UNORTHODOX BEHAVIOUR

This album is in my opinion the finest ever representation of British Jazz Fusion, and it is so very un-British! Phil Collins here comes out of his shell and offers some absolutely stunning performances and from the first seconds of Nuclear Burn you know you are in for 40 minutes of other-worldly musicianship and incredible Jazz Fusion. This is the first time a British Jazz Fusion act made something as technically proficient as the Spanish and American giants of the genre. Most of the music is clearly influenced by Mahivishnu Orchestra and you could easily accuse this record of being unoriginal but at a time when Jazz Fusion was dead in the U.K this album brings it back to life in stunning fashion.

Nuclear Burn is for me the highlight of the record with some absolutely amazing drumming interspersed with technical and blisteringly fast Guitars and Keyboards. The record also features slower songs similar to the work of Return To Forever. Euthanasia Waltz and Born Ugly both show this influence very well. One of the more unusual pieces is Smacks of Euphoric Hysteria which features more of a funk vibe than other tracks on the album and showcases some fantastic keyboard and guitar playing.

This album easily grabs 5 stars for me being not only the album that proved wrong my perceptions that a fast exciting British Jazz Fusion record was completely elusive but also showcases the finest playing Phil Collins accomplished and combines the finest moments of Mahivishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever into a complete Jazz Fusion experience.