Level 42
Retroglide

Well yes, Level 42, the most underrated band of the last twenty years. For some years now, they have been of interest to those who thought their name was only associated with the 1986 hit "Lessons in love".

A review about Level 42 can only start this way. A little over a year ago, their latest work was released: "Retroglide". An album that did not achieve any commercial success, but marked their return to music after 12 years of absence.

The album consists of 11 tracks, entirely written by Mark King, the leader and bassist of the group, and Boon Gould, former guitarist of the band until 1987. "Retroglide" has been defined as one of the best English productions of 2006. The style is what distinguished them in the period from 1983 to 1985, from "Standing in the light" to "World machine", still the group’s two most successful albums: two authentic masterpieces between funk, rock, and pop. The sounds of the album are contemporary, but they look to the past without succumbing to the temptation to repeat themselves. King’s bass lines are thrilling as usual. It’s no coincidence that his name has often been associated with the greatest bassists in the world, from Stanley Clark to Jaco Pastorius.

The album features extremely fast tracks that highlight the virtuosity of King and saxophonist Sean Freeman, such as "Dive into the sun" and "Sleep talking", as well as slower and more meditative pieces like the track list "Retroglide" and "Rooted". But the uniqueness of "Retroglide" lies mainly in the lyrics, undoubtedly more mature than those they wrote twenty years ago and with poetic depth. In short, they are still the same, never having disowned their more commercial productions like "Running in the family", so much so that they are still performed live today, but at the same time, they have had the courage to return to their "difficult" craft of musicians.