MARSCAPE

Brand X goes to Mars. This is the original Brand X lineup with some extra musicians thrown in for good measure. Imagine, if you will, Brand X with strings and wind instruments. Actually the lead on this one is Jack Lancaster, who's work I'm not familiar with outside of this album. I'm not sure anymore about the details regarding how I discovered this little gem, but the vinyl LP has been in my collection for some time and it was a real thrill when I found it available on CD.

The concept here is mankind's first journey to Mars. No lyrics here, it's done totally instrumentally. The music is a mix of mellow and high energy material.

With a Great Feeling of Love: Inner Warmth and Feelings of Affinity is one of the most beautiful progressive music pieces I've heard. That one alone is worth having this album for.

If you're a fan of the original Brand X or just like a really good concept album this one's a must get for your collection. My CD is an Ozone Records release, but there are new ones available through Verdant Records. Beware of the overpriced used ones out there. In fact, avoid any Ozone label CDs. I just noticed it's copied off of a vinyl record. New ones can be obtained from the Verdant web site for a reasonable price.