[Review] The Bruford Tapes (1979)

A live album featuring material from their first two albums by the band that recorded their third.

Kronomyth 3.0: Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

The Brand X comparison is a bit harder to ignore this time as Bruford follows their lead by releasing a live album the third time around. Presented as a live radio broadcast by WLIR from My Father’s Place, The Bruford Tapes marks the recording debut of the band with new guitarist John Clark, who replaced Allan Holdsworth (insofar as anyone can “replace” Allan Holdsworth). A lot of the WLIR broadcasts ended up as bootlegs and, honestly, the recording quality here isn’t much better. In other words, that album cover isn’t deceptive packaging; it’s a fair indication of what you can expect inside. The performances are noisy but high energy (the audience deserves some credit there), the arrangements stick close to the originals, and the absence of Holdsworth proves not to be the end of the world. Like Livestock, this is the least essential of the band’s early records. Given that Bruford the band didn’t last for very long, however, a fourth record in any form, live or otherwise, is a kindness. It’s tempting to see Brand X and Bruford as a pissing contest between prog’s percussive whiz kids Phil Collins and Bill Bruford, but Bruford was actually Brand X’s first choice (you can read a bit more about that here). Anyway, back to The Bruford Tapes. The most interesting aspect is hearing Clark put his own touches to the guitar parts. He’s an amazing guitarist in his own right who left the prog/fusion sphere to join Cliff Richard’s band.

Original LP Version

A1. Hell’s Bells (Dave Stewart/Alan Gowen) (4:02)
A2. Sample And Hold (Bill Bruford/Dave Stewart) (6:18)
A3. Fainting In Coils (Bill Bruford) (6:34)
A4. Travels With Myself – And Someone Else (Bill Bruford) (4:37)
B1. Beelzebub (Bill Bruford) (3:28)
B2. The Sahara of Snow (Part One) (Bill Bruford) (4:46)
B3. The Sahara of Snow (Part Two) (Bill Bruford/Eddie Jobson) (3:07)
B4. One of a Kind (Part Two) (Bill Bruford/Dave Stewart) (8:06)
B5. 5g (Jeff Berlin/Dave Stewart/Bill Bruford) (2:39)

CD reissue bonus track
10. The Age of Information

The Players

Jeff Berlin (electric bass), Bill Bruford (drums, percussion, electric chat), The “Unknown” John Clark (electric guitar), Dave Stewart (electric keyboards). Engineered by Jeff Kracke; technical director: Michael Billeter.

The Pictures

Photography by Neil Zlozower. Front cover credit: Jean Kelly.

The Plastic

Released on elpee in 1979 in the UK and Canada (Polydor, BRUBOOT-28), the US (Editions EG, EGS 106) and Japan (Polydor, MPF-1303).

1. Re-issued on compact disc in 1988 in Japan (EG/Virgin, VJD-28054)
2. Re-issued on compact disc in 1990 in the US (EG/Caroline, 1528-2).
3. Re-issued on compact disc in 1992 in the US (EG, EGCD-6).
4. Re-released on expanded, remastered CD on June 7, 2005 in the UK (Winterfold, BBWF-006CD) and on August 2, 2005 in the US (United States of Distribution, 576) with one bonus track.
5. Re-released on SHMCD on November 25, 2014 in Japan (Belle Antique, BELLE 142310).