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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Fish

Raingods With Zippos

Review by Gary Hill

While moving in fresh and original directions, this album also captures some of the magic of Fish`s former band Marillion. It seems to take progressive rock to another stage, utilizing much of the magic and beauty of the format, while bringing a new accessibility to the style. Fish`s lyrical wizardy never fails to amaze. Fish is joined on this album by a large cast of musicians, most notably, Dave Stewart, Steve Wilson and Mickey Simmonds. Check out the official Fish website at www.the-company.com.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 1 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years.

Track by Track Review
Tumbledown
An extended intricate piano intro explodes into progish wonderment. Somewhat hard-edged prog with spirit, this one ends in the mode it began, solo piano. "The needles begin to make their mark, You try to hide, You`re leaving tracks."
Mission Statement
This solid rocker seems to have elements in common with Led Zeppelin, Nazareth, and Pink Floyd. "I want to change the world, and I`m starting with myself, A private revelation concerning everybody else, We`re all lonely people, We`re all looking for some help, To busy crunching numbers, and fighting for ourselves, All it takes is kindness and a little love and care, And this planet that we live on can be a heaven we can share, a mission statement."
Incomplete
"Oh, I feel so incomplete, oh, oh, It seems so incomplete, If we could only bring those days back when there were never wounds to heal, When everything was perfect and the dream was so real." This is a pretty and moody prog ballad.
Titled Cross
This folky sort of ballad has a bit of a Celtic texture to it.
Faith Healer
Feeling a bit like prog with a vengeance, this is hard edged, and substantial music.
Rites Of Passage
Melancholy in mood, this is a balladic number that is very poignant. It is complete with a string section and a wonderfully pretty and intricate outro.
Plague of Ghosts
Old Haunts
Beginning with keyboard work that is rather Marillionish, this is a textural cut. It is a bit new-ageish, but definitely prog.
Digging Deep
A rhythmically oriented cut, this one has a nice hook. It features a spoken word segment. This is strong prog with a modern rhythm. After a time, it explodes into wondrous prog territory rather in the mode of classic Marillion.
Chocolate Frogs
With ethereal, textured sounds, this is a poetry reading by Fish for the first minute or so. Then the textural effects continue with sung vocals. It begins a gradual buildup that takes the listener directly into the next movement of the piece.
Waving At Stars
A rhythmic and guitar oriented intro gradually transforms into far more lush territory before segueing into the next segment of the composition.
Raingods Dancing
Wonderfully intricate piano begins this one. It is a beautifully lush prog ballad full of emotion. After a time, it becomes less balladic and more uptempo, but still lushly prog.
Wake Up Call (Make It Happen)
With a strong hook, this prog cut has a great feel to it. The guitar at times seems to reflect both countryish and Floydish tones. 
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