OVER AND OUT

What we miss about the so called golden age of progressive rock is not the particular sound, but everything that happens in between the music. The intensity of emotions, the sincerity, the way of its expression that makes us feel in special way. Maybe this is the reason that Marillion brought so much popularity and why the early neoprog was so much of a disappoitment. The sound of 70s was easy to emulate (or so it seemed) but the spirit of music impossible to bring back. New Collage album can easily be dismissed as clone of early Marillion. But it is not so, it is way too simplified. Yes, the instruments are identical and singer Bartosz Kossowicz has similar timbre and manner to Fish. And even Steven Rothery is present. But I haven't encountered on early Marillion albums such richness and dynamics of sound, such complexity of tunes and arrangements. It is an concept album, starts and ends with sounds of hospital machinery, so the topic is the life not so perfect. Not so perfect childhood ("What About The Pain"), not so perfect love ("One Empty Hand"), hopes not fulfilled ("A Moment A Feeling"). The easy way would be to create a clone of No-Man, Anathema melancholy. But it is not so. This music is rich, various, dynamic. Subtle piano and all the variety of keyboards melodies of Krzysztof Palczewski contrast with powerful singing of Bartosz Kossowicz and sophisticated work of drums, which sometimes double the guitar parts. All of it gives feelings that I found in classic Yes: every musician plays his best at the same time and the music never ceases to intrigue, to captivate. This is the record in which I've found the values I cherished in classic prog masterpiece, therefore a five star rating.