Bruford – Feels Good to Me (1978) Review | Fabulous Lutes and Peacocks, Rending the Net of All Decorum Which Holds the Whirlwind Back
Kronomyth 1.0: Branford X.
Bill Bruford was apparently bursting with musical ideas in the wake of King Crimson, forming U.K. with John Wetton while launching the jazzier Bruford under his own name. Feels Good to Me arrived first, showcasing an exciting mix of musical exploration and mathematical precision that suggested a cross between Brand X and Robert Fripp’s rock experiments. Bruford recruited an impressive group for his first solo album: Allan Holdsworth (guitar), Dave Stewart (keyboards), Jeff Berlin (bass) and, on a few tracks, Annette Peacock (vocals). Although Bill Bruford writes most of the material, the music takes much of its shape from the remarkable personalities playing it, from Peacock’s lithe and lilting vocals (drawing comparisons to Curved Air) to Holdsworth’s impeccable/impossible leads. Peacock and, later, Holdsworth would leave the fold, and Bruford’s music became less distinctive without them, becoming more or less just another Brand X. Peacock is the album’s secret weapon, and her vocals have a magical effect on Back to the Beginning and Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part One). On the instrumental side of things, Beelzebub is 100% the brainchild of the man who gave us “Five Per Cent of Nothing. Elsewhere, the album escapes that mold: the title track is surprisingly tuneful, Either End of August presents melodic jazz colored by Kenny Wheeler’s flugelhorn, while Adios a la Pasada anticipates something of the “big” sound of the first U.K. album. Of the solo Bruford albums, this is the most interesting, although I might give his next album the nod as the more consistent of the two.
The Product
A1. Beelzebub (3:16)
A2. Back to the Beginning (7:09)
A3. Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part One) (2:30)
A4. Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part Two) (4:25)
A5. Sample and Hold (Bill Bruford/Dave Stewart) (5:12)
B1. Feels Good to Me (3:49)
B2. Either End of August (5:22)
B3. If You Can’t Stand the Heat (Bill Bruford/Dave Stewart)
B4. Springtime in Siberia (Bill Bruford/Dave Stewart) (2:13)
B5. Adios a la Pasada (Bill Bruford/Annette Peacock) (7:55)
Songs written by Bill Bruford unless noted.
CD reissue bonus track
11. Joe Frazier (Jeff Berlin)
The Players
Bill Bruford (tuned and untuned percussion, kit drums tunes and final say), Jeff Berlin (bass), Allan Holdsworth (guitar), Annette Peacock (vocal), Dave Stewart (keyboards, reasonably advanced harmonic advice) with John Goodsall (guitar on B1), Val Joseph (polymoog consultant), Neil Murray (bass), Kenny Wheeler (flugelhorn). Produced by Robin Lumley and Bill Bruford; engineered by Steve W. Tayler.
The Pictures
Sleeve photography by Gered Mankowitz. Inner sleeve photography by Dick Wallis & Jacquie Deegan. Sleeve design by Cream.
The Plastic
Released on elpee and cassette on January 22, 1978 in the UK (Polydor, 2302 075/3100-417), the US (Polydor, PD-1-6149), Germany and the Netherlands (Polydor, 2344 099) and Japan (Polydor, MPF-1130) with picture innersleeve.
- Re-issued on elpee and compact disc in the US (EG, EGLP/EGCD-33).
- Re-issued on compact disc in the US (Caroline, 1524).
- Re-released on expanded compact disc in 2005 in the UK (Winterfold, BBWF 003 CD) with one bonus track.
- Re-released on expanded, remastered CD+DVD in 2017 in the UK (Winterfold) with bonus DVD featuring remixed album in 5.1 surround sound.
- Re-released on super-high material compact disc on November 25, 2019 in Japan (Belle Antique, BELLE 193234).
