BIRDS OF FIRE

Mahavishnu Orchestra's second effort, Birds of Fire saw the band continue on the raw energy of Inner Mounting Flame. However, the textures are more defined this time around. With Billy Cobham at the top of his art, and flaming solos by the three soloists, John Mclaughlin on guitar, Jan Hammer on keyboards, and Jerry Goodman on electric violin. The album starts with of the most furious songthe band would ever write, the anthemic title track. The song ''One Word'' saw a real battle of solos between the three soloists, and finishing with a wonderful drum solo by Cobham. Mclaughlin took some heat off with beautiful low tempos songs, such as Thousand Island Park, where Hammer and Mclaughlin use acoustic intruments instead of their original furious eletric attacks. A true masterpiece of the fusion genre, Birds of Fire would be the last album of the first incarnation of Mahavishnu's idealogies. A must for any fan of fusion.