Kite Parade: Retro

Often the biggest complement I can give a one-man project is that it doesn’t particularly sound like a one-man project. Kite Parade, the plaything of Andy Foster, feel and sound very much like a band - so much so in fact that I was initially surprised when perusing the liner notes on my second run through of the outfit’s second album Retro, that the only other near constant here is drummer Nick D’Virgilio. It’s Joe Crabtree who sits behind the kit (and hits those drums rather skilfully) on the song “Under The Same Sun� and across the album is also helped out by Russell Milton (bass), Vladimir Kurganox (fretless bass), Steve Bradford (one singular Hammond Organ solo), Das Atkinson (one solitary guitar solo), Jessica Chambers (backing vocals on just the one number) and Steve Thorne and Pete Smith, who leant a hand with a few lyrics here and there. Beyond that Kite Parade are Andy Foster and Andy Foster alone and yet this is no vanity project, instead Retro is a fully formed, very British sounding, accessible pop laced progressive rock album.

On the downside there does seem to be an awful lot of this stuff about these days, but on the upside a lot of it is very good and Kite Parade fall right into that category. Think Jadis, It Bites, Tears For Fears, Go West and DeeExpus all jostling for space through some fine musical interplay, cleverly layered vocals and memorable choruses and you won’t be far away from what you’ll find here. Foster (and helpers) also like to offer up some interesting, topical lyrics, with the likes of Climate Change and the vacuous nature of society all investigated with a sharp eye for detail. However, none of this is done at the cost of melody, hooks or a sound that really shimmers without ever being garish.

The standard is high throughout but it’s “Under The Same Sky� that maybe nudges above the others in terms of the impact it makes. Foster has an extremely likeable voice with lots of character and power but still that late 80s pop sheen that seems to permeate so much of this current scene. Pinpricked with some crackingly ear catching keyboard flicks and a chorus that simply swoops and soars, it’s a tremendous example of how to snare the attention and then beautifully caress it into submission. The other five tracks don’t fall far behind, the lengthy, closing “Merry-Go-Round� a very mature example of how to take themes and build them into a sum that’s lifted beyond its parts, while “Speed Of Light� bulges and bristles with a gritty riff and a guitar solo that stops you in your tracks - although the interplay it creates with the keyboards are equally exciting.

As mentioned earlier, the competition within this particular musical space seems to be really quite fierce at the moment, with all manner of acts vying for the top spots. Rest assured that Kite Parade have what it takes to make their mark. Well observed and yet decidedly stick in the mind, Retro really is an album that makes a strong initial impression but which then begins to come into its own once you really get into its train of thought.

Track Listing
1. Retro
2. Speed of Light
3. Wonderful
4. Shadows Fall
5. Under The Same Sky
6. Merry-Go-Round

Added: July 31st 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Kite Parade @ bandcamp
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Language: english

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