Okay, after finally digesting this album what I think is enough I'm ready to make my thoughts known. I have to say, beyond the albums I suggested for the club this is the first time this hasn't seemed like work, something I have to do, get through. Which is not to denigrate any of the other albums reviewed, just that I loved reviewing this one. (For those interested I'll definitely be running a full in-depth review of this in my journal soon).
1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Can I say OMG? I LOVE this! Who called this pop? Okay, I'm just talking about the first track here admittedly but this is not pop. Don't mistake those bright bouncing synths for pop music. This sounds like a continuation of my favourite, "Once around the world"! I'm settling in here! Catchy, memorable, upbeat, with great keys and fine guitar with --- with -- OMG! John MItchell! Of Arena? I just died and went to prog rock Heaven!!!
2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
Loved "Oh my God" with a passion! "Ghosts" was even better! Someone give me some vallium! Best so far was the title track. This album has the energy and passion that some previous It Bites albums have lacked, to me. It's almost like a comback album in many ways.
3. What did you think of the later tracks?
I loved "Playground", with its dramatic, almost cinema-soundtrack keybaord arrangements, "Memory of water" (despite their robbing the title from Marillion!) barrels along at a frenetic pace, then the title track slows everything down beautifully. Great pacing throughout the album. "The wind that shakes the barley" --- another Marillion title? Okay I know they didn't coin the phrase, but still, you'd wonder if there isn't some influence in there somehow --- is a great song, very epic but I find that the tagline/chorus is sung almost the same as a-ha's "The blood that moves the body". I also love "Safe keeping", lovely ballad. "Lights" is "Calling all the heroes" for the 21st century: about time they wrote something similar. Love the bouncy upbeat-ness.
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
I loved John Mitchell's guitar work with Arena, but had no idea he could sing. And he can! He's a powerful, emotional singer that almost -- almost --- compensates for the loss of the great Francis Dunnery. He also reminds me on occasion of Bryan Adams. He has that sort of growly, rough sound to his voice that is a little hard to get used to after Dunnery's mostly higher, lilting one, but I have already grown to love it.
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
Oh I loved the music. Powerful, upbeat, almost pomp-rock at times. Energetic, passionate, mostly uptempo. Some totally gorgeous soft piano passages, such as in "Safekeeping" and "Playground", and parts of "This is England"...
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Loved it from the first minute and it just got better as it went on. Kind of hit a high point with the title track but despite that it did not, as I often expect these albums to do at that point, fall back in quality at all.
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
It Bites' lyrics are often quite obscure and hard to decipher. Although it's surely an allegory for something, I loved the image "The tall ships" drew in my mind of someone, maybe a prince or king, living their life in exile in a foreign country, waiting for the day when their homeland will send ships to bring him home in triumph. Could even refer to aliens I guess. Generally though most of the lyrics are obscure but there appears to be a common theme of loss, yearning for the past, missed chances and memories running through the album. I think. Also the power words have over people, when sometimes you want to take them back or wish you hadn't said them, other times you wish you had spoken your heart when it's too late and the chance is gone.
8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
Yes, I love and have loved John Michell's guitar work with every band he's been with, particularly Arena. I like the way there's a guitar riff taken right out of "Plastic dreamer" from "Once". The kyeboards have always been an integral part of It Bites' appeal, and here they certainly drive most of the album.
9. What did you think of the production?
To me the production seemed very sharp. See my previous comments as to production, but this sounded produced very well.
10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Intimately. I loved "Once around the world", but came to It Bites first through "Calling all the heroes". Having heard that I knew it was going to be a hit, and it was. Sadly, the debut album was not as good as I had hoped, though "Once" redressed that disappointment. The next one had good moments but up until now I've never thought they came anywhere close to "Once".
11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
I have to admit, It Bites on their website call themselves "the progressive pop rock band", so who am I to disagree?
12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
Much more
13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
The title track, followed by "Ghosts" and then "Oh my God", but it's a tough choice as I like almost every track on this.
14. And the one you liked least?
I can understand ET's hatred of "Great disaster", but don't share it. You have to know this band. They use that odd phrasing, like vocalise, weird disjointed sounds like "OOH WOO YEAH -- YUP YUP YUP YUP --- OH AY!" a lot, and it's kind of their trademark. If you look past that, or even embrace it, this song, though certainly one of the weakest on the album, comes alive. I'm not saying it was the one I liked least, because there wasn't one.
15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Again, this question should be ignored if the album is NOT a debut, only. This isn't, so I'm passing over it.
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
I'm now planning to go back and give the other albums that I found a little disappointing another chance, and I also want to listen to their latest, which didn't impress me first time out.
17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
I'm not sure there was one, beyond the linked concepts of past, memories, missed chances, old loves and regrets. Also the power words can have over people comes through solidly as a binding concept throughout most if not all of the album.
18. Did the album end well?
"This is England", while not in my opinion as powerful or epic a closer as "Once around the world", was a great example of how It Bites can write an epic track that goes through several changes, in mood, tempo, structure and feeling, and kind of arrive back at the beginning, bringing the song full circle. I would have preferred a little more emphasis on the chorus "This is England and you love me!" which I thought worked well, but then they moved away from that for the midsection. I think it was however a powerful, emotional song and a fine way to close an album that, had it been released this year, would already be jumping to the top of my favourites list for 2013!
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
No es possible!
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
Every track was great, so I'd say that consitutes holding together well.
Rating: 9.85 out of 10
A final point: this is what this club is all about! This album seems to have been one of the most polarising we've done so far. Some people love it, some hate it and some are meh about it. While I respect everyone's opinion, the rest of you are of course all wrong!
But it's great to see an album where we're not all just agreeing, where there are such widely held and disparate views, all making good points and making for a great discussion. Let's hope the next one is as interesting!