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Notwithstanding the quality of this release, I take complete
credit for this disc. Yup, I pestered Rick a great deal in
the last two, three years about using vintage keyboards for
an upcoming release. No, he told me in many emails. Absolutely
no way, he told me in person. But did I give up? Hell no.
I continued to bother him week after week, that's what I did.
And now we have this disc with Hammond, Mellotron, Clavinet
and Moog. Oh, he came up with this idea on his own, yes a
great many threads came together to make this release a reality.
Sure.
So Rick puts away his stable of digital Korg keyboards
(for the most part) to turn his attention to the traditional
tools of the progressive rock keyboardist. And the results?
Some of his best work since Criminal Record and White Rock.
It's not all good stuff, not even by Wakeman's own standards,
but it does have a couple of really nice tunes AND his best
keyboard instrumental since his 1973 release The Six Wives
Of Henry The VIII. And if you're a big keyboard fan then this
is a disc you will probably want to hear. You've probably
read reviews that describe some of Rick's work as "cheesy"
and some of the music on this release will not escape that
appellation. Now me, I would call a lot of this releases tunes
lounge music. Most of these works are pretty shallow and most
feature one of Rick's long time vocalists, Ashley Holt, one
or two even features Wakeman's daughter Jemma on lead vocals.
That being said, Retro does have two songs that make this
disc quite desirable. Good "retro" symphonic prog is such
a rare and wondrous thing that even this discs sparse supply
of good material makes it a must have, and not just for Wakeman
completists.
Retro begins on a strong note with the discs longest
number," Just Another Day", which highlights Rick's classic
Clavinet and Mellotron playing. Sporting a number of tempo
changes and highlighting Rick's nimble and tireless arpeggios,
this is the closest this disc will get to classic traditional
symphonic prog.
Track nine, "Can You Smell Burning?" is a spectacular
keyboard rave up and it is the best thing Rick has produced
since "Catherine Parr". It showcases his organ and Moog playing
and it is quite similar to a lot of Niacin's tunes.
The rest of this disc displays Wakeman as prog rocks Liberace.
We have "Waveform", which will remind anyone who has ever
been to Disneyland of its agonizing "Main Street Electrical
Parade" theme. "Leave The Blindfold" features Jemma Wakeman
imploring her lover to "leave the blindfold on the bedpost,
I'm not ugly, you won't need it anymore". Call me a square,
but I'm not sure I would want my daughter singing that. The
majority of the tracks on this disc are neither good nor bad
enough to even comment on, but this release still beats out
a lot of Rick's recent work and "Can You Smell Burning?" is
the track I've been waiting on for thirty years.
Retro may not turn many heads but it is still a worthy
effort and it certainly contains a few gems that make the
whole thing worthwhile.
RATING: 3/5
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