Vision is a Naked Sword

Review Score: (10/10)
That's the name of the second track on here, "Vision is a Naked Sword" & that could almost be enough of a review for this George Martin produced release from 1974, performed with the London Symphony Orchestra. In fact, a strong, diverse release, "Vision" about 15 minutes long, contains one part of tedium to me, that use to always bring it down. The guitar part in about the last third of the song; I use to think, I don't like the way that sounds, what's the point. Then, I actually, got involved in some Chants from the East and one can listen to the George Harrison produced Ravi Shankar CD on Hindu Indian Religous Chants. Why? Why? The way that sounds in one part of "Vision", reminds me of the way, those people from India chant on that CD.

Because, to me, he will about always be, Mahavishnu to me, with the ethereal emphemeral sounds, John McLaughlin has created. This is not an Englishman playing Indian music; interpeting it, it is an Englishman authentically making his own music with influences from India.

Someone in the Clash said it about Reggae music, you listen to it a hundred times, then, you start to understand, the lyrics. The one song with lyrics, is track number 3, "Smile of the Beyond", and like others, maybe plenty of times (try 20 years), I might opt to hear a different song, the lyrics are outstanding, the woman's voice and instrumentation, tranquil, peaceful, about as much as you could ever hope to find. I probably should have transcribed the beautiful lyrics here, because with McLaughlin's music being mainly instrumental, they might not be found readily anywhere. In fact, it is the only track on the CD with lyrics. The tranquility of this song, certainly matches, the picture on the album/CD cover, for the feeling it conveys. That is why, the only question I have about this release, is about naming it "Apocalypse" , that title for this release, seems to me, ironic. But then, what might be the alternative title?

John McLaughlin's resume, is like reading that of Milestones, new innovations to music, jazz hall of famer and holding his own, with any guitarist there is ...

But, but, I find him a hall of famer in the Spriritual Realm, the music of his I return to, is his Love Devotion and Surrender release, with Carlos, or should I say, Devadip Carlos Santana from about the same time, especially, "Let us go into the House of the Lord" and this release "Apocalypse" as well. Whatever the connections were between religion and the music, the music stands by itself for the statement it makes.

And finishing up, the nearly 20 minute "Hymn to Him", the dueling between the orchestra and the guitar; I might not listen to it all the day, but I'd find it hard to listen to it enough.

Power of Love, opens up the CD and sets the tone and is efficiently, not some long drawn out number right off the bat; as on the Santana collaboration, LDS and not a barn burner, to start things off, as in Mahavishnu Orchestra's "Birds of Fire."

How would one describe it as a genre of music? It is Jazz Fusion, definitely, but not as intense as some Mahvishnu Orchestra Releases, does not veer into Rock, as say, the Santana collaboration does & probably, even would call to mind, New Age and Classical music as well.

Vision is a Naked Sword and this is a Journey into India. And maybe the UK too.

More Reviews:

• A Grand Flawed and Brave Experiment by Johnny Mac
• Not bad, a good start for music that has been forgotten!
• Oh, well, he tried.
• How do you represent Transcendence in music??
• Sublime Mastery
• Touching
• Once again, Mahavishnu reigns king
• GIVE ME A BREAK!
• Overorchestrated and Ostentatious
• Mostly forgotten Masterpiece
• One of the peaks of 70s music- from the jazz corner
• Possibly McLaughlin's best and most complex
• not quite
• This album, a musical tour de force, defies categorization.
• One of the most beautiful recordings of the 70's.
• "Apocalypse" is highly underrated!
• Who says too many cooks spoil the broth?