MISPLACED CHILDHOOD

MARILLION did something strange on their 3rd album MISPLACED CHILDHOOD. They upped the progressiveness in terms of theme by creating their first concept album that despite being broken up into ten tracks is really two long pieces that flow together. Supposedly based on Fish's acid trip where he had visions of the extremes of life including lost love, sudden success and lost childhood. On the other hand the band decreased the progressiveness and made a more mainstream sounding album in the music department. In fact, do I dare say this sounds like progressive AOR? I certainly don't mean that as an insult because I rather like well developed AOR and it doesn't get any better than the smooth melodic MARILLION magic that is crafted so well on this most successful of their albums. The album is one of the top sellers in their canon and spawned hit singles as well with "Kayleigh" hitting the number 2 position on the UK charts.

Although MARILLION was accused of blatant Genesis worship from the beginning I find it to be the most true on this album where Fish nails the Gabriel sound more so than on other albums. The swirling synths and guitars bring "Wind And Wuthering" to mind and seems like the next logical continuation of that particular sound that they brought back to life. This album is simply a masterpiece of melodic prowess that flows beautifully from beginning to end. I admit that out of the four Fish-era albums that this one is my least favorite but it is one that nevertheless is beautifully constructed in a manner that makes me want to hear it throughout its entirety when I put it on. Liking less is a relative term in which the other surrounding albums are just so outstanding that despite being in fourth place it still deserves the 5 star mark in my world.