SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR

Script for a Jester's Tear is a strong debut album from the neo-prog group Marillion that succeeds in foreshadowing the traits the band would employ in their magnum opus, Misplaced Childhood. The instrumental arrangements are sufficiently dense for most prog fans while even those like myself who aren't diehard fans of the genre can still find this a relativley accessible album. Most of the melodies here are keyboard or synth driven though there are some that feature more prominent lead guitar parts that could be more appealing to fans of the bands later works.

The album starts off well with the classic title track and the more straightforward "He Knows You Know". "He Knows You Know" might hold up better if it didn't feature the bizarre telephone sequence at the end but it's a small criticism. "The Web" through "Chelsea Monday" are too slow developing for my tastes but I'll concede that each track features an interesting instrumental portion and the playful synth line thorughout "Garden Party" keeps my attention. The final track, "Forgotten Sons" is more in the mold of "He Knows You Know" both in terms of how much guitar is present and the odd lyrical choices. What's missing here is the continuity of a story that showcases Fish's lyrical capabilities. This feature is what won me over on Misplaced Childhood and it is noticeably absent here. Still, this is an excellent album whose minor flaws don't impede enjoyment of the album. 4.0 this defiantly gives this six piece their sound.

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