PRODUCT

2.5 stars, really. This album is far from Brand X's best, and, as a fusion album on its own, isn't all that great. This album seems a bit directionless, as many of the tracks keep the signature fusion sound, while some are just bland muzak-sounding; some even pop. Even though Brand X are a British fusion band by country, they honestly never encapsulated the actual British jazz sound that groups lke Nucleus had, probably due to a lack of wind instruments. Brand X is most similar to Weather Report or Return to Forever IMO, although they do keep British humor in the song/piece titles.

"Don't Make Waves" is pretty bland pop, and I actually enjoy Abacab! Honestly, it's a terrible opener and one of the worst songs on the album. "Dance," "Algon,"and "Not Good Enough" are by far the best tracks, but even they can leave the listener bored at times. "Rhesus Plexus" is quite catchy, but still reminds one of jazz muzak...well, it does to me anyways. The other tracks are fairly forgettable.

The first two Brand X albums for me are the most essential. Serious fans should give this album a listen, but this is definitely not for people interested in looking for a first Brand X album. 2.5 stars, there are better names and more original artists/bands in the genre that I would put ahead of Brand X. While somewhat enjoyable, this is primarily for the fans.