Fish
Return To Childhood

THE REVIEW

Return to Youth...

For some time now, there's been a sense of revival in the music scene.
Numerous artists, in recent concerts, have been resurrecting material from their early years of career or even entire albums: we had witnessed such an operation in ''Holy Diver Live'', where Ronnie James Dio serves his fans his first album (precisely ''Holy Diver'').

This trend has evidently infected Derek Dick, aka Fish... voice of Marillion from 1982 to '88.
The concert celebrates the twentieth anniversary of ''Misplaced Childhood'' (1985), the most famous LP of Marillion, as well as one of the best concept albums of the '80s: the title ''Return To Childhood'' and the cover designs are, in fact, evident references to the past.
The entire performance (a full two hours!) is divided into two parts, corresponding to 2 CDs. The first retraces Fish's solo career, from 1989 up until the latest ''Field Of Crows''; the second represents ''Misplaced Childhood'' in its entirety, followed by other Marillion classics.

Let's go in order...
The opening is entrusted to Big Wedge, dating back to the first album ''Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors''. Despite its rather pop flair, the use of a brass section and backing vocals, as well as a very evocative text (I found a new religion yesterday, I'd just cleared immigration JFK / a priest got in a Cadillac, the shoe shine boy sang gospel [...]) make it one of the best compositions of the Scottish singer. It is followed by Moving Targets, a piece from the latest ''Field Of Crows'', which testifies to the regained creative streak after a rather uneven decade.
Brother 52 alternates progressive moments, with keyboards in great evidence, to others of melodic hard rock. In the same genre is also the next Goldfish And Clowns, which also contains an excellent guitar solo. After two good but not essential songs, here is another gem: Raingods Dancing, a poignant prog-ballad with magnificent background keyboards...
Another pleasant quarter hour passes with the blues-rock of Wake Up Call (Make It Happen) and with the powerful AOR of Innocent Party and Long Cold Day. The last piece of the solo repertoire, before making a leap into the past, is another Fish classic: it is Credo, a superb, exciting, and profoundly march-like song that mixes prog, hard rock, and vaguely Celtic sounds.

After presenting us with his selection of songs, here comes the main event... ''Misplaced Childhood'' in its entirety (which had not been presented by the post-Fish Marillion).
Pseudo Silk Kimono serves more than anything else to rest our artist's now tired voice: in fact, it's more of an acting exercise than actual singing. The audience applause marks the start of Kayleigh, a pop song that at the time made Marillion much more famous and marketable than their neo-prog colleagues. It's a much softer version compared to the original: an effect especially due to the use of backing vocals. The same rearrangement is used in the following Lavander.
Bitter Suite and Heart Of Lothian are instead played in a slightly confusing manner, which makes them less digestible compared to the corresponding studio versions. Another experiment, this time fully successful, is performed on the short Waterhole (Expresso Bongo), transformed into a hard rock piece where guitars and percussion are emphasized. The lovely Lords Of The Backstage is another resting moment and acts as a springboard for a version of Blind Curve, where the claustrophobic central piece is stretched out immeasurably. Masterfully interpreted are also the last two Childhoods End? and White Feather.

Once ''Misplaced Childhood'' is completed, the time for encores arrives...
The first, unfortunately interpreted in a debatable manner, is Incommunicado: the slightly transformed keyboard parts, and above all the vocal performance of Fish, tired and worn out after giving 110%, penalize it considerably. But here comes the reversal of trend immediately with Market Square Heroes (contained in the first EP of Marillion, dating back to 1983), so powerful and perfect as to make the original disappear... and finally, it closes in the best way with Fugazi.

In conclusion, I feel that this ''Return To Childhood'' is truly an excellent live... high-level music interpreted by musicians of equally high level.
Particularly recommended for fans of Fish and Marillion, for the nostalgic, and above all for those who appreciate the less extreme and more melodic side of progressive rock.

And as usual... enjoy listening...