FM Indiscreet 30 cd review




The mighty FM release their re recorded Indiscreet an incredible 30 years on from its 1986 debut and is out on Frontiers Records Srl on November the 4th.

After finishing last album Heroes and Villains the band put a modern spin in th studio on classic track That Girl and on playing it back realised that they could do the classic debut album justice.

Now as a fan from day one should they touch what most fans think is untouchable.

As the cd kicks off the answer in my opinion is a huge resounding yes.

Since the band reformed with Jim Kirkpatrick on guitar and Jem Davis on keyboards for the Metropolis cd they have gone from strength to strength with a string of superb albums and a long line of gigs none of which never drop below outstanding.

The 3 original members of the band from the quite simply incredible Steve Overland on vocals and guitar to the rhythm team of Merv Goldsworthy on bass and Pete Jupp on drums this is an FM fans dream with Indiscreet given a sleek polish but still sticking to the original blue print of wonderful songs and playing.

Steve Overland is truly one of the UK's great singers and his work on Indiscreet 30 is mind blowing.His range is better than ever with some extra accentuation on some words and only adding to the original material.He really could sing the phone book and I would buy it.

Jim Kirkpatrick on guitar has been a real driving force since the reformation and his work here is stunning.He again only adds quality to the original without over playing and his extended solo at the end of Love Lies Dying shows it isn't about how fast you play but how you play it.

That Girl still kicks hard 30 years on and benefits from the added rhythmical punch.

The Other Side Of Midnight has a real kick to it with Merv's bass higher in the mix with some added backing vocals adding a real depth to the mix and Steve adds his vocal gymnastics like only he can and a short but sweet Jim guitar solo in the outro too.

Love Lies Dying sees Jem's keys sweeping through the speakers as the song builds to the wonderful chorus with Steve in full flow and in the second verse he really puts everything he has into it with one real hearty vocal performance.Superb.Before Jim takes it to the stars with a quite wonderful solo that shows his worth to the new recordings.

I Belong To The Night again benefits from the crisper new recordings with Jem's keys up in the mix and the rhythm team again excelling it really has got so much depth to it.Anyone unsure of whether they should have done it just listen to this song alone.

American Girls is as bouncy as ever and should have cracked the US for them way back in the day with Jem again parping his way up in the mix.Huge chorus with plenty of backing vocals too.

Steve's vocal on Hotwired is pure velvet and the love the chugging Jim riff that is higher in the mix and the rhythm team again add to the depth.I love the way the keys really jump in and out so much better than on the original.

Face To Face's intro sees another Steve masterclass vocal which is simply mesmerising alongside Jim's acoustic guitar.Jem's keys again have more impact as does the heavier guitar riff but the acoustic one plays all the way through too.

Frozen Heart benefit's the new drum sound as Pete lays down his most recognisable track and Steve puts his mark on the vocal on a song that is as relevant now as it was then.

Heart Of The Matter finishes the original cd in style with a real live feel to it and Jim's riff and Jem's keys fighting to be heard together with Steve soaring above them all.

7 bonus tracks fill out the cd.Some unrecorded some from recent products the band have put out.

Let Love Be The Leader again benefits from a 2016 sheen and punch with keys and lots of woah woah woahs up in the mix before a brand new song in Running On Empty which is FM in 2016 with an upbeat rocker with harmony guitars and a Steve vocal set on stun and a huge chorus with backing vocals all over it and Jim's short fiery guitar solo fits in perfectly.

Rounded off with Shot In The Dark and Rainbow's End off the Only Foolin' ep the former being their take on the Ozzy number that Steve wrote with Phil Soussan before being hair brushed out of it.

And then Bad That's Good In You from Futurama and then happily the Japanese bonus track from Heroes And Villains Love And Hate which is  real cool rocker.

That Girl then gets an acoustic workout which really shows off Steve's vocal range to a tee and Jim's acoustic soloing only adds to the quality.

Bands can get caught looking back to the glory days but Indiscreet 30 sees FM paying homage to a classic album that was theirs and adding 2016 fairy dust and creating new memories for their legion of fans.

Simply superb.





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