It's 1978, and for the most part, as a first year student I'm very punk resistant, still preferring the more cerebral challenge of the world of prog, especially if there are a few jazz overtones, although my hatred of the drum solo was already well established. So, why would I be interested in a drummer's solo album?
Well, it's not any old drummer, it's Bill Bruford, drummer with Yes during their early albums, bailing after the high of Close To The Edge, lured by Fripp to the strange world of King Crimson (a band I was at the time not familiar with), a move which Bruford described as like "climbing over the Berlin Wall into East Germany". When the Mighty Crim was abruptly disbanded after Red, rather than look for the easy drum seat which a man of his reputation could expect, Bruford widened his musical horizons and studies while part-timing with the likes of Gong, National Health and a stint as touring drummer with Genesis. And it was the influence of Canterbury Sound keyboardist Dave Stewart (Egg, Hatfield and the North, National Health) on this album which piqued my interest, whet by an appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test at the time of release. It's an album which highlights Bruford's composition skills, rather than his prowess as a drummer, and has been a firm favourite for many decades.
Beelzebub kicks off with a disjointed counterplay between the bass (Jeff Berlin) and Bruford's percussion (xylophone?) before the guitar slips in a little taster of what is to come in the second half of the piece, an Allan Holdsworth guitar solo. His work, for me, is one of the highlights of this album, his flowing intricate style, always seeming just behind the beat and striving to catch it up, and it retruns on many other tracks.
The other main highlight is revealed in Back To The Beginning - the sultry vocal style of Annette Peacock, with her lovely jazz phrasing. It's a fine song with a tight arrangement, which again allows Holdsworth's guitar to take flight over Berlin's liquid bass, with another stunning solo. Seems Like A Lifetime Ago is another Peacock song, much more relaxed in the first part with a sweet flugelhorn solo from Kenny Wheeler, before a second half frenzy.
The next two tracks, Sample And Hold, more technical, and Feels Good To Me, more commercial but still with room for Holdsworth's guitar, are much more orthodox jazz-rock numbers, both great but not standouts on the album. Either End of August slows us right down, a Dave Stewart piano over a lazy bass, leading to a flugelhorn theme, with a Weather Report feel, before a languid guitar takes us to the end, then If You Can't Stand The Heat... has a vibe opening, again with that fluid bass and is followed by Springtime In Siberia, just piano and flugelhorn at a lovely gentle pace, taking us to the climax, with Adios A La Pasada. Peacock returns here, on a lively yet wistful song, her voice switching seamlessly from speech to song, with the band at full pelt leading her in - Holdsworth's guitar at the forefront, as well as leading the middle section.
As a piece of 1970s jazz-rock this is sublime - the drummer's solo album where the drumming is just what's needed for te music and the composition is what's on display, pieces which allow a talented band full rein to express themselves.
And as I've made clear, for me, it's Allan Holdsworth's guitar which stands out, and is a revelation to someone who doesn't really enjoy guitar solos.
5* - an absolute favourite for decades
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