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Not everyone interested in prog knows It Bites, really, they're not talked about that much, they're probably one of the most underrated bands of the entire movement. Yet they were the definitive progressive pop band. It may sound like an oxymoron, because progressive is the opposite of the simplicity that pop characterizes, and vice versa, pop rejects the complexity of prog. However, the two have merged on several occasions. The expression has been used for various things that combine sophisticated arrangements and accessible melody, whether it's Peter Gabriel or Kate Bush's art pop, or a pop that goes much deeper than chart-topping songs, like bands such as Tears For Fears or Talk Talk in their less commercial productions; it has also been used to forcibly define some neo-prog things because of their greater accessibility compared to classic prog, or for those bands straddling prog and AOR like Saga (in my opinion, the closest relatives to It Bites themselves). However, no one can be defined as progressive pop as much as It Bites. They were the group that fused the two in the fullest and most absolute way; they sounded as bright and sugary in eighties style as they were incredibly sophisticated, refined, and technical in their arrangements, a perfect synthesis of two opposing but attracting forces. Three albums to be consigned to history (albeit the less known one) in the '80s, the dissolution, then the reunion in the 2000s with only John Beck and Bob Dalton from the original lineup joined by the new figure of John Mitchell from Arena, two new albums with a more modern sound… until the 2019 declaration that the band had no plans for the future, neither tours nor albums.
Recently, however, the historic vocalist and guitarist Francis Dunnery, probably awakened by nostalgia for that sound and what his historic band could have become, suddenly decided to somehow resurrect that spirit. With a completely new formation and adding his initials to the original brand, he first brought the tracks from those three historic albums back to the stage, immortalizing them in a live album and Blu-ray recorded in Wolverhampton… and then returned to the studio!
The result of this work is the album "Return to Natural", released at the beginning of 2024. Essentially, it is a record that tries to emulate the spirit of that golden period of It Bites, partly succeeding and partly presenting some forgivable flaws. If the goal was to sound dated, it can be said this was hit rather well, the sounds seem exhumed from that period, especially when you hear the keyboards; overall, the production is in line with those times and totally rejects modernity, it could very well have come out in those years, I would venture to say that if you play it to someone who knows nothing, by ear, they would place it in the '80s without much hesitation. However, I see nothing wrong with sounding "old", vintage always makes its mark, I have always had a certain fascination for the anachronistic, it's appealing the idea of not being exactly a product of the modern era in a world that always wants to impose on you to be "current", "fashionable", the same things I think about clothing, I think about music.
And what about the pop soul? Well, this truth be told seems to be lacking; the tracks are not overly structured and sprawling (except for the concluding 9-minute composition), they still rest on a fundamental linearity but do not have that flair that makes them suitable for radio programming, the melodies are never bright and festive. They are more intimate melodies, a pleasant evening and relaxed atmosphere can be felt.
The instrumental performance is noteworthy, those who love well-played things will have no objections, the bass lines deserve attention, well highlighted but not overwhelming, with a slightly jazzy touch. However, there is the feeling of somewhat lax production, it doesn’t have a great bite, it doesn’t envelop the listener instantly, I had to listen to it quite a bit to fully digest it; referring to the band's original name, we could jokingly say that in this aspect… it doesn’t bite.
But despite everything, I must say that Dunnery managed to create that atmosphere decently, and if you consider that it will not be up to the levels of that glorious era and everything is a bit more diluted, the album can certainly please the historic fans.
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