FACT AND FICTION

My first encounter with anything Twelfth Night-related was with Geoff Mann's and Clive Nolan's one-off project Casino. The self-titled concept album by Casino was released in 1992 and featured Mann and Brian Devoil from Twelfth Night, Clive Nolan of Arena, Pendragon and Shadowland fame and Karl Groom from Shadowland and Threshold. After having enjoyed the Casino album, I wanted at some point to give Twelfth Night a chance. This was a few years back and now I bought the recently released reunion-gig DVD (entitled MMX) which reignited my interest in the band. With the sole exception of Human Being all of the eight songs on this album are featured on the DVD in mostly improved versions! Hearing this supposed classic debut album I was (initially, at least) quite disappointed, but it grew on me over further listens.

Originally released in 1982 - the year before Marillion's and IQ's respective debut albums! - it cannot be denied that Fact And Fiction was one of the first, if not the very first, Neo-Prog album. As such, it is essential for anyone interested in the history of Neo-progressive Rock. For me it is also every bit as good as Script For A Jester's Tear, Tales From The Lush Attic and many other early Neo-Prog classics. Fans of those albums are bound to like this one too. As with most British Neo-Prog, the Peter Gabriel-era Genesis influence is strong. But Twelfth Night also has a unique take on it. The production is not very polished, but good enough.

Recommended, but not a masterpiece

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