - "Product" (1979) @320
1979's "Product," the fifth album by Brand X, sees the very-welcome return of Genesis drummer & singer Phil Collins to the fold after a one-album break (Phil was busy with Genesis the previous year, so Chuck Burgi stepped in on the drumkit for Brand X's 1978 release,"Masques"). "Product" also sees Brand X swell up into an eight-man line-up, not only band veterans Collins, John Goodsall, Percy Jones, Robin Lumley & Morris Pert but also keyboardist Peter Robinson, bassist John Giblin, and Mike Clarke (though I don't have the info on what Clarke plays on the album, and my CD booklet doesn't say, either). I suspect that Brand X named this album "Product" because the band were trying for a more radio-friendly feel with this release, even including two "proper" songs with vocals & lyrics (95% of the band's music, I'd say, is strictly instrumental). But there's no need to be put off by this, because "Product" is a great disc, featuring the group's incredible knack for whirlwind, progressive jazz-rock fusion & musical chops. The two songs with lyrics, "Don't Make Waves" and "Soho," are both very rockin', and feature excellent vocal performances from Collins ("Soho" was even released as a single---a rarity for Brand X---but it didn't go anywhere). I also enjoy the expert jazz-rock of such tracks as "Dance Of The Illegal Aliens," "Algon," the great grooves of "Wal To Wal," and the ferocious instrumental "And So To F," penned by Phil Collins himself (who totally outdoes himself on the drumkit with this one). The music is terrific, and the band's performances are mindblowing. It's another winner for Brand X! I'm very confident you will enjoy this "Product." By Alan Caylow (USA)
"One of three top Brand X albums"
I am a drummer. And therefore am a bit partial to drums. I prefer music that is mostly percussive. Fusion tends to be more percussive than most. But Brand X (with Phil Collins anyway) always delivers. First of all Phil Collins DOES play drums on ."..and so to f..." also my favorite song here. Phil wrote it, does some vocal rhythmic scatt type stuff on it,percussion, drums. Percy Jones is also on this recording. Sorry, I also like "Don't Make Waves" and "Soho", with Phil's vocals, as I like Genesis too. But they don't really sound like Genesis either. I would rate this as one of the top three Brand X recordings along with 'Unorthodox Behaviour" and "Moroccan Roll". Musicians appearing on this recording are: Mike Clarke (drums on two tracks), Phil Collins (drums on seven tracks), John Goodsall (guitars) John Giblin (Bass on seven tracks), Robin Lumley (keyboards, etc.), Morris Pert (percussion on two tracks), Peter Robinson (keyboards on two tracks), and Percy Jones (bass on three tracks - one of which also has Percy Jones on bass as well). This was basically recorded with two groups of musicians. One group playing "Dance of the Illegal Aliens" and "Not Good Enough", the other group playing the other seven songs. I am a bit partial to this recording however as it was also my first Brand X acquisition. It went very well with the water, sand and beach where I was vacationing at the time. I just enjoyed it very much. By jalcruces (Las Cruces, NM).
"Mahavishnu, RTF and a bit of Monty Python"
Brand-X was/is a collective of highly talented players, producers and unmentionables who would get together when their individual schedules permitted and make extraordinary music.
Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever are definitely role models, however, with so many distinctive talents involved, Brand-X gains a personality all it's own.
Those who have formed religions around Unorthodox Behavior & Moroccan Roll may find this vocal thingie as "going a bit too far".
Personally, I don't find it distracting at all. To me, it keeps faith with the spirit by which the band was formed. That is, to play the music the band wanted and just have a good time. Fun, for heaven's sake! - with chops!
Percy Jones actually wrote and performs on three of the cuts, including a duet/duel with fellow bassist John Giblin. By Keijo Sandvik (Melbourne, Australia).
"Jazz-rock Fusion outfit goes Progressive"
Unlike the previous four recordings this effort from the brilliant Brand X owes more to Prog-Rock than it does fusion. Drummer Phil Collins even sings two numbers. Both are unlike the Genesis music he was recording at that time. The compositions are inventive and creative. Percy Jones in particular offers some outstanding pieces. On this recording and the following Do They Hurt they established a unique sound unlike that anyone else was playing at the time. Well worth having...Simon
For even a frenzied bunch like Brand X, PRODUCT stands out as a particularly chaotic release. Drummer Phil Collins was back in the fold after a one-album absence, and his presence is keenly felt (he even lends his vocal talents on the decidedly ... Full Descriptionmainstream rocker "Don't Make Waves").
The expanded line-up attempts rampantly different styles, such as the moody and complex "Dance of the Illegal Aliens," with its sudden guitar and keyboard bursts, sauntering rhythm and thick atmosphere, and "Rhesus Perplexus," which lifts a page or two from fusion-lite players like Steve Khan and Pat Metheny, with Goodsall's guitars reflecting an almost traditional sound. The closing "April" is prog in jazz clothing, all dawning bass and searching guitar fragments, and, like the best prog rock, imbues old contexts with new meanings.
* The song "Wal To Wal" is the first recorded song on which Phil Collins used a Roland drum machine. (The first recorded Genesis song on which he used a drum machine is Duchess.)
* Both "Don't Make Waves" and "Soho" were released as singles.
* The non-album song "Pool Room Blues" was used as a b-side to one of the singles. It is the only non-album Brand X song, because the other b-side, "Noddy Goes To Sweden", was used on the next album.
* Various releases of the album switch the track list with "And So To F" and "Not Good Enough".
Brand X
Track listing:
1. "Don't Make Waves" (Goodsall) (5:31)
2. "Dance of The Illegal Aliens" (Jones) (7:50)
3. "Soho" (Goodsall/Collins) (3:44)
4. "Not Good Enough / See Me!" (Jones/Robinson) (7:30)
5. "Algon (where an ordinary cup of drinking chocolate costs £8,000,000,000)" (Lumley) (6:10)
6. "Rhesus Perplexus" (Giblin) (4:01)
7. "Wal To Wal" (Jones/Giblin) (3:14)
8. "And So To F..." (Collins) (6:28)
9. "April" (Giblin) (2:10)
Personnel:
* John Goodsall - guitar (except 7), backing vocals
* Robin Lumley - keyboards (except 2 & 8)
* J. Peter Robinson - keyboards (2 & 8)
* John Giblin - bass (except 2 & 8)
* Percy Jones - bass (2, 4 & 7)
* Phil Collins - drums (except
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