BIRDS OF FIRE

The second album from this excellent band. And a very intense album it is too. Taking the best from harder edge rock and jazz, this album hits the listener between the eyes. But this album also has it's more lyrical, reflective sides.

John McLaughlin leads the assault of the senses, but the rest of the band is also brilliant. Mahavishnu Orchestra and most of what John McLaughlin has done has a lot of Indian culture and music fused into the backbone of the music and not as some feathers borrowed from India as The Beatles and others did. On Birds Of Fire, the Indian connection shines through all the time. In particular in Jerry Goodmann's violin.

The material is high quality throughout and this makes this album one of the better fusion albums out there. And that is my 100 words worth of opinons on an album I really love. The lack of a killer track or two is my only gripe with this album. Besides of that, this is a great album.

4 stars