SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR

The neo-prog movement had already been underway for a couple of years at least when Marillion's debut album came out, but this is the release which made it catch fire - in particular, the fact that a new prog band could emerge in 1983 and bring out an album which made it to the top 10 of the album charts was amazing to all. The album deserves it too; despite critical sniping about the band's similarity to Genesis, the fact is that Marillion had their own distinctive and original sound straight out of the gate. Yes, you can hear Genesis influences here and there - in Fish's theatricality, say, or in the pastoral interlude in Garden Party - but you can also hear snatches of Camel and flashes of more modern New Wave bands if you listen carefully. What's more, the emotionally fragile and bleak atmosphere captured on the album's best tracks - such as the title track or Forgotten Sons - is unmistakably Marillion's own.

The one criticism I'd have of the album is the usual one - Mick Pointer's drumming is workmanlike at best and doesn't really add much to the proceedings. Then again, he isn't much of a presence on the album - a lot of the time his drums are either quite low in the mix or are simply not playing. But even this isn't enough to knock the jester off his perch. Five stars.