APOCALYPSE

Considered by many the lesser album in their discography, Apocalypse was my introduction to MO and remains a favorite of mine many years later. It is one of the more successful attempts to mix jazz fusion or progressive rock with orchestration (for another good try see Yes' Magnification). The album starts out with a beautiful acoustic guitar overture which I heard used by NPR as the intro to one of their jazz shows. The album builds powerfully and the guitar and violin work smoulders. And I find Smile of the Beyond to be incredibly powerful and uplifting. Not so much the intro/outro which features Gayle Moran's operatics (though I don't see anything wrong with it). But the instrumental break in the middle, with McLaughlin and Ponty trading off fiery Hendrix-inspired leads over the incredibly funky bass of Armstrong, is for me the highlight of the entire album. Not their best or most consistent album but highly recommended.