"Oh My God!"

That's the first track of the new It Bites album, "The Tall Ships", and it pretty much sums up my reaction to it.  I've waited 19 years since the last studio album but it certainly was worth the wait.  Ever since it was announced that John "how many bands?" Mitchell had taken over lead duties from Frank Dunnery I knew this would be a good album.  Kino's Picture is among my top 5 albums, and his work with Arena, Frost* and the Urbane is exemplary.

So, a quick review...

This combines the best of old and new.  Some parts are pure old-school IB ("Oh My God", "Great Disasters", "The Wind That Shakes The Barley") but other tracks bear the mark of JM's other bands - especially the Urbane on "Memory of Water" and "Fahrenheit".  And there's even room for a 15 minute epic "This is England".

This is closest in spirit to "Once Around the World" to my ears - easily the best "old" IB album

Go out and buy it now!