THE INNER MOUNTING FLAME

Taking on the Mahavishnu Orchestra is a tough challenge-- because they're so damn good. However, their instrumental experimentation, intenstiy, and abstract style make them a challenge to connect with; they're very much a "jazz man's" band, and unless sitting through multiple listens to disect time signatures and key changes, or the virtuosity behind a noisy solo appeals to you, "Inner Mounting Flame" may be over your head.

As a casual fan of fusion, I find "Inner Mouting Flame" almost too much. It's noisy, aggressive, and very free-form (not to mention very dated in its production). This clinical feel comes across as being very self-serving, and unless one is into chaotic-sounding music than I advise to listen with caution. It might make you feel smarter when listening, or make you feel frustrated waiting for something memorable to identify with.

For those newly investigating the fusion genre, I heartily encourage sticking to the much more intelligible and classy Return to Forever; however, any fusion journey will inevitably lead the listener here to "Inner Mounting Flame"-- the complex and cerebral highlight of the genre.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 4 Lyrics/Vocals: NA Style/Emotion/Replay: 2