MOGUL THRASH

A strangely unsatisfying jazz-rock excursion featuring ex-Colosseum guitarist James Litherland and star progressive bass-player John Wetton(King Crimson, Family, Asia), the one-and-only release from Mogul Thrash proves once again just how difficult it is to properly nail the mixture of jazz and rock without over-egging the pudding. Whilst there is nothing wrong with the actual playing - this is an album filled with virtuoso instrumental displays and impressive interplay - the actual tunes prove pretty uninspiring. The album kicks off with the fragmented 'Something Sad', before serving up a lengthy re-worked version of Colosseum's 'Elegy', albeit with a harder edge and pacier rhythm section, though in this case bigger and faster doesn't equate to better. The twelve-minute 'Going North, Going West' fares better, with Litherland's quicksilver guitar work prominent, yet in truth it's a rare moment of clarity in an otherwise overwrought album. That's not to say 'Mogul Thrash' belongs in the bargain basement bin. Fans of Nucleus, Tony Williams, The Keith Tippett Group etc might find much to admire here, yet the adventurous essence that made those artists appeal beyond the jazz demographic is largely absent. Lots of style then, and even a little substance, but very little soul. In a word then: disappointing.

STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON 2012