EXPRESSO II

Any Radio Gnome Invisible fanatic will waltz into unfamiliar territory with EXPRESSO II. By now, most traces of Daevid Allen's hippie-psych outfit were weeded out and transformed into a percussive fusion group led by drummer Pierre Moerlen. The very interesting aspect of the lineup is that the main band is three percussionists and a bass player; all other instruments are from guests that are as high profile as Darryl Way, Allan Holdsworth and Mick Taylor.

Even if you're like me and cannot stand coffee, this is a highly enjoyable effort; that is if you can get past the pinging and clanging. The problem with the plethora of xylophones and marimbas is that their percussive sound could potentially drive the listener into headache-city. The electric guitar parts are spectacular to the point where I wish there was a constant guitarist in the band.

Even with the bells, whistles and vibraphones, the songs themselves sound like standard jazz fusion It's really a game of ''pick-em'' when it comes to the best track. My pick is ''Golden Dilemma'' mainly with the second half's rhythm guitar jam. ''Heavy Tune'' is what it sounds like, ''Boring'' is not what it sounds like. If percussive jazz fusion is the style of music you're seeking, EXPRESSO II is nirvana. Those looking for definitive Gong need to investigate the RGI Trilogy; we're at Pierre Moerlen's Gong by now.