Fish
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors

THE REVIEW

Derek William Dick was born on April 25, 1958, in Dalkeith, on the eastern outskirts of Edinburgh.

Since childhood, he has shown an interest in music, with a passion initially for bands like the Beatles and Kinks, and then for more complex music like that of Genesis, ELP, Yes, Peter Hammill, and Pink Floyd. At the age of 13, he desperately wanted to form a band, tried playing the drums, but later decided it was better to focus on singing. At 18, his future still seemed uncertain; he didn't like university, and in 1979 he left for a trip to Germany. Back in his country, he attended a Peter Gabriel concert and managed to meet the legendary singer by sneaking backstage. This encounter changed his life: he officially decided to become a professional singer and called himself Fish for the first time, after the nickname given to Yes bassist Chris Squire by the other band members, one of young Derek Dick's favorite bands.

After a failed audition to become the singer for Not Quite Red Fox, he managed to join the Blewitt for a brief period with the Stone Dome Band. Between 1980 and 1981, Fish joined Marillion and began the story we all know, later leaving the band in November 1988. This marked the beginning of Fish's journey as a solo artist. Despite leaving a successful band, the legendary singer remained undaunted. He gathered a group of skilled but relatively unknown (at least to the general public) musicians: Mickey Simmonds (keyboards), Frank Usher (guitar), Robin Boult (second guitar), Mark Brzezicki (drums), Steve Brzezicki (bass). With them, he started a live tour, a sort of trial run.

The debut took place on October 11, 1989. In January 1990, Fish's first album was released: "Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors." Those expecting a new chapter in Marillion style might be disappointed, but those with broader horizons might be pleasantly surprised. This album contains a mix of rock, folk, 80s music and some distant and almost imperceptible prog reminiscences. All the music was written by Mickey Simmonds and Fish, while the lyrics were, of course, solely by Fish. Without the constraints imposed by Marillion, the songs are literally filled with lyrics, written with the usual sophistication and a hint of malice, against the backdrop of a mirrored jungle and the inevitable Fish symbolism, reflected in the beautiful cover by Mark Wilkinson, who chose to follow the singer rather than continue working for Marillion. We start with the great atmospheric piece Vigil, with a lovely chorus and a fantastic interlude in pure folk style, featuring the bagpipes. Big Wedge is the less engaging song of the album, with a brass section and a commercial cut, perhaps more suitable for a Phil Collins record. State Of Mind is a protest song against British politics, with a notable bass piece in the verse.

The masterpiece of the album is undoubtedly The Company, a song that borders on perfection: stunning lyrics, well-arranged music, and a fantastic string interlude that feels like it could make you fly. Fish's voice is, as usual, something extraordinary. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me sits halfway between a slow piece and a ballad, and is very suggestive and passionate, imbued with a sad sweetness. The obsession of old times returns in the song The Voyeur (I Like To Watch), a song with an interesting rhythm and a nice keyboard-sung interlude, which essentially talks about a sort of voyeur who spies on the world with a critical eye through the... television. With Family Business, we return to the heights of The Company, a piece rich in pathos, with haunting atmospheres, starting slow and leading into a repeated chorus. The keyboard and guitar (with its beautiful final solo) are prominently featured in View From The Hill, a very symbolic song in which the hill takes on different meanings, so much so that in the sleeve notes we read: Thanks to MARILLION for showing me the hill. A phrase that speaks for itself.

Romanticism and passion are unleashed from the notes of Cliché, the last track of the album, also featuring a guitar solo reminiscent of Steve Rothery's and backing vocalist Tessa Niles, who had already sung on Clutching At Straws. In 2006, a new remastered version of this album was released, boxed with 5 bonus tracks: the beautiful Jack And Jill, the folkloristic Internal Exile with the flute and violins in the background, the unusual rhythm’n’blues Whiplash and the demos of The Company and A Gentleman’s Excuse Me. Of Fish's entire discography, there is no doubt that "Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors" is the best album, an interesting, original, fresh, and catchy album.

In essence, a remarkably startling debut.