Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: It Bites
Label: Virgin Records
Release: 1988
Rating: 4.5/5
When the conversation turns to the legendary art rockers It Bites, masters of a sophisticated brand of progressive pop rock, we’re talking about one of the most overlooked bands of their generation, one that will apparently never get the recognition it deserves. Although most of their music can’t escape stylistic comparisons with some of the (neo-)progressive bands of the time, It Bites developed their own recognizable sound, built on the many musical elements that turned acts like Yes, Marillion, Peter Gabriel, Saga and Level 42 into some of the most popular performers of the ’80s. Even though they were one of the most interesting and witty prog bands of the late ’80s, It Bites sadly never got the recognition they deserved. Still, most of their music has passed the test of time with flying colors. What still makes them so special and interesting today, both for prog fans and pop rock lovers, is their wildly inventive and intelligent fusion of the best elements of both approaches into a wonderful, fully amplified blend of unconventional melodies. It Bites could write radio hits just as easily as epic pieces full of intricate sonic structures and time-signature twists, with high melodicism as the common thread throughout. Their main problem, and the reason they never got a wider breakthrough, ironically lies in their greatest strength: for mainstream listeners they were just a little too complex, while plenty of prog fans turned up their noses at the radio-friendly sound. Despite a few shortcomings, It Bites were a superb band who built their musical identity above all on the extraordinary talent of charismatic vocalist and excellent guitarist Francis Dunnery, and made music that still sounds fresh today, while a lot of their contemporaries’ output now sounds rather anachronistic.
On “Once Around The World”, It Bites noticeably deepened the progressive side of their sound compared to their debut “The Big Lad In Windmill” (1986), and very successfully combined plenty of catchy vocal harmonies and melodies with unpredictable time-signature twists, which Dunnery’s guitar passages and spacey keyboards often carried out of standard pop territory and into a whole other dimension. The best proof that the band put more emphasis on their progressive side this time is the title track, an epic masterpiece of almost 15 minutes, packed with unpredictable turns. It Bites were also known for their excellent production. After Alan Shacklock (best known as the guitarist of Babe Ruth), the producer’s chair went to none other than the grand old man of space rock, legendary guitarist Steve Hillage (ex-Egg, ex-Gong, solo), who surely would never have worked with musicians who didn’t have at least some approach of their own to progressive music.
The album opens with the explosive, pop-flavored “Midnight”, the first of three singles from the record. At its core it’s a light pop funk with a slight disco pulse , marked above all by Francis’s charismatic vocals, assertive guitar passages and witty keyboard textures. Next comes “Kiss Like Judas”, which was even a minor hit as a single. It’s a track built on a bouncy rhythm, a strong melody, plenty of harmonized vocals and a romantic mood. I’d say it’s lovely proof that prog bands can write great pop hit singles without sacrificing their creative voice in the slightest. After that intense pop, the subtle “Yellow Christian” slips in nicely, the first of the album’s three concept pieces, with plenty of spacey synth textures that in places are worthy of masters like Tony Banks (Genesis). Once again we get to enjoy the charismatic vocals, Yes-flavored vocal harmonies and some fairly unusual time-signature changes, with the closing instrumental section the standout, as spacey synths and guitar passages trade off. Although “Yellow Christian” is basically a ballad, you can barely tell. “Rose Marie” is a very tasty mix of prog and pop metal that wins you over with the astonishingly fast passages of Dunnery’s guitar, Yes-style vocal harmonies and layered keyboards, all laid over an exceptionally energetic rhythm. It’ll have all fans of Yes (from the ’80s) and Saga licking their fingers. “Black December” has an erotic charge and a great hard rock groove. Its main strength is an excellent, passionate chorus, wrapped in a dreamy, spacey line of synths that adds extra magic to an already solid song and lifts it to a higher artistic level. And the best is yet to come! “Old Man And The Angel” is one of the album’s peaks, where John Beck’s layered keyboards and the superb vocal harmonies, full of witty surprises, especially shine. The composition is seasoned with plenty of interesting twists, yet it doesn’t let up one bit on its remarkably high melodicism. “Hunting The Whale”, which opens with a jokey sailor’s melody and whale calls, is also one of the most sophisticated and progressively flavored pieces on the album, with Dunnery pushing his vocal talent and incredible drama to the limit. The lyrics reflect the band’s environmental awareness. It Bites prove they’re first-rate jokers on the excellent and hugely entertaining “Plastic Dreamer”, whose lyrics tell of an enchanted plastic toy shop where the toys come alive at night and get up to mischief. Here we get plenty of funny vocal acrobatics, odd sounds and a baby’s giggling at the end. Dunnery rips out a great guitar solo, while the harmony between him and Beck is incredible throughout. The closing highlight is the epic title track “Once Around The World”, which in my opinion is the best and most progressive thing It Bites have recorded so far, a sort of “Supper’s Ready” of the late ’80s. After a relatively calm intro come plenty of interesting instrumental twists, excellent jazz-flavored guitar passages from Dunnery, and layered vocal harmonies. The mood of the piece keeps building, from epic drama and jazzy playfulness on saxophones to remarkable refinement through superb harmonies between guitar and keyboards. A true masterpiece that can hold its own against many far better-known prog epics.
“Once Around The World” is without a doubt the best and most progressive album by these masters of sophisticated prog pop, who, after their recent reunion, are far from finished. The album boasts excellent production, proven professionalism and an incredible energy that’s all their own. With their second album, It Bites showed once more that they were one of the finest prog bands of the late ’80s, for whom creative freedom mattered most and commercial success only came after. Someone once described them, very vividly, as Marillion with the sex turned all the way up, and despite the slight grotesqueness I’d even agree in many ways, because when it comes to erotic audacity, It Bites leave plenty of their progressive contemporaries in the dust.
Lineup
Francis Dunnery – vocals, guitar
Dick Nolan – bass guitar, backing vocals
John Beck – keyboards, backing vocals
Bob Dalton – drums, backing vocals
Production
Steve Hillage
Track list
1. Midnight (4:04)
2. Kiss Like Judas (4:08)
3. Yellow Christian (6:29)
4. Rose Marie (3:33)
5. Black December (3:50)
6. Old Man And The Angel (9:21)
7. Hunting The Whale (4:46)
8. Plastic Dreamer (3:53)
9. Once Around The World (14:46)
Album length: 54:50
