For many, the reaction to a Brand X double CD might be "kill me now", and if I'm honest, I'm not relishing this one. But part of the exercise is to force me to play albums such as this at least once.
I became interested in Brand X during my teenage Genesis phase, when they were the part-time job of Phil Collins (1970s prog drummer, not 1980s cringe balladeer), and quite enjoyed their Moroccan Roll album.
Bought in a charity shop for very little, I've hardly listened to this album.
CD1 is mostly live stuff with a couple of outtakes. It's standard jazz-rock, Nuclear Burn being interesting, Healing Dream an intricate acoustic guitar piece, but mostly self-indulgent noodling. Pleasant background, but no more.
CD2 consists of tracks from John Goodsall and Percy Jones' post Brand X projects. it starts off well, with two lively instrumentals courtesy of Goodsall (trading as The Fire Merchants), especially Saladin, but most of the rest is uninspired jazz-rock, or tedious metal type rock, although Love Notes (Goodsall as Floor Project '90) is brighter and more interesting.
Overall, the Goodsall compositions offer more interest than the Jones ones, and CD2 leaves me thinking it might be worth a second listen.
2* - too much unremarkable jazz-rock, with only flashes of inspiration.
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