Album Mini-review: Marillion — F.E.A.R.
File next to: Pink Floyd, Blackfield
On their 18th studio album – and 14th with frontman Steve Hogarth – UK progressive rock outfit Marillion returns with its first new release since 2012’s Sounds That Can’t Be Made. The 17 tracks that make up the album are clearly designed to be taken as a whole; more than half of the disc is comprised of a pair of extended, suite-like pieces, “The Leavers” and “The New Kings.” Despite the paranoia and aggression hinted at in the title (short for “Fuck Everything and Run”), F.E.A.R. is a lush work full of stately, near-static pieces the suggest post-Roger Waters Pink Floyd, while the unified-work approach calls to mind Waters himself (if he were a stronger vocalist). Listeners looking for musical hooks may have to dig deep, but F.E.A.R. has plenty of the qualities that have won Marillion fans across the globe.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.