FALL OF THE WATCHER

There is this old classic Loony Tune with Porky Pig in hunting gear, proudly singing 'A hunting we will go, hi ho a derio', which sort of exemplifies the eternal search for something hidden in the vast bushes of the prog forest, perhaps an encounter with something fresh and exciting. Landing on the French blog Prog Critique, reviewer Gabriel glowed mightily on this recent and remarkable album by Returned to the Earth, a British prog trio that has 4 albums out, the first two were perhaps more pop oriented than needed to be, but a specific tune called 'Reach the Sky' on their second album indicated a future direction that would definitely increase the prog quotient whilst still being fresh and accessible.

Upon Gabriel's lofty recommendation, I went out hunting for "Fall of the Watcher" and within mere seconds of the title track, I was promptly hooked, lined and 'sinkered'. The immediate impression was two-fold: Firstly, magnificent vocals from singer/guitarist Robin Peachey, a heady mixture of a proggier Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys, or a lighter version of IQ's Peter Nichols. And number two, a propensity for writing and arranging immensely sumptuous melodies that stick in one's head immediately! I love prog's inherent complexity, but I just get weak-kneed when hearing any romantic sweeping melody. This album is chock full of glorious themes that will stick forever in one's mind. Robin 's brother Steve handles the keyboards, and he is no slouch in creating these luscious atmospheres, while drummer Paul Johnston provides expert rhythmic pulse as well as working on the production. Finally, Robin has a rather interesting guitar style, unafraid to create wide slashes of reverb -laden chords as well as occasionally letting rip a fancy lead.

From the opening moments of the 9 minute + title track, the tone is set with precision and flair, combining a dreamy symphonic atmosphere, a swaying bass groove and a binary beat. Heavenly. Robin takes the microphone and proceeds to deliver the goods, a series of lilting verses before unleashing a wickedly emotional two-step lead guitar solo that explodes into sheer delight. The riffing section is pretty spot on as well, as the power increases to breakneck speed. Yup, this is prog alright! I am pretty sure that this track alone may have convinced the PA cross- over genre panel into accepting this band into the fold.

Things remain overwhelming with the next tune "White Room", where Robin's uncanny tone really sounds like Nichols' sweet delivery. Nothing overtly complex, just a well-crafted melody and a spacious arrangement where every note fits, very much like a lighter version of IQ. This is quite romantic and exalted in its fragility, as the guitar once again slithers into the fray, Robin having a preference for those effect-heavy shimmers of sound, certainly akin to the wall-of-sound style that recent melancholic Anathema prefer.

Quirky yet striking, "Drowning" continues in the same vein of clever details within the fold of melodic beauty, obsessive pinging sounds pushing forward the otherwise classic ballad, though the chorus is quite deliberately understated. This cannot even be tagged as pop because it isn't sugar-coated at all, stepping away from the obvious and the expected. The highly symphonic finale is proof in the pudding, with a maelstrom of keyboard flourishes.

The epic piece here is the glorious nearly 11 minute "Sacrificed in Vain", and as such, encompasses everything I love about this band. A main melody that is achingly gorgeous, an elegant hymn with outrageously charming vocals, this is a magnificent example of accessible prog should sound like without prostituting itself for commercial viability. Its just way too sophisticated and creative to fall into yawndom. Proof is the torrid and wholly unexpected mid-section, with its steamroller bass and gritty guitar riffing, thunderous drumming and an instrumental elevation of the main theme but on a sizzling guitar. Backing down into a lullaby, Robin's voice gets very mellow and drenched in sorrow, another clever use of ebb and flow. The last section 'changes it all', loopy bass and echoing orchestrations, slayed by a fiery guitar solo that would make Dave Gilmour stand up and applaud. Simple complexity or complex simplicity? Whatever, it certainly is not just one or the other and therein lies the spirit of this much-maligned group that sought a prog identity while abandoning any pop pretence, a courageous and rewarding move.

By this time, the listener should be mesmerized and enthused, as "Lack of Information "adds even more pressure on the golden buzzer being slammed, because the melody here is even more ridiculously genius than what was delivered earlier. As Robin intones "to lose yourself, to find yourself", one cannot help falling under the spell. Keeping the microphone, he caresses his guitar to highlight what he is singing, all shimmer and glimmer, brightly illuminating that composition into being a masterpiece.

The sensational finale "April Sky" offers no merciful down time, as its another culmination of the notion of what a melody should be in modern music, as Robin suggests a ecstatically peaceful vocal within a serene arrangement that twinkles gently on the horizon (one can easily imagine Nichols singing this). Jangling flick of the wrist guitar also helps in shaping the spectral beauty of this tune, leisurely blossoming the phrasings into a repetitive lilt that increases in desperation as Robin intones "falling!". This is simply a marvellous ending to a consummate piece of musical art

This 46-minute album has more hooks than a prog fish market. Is it original, one may ask? Does it matter when the music is as glittery as this? Utterly polished like a gem? Not at all. Great production and sound (mastered by Pineapple Thief's Steve Kitch) as well as attractive cover art only add to the pleasure. Easily slotted in the top 3 prog albums for 2022. I will review the preceding Erebus album, so as to prove this was no freakin' blip on the radar.

5 Collapsing spectators