The demise of one of Britain's top bands last year may have caused few ripples within the popular music press but left an army of faithfuls disappointed and wondering what could have been. At present Francis Dunnery is out in LA recording a solo album for Virgin, and the last we heard the others were working with a new vocalist but were still without a deal.
As as a reminder of what was, Virgin release a ten-track live special recorded during the latter stages of their time together. There are no new songs to get excited about, but there are some variations on the original recordings. "Underneath Your Pillow" has a dramatic extended ending and "Ice Melts Into Water" is fresher and warmer than the studio version.
John Beck's keyboard work is some of the best you'll hear, burning out great originality and superb dynamics. Frances Dunnery's voice is electric and his guitar lines stunning as he turns and twists his melodic muscle. It Bites were never short of good ideas and their overall knowledge of harmony and time changes would have a music theologist knocking on their doors with questions.
The album kicks off with "Kiss Like Judas" and ends with the classic "Still Too Young to Remember." In between there are four tracks from the Windmill album, "Yellow Christian" from Once Around the World, and three others from Eat Me In St Louis.
I don't normally like live albums but with a set like this I'll have to make an exception. Faultless really, just a shame there is no more.
Grade A
Mike Harris
Riff Raff
September 1991
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