FUGAZI

'Fugazi' is the second studio album of Marillion and was released in 1984. In relation to their debut studio album 'Script For A Jester's Tear', 'Fugazi' shows some musical differences. Marillion streamlined the intricacies of group's progressive rock leanings for a more straight ahead rock identity. Still, it remains clearly a Marillion's album. We even can say that, in a certain way, 'Fugazi' remarks Marillion's consistency on its musical direction solidifying the group.

The line up on the album is Derek Dick 'Fish' (vocals), Steve Rothery (guitars), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass) and Ian Mosley (drums). The album has also the participation of Linda Pyke (backing vocals). This was the first album with the presence of Mosley after the departure of their drummer Mick Pointer to form Arena. The album was produced under difficult circumstances, with the group employing and ejecting several drummers in quick sessions.

'Fugazi' has seven tracks. All songs were written by Fish, Rothery, Trewavas and Kelly, except 'Punch And Judy' that was also written by Jonathan Mover and 'Emerald Lies' and 'Fugazi' which were also written by Mosley. The first track 'Assassing' is a very good song to open the album and became one of the classic songs of the group. This is a very interesting song because it sounds at the same time quite different and yet familiar compared to the songs of their debut studio album 'Script For A Jester's Tear'. It's a very energetic song with a touch of Islamic music, with a beautiful interlude, a good bass line and a very dynamic drumming. This is, in my humble opinion, one of the highlights of the album. The second track 'Punch And Judy' was the song chosen to be released as the first single of this album. The lyrics of the song are a very amusing subject on a married life and are about a marriage that gone bad. It's the shortest track on the album but is for me a very good song. This is a wonderful song although not very typical of their music until now. However, it features everything that's great in Marillion's songs, catchy riffs and melodies and their typical sound so characteristic of Fish's era. The third track 'Jigsaw' it's a bit slow rock song, very nice and I particularly like of it very much. This is probably a song partially obscured by the two previous songs. It's a song about everything in Marillion, their music, their audience and the accusation of being a Genesis' clone, what really bothered them. This is a very sensual song with beautiful lyrics that we want to sing as we take our morning shower and leaves us well prepared to begin our day's work. Definitely, I love this song. The fourth track 'Emerald Lies' is, in my humble opinion, a good song but it's also at the same time weaker than the previous songs. It doesn't represent a truly progression on their music and it even sounds a little bit na've in comparison with the other songs composed by them until now. However, it has a good bass line, great guitar melody, the vocal dynamics are very good and the lyrics are particularly simple and clever. So, it remains a good song. The fifth track 'She Chameleon' is the other weaker song on the album. It's a very simple song with depressing lyrics and with a very simple organ work, a tasteful guitar melody and some bombastic drums. This is still a very decent song but isn't as great as the others are and, in my humble opinion, this song and 'Emerald Lies' brought this album a little bit down. The sixth track 'Incubus' is fortunately the return of the band to the great songs. This is with 'Fugazi' one of the two epic tracks on the album. The theme of the song is about nightmares and has very good lyrics. It's a song with a very strong musical structure with a very melodic musical composition and different tempo. Its music moves dynamically all over the song with smooth musical transitions from one melody to another. This is really a brilliant song. The seventh and last track is the title track 'Fugazi'. This is another brilliant epic track. As with the previous debut studio album 'Script For A Jester's Tear' where the last track 'Forgotten Sons' is considered by many, the best song on the album and one of the best musical compositions made by Marillion too, with this song is the same thing. I completely agree with those who saying that this is a great song. It's a fantastic song with great mood and a melody that changes all over the song. This is, in reality, the ending of a great musical journey made by the group and an incredible way to closing this magnificent album.

Conclusion: Perhaps 'Fugazi' is the weakest album of Marillion in Fish's era. But saying this, it seems like a sacrilege. In reality, Marillion has no weak albums in that period of time, and so, 'Fugazi' is still a great piece of music. As I wrote before and, in my humble opinion, the album has two songs with musical quality below of the others, 'Emerald Lies' and 'She Chameleon'. So, for that motif, 'Fugazi' can't be considered a masterpiece, as happened with their preceding album 'Script For A Jester's Tear' and their following album 'Misplaced Childhood'. But, 'Fugazi' remains without any doubt a great album. 'Fugazi' is an excellent album that can be recommended to all progressive rock fans. Just simply don't compare it too much to the previous one, because there's music here for every progressive rock fan to love.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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