SEASONS END

As we know, Marillion is a progressive rock band that was formed in 1979 in UK. They're one of the biggest names in the prog rock world. This English band was perhaps the main responsible for the style's survival in the 80's. With Fish as a member of the band, Marillion released four studio albums, "Script For A Jester's Tear" in 1983, "Fugazi" in 1984, "Misplaced Childhood" in 1985 and "Clutching At Straws" in 1987. The loss of Fish was terrible for the band and for the fans. Fish proved to be one of the best lyricists of the new generation and had a remarkable charisma on stage.

"Seasons End" is the band's first album after Fish left Marillion. The band had got Steve Hogarth as the new singer, although the band had already recorded most of the material when Hogarth joined. Only a couple of songs on it actually have some pieces written by him, "Easter" and "The Space...". A number of the lyrics were written by John Helmer, who the band had commissioned before Hogarth joined. Marillion stuck musically to the sound of the previous albums. It was curious to see how the new singer could fill the gap from Fish. Hogarth sounded different than Fish, but it was an instant hit with fans. The album was also well received by critics but couldn't keep the status of the previous albums.

So, "Seasons End" is the fifth studio album of Marillion and that was released in 1989. As I mentioned above, "Seasons End" is the first album of Marillion to feature the current lead singer Steve Hogarth. So, the line up on the album is Steve Hogarth (vocals), Steve Rothery (guitars), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass) and Ian Mosley (drums and percussion). It had also the participation of Jean-Pierre Rasle (bagpipes) and Phil Todd (saxophone), as guests.

"Seasons End" has nine tracks. The first track "The King Of Sunset Town" starts with the ethereal keyboards, the pulsating bass coming slowly, minimalist drums and Rothery's characteristic guitar, that slowly take on the theme. The voice of the new vocalist shows the band has maintained its identity despite a different vocal approach. The second track "Easter" is a ballad, one of the most beautiful ballads made by the band. Lyrically is excellent and musically is perfect. The totally passionate guitar solo contributes significantly to the construction of the theme. Hogarth easily fits his vocals into the song's arrangements, demonstrating intimacy with the theme. The third track "The Uninvited Guest" has a fastest tempo song and has some pop influences. It has some interesting lyrics with some quiet little Scottish references, probably to Fish. That isn't strange because it's the first song on the album fully composed after Fish's departure. Despite it has a more pop vein, I like it. The fourth track is the title track "Seasons End". It's both, lyrically and musically great, slow, dense and very melodic. Hogarth shows that, like Fish but in a different way, he could create progressive themes with passionate interpretations as Fish did. Here we have another lyrically well constructed guitar solo that fits the emotional aspects of the theme. The fifth track "Holloway Girl" is a theme that starts slowly and gradually grows and develops. Highlight again for Hogarth, and of course, Rothery's guitars that when not in evidence, appear in the background all the time involving the song. In this album we have some of the best Rothery's conceptions and interpretations. The sixth track "Berlin" is a slow and melodic track, with strummed guitars and the sullen voice of Hogarth. For the first time we have the saxophone sound in a work by Marillion. It appears here not only in the solos, but throughout the song. Hogarth manages to perfectly match his vocals exploring new musical horizons to the band. The seventh track "After Me" is another guitar-driven ballad, a song that could been a single. It's a great theme with a good keyboard work. Its music goes back to Fish's days, but the vocal melody is 100% Hogarth. The eighth track "Hooks In You" is a very short track, the shortest of all. It's perhaps the most poppy song on the album. It's very similar to "Incommunicado" one in that it's based on a line of keyboards and has a firm guitar base. It was also composed by the band after Fish left Marillion. The ninth track "The Space..." closes the album with a longer progressive epic track. This is a great song with some interesting cryptic lyrics. In a way, this is a perfect theme to finish this excellent album.

Conclusion: This first album of Marillion without the presence of Fish worked well. It was well received by critics and fans. When we are listening to "Seasons End", one can clearly conclude that the group recorded a beautiful album, rich in melodies, with a meticulous guitar work and impeccable instrumentals. With this album, Marillion managed thankfully to survive the shaky manoeuvre of replacing a revered front man mainly yielding good results. And although as a whole it doesn't quite manage to reach the same musical peaks as reached by some of the material from the Fish era it will, to people who give it a thorough listen, prove a strong and worthy follow on. Despite I always had some problems with Hogarth's era in Marillion, "Seasons End" remains one of my favorite Marillion's albums, even if I still sort of sorted it in my head under an imaginary other band's name. It's a successful album by a band that was looking for a new style.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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