Brand X (Phil Collins) - Do They Hurt [Japanese Ed. SHM-CD] (1980)

Year: 18 April 1980 (CD July 30, 2014)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-76417
Style: Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 39:56
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 252 Mb

Do They Hurt? (1980) is the fifth album by the British jazz fusion group Brand X. The tracks on this album are outtakes from the Product sessions. ("Noddy Goes to Sweden" was a B-side from Product.)
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Hurt%3F)
BRAND X is, no doubt about it, one the most original and well-known British groups of the seventies jazz/rock fusion scene. Made of musicians that are technicians at their respective instruments and that are as inspired as talented. There are really 2 BRAND X formations... the one from the mid 70s and the 1992 BRAND X. The original line-up of the band was formed by drummer Phil COLLINS of GENESIS with John GOODSALL (former ATOMIC ROOSTER) on guitar, Robin LUMLEY (a David BOWIE collaborator) on keyboards and Percy JONES (ex-LIVERPOOL SCENE) on bass. For them, the joy of playing and writing together was the main motivation. With various personnel permutations, they made typical progressive rock albums... all worth hearing! The 1992 BRAND X is GOODSALL, JONES and drummer Frank KATZ.
The band's discography starts in 1976 with "Unorthodox Behaviour" and goes on a year later with "Morrocan Poll", probably one of their best. "Is There Anything About" is the last release from this legendary jazz-rock band. After almost ten years of absence during the Eighties, "Xcommunication" is the return of BRAND X under the economical format of a trio (GOODSALL, JONES, and KATZ). They released a CD that is almost as good than on previous releases. "The X-Files" is a disc of live recordings and a disc of unreleased material. What else can be said, apart from the fact that it is another masterpiece in the Legend's discography.
(progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=660)

01. Noddy Goes To Sweden (04:30)
02. Voidarama (04:26)
03. Act Of Will (04:45)
04. Fragile (05:27)
05. Cambodia (04:34)
06. Triumphant Limp (07:32)
07. D.M.Z. (08:39)

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Brand X (Phil Collins) - Product [Japanese Ed. SHM-CD] (1979)

Year: 14 September 1979 (CD July 30, 2014)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-76416
Style: Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 47:18
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 295 Mb

It features primary member Phil Collins back once again on drums following his absence on Masques. Drummer Mike Clark and bassist John Giblin also appear on this album. Two of the album's tracks - "Soho" and "Wal to Wal" - were largely recorded at Phil Collins' Old Croft home in Shalford, Surrey.
Brand X were a British jazz rock band formed in London in 1974. They were initially active until 1980, followed by reformations between 1992–1999 and 2016–2021.
Despite sometimes being considered to be a Phil Collins side project (due to Collins' participation as drummer between 1975 and 1977 in between his commitments to Genesis), the band was in fact centred on a core composing/playing trio of John Goodsall (guitar), Percy Jones (bass) and Robin Lumley (keyboards), with Lumley also playing a prominent production role.
Jones would ultimately remain the sole constant member throughout Brand X's existence (both during the original 1970s run and throughout the assorted twenty-first century reunions), with Goodsall and Lumley playing a part in most of the albums and tours. Jones ended all Brand X activities in 2020, despite resistance from the band's management and their attempts to revive the band with all-new personnel. Jones is now the sole surviving core member, with John Goodsall having died on 10 November 2021 and Robin Lumley having died on 9 March 2023.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_(Brand_X_album))

01. Don't Make Waves (05:31)
02. Dance Of The Illegal Aliens (07:50)
03. Soho (03:42)
04. Not Good Enough-See Me! (07:31)
05. Algon (Where An Ordinary Cup Of Drinking Chocolate Costs 8,000,000,000) (06:11)
06. Rhesus Perplexus (04:02)
07. Wal To Wal (03:15)
08. ... And So To F... (06:32)
09. April (02:41)

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Brand X - Masques [Japanese Ed. SHM-CD] (1978)

Year: 8 September 1978 (CD July 30, 2014)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-76415
Style: Jazz Rock, Instrumental, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 49:07
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 307 Mb

After a couple of really well-working Brand X releases, the band went on a bit different path than before with "Masques". This album can be seen as a tighter, quirkier and harder release but still with the usual Brand X playfulness and the amazingly solid instrumentation. Phil Collins was too busy with Genesis at the time for this release that he got replaced by Chuck Burgi, a superb drummer who does a mind-boggling performance here, up to pair with Collins I would say. Collins returned after this release.
This might be the most complex Brand X album, stuffed with odd time signatures. The songs are well composed and structured with a great sense of melody too, in Brand X' usual quirky style, of course! There are no really weak tracks here, with the possible exception of the minimalistic noodling title track. Otherwise, "Masques" reminds on of their best releases in their discography!
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3476) My rating: 4.5/5, rounded up to 5 for being so underrated. Review by Bj-1. March 19, 2005

01. The Poke (05:11)
02. Masques (03:16)
03. Black Moon (04:49)
04. Deadly Nightshade (11:21)
05. Earth Dance (06:09)
06. Access To Data (08:02)
07. The Ghost Of Mayfield Lodge (10:16)

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Brand X (Phil Collins) - Moroccan Roll [Japanese Ed. SHM-CD] (1977)

Year: April 1977 (CD July 30, 2014)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-76413
Style: Jazz Rock, Instrumental, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 49:29
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 318 Mb

Moroccan Roll is the second studio album by British jazz fusion group Brand X. The title is a pun referring to this being their second album: "more rock and roll", however, Moroccan Roll is not a step toward the rock and roll side of the fusion equation, but rather an experiment with Eastern sounds and softer textures. The album is mostly instrumental. "Sun in the Night" contains vocals sung by Brand X drummer Phil Collins in Sanskrit. "Disco Suicide" and "Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All" also contain vocals, although they are wordless.
Brand X were a British jazz rock band formed in London in 1974. They were initially active until 1980, followed by reformations between 1992–1999 and 2016–2021.
Despite sometimes being considered to be a Phil Collins side project (due to Collins' participation as drummer between 1975 and 1977 in between his commitments to Genesis), the band was in fact centred on a core composing/playing trio of John Goodsall (guitar), Percy Jones (bass) and Robin Lumley (keyboards).
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_X)

01. Sun In The Night (04:25)
02. Why Should I Lend You Mine (When You've Broken Yours Off Already) (11:20)
03. ...Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All (02:04)
04. Hate Zone (04:41)
05. Collapsar (01:34)
06. Disco Suicide (07:54)
07. Orbits (01:37)
08. Malaga Virgen (08:27)
09. Macrocosm (07:23)

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Brand X - Livestock [japanese Ed. SHM-CD] (1977)

Year: 18 November 1977 (CD July 30, 2014)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-76414
Style: Jazz Rock, Instrumental, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 41:35
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 253 Mb

Excellent live album, though only two of the songs are from their studio albums ("Euthanasia Waltz" from 'Unorthodox Behaviour' and "Malaga Virgen" from 'Moroccan Roll') . The rest is new material, but is equally as good as the two tracks i just mentioned. Performances are faultless and sound quality is excellent. The drumming is split between Phil Collins and Kenwood Dennard, and both does a great job on this album. This is a very varied, but still even album and the compositions are all excellent! A burst of energy and fire!
This is high-quality fusion at it's best though not 100% perfect (a couple of parts are slighlty weaker than other parts, but still very good). Overall: 4.75 stars - Should be included in any prog collection that features Jazz-Rock!
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3475) Review by Bj-1. November 22, 2005

Most of it sounds as if it were recorded in the VERY early hours, in a darkened cellar. There's no interaction with the audience and very few attempts to enliven the original studio tracks. Only "Euthanasia Waltz" (off UNORTHODOX BEHAVIOUR) is given an extra dimension, with the help of a truly ecstatic guitar solo by John Goodsall, while "Malaga Virgen" (from MOROCCAN ROLL) benefits from some jaunty playing by Messrs. Dennard and Jones. (I believe the bass is mixed closer to the front than on the band's studio albums, which helps.) Both of these tracks also acquire more colour through Morris Pert's remarkable playing. Apart from these things, the rest of the album is a low-key affair. As far as I know, the opening tracks, "Nightmare Patrol" and "-Ish", cannot be found anywhere else. They're OK tracks, much in the same spirit as Brand X's early studio work, but they don't exactly set my heart on fire, if you catch my drift.
Between the tracks you'll hear the roar of what seems to be an enormous crowd. ("Euthanasia Waltz" simply gets faded out, without applause or explanation.) How strange that such an audience remained completely silent during the actual performances! Perhaps they were all totally serious guys with beards, merely nodding along sagely...
I'm a bit surprised Brand X didn't light too many sparks on stage. Devoted fans will need LIVESTOCK, if only for its (literally) unique material, but I can't help thinking the collection was scraped together in a hurry. The obligatory Hipgnosis cover makes the album look even more depressing. Aimless releases like this make you understand why the world used to cry out for the likes of Ian Dury, Madness and the Pretenders.
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3475) Review by fuxi. October 29, 2010

01. Nightmare Patrol (08:04)
02. -Ish (08:33)
03. Euthanasia Waltz (05:27)
04. Isis Mourning i (05:36)
05. Isis Mourning ii (04:45)
06. Malaga Virgen (09:07)

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Brand X (Phil Collins) - Unorthodox Behaviour (1976)

Year: 18 June 1976 (CD 1996)
Label: Virgin Records (UK), CASCD1117
Style: Jazz Rock, Instrumental, Progressive Rock
Country: London, England
Time: 41:05
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 221 Mb

The 70’s jazz fusion flavour is audible right away when Nuclear Burn (6:23) begins. You hear and feel that the bass is not played by an ordinary bass player. Percy Jones has his very own sound and he plays quite fast. Guitar and keyboards only accompany him until the chorus (if you can speak of a chorus in an instrumental) when Goodsall (guitar) and Lumley (keyboards) take over the track! Collins’s drum sound is quite different from his Genesis sound. He works the snare and the hi-hat a lot and not so much with the toms. You can hear it here in the opening track what a fantastic and sympathetic drummer he used to be. The track ends in what seems to be a jam, but probably was written like that. You can hear the influence of Pat Metheny and Weather Report. It is jazz, but it is also rock – jazz rock or fusion music.
Euthanasia Waltz (5:42) is much calmer. An acoustic guitar is the dominant instrument before a well-rounded solo on the electric piano comes in and leads the track into a seemingly improvised jam before the track returns to the electric guitar. Phil whirls across the snare and adds highlights on the ride cymbals. The remarkable bass comes in only in the second third of the track and plays a solo. In the end the contemplative initial motive returns on the acoustic guitar.
Born Ugly (8:18) is the second longest track on the album. A very groovy number. It is best described as a session with a structure. The middle part is a bit psychedelic as the band weave a large soundscape with growing intensity. Phil then destroys this calm with his drums. The guitar solo may have been influenced by Indian music; in fact, it even sounds like a sitar in places. The track sounds like a complete improvisation by musicians who already rely blindly on each other on this their first album.
Smacks Of Euphoric Hysteria (4:30) is one of the shorter tracks. It has a slow groove. Phil’s drums are in the front; he plays a number of riffs on the toms. There is an obvious intention to give each musician more or less the same time in the centre spot. The album does not contain any track that is dominated by just one instrument.
The title track is the longest on the record (8:29). It begins quiet and even tentative and builds up a tension that is broken up suddenly by Phil’s drumming. A dialogue develops between the guitar and the keyboards; bass and drums occasionally pop in. Collins and Jones work together marvellously. This is another track that sounds like an improvised jam that all the musicians really enjoy. Some listeners may find the track too long with too many repetitions. The band really let down their hair on this one!
Running On Three is a shorter, fast track in which bass and drums play intriguing roles. The keyboards share the melodic work; a guitar solo rocks the middle bridge. The overall impression is a jazz jam.
The final track of the debut album is called Touch Wood. It begins with some (seemingly) chaotic acoustic guitar over ethereal piano sounds. Half the track passes before something like a structure emerges. A soprano saxophone comes in. The bass is played like a percussive instrument. There are no drums. The only percussion instrument you hear – briefly – is a shaker that oscillates between the left and right speakers. The track fades after 3:04 minutes and leaves the listener with silence.
(Full version: www.genesis-news.com/c-Brand-X-Unorthodox-Behaviour-Album-Review-s742.html)

01. Nuclear Burn (06:23)
02. Euthanasia Waltz (05:42)
03. Born Ugly (08:15)
04. Smacks Of Euphoric Hysteria (04:30)
05. Unorthodox Behaviour (08:29)
06. Running Of Three (04:38)
07. Touch Wood (03:04)

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