MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Misplaced Childhood

"Emotionally intense, confessional music."

A heavy drug binge equipped Marillion frontman Fish with the lyrical ideas that would anchor the band's concept album, an artistically challenging little project. Misplaced Childhood gives rise to tales of painful childhood experiences, lost love, and rock star lavishness. Fish's brilliant deftness with acerbic poetry and his distinct voice, supported by a very accomplished group of musicians, produced a great, great album.

Typical of 80s "neo-prog", Misplaced Childhood features lush musicianship but without the grandiosity and sophistication of a "true" progressive rock band. Some prog rock fans find Marillion (and the genre) boring. But this album is challenging from a thematic standpoint, and musically it is engaging because it dexterously straddles the line between low-key prog and enterprising pop/rock. The result is an album that attains a remarkable element of accessibility, but concurrently it fairly repays the intensive time it demands for the album to truly sink in and expose its greatness. This album is seductive, musically and especially lyrically; the songs compels exploration. The sonic surfaces are stylishly sad, but it's infectious at the same time. The album ends with "White Feather," a song with a hopeful note. It leaves you feeling good.

To conclude simply, if you're a neo-prog fan or an intelligent rock fan, I recommend picking up Misplaced Childhood.