UNORTHODOX BEHAVIOUR

Prior to entering the studio for Genesis' first post-Peter Gabriel album, Phil Collins loosened up by taking the drummer's stool for this debut Brand X album. The group play a light and airy style of fusion reminiscent of a little bit of Return to Forever, the occasional hint of Mahavishnu Orchestra, and a generous helping of Billy Cobham's Spectrum.

All pleasant enough, though it took a while for the album to really grow on me; at first listen it doesn't really stand out as a classic of the genre. A few tracks were reworked for some pieces on Brian Eno's Another Green World and Before and After Science albums (which featured Brand X members in the backing groups), but comparing them makes it plain how much Eno's production and ambient manipulations changed those pieces. Still, the unique atmosphere and playfulness of the group (as exemplified by the title track) puts them into a space of their own on the fusion scene, and it's worth giving Unorthodox Behaviour several tries before its secrets open up to you.