RETROACTIVE: FM ARCHIVES VOLUME 1

Retroactive is a live album from the mid 1990's capturing FM in concert in their native Canada. The set list includes two originals from each of the band's albums Black Noise (1977), Surveillance (1979), and City Of Fear (1980), plus two covers in The Who's Baba O'Riley and Yardbirds' Shapes Of Things (FM's version of the latter was also included on their Surveillance album). The remaining two songs of Retroactive - Hideaway and This Lonely World - I'm not sure from where they originate, and given that I hadn't heard these before in any form they are among the most interesting tracks here. Overall, the set list offers a very nice cross- section of songs from the band's early career as well as a nod to their influences.

The quality of the performance as well as the recording is very high, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable live record. Comparing to the more recent NEARFest 2006 live album and video, Retroactive falls somewhat behind, but it is still a good album in its own right and a valuable companion. Some of the tracks appear on both of these live releases, and having heard NEARFest 2006 before the present album, it is those tracks that were not included on the NEARFest album that are for me the most interesting ones. This includes the aforementioned Hideaway and This Lonely World, but also Horizons from Surveillance and the title track from City Of Fear.

A strong live release, outshining most of the band's studio albums!