MISPLACED CHILDHOOD

I bought this a couple weeks ago, and I can honestly say it's the best album I've bought for a long while (in fact since discovering The Velvet Underground over a month ago). I have loved Script for a Jester's Tear for a while now, and decided to discover more of the neo-pioneers. Fish is one of my favourite prog vocalists, outshining Andersons both, Geddy lee, and even his main influence Peter Gabriel. His lyrics are some of the best in prog as well, being painfully honest and totally emotional. The musicians, while none are virtuoso's are the perfect backdrop for Marillion's theatre of music. the emotion Rothery puts into his guitar playing matches Fish's vocal performance.

'Pseudo Silk Kimono' is a perfect haunting opener. The lyrics are already brilliant. Short and sweet. 'Kayleigh' is very pop oriented, but seeping with real emotion, not the candy-coated sap of mainstream pop. Rothery's guitar break in the middle is an excellent idea. 'Lavender', is also pop oriented, and a gain very short. These three beutiful tunes set the scene for what is to come. 'Bitter Suite' is probably the most emotional prog piece I have heard. There is not a fault at all in this haunting piece, and the lyrics voice the pain of the narrator with perfection. 'Heart of Lothian' is more upbeat, even aggressive. 'Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)' and 'Lords of the Backstage' seem to me to be one song. Things are incredibly intense at this point. Now the band play a great emotional epic called 'Blind Curve', which has the most tortured lyrics of the whole song. 'Childhood's End?' is a surprisingly upbeat conclusion to the concept, and offers me genuine uplifting. 'White Feather' continues in the same vein with a great anthemic chorus.

This concept album now ranks among my favourite prog albums, even better than Script, lyricall, musically, and conceptually. A real gem. Five big fat stars.