FUGAZI

I'm not sure why this album is considered inferior to the debut by many. I find this poetically precise, melodically menacing, rhythmically reeling and it does seem that MARILLION came of age with this sophomore release. Although I deem their debut a masterpiece of neo-prog that I like better than FUGAZI, this album has a couple things over that one. First of all, Ian Mosley has a much better delivery system on drums giving the proper percussion at the perfect times with an accompanying style that is subordinate to the lyrics of Fish's wordplay, which is, of course, the focus of this brand of neo-prog that MARILLION was quite capably bringing to life in the 80s.

Secondly the influences are more diverse here as we hear at the beginning with some Indian drumming and interesting mood building before it finally turns into a kind of early 80s sounding new wave meets Genesis type of thing. Fish sounds a little less Gabriel meets Hammill and has a beautiful range as he poetically prances up and down the scales. I really love how the keyboards weave around his vocals while the rest of the band keeps the backbone of the rhythms completely solid. There is also a hint of arpeggio metal construction in tracks like "Emerald Lies" that kind of reminds me of Queensryche and some Gilmour inspired guitar runs here and there.

Although this seems to be one of those hate or love type albums I have to admit I fall on the love it side. I think the album flows nicely from beginning to end keeping things interesting on the sonic journey with Fish and company giving their imaginative tales a beautiful musical form. Maybe this album isn't as popular because of some of the poppier influences that abound? Not sure. For me this is magnificent music that picked up the pieces that the 70s groups threw out and left behind. For me MARILLION did a better job than post-Tresspass Genesis did with this sound. Genesis may have invented it but MARILLION continued to expand it and perfect it and on this album they make it their own. Excellent album!!!