Rain Gods with Zippos

Over the last 6 - 8 weeks an album I have been playing almost every day is 'Fish's 'Raingods with Zippos'.It's not new I have had it for nigh on 5 years since it's release in 1999.For many Fish fans 'A vigil in a wilderness of mirrors' is their fave from this mightly gifted fellow Scotsman,but after playing it for a short while on it's release I turned to other things. Quite why now begins to make scratch my head rather viciously for this is  a truly brilliant work from a man whose works I have always admired.The album begins with the tinkling gentle piano sounds of 'Tumbledown before exploding into raucous thumping guitar.The tracks include 'Mission Statement and two soothing lovely ballads 'Incomplete' and the harrowing 'Tilted Cross' a song about land mines whose gentle beauty defies the song's content.Thereafter it is the fantastic piece of music 'A plague of ghosts which starts with the equisite 'Old Haunts' before the rythm and mood changes with 'Digging Deep' to the beautiful 'Waving at stars' and the suite ends with the remarkable  'Rain Gods Dancing' throughout Fish is ablely assisted by one Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree playing blistering guitars and other very fine musicians.For me Fish has so much to offer the prog music scene/ rock scene I believe he is so pissed off with the music industry as a whole that he has threatened to quit touring.Lest I forget there is also a great version of Alex Harvey's 'Faith Healer'.Wordsmith/Vocalist' don't give up' as the Arch Angel said.

I am sorry Shrinking Violet, but, while I read it and found it interesting, I didn't have any input because I simply haven't heard it yet. I place it on my things to check out list. I loved the material of Fish's on Marillion but the one LP I heard in his solo career(Internal Exile) seemed weak or just not my cup of tea. I thought the songs were a little too happy and the music accompanying it lacked the bite his material with Marillion had. I do plan on giving the guy another listen, however in the future.

Cheers

P.S...I love your passion for Fish

The problem with a lot of lead singers when they go solo, or make solo albums, is that their output is dominated even more by vocals. Because they will often not have the ability to play a musical instrument, they feel their voice has to be constantly heard, for it to be their album.

In a band situation, the rest of the group will have their influence, and hopefully this leads to a balanced album with sometimes lengthy instrumental sections.

Other band members such as guitarists, bassists, drummers etc. do not seem to have this attitude to their solo work to nearly the same degree, probably becuase most of them try to sing!

I think Fish's early solo output suffered in this way. With "Raingods with zippos" though, Fish seemed to be prepared to make much more of a band album, and the result was probably his most progressive album yet. (Hey I must save that for my review!)

I agree Fragile, RWZ is a very good album probably Fish's best since his days with you know who.

Good to see SV likes it too!

Vigil In a Wilderness Of Mirrors is a stormer. A FIVE STAR album.

1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (8:46)
2. Big Wedge (5:25)
3. State of Mind (4.45)
4. The Company (4:07)
5. A Gentleman's Excuse Me (4:20)
6. The Voyeur (I Like to Watch) (4:45)
7. Family Business (5:22)
8. View from a Hill (6.39)
9. Cliche (7:06)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006I4DB/qid=1098 128914/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/026-1269494-5762041

To order for £8.99 and listen to clips.

Am gaun to ra shoaps

No yur no

Reciprocations required SV awwwwwright, that velvet guy is frickin good at our mother tongue Whits the score wae him is he swedish or scottish I cannae tell wan 'hing is he's bloody guid I mean he's tawkin jist like we dae' Fish cannot be allowed to be lost, such rich a talent has to be encouraged to keep writing and singing and touring.'Again, in our mother tongue 'when will we se his likes again' to reiterate to labour the point 'Raingods is a godamme great prog album!

Yes you all must try raingods wae zippos...or feel my ghurlie wrath

am away tae watch the fitba'