WHY SHOULD I LEND YOU MINE

Brand X is a British progressive rock band that was founded in London in 1975. Brand X was a jazz fusion band active between 1975-1980 and 1992-1999. The members included the noted Phil Collins (drums), Percy Jones (bass), John Goodsall (guitar) and Robin Lumley (keyboards), besides many other musicians that collaborated with the band all over the years. Brand X recorded and released their debut studio album "Unorthodox Behavior" in 1976. The album was positively received by the jazz/fusion fans worldwide. Afterward, the band hit the road for multiple tours in the UK. In 1977, Brand X recorded and released their sophomore studio album "Moroccan Roll", an album also very well received.

"?Featuring Phil Collins" is a compilation album with thirteen tracks that was released in 1996. It comprises tracks that belong only to their first two studio albums. So, from "Unorthodox Behaviour" we have "Nuclear Burn", "Euthanasia Waltz", "Running Of Three", "Born Ugly", "Unorthodox Behaviour", "Smacks Of Euphoric Hysteria" and "Touch Wood". From "Moroccan Roll" we have "Hate Zone", "Sun In The Night", "Why Should I Lend You Mine (When You've Broken Yours Off Already)", "...Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All", "Malaga Virgen" and "Macrocosm".

"Nuclear Burn" is a great track where Collins and Jones erupt in unison. Phil and Lumley enter to introduce us to the song and Goodsall who, together with Lumley, exudes a wonderful solo. The 70's jazz fusion flavour is perfectly audible here. "Touch Wood" opens with intricate guitar as piano comes in. It's a piece with a great delicacy where Lancaster's nuances with his soprano sax the Goodsall's acoustic guitar and the Lumley's keyboards, which fill us with warmth, especially at the end of it. "Hate Zone" begins with a solo by Collins that kicks it for several seconds. Jones then joins in on the euphoric piece, followed by the rest of the band. This is a very hard grooving track that clearly moves towards the jazz rock style. "Euthanasia Waltz" is a calm track. It follows the repertoire with a melodious and dynamic piece that finds Goodsall playing captivatingly and where the acoustic guitar is the dominant instrument here. Collins and Jones' cuts are stunningly precise. "Running Of Three" is a piece where the band makes a rhythmic melodic experience. It's a fast track where bass and drums play intriguing roles. Keyboards share the melodic work with a guitar solo of rock in the middle. The overall impression is a jazz jam piece. "Sun In The Night" is a laid back piece, one of the few pieces of the band that has words. It's a very rewarding track with some pleasant sitar and great, spacey vocals from Collins. The intensity grows as the song progresses. This is a peculiar, but yet fascinating piece of music. "Born Ugly" is a groovy number where the band shares a bit of funk without getting too far apart. It can be best described as improvisation session music with a structure. The middle part is a bit psych as the band weaves a large soundscapes with growing intensity. "Why Should I Lend You Mine (When You've Broken Yours Off Already)" is an excellent instrumental full of surprises ranging from its varied dynamics to the curious percussion and the always virtuous and extended sound of Jones's fretless bass. Lumley and Goodsall's solos move within an environment where everything seems to levitate, really. "...Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All" is a brief piece, a slow track, a logical continuation of the previous track. It could well be the coda of the previous one. Both parts give a lot of atmosphere to the track. "Unorthodox Behaviour" is another piece that sounds like an improvised jam. It begins quiet and even hesitating and builds up a tension that it's broken up suddenly by Phil's drumming. A dialogue develops between the guitar and the keyboards and where bass and drums occasionally pop in. "Malaga Virgen" is one of Brand X's greatest tracks ever due to its complexity and the way it holds together as a piece. It switches between the fast and slow, and the loud and quiet parts. The interplay is exceedingly virtuosic, especially the solo segments by Jones and Lumley. "Smacks Of Euphoric Hysteria" is probably the least euphoric songs in the all repertoire of the band, but it's highly attractive too. It has a slow groove. There's an obvious intention to give to each musician the same time in the centre spot but Phil's drums are in the front, really. "Macrocosm" is a celebration of the fusion genre, being intricate and uplifting and a showcase for the individual skills of all musicians. It shows why Brand X has been one of the jazz fusion bands with great relevance for so many decades.

Conclusion: "?Featuring Phil Collins" is a very good compilation album of Brand X. It has some of the best tracks by the band. However and despite of that, we cannot say that "?Featuring Phil Collins" is a compilation album very well representative of Brand X because, as I mentioned above, it has only tracks that belong to their first two studio albums. This is pretty evident if we look to title of it. Who are used to with the entire career of Brand X knows that Phil Collins only participated entirely on the first two studio albums of Brand X, "Unorthodox Behaviour" and "Moroccan Roll", due to his commitments with Genesis when he replaced Peter Gabriel in the vocal role. Anyway, "?Featuring Phil Collins" is very well representative of that period of the band and represents an excellent intro to the band and their great music.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)