When Marillion first appeared on the scene I found them annoying and an irritation on all the awesome heaviness that was all around at the time. Also, I felt that those obvious Genesis rip off accusations that were in all the rock papers were justified. Of course, that was me being shallow and there was a lot more to the band than the Peter Gabriel copyist on vocals. Sorry!
This was the band’s second album that came out in ’84. The most accessible track on the album is the first thing that you hear. Assassing is a very clever tune (lyrically), and how Fish fits the complicated words into the groove is really cool. Punch And Judy is a nod to 70’s Prog, albeit with some indie sounds of the day slotted in there, but the rest of the album does really belong in 70’s Prog.
The band now sound nothing like this at all, they are a totally different beast. When I look back, maybe the reason they took off so big was because the Genesis of the early 80’s actually sounded nothing like Genesis of old, they were becoming a Phil Collins backing band. So, there was an audience who wanted the visual element ready and waiting. But, that’s just the ramblings of a cynic.
6.5/10 from The Grooveman.
