Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
27/12/08 23:01 Filed in: Rock
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Misplaced Childhood is an album type of the today extinct form of a „concept album“. For the younger readers, a concept album is basically „one big song“, which had it’s climax in the 70s and 80s of the 20th century, and does not use „fade outs“ or pauses between the songs.
In the discussed specimen, there is a break however, which is between „side A“ and „side B“, because it was initially only released on Vinyl in 1985, and only later in the 80s released on Compact Disc. In some inofficial fanzines stated as the ultimate and perfect Marillion album, it also features the top 10 hit „Kayleigh“, which got the band international attention on a broader base.
01. Pseudo Silk Kimono 2:15
The rather silient intro is sythesizer only, acompanied by Fish’s solo voice. It gives you about enough time to grab a beer from the fridge, lower the lights, and crank up the volume. Me as a german native never quite grasped what the lyrics were about, and I never really tried to find out...
02. Kayleigh 4:04
Kayleigh, beeing the one of the very few top 10 tunes of Marillion, only gets it’s full listening quality, when directly played after and together with the Kimono Intro.I never quite fancied the single version, which kinda stands there cut out of something (which in fact it is...). Brought into context with the Intro and the flanking Lavender, it’s well designed for your mainstream ears and is a true verse/chorus type of song.
03. Lavender 2:27
There it cools down suddenly with beautiful piano/guitar sounds, and a soft voice from fish, which then turns into the first real crecendo of the album. Personally: although only 2 1/2 mins flat, my favorite of the album.
04. Bitter Suite 5:53
Now coming one of the spooky parts of the album. Steady on one tone first, it’s getting more quiet, instruments seem to experiment, then moving into a rythm, which is guided by smooth base and snyths. Spoken Words. Almost no drums. Then into drumroll and guitar solo which leads into the finale again with vocals, very chorus like. (reminds of „gonna get better“ from Genesis) Piano and base to stop silent
05. Heart of Lothian 6:06
Before you though, side A’s end, but it goes on with base and guitar and only slight flute sounds in the back with Fish singing softly and baladesque. The „wide boy“ is introduced with Piano and Fish vocals, which turn into a guitar intro a 7:8 bar which ends in a sing along chorus with bombastic guitar in the background. Perfect finale! Then quiet synth end in fine chords. Curtain Call.
06. (side B) Waterhole 2:13
Now entering side B (remember: you had to get up to the stereo, and flip the vinyl
. Strong rythm, guitar and synth flanked, getting you up to speed again. Bulding up some energy until falling into major chords.07. Lords of the backstage 1:53
Now what kind of beat is this? Again 7:8 bar. Not much to say, they wanted to show off that they can play off beats too
Still it serves it’s purpose to...08. Blind curve 9:30
...introduce the balad again in 4: straight, which even falls into the „passing strangers“, a sad passage, which then blows up into the guitar solo crecendo, with a changed verse tune, where you even don’t notice that the chords changed
at 4:20 it’s getting more spooky again... only guitar picking with a lot of delay, to get you into the mood... then safari like base and base drum joining with spoken rythm verse from fish... and then finally the „Childhood“, which the album got it’s title from. Snartling voice. Sweet. Even sweeter the subsequent solo part (guitar, synth) some more verses ending in another beautiful guitar solo, and then fading into...09. Childhoods end 4:33
... soft rythm guitar picking and elevator music
The chorus not quite hits the point, definetly the weakest part of the album.10. White feather 2:24
Finally then something to round up your listening experience, a fine „stories end“ tune, where you can sing along well. And then fade out.
Roundup
This album wants to be heared start to end. In order to be pulled in by the aura of the Misplaced Childhood, you need to follow the structure. Never listen to it in shuffle mode.
Still, my personal favorite album of Marillion, too, and among the top three of all albums. 5 pokies for this and 4.9 ponts
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood 4.9
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