PRODUCT

While the four previous Brand-X releases had a consistency to them, "Product" definitely shows obvious signs of Multiple Personality Disorder. Here, most likely under a lot of pressure from their management (hereafter referred to as "THE MAN"), Brand-X essentially splintered into two bands. The more adventurous half (with Percy Jones in the bass chair and ex Herbie Hancock's Headhunters drummer Mike Clarke), and the "Trying To Have A Hit At Any Cost" half (with Phil Collins and John Giblin on bass) seemed at odds with each other here. The "Phil Collins Half" is seen churning out cheese-whiz pop ("Soho") and even VERRRRRY BAD arena-rock ("Don't Make Waves") and even regurgitated Genesis ("And So To F---"). The 'Adventurous Half" hangs in there with gems like "Not Good Enough, See Me--", "Algon", the Pat Metheny-esque "Rhesus Perplexus" and "Dance of The Illegal Aliens". Another odd item is the dual bass feature "Wal to Wal" driven along by a robotic drum machine track. But anyway, THE MAN may well have led to Brand-X's dissolution in 1980, trying to have it both ways. "Product" does have some worthwhile moments on it, but hardly essential by any stretch.

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