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Giant Electric Pea [Release date: 27.01.23]
Written and recorded through lockdown between 2019 and 2021, ‘Fall Of The Watcher’ is Returned To The Earth’s fourth foray into the studio.
Originally released in 2022 on BandCamp, Giant Electric Pea, the exemplary progressive rock label created by IQ’s Mike Holmes and Martin Orford with Thomas Waber (founder of Inside Out Music), obviously liked what they heard, signed the band and have re-released it with new packaging and, I think, a new running order.
It’s easy to see the attraction – RTTE epitomise the very ethos of the label – but I suspect they have signed perceived potential rather than the finished article here as ‘Fall Of The Watcher’, whilst a very good album, with exemplary playing throughout, just lacks that certain je ne sais quoi that turns a good album into a great album.
Robin Peachy, RTTE’s main-man, vocally sounds like a cross between IQ’s Peter Nicholls and musical maven Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, et al) – but vocally is where the similarity ends I’m afraid, with ‘Fall Of The Watcher’ being a bit too “safe” and the ‘wow’ quotient being at a premium.
Things get off to a good start with the classic prog lead-in of swirling keys on ‘April Sky’ but it’s not until the flanged guitar appears towards the end of the track that things pick up – in fact the album almost takes this as its starting gun.
‘Drowning’ is much more like it with its upbeat guitar and complementary keys and the title track takes things a notch higher with an ear-worm of a bass riff, a dreamy vocal juxtaposed with powerful riffage and an acoustic interlude replaced with searing fretwork. Shades of Porcupine Tree here and a definite highpoint.
Things take a downward turn though with ‘Lack Of Information’ (could be ‘Lack Of Excitement’) and ‘Sacrificed In Vain’s dirge-like tropes, although the latter is rescued to an extent by wonderful chiming guitar.
Closer ‘White Room’ is the most IQ-like track with swirling keys (RTTE like swirling keys) but it all ends up a being a bit too close to the Cocteau Twins for comfort.
The whole album is very pleasant on the ear but really needs an injection of adventure and an element of surprise. Perhaps signing for GEP will push RTTE to greater things – a listen to label-mates IQ would point the way forward.
Shows great promise – just needs that spark that all great prog bands have. ***
Review by Alan Jones
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