Expresso, Vol. 2

When founding singer/guitarist Daevid Allen left Gong after 1974's You, the jazz-rock fusion undercurrent that had long been part of the band's musical makeup came fully to the fore. Drummer/composer Pierre Moerlen eventually assumed leadership of the group, steering Gong to the kind of full-on fusion sound featured on Expresso II. (FYI, there's no Expresso I.) While Hansford Rowe's biting guitar lines and percolating bass play a key role (especially in the wake of longtime saxophonist Didier Malherbe's departure), the album's most distinctive aspect is the percussive overlay at the core of several cuts. Including Moerlen, there are no less than four percussionists featured here. Interlocking marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, and glockenspiel lines create a constant conversation of tuned percussion, lending the band a sound unique among '70s fusion outfits. And a few guest contributions from erstwhile Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor and Curved Air violinist Darryl Way don't hurt either.