Civilized Evil

Though it features futuristic-looking artwork and sci-fi song titles, Jean-Luc Ponty\'s first album of the \'80s doesn\'t otherwise embrace the arrival of a new era so boldly. (That would come a few albums later with the heavily electronic *Individual Choice*.) Instead, *Civilized Evil* is a continuation of the jazz fusion style Ponty had perfected in the \'70s. Still, the arrival of some new band members, including bassist Randy Jackson and keyboardist Chris Rhyne, brings a fresh feeling to the tracks. While Ponty had occasionally tapped into R&B grooves on previous albums, Jackson\'s basslines seem to bring a funkier, more swinging feel, especially on tracks like \"Good Guys, Bad Guys,\" propelled by his thump-popping riffs. Ponty maintains a good balance between the contemplative and the cutting, and tunes like the atmospheric, acoustic-oriented \"Once a Blue Planet\" are balanced beautifully against the more intense interplay on tracks like \"Peace Crusaders,\" making *Civilized Evil* an excellent place to sample Ponty\'s multitudinous modes.