WARM WET CIRCLES

"Warm Wet Circles" is a compilation of Marillion and was released in 2003. This is a compilation that comprises tracks from three of their studio albums released in Marillion Fish's era. So, we have tracks from "Script For A Jester's Tear", "Misplaced Childhod" and "Clutching At Straws". So, it only has no tracks from "Fugazi". But apart the tracks from those albums, it has also two non-album's tracks, "Lady Nina" and "Freaks" from the time of "Misplaced Childhood".

"Warm Wet Circles" has fourteen tracks. The first track "Garden Party" is from "Script For A Jester's Tear". It was also released as the A side of their single "Garden Party" with "Margaret" as the B side. The lyrics are fantastic, very satiric, and represent one of the best Fish's lyrical performances. This song reminds me the style of Peter Gabriel in Genesis. The second track "Blind Curve" including "Vocal Under A Bloodlight", "Passing Strangers", "Mylo", "Perimeter Walk", and "Threshold" is from "Misplaced Childhood". It's a wonderful track with a very stunning, well structured and a nice melody musical composition. Rothery takes over with one of his best guitar solos. The third track "Incommunicado" is from "Clutching At Straws". It was also released as the A side of the single "Incommunicado" with "Going Under" as the B side. It's an upbeat rocker of a tune led by fun synthesizers and good chorus led by Fish. The fourth track "Lords Of The Backstage" is from "Misplaced Childhood". It's a high paced rock and festive song. This song deals about the poor combination of love and life on the road. It's another catchy short song of that album. The fifth track "Sugar Mice" is from "Clutching At Straws". It was also a song released on their second single "Sugar Mice", released in 1987. It was the A side of that Marillion's single and the B side was "Tux On". It's a nice mellow track, very emotional but with very sad lyrics. I always loved it. The sixth track "Torch Song" is from "Clutching At Straws". It's one of the slower tracks on that album. It's another romantic ballad which shows how Fish has developed very good manners performing this kind of songs. But, it still is a great prog rock song. The seventh track "Childhood's End" is from "Misplaced Childhood". It's a sweet song. Trewavas playing is superb, keyboards also make an important part for the song and the strumming playing of Rothery's guitar would become his trademark for years. The eighth track "Just For The Record" is from "Clutching At Straws". This is a keyboard based song with an upbeat tempo and a high energy. It starts with a piano/keyboard solo, followed by energetic drumming and vocals that enters at the same time. The music and the vocal line flow nicely with the great keyboard interlude. The ninth track "Lady Nina" was released on their single "Kayleigh" and it was the B side of that Marillion's single. It was released from their third studio album "Misplaced Childhood", but it doesn't appear on that original album. This is one of the poppiest tracks of the band. But, it still works pretty well in the context. The tenth track "White Feather" is from "Misplaced Childhood". It's really a very energetic and dynamic song. Two minutes of instrumental neo-prog to wind down a lovely work of art. It's a great song to close that album. The eleventh track "Warm Wet Circles" is from "Clutching At Straws". It was also released as a 7" single and 7" picture disc with "Warm Wet Circles" as the A side and a live version of "White Russian" as the B side. This is a nice track opened with soft guitar fills. It's an easily accessible track. The twelfth track "Kayleigh" is from "Misplaced Childhood". It was also released as the A side of Marillon's first single "Kayleigh" and with "Lady Nina" as the B side. This is maybe the most recognizable Marillion's tune. It's one of the most accessible tracks on that album with again nice lyrics and beautiful soloing by Rothery. The thirteenth track "Freaks" was released on their single "Lavender", in 1985 and it was the B side of that Marillion's single. It was released on their third studio album "Misplaced Childhood", but it doesn't appear on that original album. It was also released as a separated single in 1988. This is really a funny Fish's romp. The fourteenth track "Forgotten Sons" is from "Script For A Jester's Tear". It's a song with very powerful lyrics and with a clear political message with references to the Northern Ireland conflict, at the time. This is one of their best pieces and one of their successful hits performed with excellent and speedy guitar solos. Rothery is an underrated guitarist, really.

Conclusion: "Warm Wet Circles" is a fine compilation album from Marillion that comprises tracks from three of their studio albums released in Fish's era plus two non-album's tracks. However, it doesn't have any track from their second studio album "Fugazi", which is, in my humble opinion, a bit strange thing. For a band that only released four studio albums in Fish's era, that is, at least, somewhat, a bit surprising. It's true that "Fugazi" is in general considered their weakest of those four albums, and is my less favourite too, but it still is undoubtedly, a great album too, really. Anyway, in my humble opinion, that fact doesn't weaken the general quality of this compilation album, really. It contains some of the best tracks of Marillion released in those days. So, it remains, for me, a very interesting and nice compilation that serves perfectly well as an introduction to the music of Marillion in that era. Still, it can never replace all those albums.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)