Kite Parade is the name of the project of Andy Foster, a UK artist who offers a good mix of Progressive Rock, Rock and Pop music. The second album “Retro” was released on April 7, 2023 via White Knight Records and contains 6 long-form tracks. The lineup consists of not only Andy but also a stellar cast of musicians, who participate in the different tracks making their own style to the success of the sound. The title track “Retro” opens the album immediately immersing us in the Progressive sounds that make up this work. Precious synth interlacing and electric guitar riffs over a solid rhythm section. The vocal parts give a melodic touch to the sound, giving life to a dynamic and expressive singing. In the second part a short instrumental section is developed and then the vocal returns for the last stanzas and closes by reprising the initial theme. A deep, load-bearing bass line opens “Speed Of Light,” complementing the rhythm section with solid, elaborate drumming. Keyboards are at the center of the melodies, giving a modern and at times electronic feel to the sound. The combination of classic and modern sounds is interesting, managing to create a fresh track with melodic passages and more technical ones. in the partecentral the guitar offers an interesting solo insert in the instrumental section. In an intense alternation of sung and instrumental parts the track flows engagingly until the finale, with choral sung parts that stick in the mind. “Wonderful” is a softer track, featuring acoustic guitar and a warm, expressive vocal. The intensity increases as the minutes tick by, evolving the theme of the piece with tempo changes and instrumental textures. The second part shows the band’s more Symphonic Prog side, with a classical imprinting that, thanks to the band’s personal touch, incorporates modern elements. Very interesting are the phrasing between guitar and keyboards, as well as the solo inserts, a concentrate of technique and pathos, emotional passages and energy. Bells and chirping birds open “Shadows Fall.” dreamy atmospheres permeate the sound, characterized by soft guitar arpeggios and a warm vocal to which are added piano notes and a deep bass. With a change the song increases in intensity, evolving with instrumental parts where a fine sax solo takes center stage. Enriched by tempo changes the track laterna intense sung parts to instrumental ones, enhancing the compositional and performing technics of the artists involved. With forays into the heavier sounds of Prog, while maintaining a Symphonic imprinting in the second half the track offers some absolutely fine instrumental cues. An intro of keyboards and vocals opens “Under The Same Sun,” developing into a more Rock song with a change. The blend of Prog and classic Rock is very engaging, with a melodic touch in the vocal parts, making the song accessible to different types of listeners. We can find cues from different genres and styles, skillfully mixed, with a Heavy guitar solo opening the second part of the song. Technique, energy and melodic parts intertwine, resulting in an engaging and well-crafted track. The album ends with the epic track “Merry-Go-Round,” which is over 14 minutes long. As in the best tradition of Progressive music, this long track offers all the elements a listener is looking for. Intense vocal parts, long instrumentals with all the instruments playing a leading role, Symphonic parts and more Heavy parts intertwining. Continuous tempo changes, passages touching on Pop, others on Prog as well as classic Rock, offering continuous excitement and leaving us wanting to listen to this fine work again in the future. An excellent listen to modern Progressive Rock, which incorporates influences from different genres and styles between Pop and Rock. more elaborate and more melodic parts intertwine, as well as vocals and instrumentals, enhancing the technique of all the artists involved. The line-up is of an absolute standard and the tracklist pleasant and varied from start to finish. A recommended listen for lovers of modern Prog sounds, accessible and flowing with some more elaborate passages, always very intense from beginning to end.
Tracklist
01. Retro (05:52)
02. Speed Of Light (07:13)
03. Wonderful (06:24)
04. Shadows Fall (09:14)
05. Under The Same Sun (06:33)
06. Merry-Go-Round (14:35)
Lineup
Andy Foster
Additional Musicians:
Nick D’Virgilio / Drums (Track 1,2,3,4,6)
Joe Crabtree / (Drums Track 5)
Russell Milton / Bass (Track 5)
Vladimir Kurganov / Fretless Bass (Track 4)
Steve Bradford / Hammond solo (Track 5)
Daz Atkinson / Guitar solo (Track 5)
Jessica Chambers / Backing Vocals (Track 6)
Steve Thorne / Lyrics (Track 5,6)
Pete Smith / Lyrics (Track 3)
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