THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

With over 72 minutes of music, this is in my very own appreciation, the best FISH compilation album. From the most significant song contained in the band's first LP, "Script for a Jester's Tear"; to the very last one representing FISH's farewell from MARILLION with studio album "Clutching at Straws", "Sugar Mice"; this is a transitional 2 CD set that certainly uncovers way too many feelings. Most of them properly condensed in Disc One.

I find this album as challenging as dangerous. This is the razor's edge for MARILLION fans. In one corner, you have Edinburgh's beloved singer and in the other, well, the guy who tried to fill his shoes. It's not that I am ruthlessly cynical about this forever confrontation, but I am pretty much sure there's a deepest reason of this "both sides of the story" compilation album. Facing both MARILLION leading singers respectively, was a curious experiment. And it worked out perfectly for me. There's no more air to be cleared, FISH is the best.

Nonetheless, I cannot give this album more than three stars because this a collectible item for fans only. Maybe 3 and a half because of its beautiful track listing order, the selfless selection of the songs destined to be here and the arrangements made specially to "Market Square Heroes" and "Forgotten Sons". Unfortunately, you can't have one disc without the other one because of the "2 CD Set" feature (and that would undermine the original intention of the "Both of Worlds" experience, right?), but that's a fair price to pay for this keeper entirely dedicated to FISH. Enjoy.

Now, moving on to Disc Two. I wanna be relentless and fair about this one, but really, there's nothing much to be said regarding the HOGARTH experience on a 2 CD compilation album. First of all, it is useless, almost inhumane; to include his intermittent career on a set that includes a CD from a prominent lead singer like Derek DICK and try to make a face-off between these two. So what was the point? We all know that already.

The seven years of HOGARTH with the band represented in this album, turned out to be four in the end. All the songs from Disc Two were unarguably taken from "Seasons End", "Holidays in Eden", "Brave" and "Afraid of Sunlight", and apart from those works there's nothing much to add up to the track list of this compilation album. In between we can see there are way too many live recordings from Glasgow to Caracas, a singles collection album and a MARILLION music collection recording.

It is completely unnecessary for me to rate this album, but there's one thing I actually enjoyed about it: the booklet. I just loved the way it was put together, the images and photos, and the most important thing, the division to tell FISH era from HOGARTH era (you can even select which front cover to display!). Marvelous! I recommend all you fans and collectors to get this album just under this precise point of view and directions, and mostly keeping in mind this is only an item for completionists. Please, do not expect anything else from this 2 CD set album and try to enjoy this surprising MARILLION experience. Like I said, can't have one without the other.