MOROCCAN ROLL

This is supposed to be the big Kahuna. The masterpiece of the band, and I understand why many consider it as such, but in my mind it is the first album that really takes the cake... I´d love to review it, but I read somewhere that you are not taken seriously if you keep spitting 5 stars out like a child reviewing gummibears: the green is a five, the red is a five, but the yellow is a yuokii one. Nobody ever likes the yellow ones, why do they insist on making them? If you ever doubted the drumming skills of Phil Collins, you should check this one out as it unveils some of the most intricate drumming he has ever played on record - jumping from slick and cool background rhythms to over the top volcanic eruptions. What I love about his way of playing, is that he is able to blend the technical side of things together with an almost supernatural sense of melody. Some musicians show off. They´ll do some kind of out-of-this-world-impossible-to-do stunt, that will steer you away from the focus of the music and ultimately end up confusing you. Collins is THE master of accentuating the other musicians involved, which Genesis should be the perfect example of, but in Brand X the style is much more loosee-goosee and jazzy - that he from time to time breaks away from the groove(still keeping it though), and goes all out Keith Moon on his poor kit. -Just listen to the closing track, and you´ll know what I´m on about...

The line up is the same as "Unorthodox Behaviour" - with the inclusion of Morris Pert on percussion, who does a wonderful job helping the band achieve the mystical Arabian/African vibe that flavours parts of this release. -The opening song and Disco Suicide is the best examples of this, and somehow he feels more like a part of the band in these sections IMO. There is no getting around the mighty Percy Jones, who is an (almost) unsung virtuoso on the bass. This guy needs all the praise he can get! He sounds like a fusion of John Entwistle and James Jamerson popped in the oven on full with a dash of jazz. I want to give this 5 stars, but due to the fact that the longest song (which I incidentally also had the highest expectations for) lacks direction and the UMPPPFFH that almost every other song on this album is bursting with. I´ll have to restrain myself and only burp 4 big ones up from the deep.