BRUFORD: FEELS GOOD TO ME

The 'problem' with Bill Bruford is that his playing is too rock for jazz purists, whilst at the same time too jazzy for (progressive) rock fans. This dichotomy is very apparent on Feels Good to Me.

Whilst some tracks are very much in the jazz rock/fusion vein, similar to the later Soft Machine and Brand X, others are more rock orientated. The vocals by Annette Peacock are more akin to cocktail lounge jazz , a much smoother sound than will would expect of a band featuring Bill Bruford.

Another problem for me is the meandering guitar style of Alan Holdsworth. He can veer from an almost heavy metal shredding to jazz stylings, often in the space of the same track! I find his playing difficult to listen to and this album certainly suffers as a result.

Despite some good tracks, on balance, I feel this is a 2 star album.