Fish-A Feast of Consequences (2013)

After a six-year absence, former Marillion singer Fish returned in 2013 with "A Feast of Consequences", his tenth album, following the brilliant "13th Star". This tenth album was released after Fish himself experienced several traumatic events, such as the end of his marriage and a painful bout of throat cancer from which he would eventually recover. As had happened years earlier, when the Scottish singer was with his original band, and as reflected in the album "Clutching at Straws", his personal struggles have often inspired his most powerful works, and "A Feast of Consequences" is the most palpable example of this. This album showcases a more mature Fish, with sophisticated art rock characterized by grand melodic compositions, ingenious lyricism, and clear British folk influences. The lyrics are socially conscious, addressing topics ranging from the futility of war to political intrigue, all treated with his charismatic insight. While not fully embracing progressive rock, there are glimpses of the avant-garde, such as the enormous suite "High Wood", an epic that incorporates elements of powerful rock, Celtic music, and exuberant symphonic sounds. The epic "Perfume River" is a subtle reflection that contrasts with the sophisticated pop of "All Loved Up", or the sumptuous "Blind To The Beautiful" and "The Other Side of Me", while the evocative "The Great Unraveling" is another highlight of this magnificent album by the towering Scottish singer.

Fish-Internal Exile (1991)

After leaving Marillion, Fish debuted with "Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors", a work that, in some ways, was very much a continuation of what he was doing with his former band, showcasing a brilliant, reflective, and moving neo-progressive sound. After this first album, it wasn't long before the Scottish giant made another move, releasing his second album, "Internal Exile", just a year later. On this album, he continued in that neo-progressive direction but placed more emphasis on the lyrics and vocals, at the expense of the long instrumental passages, which are shorter and more concise, while still incorporating certain folk and Celtic sounds. Songs like the energetic "Shadowplay" recall Marillion's album "Misplaced Childhood", with its dazzling and precise rhythm, while the uplifting "Credo" and "Tongues" move towards heavy and raw rock. On the other hand, "Just Good Friends" and "Dear Friend" become the most accessible and commercial tracks, contrasting with the moving and powerful "Lucky." In Fish's own words, with this album he wanted to capture "a collection of stories of young people" inspired by his home country, and indeed, his reflective and poetic lyrics are part of the album's appeal and are, without a doubt, small works of art in themselves.

Fish-Field of Crows (2004)

Fish's eighth work, in which for the first time he does not use the concept album, however the images and references to crows appear on several occasions.
"Field of Crows" seems more like a brilliant collection of songs than a work in its entirety and where Fish reaffirms his enormous experience as a poet and composer of emotional songs.
Without it being a usual progressive rock album, if it is true that the necessary elements for the style are given here, with complex and intelligent arrangements and an exquisite production.
Fish has always been able to give his works autobiographical themes, lyrics with deep meanings, mysterious stories and an enormous literary sense.
There are even moments to go back and yearn for his time as leader of the Marillion´s as evidenced by the huge "The Field" or "Lost Plot", intimate songs with the beautiful "Scattering Crows", "Shot The Craw" or "Exit Wound" or full rock songs like "Innocent Party" or "Old Crow" and even acid and psychedelic rock exercises "Numbers".

Fish-Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (1989)

If there was a time when Fish's career could have been a continuation (and not a painful epitaph) of that of the Marillions of his first era, it was on this record. Fish retained in this release, and to some extent in the second album, the spirit of the music he had done with former band, when together they recorded such resounding works as "Clutching at Straws", swan song of each other: de Marillion , who could still release an album with the spirit, we repeat, from the first period, the essential “Seasons end”.
Both parties lost, at least in our opinion, but at least one could still rescue some of Fish's solo career. In that sense, "Vigil in a Wilderness of mirrors" is not only a good record of Fish, but the best of his career. It can be said that in this round the former lumberjack fund cast the rest, and so we can find four themes that are true wonders: the tremendous opening hymn “Vigil”, the exquisite ballad “Gentleman's excuses me”, the suite “Cliché”, the splendid "The company", or "Family Business", which has become a classic of his repertoire almost at the height of his songs with Marillion, because everything must be said, however brilliant the songs of this debut do not they shadow the themes of their four albums under study with their nurse band. There is even a commercial issue, as it was in "Clutching at straws" (that unfortunate attempt to enter the charts: "Uncommunicated"), the theme is titled "Big Wedge", and to my liking it is well above that attempt of Marillion to enter the lists of success (something that they would repeat already with Hoggart in their rows and with the song “Hooks in you). Definitely, Fish moves much better for the progressive "for all audiences", not an orthodox progressive, nor was Peter Gabriel in his 80s records, but rather, and as Gabriel (who seems destined to emulate all his life) Fish is shown to us as a musician who shares two loves: the symphonic rock of the 70s and low-grade pop, yes, without reaching the levels where they fell, for example, Saga in his time less creative
In any case, an incredible album that I do not think disappoints anyone who has vibrated with Marillion's time with Fish.

Fish-Sunsets On Empire (1997)

With their fifth studio album, "Sunsets On Empire", Fish delivered their best work since "Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors", released seven years prior. On this album, Steven Wilson, the frontman of Porcupine Tree, co-wrote six of the songs and handled the arrangements, as well as production, actively participating in most of the guitar and keyboard parts. The album's opening track, "The Perception Of Johnny Punter", is one of their most ambitious songs, brimming with hard rock riffs and a symphonic atmosphere. Other tracks like "Goldfish & Clowns" reflect their mainstream side, as does "Change of Heart". Nods to their past with Marillion can be found in "What Colour Is God?", while "Jungle Ride" showcases an Eastern psychedelic feel. However, it is the title track, the most progressive and peak moment of the entire album, which ends in an incredible Floydian finale courtesy of vocalist Lorna Bannon and Steve Wilson performing a brilliant guitar solo inspired by David Gilmour.