Moroccan Roll

Brand X | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Plate Caroline
• ASIN: B000000HRU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,630 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #27 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Progressive

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 7-JUN-1989

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Brand X album, September 29, 2003

By 

BENJAMIN MILER (Veneta, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moroccan Roll (Audio CD)

There was a point in Phil Collins' career where he was getting increasingly unhappy with the press who seemed more interested on the costumes Peter Gabriel wore than the actual music of Genesis. He almost left Genesis because of that reason (but instead it was Gabriel who left). So Collins went and formed Brand X, with keyboardist Robin Lumley, bassist Percy Jones, and guitarist John Goodsall. Brand X totally avoided the theatrics of Genesis and went for largely instrumental progressive fusion. Unorthodox Behavior was that first album, as excellent as that album was, an even better album was to be released the following year (1977), that is Moroccan Roll. It was only released three months after Wind & Wuthering, so Phil Collins was an awfully busy guy at that point. The album starts with "Sun in the Night", it's the only vocal track on this album. It has an Indian feel to it complete with sitar and Phil Collins singing in Sanskrit, and you know right away this is something you wouldn't mistake for Genesis. This song is actually pretty untypical for Brand X as well. The next song, "Why Should I Lend You Mine" falls more in to the progressive fusion Brand X is known for. Lots of great fretless bass from Percy Jones, great electric piano and Mini Moog from Lumley. The music mellows out quite a bit for the next few minutes before fading out. The next piece is a wonderful piano piece "...Maybe I'll Lend You Mine After All". This is the first time Phil Collins played piano (something he wouldn't do until he embarked on his solo career in the 1980s). It's an incredible piece. The next piece is "Hate Zone" where the band is more aggressive and funky. The rest of the album is the same excellent quality, and if you like progressive fusion, this album is a must.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's only Moroccan Roll (but I like it, like it, yes I do), May 5, 2004

By 

spiral_mind (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moroccan Roll (Audio CD)

Fun, dynamic, inventive and slightly wacky, this is everything a fusion album should be. Despite the prominent presence of Phil Collins this is nothing Genesis had ever dreamed of (and naturally, nothing any Genesis fan should expect to sound like them). I'm not sure I'd call him the leader either, as there are plenty of contributions from all corners. This album covers the whole dynamic range, from slow searching - not the same thing as noodling, mind you - to passages of wild sizzling chemistry and everything in between.

Collins's "Lend You Mine" pair explores some tasty atmospherics amid some of the weirdest free-jazz freakouts you'll ever hear. The opener "Sun in the Night" is delivered with flavors of the East all over, while elsewhere "Malaga Virgen," "Hate Zone" and "Disco Suicide" (I give them good points for that title alone - Zappa, eat yer heart out) burn with enough adrenaline to short-circuit your stereo if you're not careful. The high-octane "Macrocosm" is a small supernova by itself. Every musician shines, filling the songs with little tricks all over the place; single out anyone's single part in any song and you'll find no shortage of fascinating quirks to pay attention to. And yet the whole never quite sounds disjointed or unlistenable; even when they're ranging all over, they never step out of line with each other.

Even with some dated elements, e.g. the Moog sounds that were unavoidable at this point in the 70s, the level of burning energy and fierce creativity at work keeps Moroccan Roll from ever getting stale. I can't imagine any fans of electric fusion a-la the Mahavishnu Orchestra being disappointed with this disc, and anyone with a taste for the offbeat in their instrumental virtuosity will have a field day with this one. Go. Buy. This gem should never be as overlooked as it is.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brand X At Their Best, March 4, 2004

By 

Alan Caylow (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moroccan Roll (Audio CD)

An all-time personal favorite of mine, Brand X's second album, 1977's "Moroccan Roll," is the group's masterpiece. The album is absolutely exhilarating, an outstanding progressive jazz/rock fusion blend. The band---guitarist John Goodsall, bassist Percy Jones, keyboardist Robin Lumley, drummer Phil Collins (yes, THAT Phil Collins), and percussionist Morris Pert have never been better than on this album. "Sun In The Night" is a great Arabic-tinged piece, featuring Collins singing in Sanskrit language. Phil also contributes the world-class, slow & steady atmospheric piece, "Why Should I Lend You Mine," and the haunting follow-up, "Maybe I'll Lend You Mine after All," in which he also sings excellent, wordless vocals (which he does once more on "Disco Suicide"). Many other stand-outs follow, including *explosive* rockers like "Hate Zone," "Disco Suicide," "Malaga Virgen," and the closing "Macrocosm," which ends perfectly with---what else---an explosion. The band's musicianship is nothing short of stunning, the music simply phenomenal. Brand X's "Moroccan Roll" is an outstanding album, and the group's finest achievement. Progressive jazz/rock fusion doesn't get any better than this!