BRAVE

So, I'm a level 1 on this, I 've heard a few tracks, but not the whole thing. This album is a concept album based on a news story that Steve Hogarth heard before he had joined Marillion. There was a teenage girl found wandering on The Severn bridge, which connects England with Wales in the UK. The girl either could not or would not communicate with authorities, and they had to go to the media to find her family, who eventually claimed her. The album creates a fictitious account of teenage girl who had undergone trauma such as "SA", drug addiction, isolation and such to the point that she was considering suicide.

Track 1 - Bridge

Sound effects slowly fade in, and eventually there is what I perceive as a ship's foghorn, which gives way to orchestral synth-strings playing a melancholy melody. The vocals don't enter until after the 2-minute mark. They are very quiet and with minimal accompaniment. This leads to...

Track 2 - Living With the Big Lie

High pitched synth sounds set the stage, then H begins singing. On the second verse, more instrumentation begins to emerge gradually. The drums and guitar kick in at around 1:50. This song has to do with how the media has desensitized us to horrible things because we hear so many stories about such things. There is a cool slide into a new section that begins around 2:45. Rothery gives us a guitar solo a few seconds later. Things quiet back down at 3:20. There are ocean sounds with a quiet synth string part. Things get big again around 4:30. I love the drum fill around 5:40. There is a long, slow fade out of the song. Great track!

Track 3 - Runaway

Clean guitar, synth and vocals start this one off at a moderately slow tempo. Things build up around 1:30, and the drums and bass provide a steady beat. There is another build at around 2:0, but it quiets down quickly for a piano feature. Rothery has a signature guitar solo that begins around 2:50. Vocals return around 3:30 with Rothery playing fills between. H's vocals are inspired! The dynamic build at around 4:05 is great. Then things quiet back down as the song ends. Brilliant track, love it!

Track 4 - Goodbye to All That

This is a 12-and-a-half-minute suite that has 5 sections as follows:

- i. Wave

- ii. Mad

- iii. The Opium Den

- iv. The Slide

- v. Standing in the Swing

It begins quietly with H accompanied by Mark Kelly's keys. At around 1 minute, however, a deliciously proggy riff fades in and crescendos. The tempo and energy increase in a 7-8 meter starting around 1:40. As we proceed, the feel changes at times. There is a wonderful chaotic yet controlled energy after 3 minutes in. Things pause around 3:40 with sustained chords. There is a slow build over the next 2 minutes, with occasional soft vocals from H. Things begin changing again around 5:40. It's still quiet, but the vibe has changed and become more ominous. Rothery begins a clean, muted guitar riff at around 8 minutes that is joined by Mosely's drumbeat, giving some rhythm. There is a siren type of thing happening at just before the 10-minute mark that swirls into chaos. H starts singing peacefully at around 10:30 with gentle piano accompaniment. There is a rhythm build up by Trewavas on the bass at around 11:20 that reminds me of La Villa Strangiato by Rush. There is a big drum fill from Moseley at around 11:50, and the music explodes with great playing from Rothery & Kelly as the fantastic track concludes and leads to?.

Track 5 - Hard As Love

This one begins as a straight up rocker. With Rothery playing a riff to accompany H. The rhythm section & keys join in on the second verse. There is actually a sing-along type of chorus here. Kelly has some nice organ fills intertwining with Rothery's guitar lines. This is as heavy as I have ever heard Marillion. At around 2:10, though, things quiet down with clean guitar arpeggios and H's vocals. There are some nice piano lines along the way as well. Things begin to feel like they are building back up around 3:30. The song explodes at 3:50 with big power chords and drums. We get back into hard rock territory again. A wonderful organ solo follows. H's vocals are amazing. Mosely's drum fills during the last minute are killer! I LOVED THIS ONE!!

Track 6 - The Hollow Man

Piano and vocals start this one slowly and quietly. After the opening lines, the piano chords are louder, before dropping back down for the second one. Things start to gradually build up around 2:30, with Rothery playing guitar fills between phrases. I'd call this one a haunting ballad. Well-done.

Track 7 - Alone Again in the Lap of Luxury/Now Wash Your Hands

Rothery plays a speedy pull-off lick to start this one off. The band kicks in with a moderate tempo groove before the vocals join in. Harmonies join the chorus the second time around. Rothery plays a solo starting at around 2:40. Things get quieter after the solo, then build up for the next chorus. There is another feature from Rothery at around 5 minutes, along with ad lib vocals from H. Nice drum fills at around 6 minutes. Everything fades except a keyboard part and some lingering guitar feedback by the 7-minute mark. H sings the Now Wash Your Hands bit as the track comes to a close.

Track 8 - Paper Lies

There are some sound effects before Mosely plays a cool drum fill to bring the band in. The band plays a moderately fast rockin' riff to usher in the vocals. Rothery plays a wah-wah solo around 2:10. Nice half-time feel change at around 3:10. The original tempo resumes after 3:30. The song SEEMS to end at around 5 minutes, but the band winds down slowly over the next minute, and a synth sound takes over to lead into?

Track 9 - Brave

The synth sound keeps going and is joined by Uilleann pipes after 30 seconds. H begins singing over the droning synth at around 1:30. A 5-8 rhythm begins to build at around 4:15. H's vocals begin to emerge from the music at around 6 minutes in. The style returns to the keyboard/vocal style that started the song. This one seemed to me to be more about setting a mood and building an atmosphere than a traditional type of song. I believe they succeeded in that endeavor.

Track 10 - The Great Escape

This song has 2 subsections as follows:

- i. The Last of You

- ii. Fallin' from the Moon

Vocals begin immediately with piano accompaniment. After the first few phrases, there is a crescendo and orchestration kicks in along with the rest of the band. H's vocals are fantastic on this! Lot's of "big" sounds from the band. Things get quiet around 3:30 with piano, then a flute joins. The second half reminds me of "Lavender" from the Fish era. Beautiful track.

Track 11 - Made Again

Acoustic nylon string guitar starts this one then H joins on vocals. This reminds me of a Jon Anderson/Steve Howe duet in the vein of "Let's Pretend" from ABWH. At least until just before the 2-minute mark when it changes to a steel-string acoustic strumming with a more strident rhythm. There is a little electric guitar countermelody starting around 2:40. Piano joins at 3:10, then a bit of organ. Some subtle bass drum hits the accents as we go along. Bass comes in as Rothery plays a bit on nylon string again just before the song and album closes out.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Wow! Amazing album! Definitely one of Marillion's best. Anyone who discounts the "H" era and only likes albums with Fish are really missing out. I loved every track. I don't think I can do anything but give it a 5 out of 5-star rating.

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