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.