Monday, June 9, 2008
Fish
13th Star (Chocolate Frog Records)
Some
of rock’s most memorable albums have been recorded by artists in the midst of
grief and despair. While 13th Star, a
poignant reflection on love by the recently heartbroken Derek Dick—better known
as Fish, former frontman of the seminal British progressive-rock band
Marillion—may not go down as one of the greatest albums ever, it does rank
among Fish’s finest work.
At
age 50 and sounding as wise and weathered as Peter Gabriel, Fish has been on a
creative roll of late, releasing five albums of new studio and live material
since 2004. Many of the tracks on 13th
Star begin with a subtle eeriness, gradually incorporating such indie-rock
standards as drum loops and sampling with the kind of accessible art rock
Marillion used to make so well. The result is an engaging experience for both
younger listeners who’ve never heard of Fish and aging proghe
Fish is touring the
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