RETREAT FROM MOSCOW

A lineup of prog veterans who began their activity in the UK in the late 1970s but then dropped from the music scene for 40 years until 2018 brought them back together.

1. "Saving California" (7:50) hits all of the NeoProg 1978 imitative bells and whistles but ends up sounding more LOVERBOY or JOURNEY than prog. The end, however, is all IQ. (13/15)

2. "Flowerbride" (8:22) standard NeoProg palette with riffs and hooks to match. The vocal section has a bit of a FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD sound and feel to it; definitely some kind of 1980s influences. Interesting blend of familiar hooks and riffs that, I have to admit, deserves some praise. The boxed-in bass player is entertaining but often feels as if he's off in some other room--sequestered from the other band members. (Maybe it was recorded during the isolationist period of the Pandemic.) Decent. (17/20)

3. "Running Man" (4:11) another song that feels mired in the "new" effects born in the 1980s. Even the main melody and compositional presentation feel 80s-90s. The more subdued, second section is much more engaging and refreshing to me--kind of like some SATELLITE or PENDRAGON song. (8.6667/10)

4. "I Can Hear You Calling" (11:36) a GLASS HAMMER-sounding opening turns into a bit-too-much predictable prog-by- the-numbers. (17.25/20)

5. "Windchill" (7:31) this one opens just like a powerful MYSTERY tune that sustains a pretty decent, engaging CIRRUS BAY-like sound palette with interesting sophistication and some nice guitar soli. (13.33333/15)

6. "Time Traveller "(7:26) opens like some spacey outtake from Blade Runner before ramping up into the realm of THE PSYCHEDELIC ENSEMBLE. Interesting twist at 3:40 when a pedal steel, bass and drums replicate the "Time/Breathe" foundation before John takes us into some different areas (like Cirrus Bay and ) (13.125/15)

7. "The Machine Stops" (13:32) opens with a little PHILLIP GLASS feel coming from the piano's Minimalist play. It then turns into a IQ/STYX collaboration. It wends its way in and out of some interesting musical territory but the presentation of the lyrical content kind of drags and misses the mark. Nice guitar solo in the thirteenth minute. (26.5/30)

8. "Assassin's Cloak" (5:35) Very nice, melodic NeoProg. (8.75/10)

9. "DNA" (9:25) very interesting and engaging instrumental opening that eventually supports some recordings of a biophysicist's before John comes in to sing. The buildup in the eighth minute and final instrumental passage supporting the excellent lead guitar solo (Robin Armstrong or John Harris?) Great finish to a very pleasant and solid album. (17.875/20)

Total Time 75:28

Very nice AOR/NeoProg music, with very pleasant vocals (and lyrics) whose production value sounds as if it could very well have come out around 1980. Great sound and melodic sense that could use a little bit more zing and flash. I hope they still have a little gas in the tank for another go.

B/3.5 stars marked up for superior production and polish; a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection.

Patience is often regarded as one of the loftiest virtues that a human can wish to attain in its lifetime. From our drool dripping early days learning to crawl, talk and then walk, transiting into the rebellious stage of impetuous behaviour verging on invincibility (LOL), a time where the average person often makes all the mistakes possible, then the reflective middle age in which an attempt is made to accept the past failures and proceed to look for solutions, before finally diving into a pool of introspective reasoning and ultimate success. It's called the golden age for a reason. Well, this tremendously patient Welsh band has certainly exemplified this heady notion to a T, originating back in a time when 8 tracks, very long hair and cleaning pimples were all the rage. Releasing their stunning debut in 2022, "it is somewhat ironic that after releasing their first single in 1980, Retreat from Moscow have waited 40 years to produce an album only to have the proposed launch postponed by a worldwide pandemic. Yet from the early, heady days at school listening to bands like Genesis, Tull, King Crimson, Camel, and Caravan, even though the journey has been a long one, it has been worth the wait". They certainly have a lot of material and energy left in their artistic funnel, because as wonderful as that first album was last year, this one really puts a lock on the list of top contenders for prog album of the year. This new offering delves into Welsh and Greek mythology, social angst, the shaky status of the future and the topic of cancel culture. Cardiff-based Vocalist John Harris also mans guitars, flute and keyboards, Andrew Raymond rules over his arsenal of keyboards as well as contributing guitars and backing vocals, Tony Lewis plays the mythical WAL bass guitar as well as pedals and vocals, and the rhythmic fortress is further boldened by New Zealand-based Greg Haver. In other words, four exceptional talents with enormous appeal, covering nine tracks that also include the following guests: keyboardist Andy Tillison, guitarist Robin Armstrong, Peter Kirby, and Jilian Slade on vocals.

The table is set immediately with the exhilarating "Saving California", where the combined talents are impeccably rendered, offering an accessible prog-rock sound with all the shifts, contrasts, melodies, and sublime vocals, with a story line that needs no explanation if one has been paying attention to history. Inspired by Collins-era Genesis is never a bad thing, especially when it is decorated with an atmospheric outro that adds both drama and passion to the recipe. Delicious plunge into the menu. The thundering and inspired "Flowerbride" combines Celtic intonations with modern prog electricity, at times it felt like a proggier version of Manfred Mann's Earth Band (which in my books is a hell of a compliment), especially the slower mid-section. The twirling keyboards, the persistent bass, the athletic drumming, and the slashing guitar work seemed like an homage to 'Bombers and Nightingales'. The revving engine of "Running Man" is a joy to behold, as it lumbers along like a Lambo on fire, particularly impressed with John Harris' impossibly adroit screaming voice on the chorus, I just love that gravely upswing, and the churning organ steamroller bullying this sleek beast along. Highway star music?.

The epic "I Can Hear You Calling" is a showstopper, undoubtedly highly symphonic in development, a mythological platform to stretch their talents on a wider canvas, tossing in some segments of bombast, followed by serene moments of introspective bliss (generally hugged by an embracing mellotron). An odyssey where the sirens beseech the weary mariners, the voices beckoning towards some impossibly endless outcome. The extravagant keyboards are mesmerizing, the sizzling guitar excursions breathtaking, while the rhythmic duo behave like the Spartans protecting Thermopylae, methodically valiant, bold, and ruthless. The frisky "Windchill" just keeps the pedal firmly to the quality pedal, with a concise and cartesian arrangement that shifts the spotlight on the lyrical content delivered by the intense vocals, proving that Mr Harris can sing with the very best of them (like Michael Sadler, for example), while guest guitarist Robin Armstrong throws in some thrilling electric guitar fulminations. Think Saga, as the square drums, the whistling synths and that darn bass carve a deep path, like a snowplough in a blizzard. Who else can we hint at now, you may ask? Well, the opening few seconds of "Time Traveller" will put you into an orbit around the dark side of the Moon and why not! No one travelled farther and as fearless as the Floyd boys and anyways, though the lads waste little time in switching to a more Rush tone with a crunchier guitar assault, swooning vocals and paced drumbeat. The band waltzes back and forth between the mood and the thunder, with immaculate transitions. The epic "The Machine Stops" is the highlight piece here because any track that lets such a gorgeous bass tone lead the way will get me standing up and applauding. The subsequent ride is utter bliss, it felt like a perfect soundtrack to the recent TV series the Silo, where survivors live in subterranean desolation and controlling lies. The bombastic section is overarching and imposing, the instrumental work worthy of the great prog classics (we know who they are). The organ solo is from no other than Andy Tillison, who knows a few thing about tangents, whether below or above ground. When Tony caresses his mythical WAL bass, aided by a solitary piano motif and some Fish-esque vocals, I find myself immersed in Trespass land, as a flute dances merrily in the pastoral mellotron-drenched background. The elongated guitar solo is unstoppable. An impressive mastodon of progressive rock genius. The punchy "Assassin's Cloak" features more exemplary playing from the crew, Peter Kirby's synths in particular providing lusty accompaniment, as John Harris infuses dramatics in his vocal display, showing no 'hint of remorse'. Distorted bass notwithstanding, "DNA" is a fascinatingly dark and moody finale with cannonading drums and screeching guitar slashes, again hinting at the Phil Collins era, with Harris putting on quite the show on the microphone, the electric guitar and flute, before the accordion-like synth solo warbles like old school Steve Winwood, arcing like a diver ever so gracefully, bowing to the bucolic flute cameo and vocal narration effects. The all-encompassing finale is a heart stopper, flush with passion, atmosphere and bliss.

My second full album audition have always been focused on listening intently to the bass while clearly hearing the rest, as it gathers in the melody and the rhythm. Well Tony Lewis is an absolute joy to listen throughout the album, as his bass playing is utterly pulsating, as it cavorts, cajoles, and finally conquers each track with finesse and gusto. A record that will place itself on my top 10 list for 2023, an exceptional flourishing year for prog, may I add. Like Napoleon, I will retreat from Moscow and eventually review their debut, which I remember enjoying immensely.

5 mechanical thoughts

This Welsh quartet has a unique history. Originally formed in the late 1970s, they played live shows for several years but never released anything. After disbanding in 1981, Retreat from Moscow entered a (nearly) 40-year period of hibernation. In 2019, the band's core reformed and started to record both old and new material. The result of those sessions is Life as We Knew It.

This band's debut, four decades in the making, is a fun, punchy bunch of prog rock cuts. Many of the compositions certainly feel rooted in late-70s prog, with no shortage of flashy instrumental passages and arena-rock grandiosity; but the production is quite modern-sounding, and certain riffs border on metallic.

The opening passage of "The One You Left Behind" is a bit of an inauspicious start to the album. The big vocal harmonies and warm melodies remind me a bit too much of Big Big Train, a band I've never been fond of. But I gave it a chance, and this song demonstrates the band's abilities. There's some good muscle in the playing, and the riffs' grittiness is a nice contrast to the smoothness of the vocals and keys.

The main riff of "Radiation" draws from both punk rock and Rush. It's high-energy and propulsive, but the particular chord choices are quite Lifesonian. "Henrietta", meanwhile, opens with a more restrained atmosphere. It's a mixed bag, overall, with some fantastic instrumental moments, though the verses are unimpressive.

The keyboard tones on "I'm Alive" sound like they're straight out of "Tarkus", and the stampeding mood of the music suits it wonderfully. The verses are, again, of mixed quality, but Retreat from Moscow writes and plays strong enough passages that I'm willing to overlook these shortcomings. "Constantinople", in contrast, is a slow-moving acoustic piece for its first half, and it features a mournful, Gilmourian guitar solo. Halfway through, though, lush synths and growling bass kick off a more aggressive passage.

The 11-minute "Home" is the longest song on the album. This song is honestly one of the less-memorable moments on the album. It's perfectly fine, but it doesn't do much to stand out.

"Armed Combat". Meanwhile, opens with some fantastically discordant synth stabs and piercing guitars. The verses are noticeably funky and show an indebtedness to Rush. The backing vocals are a little corny, but it's a good overall song.

"Moving Down" is an unimpressive, dull ballad, and it's here that the sheer length of this album (73 minutes, with the shortest song being 4:50) starts to weigh it down. Most of the music has been pretty good up to the point, but many songs could also have been served by some trimming.

Thankfully, "Perception" has some great organ tones, and the big guitar riff is a good, enjoyable kind of cheesy. "Mandragora" has some fun folk influences amid aimless balladry, and the closing "Don't Look Back" ends strong, but its first three minutes can be skipped.

Overall, Life as We Knew It is a strong debut, and I salute the effort of finally getting something recorded and released after such a long hiatus. The album is overlong, and the second half does drag a bit. But if you don't mind a bit of bloat or an unnecessary ballad, there's a lot of good music here.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/02/21/album-review-retreat-from-moscow-life-as-we-knew-it/

RETREAT FROM MOSCOW outdated? Yes of course if we consider that the Welsh quartet really existed from November 1979 to August 1981 without recording anything at the time, punk having reversed everything in its path from 1977.

The four band members Andrew RAYMOND, Greg HAVER, Tony LEWIS and John HARRIS reunited in late 2016 to begin recording old and new material for this album. Alcohol and curry may have been involved in this decision depending on what they noted in their presentation! Yet when they got together for the first rehearsals at ROCKFIELD Studios, the band was surprised at how well they could still play together and how easily everyone remembered old songs.

Drummer and producer Greg HAVER arranged the sessions with his longtime collaborator Clint MURPHY at MODERN WORLD STUDIOS then the tracks were sent to be mastered by Ryan SMITH at STERLING SOUND in Nashville in late 2019. The quartet were involved in the creation musical since the first incarnation of RETREAT FROM MOSCOW although Greg has been unquestionably the most active, he is best known for his work with the MANIC STREET PREACHERS.

Eleven titles and seventy-three minutes, such is the program of the retreat from RUSSIA! Musically to give you a guiding idea concerning the CARDIFF quartet, RETREAT FROM MOSCOW oscillates between neo progressive, symphonic, progressive metal and even a background of AOR. The opening title "The One You Left Behind" is for this purpose one of the most energetic of the work, the guitars lash, the vocals of John HARRIS get carried away (sometimes a little too much), the bass of Tony LEWIS is present and Greg HAVER hits his barrels like a damned, here for the inaugural table (7/10). "Radiation" tumbles on a rock n'roll beat, grandpa knits legs (and me too), a devilish metallic piece, not really my "cup of tea" but it's still listenable (6/10). "Henrietta" is calmer, not restful either, a very square first half, a more peaceful second where we finally hear the keyboards of Andrew RAYMOND (the synthesizer solo recalls the finest hours of progressive symphony, supported by guitar laces), one of the best tracks on the album (9/10).

Two titles a little longer than six minutes to follow, first of all "I'm Alive" which pulsates strongly from its start with also the featured synthesizer, a mid tempo following the expression which takes effect after several listenings (8 /10), excellent neo progressive (GALAHAD or JADIS could claim to see a certain YES if you want a reference to the sources of progressive music) then "Constantinople", an obvious reminder of the visual of the record cover, imposes itself as a highly qualitative piece by the majesty of the flute (John HARRIS), the ebullient six strings, the Moog Taurus (Tony LEWIS) which is no less so, all against a backdrop of high class synthesizers, superb (9/10) despite a too abrupt end .....

Arrives The Big One, "Home" the longest track of the album and its eleven minutes thirty-seven which reminds me in its entirety of the antediluvian PENDRAGON of "The Jewel" that is to say the most classic neo progressive which maybe, not surprising if this composition was written in the yardstick of the eighties?, the mainly instrumental second half proving to be much superior to the first, beautiful, good according to our usual criteria, a piece which if it had been longer would not have bothered me (9/10). From the average to the mediocre follows with "Armed Combat", singing and music in the same boat, at the limit of the progressive, the choirs seem to escape from a television B series, blah, blah and rebof (5/10). "Moving Down" is almost the opposite, rediscovered lyricism, calm vocals, aerial guitar, another Barrettian inspiration assumed particularly in its terminal phase (9/10).

I would pass just as modestly on track nine "Perception" which has all the faults of a neo progressive title, without any real melody, a more than average vocals, a little saved by the instrumental guitar part in the second half... (6/10). The penultimate piece "Mandragora" is certainly not wildly original, but has the merit of being very well executed, led by a breathtaking synthesizer, a weightless six-string from the second minute and above all a very good singing by John HARRIS (which is not the case on all titles as you have understood) go hop (8/10).

We end this journey in RUSSIA with the superb "Don't Look Back" (yes like BOSTON forty-five years ago!) introduced on the flute by John HARRIS who vocalizes like nowhere else on the album, his singing is magnificent all in emotional relaxation, the ditty melodic framework, the notoriously excellent concluding guitar solo, it is also the piece that the group chose as a presentation to the media, of the very great symphonic progressive, bravo (10/10).

A bit like THE FAR CRY last year, excellent and less good for RETREAT FROM MOSCOW, let's say for those who like the numbers 57 minutes ok which remains perfectly honorable.

Retreat From Moscow, founded in the late 70's played without making an album until this 1st draft 40 years later; melodic rock of yesteryear and recent recorded in the Cotswolds, it interests me since distillation place, well I digress! Musicians who have played for Tom Jones, Kate Bush, Frank Zappa; musicians who have bathed in the sounds of Genesis, Uriah Heep, Pendragon, Camel or Marillion. Fluid progressive neo-rock without frills led by Greg known for his involvement in Manic Street Preachers.

'The One You Left Behind' lays the foundation for their 90's heavy-neo-sympho-prog sound, the voice is well posed with sensuality; a good riff, an ARENA boosted by an iron rhythm; a Hackettian solo oozing with spleen drifting on an acoustic track with John's voice in finesse, it's good. 'Radiation' on Yes 80's without the voice of Jon, Magellan, Asia, Boston, a frenzied prog rock; a bit of Hammond, an incisive guitar, a keyboard break à la Supertramp with vitamins, made for waking up in the morning. 'Henrietta' goes rock-pop, keyboard for prog atmo; 80's AOR stadium rock denoting a tad; halfway we dive on 'A Trick Of The Tail' with a melancholic guitar of madness to definitely hang on to this album full of superb reminiscences; the Genesis with Andrew on cottony keyboards for a punchy sound. 'I'm Alive' with keyboards including a Hammond for a melting intro, rather complex hard heavy rhythmic perhaps signing the sound of RFM in mid-tempo; a contemplative melancholic- spatial-ambient break; it smells of the sons of dinos with its own signature and the final variation brings back to Yes and Marillion at the same time. 'Constantinople' changes key with acoustic arpeggio intro and flute then vibrating guitar; it rises suddenly with a heavy metronomic bass delivering the final blow; The Gathering spleen sound associated with the stubbornness of an Arena more prog than you die, a hellish crescendo to listen to again immediately.

'Home' on the epic piece, lyrics on the great war, on a neo-prog between the Pendragon and the aerial Arena; the mid-term break changes the game thanks to a beautiful Genesis piano and then the fat synth as it should; very beautiful in its time, spleen and melodic, overwhelming like the final guitar solo.

'Armed Combat' dives back into the 80s with a riff filled with prog metal groove; the nervous rhythmic with the voice and the choirs and a cavernous metronomic drums for a title that lacks soul. 'Moving Down' for a Genesis/Phil Collins ballad, the choice is yours; slow tempo, declination on Camel, Caravan for the guitar, musical serenity based on memory and finale in apotheosis. 'Perception' AOR, heavy prog; the break denotes and allows to boost this consensual title on a medieval air à la Jethro Tull. 'Mandragora' follows with a beautiful synth intro à la Banks, an intimate guitar solo à la Pendragon, simple and beautiful then it takes off as Nick did so well. 'Don't Look Back' with an intimate flute intro; it goes on a camel ballad not bostonian as the title might suggest; John's voice is impressive then it grooves all of a sudden before the instrumental passage; Toto comes to my mind for a while, it is to say the reminiscences of these musicians.

Retreat From Moscow makes prog rock oozing with unstoppable melodies, instrumental breaks with various consonances, sumptuous tunes, notes plunging into a multitude of sounds anchored deep in our brains, that's what these English people risk making you capsize ; a beautifully avant-garde album in the 80s, slightly backward today.