AFRAID OF SUNLIGHT

After the band released the masterpiece that is "Brave," they continued that trend with "Afraid of Sunlight." This is the first album that I would recommend to someone who hasn't listened to h-era Marillion. "Afraid of Sunlight" is a perfect blend of pop, rock, and of course, prog. I remember watching a review on YouTube, and I very much agree with how the reviewed described "Afraid of Sunlight" in comparison to "Brave." The latter is more of a feminine album, while the former is more of a masculine album. And like "Brave," "Afraid of Sunlight," as I see it, is a concept album, or at least a loose concept album. This record deals with lyrical themes of celebrity and alludes to various icons such as O. J. Simpson, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, and Micheal Jackson. "Afraid of Sunlight" is also more immediate and less musically and lyrically dense than "Brave."

The album opens up with "Gazpacho." It starts with a dreamy intro which then leads into a bouncy, upbeat song with one of Pete Trewavas' most notable bass lines. The vocal melodies are catchy and I like the wind-down at the end with the news report of a police chase. "Cannibal Surf Babe" is a Beach Boys pastiche, and is a song that has grown on me over time. "Beautiful," is as the title suggests, a beautiful pop song that surpasses the pop songs on "Holidays In Eden." "Afraid of Sunrise" is the precursor to the title track, and is a pleasant song.

"Out of This World" is my favorite song on the album. The emotion in Steve Hogarth's voice when he sings on this track is palpable, especially during the haunting concluding section. The title track is another favorite of mine. The dichotomy between the verses and choruses is stunning. This song has an epic quality to it, despite not even being seven minutes long. "Beyond You" is a beautiful song that ebbs and flows really well. "King" is one of the heaviest Marillion songs. The guitar riff in of itself is heavy, but the crescendo at the end makes the track feel enormous.

In conclusion, "Afraid of Sunlight" is as good as "Brave," and demonstrates the band's willingness to experiment with different sounds and styles, which they would go on to pursue on subsequent releases. "Afraid of Sunlight" is one of the most varied and eclectic albums from the band, and it actually succeeds from being like that. Unfortunately, the quality of the next couple of Marillion albums would start to falter slightly after "Afraid of Sunlight." However, this is not the last masterpiece Marillion released. They would go on to release many more masterpieces in the 21st century.