THE GUNS OF MARYGOLD

This fine Italian band is rooted in 1994, most members are from the Marillion (Fish-era) cover band Wildfire. Marygold started to play covers from Marillion and Genesis but gradually composed more own material, this resulted in the debut CD entitled The Guns Of Marygold. The vocals are in English and the running time is like that from the 'good old LP's', at about forty minutes, nostalgia time!

1. Hara-kiri Show (7.25) : The intro contains a spacey sound, it evokes Hackett his ominous sounding song Land Of A Thousand Autumns. Then a compelling rhythm with lots of breaks and shifting moods, it sounds very dynamic featuring dramatic vocals, fiery guitar and fluent synthesizer flights.

2. Crows On The Tree (6.32) : A mellow track with melancholic vocals and fragile guitar work, followed by beautiful guitar play with the evolume pedal and sensitive piano. The final part delivers a mid-tempo with howling electric guitar, very moving!

3. Marygold (7.21) : First twanging guitars in the vein of early Gensis in a dreamy climate with warm vocals and a slow synthesizer solo. Halfway a break, then a mid-tempo and we can enjoy delicate work on organ, inspired vocals and slightly distored guitar.

4. Sunflowers (5.21) : This composition contains lots of variation and flowing changing climates, from dreamy with sparkling piano to a fluent rhythm with flashy synthesizer work, fiery guitar and passionated vocals.

5. Tania Stands... (2.56) : A short song with wonderful interplay between the acoustic guitar (twanging and frequent flageolets), halfway there is some delicate flute, simply beautiful!

6. The Wizard (9.46) : After strong drum beats and fiery guitar the atmosphere turns into dreamy with a slow rhtyhm delivering soaring keyboards, sensitive electric guitar with volume pedal play and warm vocals. Gradually the tempo become faster and the sound more lush and bombastic, culminating in exciting interplay between guitar and keyboards along passionated vocals, this is Marygold at their best! Suddenly the music stops and a bell rings (my Bordercollie Lola looked confused at me or she had to bark ..!), then the music returns with a mellow climate featuring wonderful symphonic prog with lush keyboards and howling electric guitar, I am on cloud #9!

Marygold sounds very warm and beautiful and is recommended to fans of pleasant and melodic prog like Genesis, Marillion, Pendragon, Camel and IQ but a bit more subdued, I would say that Marygold is (to quote Fish) "..for the romantics in the audience..".

There is something special about the music this band plays. It is beautiful like the Italian music of the seventies but with more of a GENSIS flavour.This is soul music, prog style. It's funny how certain bands' music can be so uplifting to some while others dismiss it. I feel that way with MARYGOLD because I haven't seen anyone else who is as excited about this music as I am.

The record opens with "Hara-kiri Show". For the first 1 1/2 minutes we are treated to spacey synths, then we get lots of great keyboards and beautiful guitar melodies.The vocals are so warm and on the deep side, they're fantastic ! Love the guitar after 4 minutes.This song is my favourite on here. "Crows On The Tree" is slower paced with piano and fragile vocals, guitar and drums take over a minute in. I really like the tone of the guitar here, again amazing vocals. The song picks up after 4 minutes with synths. It ends as it began. Very good tune.

"Marygold" features lots of mood shifts, and all the musicians get a chance to show their stuff and stretch it out. I like the spacey organ after 6 minutes and the guitar that joins in. "Sunflowers" is another favourite.The guitar is gentle and the vocals are warm as synths join in. This music is so emotional. The tempo shifts quite a bit. Some nice guitar and organ late. "Tania Stands..." is a short song with flute and intricate guitar as vocals join in. "The Wizard" is the longest song and i'm reminded of THE WATCH. There are time changes galore with some great guitar melodies, again I love the tone of the guitar on this song too.

I can't recommend this high enough.These guys along with MOONGARDEN and THE WATCH are a new wave of amazing talented Italian bands who's music will touch your heart. Italian soul music indeed.

Being a Fish-era MARILLION devotee means spend your free time in search of related bands. Every time, when a new name flashes on the horizon, thousands of “Fish and the guys” aficionados race to hear it first and then tell the others what they think of it. I’m kinda late with my review, but it’s never too late, when you’re still racing, eh? ;) OK, MARYGOLD is a kind of band that didn’t do it for me. I hear Fish-like voice, Rothery-like guitars and Kelly-like keyboards, I listen to MARILLION-like structured tracks, and I feel nothing. Sometimes this happens – that’s why there are so many bands of that kind. You can choose and decide for yourself which one you like and which one you don’t. I can’t say I didn’t like MARYGOLD; I hope they’ll grow on me on become more emotional with their second album. Recommended for MARILLION fans, but personally for me there are better MARILLION- inspired bands.