MARYGOLD

3.5 stars. Apparently I was the only one who loved MARYGOLD's debut called "The Guns Of Marygold". Funny I remember getting a message on here from the guitarist thanking me for the review and mentioning that the tone of his guitar that I liked so much and mentioned in my review was in the process of being changed. He laughed over that and the fact that fellow Italians THE WATCH were getting all of the attention and not them. Again he has such a good sense of humour. So here we are with their latest from 2017 and the guitar tone is changed and they still aren't as popular as THE WATCH haha.

I actually spun their debut last night just to see if I really did like it more than this one and the answer is an enthusiastic yes! I just connect with it more and it moves me. Yes I might need some help because the debut is a Neo-Prog album but I don't think this one is. Tough to pick a favourite song , I mean I like the album and of course the singer who always sounds like it's an effort for him to sing but he's one of the big positives for me. The female vocals I was disappointed with, I'd rather hear him. The two tracks that stand out somewhat for me are "Travel Notes On Bretagne" and the closer and longest track "Lord Of Time". A quality release but one that doesn't connect with me like the debut.

It's taken eleven years to get MARYGOLD's 2nd studio album, but I guess: it was well worth the long time of waiting. New issue entitled 'One Light Year' sounds like a logical continuation of familiar sonic aura; albeit, Italian quintet have expanded the tonal palette to enrich their musical approach. These lads have no problems, combining the calm melodies and subtle elements with instrumental sophistication and scattered hard-edged bursts. Now comprised of Massimo Basaglia (lead guitar), Stefano Bigarelli (keyboards), Marco Adami (bass guitar), Marco Pascuetto (drums / percussion) and Guido Cavalleri (vocals), Marygold do everything in their own manner that's important for the songs. Of course, I wanna dive a bit further into the overall aspects of this new release. Track-by-track. The album begins with mid-tempo 'Ants in the Sand', where the emphasis draws from a diversity of musical strands. In the first place, it resembles old Marillion. After a while, the second half of composition brings very beautiful female vocals from Irene Tamassia, but that, in turn, abruptly revised to the pure instrumental part a'la rock'n'roll. Next up, '15 Years' which moves along pretty close to the stylistic of Fish-era Marillion. Extensive 'Spherax H2O' lasts for more than twelve minutes with excitiment going on. If any track on the disc may be compared with a bridge between Procol Harum and Genesis, this is it. Once again, the lead vocalist Guido Cavalleri manages to put a lot of emotion and disturbing simultaneously. Stefano Bigarelli shows his unerring sense for the keyboard atmosphere, while Massimo Basaglia delivers some excellent guitar playing. Marco Adami on bass and Marco Pascuetto on drums confirm their strong rhythmical prowess. The forth chapter 'Travel Notes on Bretagne' continues a gripping musical journey. Definitely recognisable as a Marillion and Jadis conjunction, 'Without Stalagmite' presents the fascinating instrumental piece. It's followed by 'Pain', another reminiscent of early Marillion. If that still wasn't enough, сoncluding 11 + min. opus 'Lord Of Time' sounds like a pinnacle for the group. It stands out as the most vivid number on the whole album, being infused with sparks of vintage intrigue, multiplexed textures, grand synth layers, flawless guitar improvisation, clever rhythm backdrop, many tricks, overtones and slick sophistication. Generally speaking, the tight interaction of all instruments and vocal work provides completeness in scope. To sum up: Marygold have returned with a solid album that's clearly deserving of praise!

Being a Marillion Fish era fan i try this new band. I totally agree with Prog-Jester this is a good debut, but nothing is outstanding. There are surely some keyboards riff that remind me Mark Kelly like the 1st song, where the reference to Garden Party is too obvious. The guitars and the vocal are totally different. The music has a vintage feeling, so im a bit disappointed with this stuff, because the structure is simple like neo, but miss all sophisticated elegance that im used to listen Marillion. Where are the double layer keys? Xilophone and minimoog toghter like in Punch and Judy? No guys all this is absent! It's a blend of Genesis sound with Marillion structure but with not many emotions, so 3 weak stars.

More than Symphonic Prog, 80's and 90's Neo Prog formulas is what you'll find in this release.

Marillion and IQ legacy is printed in every track of this album perhaps we're in front of a nice and enjoyable piece of music full of epical sections leaded by synths and some awsome instrumental sequences that reminds the best moments of Neo Prog greatest bands.

The album is very uniform with just some brilliant and inspirated moments in songs like "Hara Kiri Show", "Crows Of The Tree" and "The Wizard", maybe the best song of the album because the well arranged ending crescendo an epical sections from first to last minute.

A nice album for any Neo Prog fan and even Symph Prog lovers but I don't recommend this one to people who's looking for complex and ecclectic music even when "Guns Of Marygold" is not at bad album at all. 3*...

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.

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.

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..".

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