Customer Reviews

Do They Hurt?

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say that I'm too familiar with the other Brand X albums, though what I HAVE heard didn't really impress me that much. This album, however, is different! I don't think I've ever found them so likeable!

Released in 1980 and featuring Genesis drummer Phil Collins on two tracks( what a busy year for him!), "Do They Hurt" consists of seven songs...the three quirky jazz fusion songs were written by bassist extraodinaire Percy Jones and the remaining four tracks, which are more progressive and some of them hard rocking in parts, are written mainly by guitarist John Goodsall. The liner notes on the back are written by Michael Palin and are absolutely hilarious and would still be worth picking the album up for if the music was terrible, but it's just the opposite! The back cover, which depicts an alligator walking up a woman's sidewalk( she has an alligator purse), is also quite funny. I just picked this up on CD last week and was very disappointed to find out that the liner notes are not included, nor is the entire back cover. I'm very curious as to why these were not included, as they really add to the overall enjoyment of the album.

I'd say my two favorite tracks are "Cambodia", which is one of the heavier tunes on the album and has some heavy metal guitar riffing in it and "Triumphant Limp", the second to the longest track on the album and not surprisingly the most progressive. There are no real bad songs on the album and most of it is very pleasant to listen to, like Goodsall's "Act Of Will"( which has some vocals sung through a vocoder). Percy Jones' tunes all have some incredible bass playing in them and are fun to listen to.

THIS IS A VERY GOOD ALBUM!

This is my personal favorite Brand X album mainly because of the unbelievable bass performance by Percy Jones on DMZ. Instead of copying the fusion sound of American bands, Brand X created their own sound and held on too it. John Goodsall the most underrated fusion guitarist ever contributed the masterpieces Voidarama and Cambodia. Percy customed tuned his 4 string fretless bass and made the masterpiece DMZ. A bass performance that pushed the envelope further than Jaco and Stanley did.

~Paul M.~

Like the preceding Product, this recording is more of a Progressive-Rock recording than a fusion album. Where the collective musicianship of this outfit is always outstanding the compositions are consistently impressive as well. Vocals through a vocoder on one number, otherwise they are all instrumentals. None of which succumb to the typically needless directionless noodling that was typical of many a fusion outfit. Highly recommended...Simon

I first heard this album back in the early 80's while in college. It sounded great back then, just as Fusion was becoming a recognized genre. Still sounds fresh today.

This CD is one of the most musically explorative offerings that any band has offered. Percy Jones is at his best in the comical "Noddy Goes To Sweden." "Voidarama" is a busy, but laid back song featuring guitarist John Goodsall. "Act Of Will" features lyrics that are almost impossible to discern, but that's the point! "Fragile" is a very ambitious ad-lib with constant clashing sounds. "Cambodia" is a very powerful guitar feature that is the closest thing to standard popular music as this album has to offer. Even its quiet sections are intense. "Triumphant Limp" seems to be a hold-over from the "Unorthodox Behaviour" album. It has a similar sound, which explores more territory than most of their other albums, and is written by the original four members. Finally, "D.M.Z." again shows off the impossible abilities of Percy Jones on the fretless bass. Do not be fooled by the title! It has a bit of a comical feel to it. This album has it all for the open-minded listener. Buy it, and it won't hurt!

Being a musician for over 25 years this album has endured my curiousity and my satifaction for it's perfomances. Definetly a must have study for musicians and "musicians Musicians"...

Brand X's 1980 release, "Do They Hurt?", is technically the band's last album featuring all of the major players in the group, such as keyboardists Robin Lumley and Peter Robinson, and, of course, drummer extraordinaire Phil Collins (though he only appears on one track---the drummer on the remaining six tracks I do not know, as my CD booklet doesn't say. Whoever he is, though, he's very good). And while "Do They Hurt?" isn't the greatest thing the band has ever recorded, it's still an excellent Brand X album. Personal faves include the quirky fun of "Noddy Goes To Sweden" (with bassist Percy Jones' magic fingers just *flyin'* all over his instrument), and the great pop-rock of "Act Of Will," one of Brand X's few attempts at an actual song with lyrics. Mind you, I don't know if it was a good idea for guitarist John Goodsall to distort his lead vocal on "Act Of Will" by singing through a vocoder, 'cause, admittedly, it's hard to dicipher what he's actually singing! BUT, I still think that "Act Of Will" is a very catchy, enjoyable tune (and pay no mind to the reviewer who dismissed the song---I don't understand why he has a problem with it). Also worth mentioning are the extended jams of "Triumphant Limp" (featuring Phil Collins on the skins) and "D.M.Z.", both very classy, powerful instrumental workouts. After "Do They Hurt?", the guys in Brand X decided that they had taken the band as far as it could go (or so they thought at the time), and they stopped working together for 12 years, apart from the 1982 collection, "Is There Anything About?", a sparse, hastily tossed-together rarities album (though it's nowhere near as bad as it's been reputed to be). But come 1992, John Goodsall and Percy Jones would revive Brand X (with Frank Katz on drums) with their outstanding comeback album, "X-Communication." But, in the meantime, "Do They Hurt?" is a very strong, solid album for Brand X to end their first phase of work together with. It's good stuff!

I had never heard of Brand X until this album came out. Right off the bat, the most distinct thing about this group was Percy Jones the bass player. His sound reminds me of Jaco Pastorius but his tone, sense of space and funky melodic inclinations are very much his own. In my opinion he defines the "Brand X" sound. That being said,what initially attracted me to this CD was the composition "Fragile". The interplay between drummer, bass player and keyboard player really push this piece forward without having to suffer through long, convoluted solos. It is indeed a fragile piece played with delicate, refined musicality and sustained harmonic unpredictability (a bit reminiscent of Frank Zappa's "Rubber Shirt"). There is also a conciseness and clarity of form in this work that pervades all the pieces in this collection. The results of which bring fusion almost into the "pop" realm (think Steely Dan going completely fusion).

What is also evident either in the music, the great cover art, the titles of the compositions or the liner notes by Monty Python's Michael Palin, is a sense of humor. These guys sound like they were having fun through out the entire process of completing this album. This humoristic element I usually find lacking in these fusiony outings.

Overall there is a spontaneity here in some very structured compositions that makes for a continually enjoyable outing for the ears and also provides a learning platform for the green musician who wants to expand his or her playing chops and understanding of how to interact musically with other players.

Though Brand X may have created more accomplished music on other projects, this CD (for me) still stands the test of time in terms of over all memorable excursions into fusion. I also really love the chord progression in "Voidarama" - beautiful stuff.

Instrumental Jazz Fusion with the occasional pop/rock hook and vocal.
The mission statement of Brand-X was to allow a collective of highly talented musicians the freedom to take music in whatever direction they fancied, without the constraints of politics and commercial concerns. Thus was born a music which is both challenging and, dare I say "fun". I mean, look at the cover art!!!

I say fun because when many similar acts of the period operated within very strict and disciplined guidelines, rarely relaxing or even smiling, Brand-X would crack jokes, use silly sound effects and generally create mayhem on stage (much to the dismay of their conteporaries like Robert Fripp etc).
However, even with this seemingly bohemian approach, Brand-X always managed to create both challenging and fascinating music and allow individuals to showcase their respective talents.

Actually recorded at the same time as Product. Lovers of Moroccan Roll and Unorthodox Behaviour will find this one to their liking. A sort of Return To Forever and Mahavishnu Orchestra meets Life Of Brian.

Trivia corner:
Title comes from Monty Python's movie Holy Grail. The words were uttered by Michael Palin, who also wrote the hilarious sleeve notes for this album. Be warned.

This album sadly seems to not have garnered as much attention as its predecessors - I say "sadly" because I think it happens to be Brand X's crowning achievement (followed closely by Product, which I think tends to be unfairly maligned). From Goodsall's at times utterly soaring at times delicate guitar to my man Percy's fretless bass acrobatics and like contributions from the other members of the band - this album is simply chock-full of brilliance. Jazz-rock fusion at its best.