Fish - Weltschmertz
Seven years after the last studio album from soon to be retired, modern prog luminary Fish comes the weighty, near eighty minute double album Weltschmerz.
The new album was supposed to form part of the singer’s farewell to music and retiral tour of 2020.
Those touring plans have been sensibly cancelled in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic but the album, primarily
co-written with guitarist Robin Boult and bassist & multi-instrumentalist Steve Vantsis (both of whom appear on the album), deserves recognition in its own right.
Weltschmerz (German for "world pain" or a "world weariness") is the singer’s eleventh studio album and was more than three years in the making.
Evidence of the pain-staking attention to detail across its creation, and time taken to complete, is much like Calum Malcolm’s excellent production – clear as a bell.
Those with even a passing familiarity with Fish’s work will know his skills as a wordsmith and he doesn’t disappoint here, right from the off.
'Grace of God' opens the album in unsettling fashion with deeply foreboding electronica interspersed with faint radio messages. Fish thanks his fate in comparison to others suffering from illness in as erudite manner as you could expect.
A strong and thoughtful start, the pervading gloom is briefly lifted by the appearance of a strummed 12 string guitar recalling happier days. The mood however darkens towards the end chronicling the descent towards death with the title repeated over the coda.
This is not a cheery introduction, but no-one ever expects sing-a-longa Fish.
'Man With a Stick' lifts the mood somewhat.
An up-tempo number reminiscent of So era Peter Gabriel, Fish seems to be lyrically railing against totalitarians, but superficially it’s quite an accessible, almost commercial number (it was an early single well before the album was even close to completion).
Following number 'Walking on Eggshells' is reminiscent of parts of previous studio album, A Feast of Consequences.
It’s a masterclass in dynamics and production with a message that seems to document the pitfalls of fragile relationships.
The Celtic-tinged 'This Party’s Over,' which also carries little echoes of early Marillion, then does what it says on the tin – a farewell note and a resignation letter from Fish.
The new album was supposed to form part of the singer’s farewell to music and retiral tour of 2020.
Those touring plans have been sensibly cancelled in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic but the album, primarily
co-written with guitarist Robin Boult and bassist & multi-instrumentalist Steve Vantsis (both of whom appear on the album), deserves recognition in its own right.
Weltschmerz (German for "world pain" or a "world weariness") is the singer’s eleventh studio album and was more than three years in the making.
Evidence of the pain-staking attention to detail across its creation, and time taken to complete, is much like Calum Malcolm’s excellent production – clear as a bell.
Those with even a passing familiarity with Fish’s work will know his skills as a wordsmith and he doesn’t disappoint here, right from the off.
'Grace of God' opens the album in unsettling fashion with deeply foreboding electronica interspersed with faint radio messages. Fish thanks his fate in comparison to others suffering from illness in as erudite manner as you could expect.
A strong and thoughtful start, the pervading gloom is briefly lifted by the appearance of a strummed 12 string guitar recalling happier days. The mood however darkens towards the end chronicling the descent towards death with the title repeated over the coda.
This is not a cheery introduction, but no-one ever expects sing-a-longa Fish.
'Man With a Stick' lifts the mood somewhat.
An up-tempo number reminiscent of So era Peter Gabriel, Fish seems to be lyrically railing against totalitarians, but superficially it’s quite an accessible, almost commercial number (it was an early single well before the album was even close to completion).
Following number 'Walking on Eggshells' is reminiscent of parts of previous studio album, A Feast of Consequences.
It’s a masterclass in dynamics and production with a message that seems to document the pitfalls of fragile relationships.
The Celtic-tinged 'This Party’s Over,' which also carries little echoes of early Marillion, then does what it says on the tin – a farewell note and a resignation letter from Fish.
'Rose of Damascus' is the near sixteen-minute centrepiece of the album.
The long-form epic features members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and includes time changes, thoughtful lyrics and great performances from the band members; the instances of rise and fall within this piece is worth the admission price alone (Fish describes this songs as "like David lean doing prog").
The spoken word section describing warfare in the Middle East is reminiscent of Alex Harvey at his menacing best.
'Garden of Remembrance' is a piano lament on the effects of Alzheimer’s which, given the subject matter and the genuinely poignant delivery from Fish (the song was written about his mum's battle with the disease), is a song that’s hard not to shed a tear to.
In complete contrast is 'C Song (The Trondheim Waltz),' which is more akin to a drinking song.
A fairly uplifting and likeable number, it’s another farewell note delivered in waltzing good humour.
The portentous and forlorn sax wailing 'Little Man What Now' brings another musical shift while Fish lyrically ponders the road ahead across the song’s eleven minutes.
Another strong number with "less is more" spaciousness, it’s a track that will bear repeated listens.
'Waverley Steps (End of the Line),' complete with a brass section, is another statement of finality with the final stop at Edinburgh Train Station acting as the metaphor (denizens of Edinburgh will know that "getting off at (previous station) Haymarket" has a very different meaning).
Fish indulges in a bit of reminiscing in the lyrics while musically the number is, again, not a million miles from Marillion.
Weighing in at almost fourteen minutes long, 'Waverly Steps' is not quite as successful (in long-form terms) as 'Rose of Damascus' but it’s still a very good number.
The Celtic-prog title track closes out the album.
The lyrics of 'Weltschmerz' are indeed world weary and detail some of the current failings and problems.
An earlier Radio Edit of the song didn’t trouble mainstream radio playlists but make no mistake, this is a very strong number wrapping up an equally strong album and, it would seem, a celebrated career.
If Fish does manage that farewell tour, do yourself a favour and get along to see him a final time.
After that, you may only see or hear of him concentrating on the written word – which is no bad alternative, given his oft-times razor sharp wordplay and insightful lyricism.
If this indeed be his last studio/ musical hurrah, he’s signed off on a world weary high.
Nelson McFarlane
FabricationsHQ
The long-form epic features members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and includes time changes, thoughtful lyrics and great performances from the band members; the instances of rise and fall within this piece is worth the admission price alone (Fish describes this songs as "like David lean doing prog").
The spoken word section describing warfare in the Middle East is reminiscent of Alex Harvey at his menacing best.
'Garden of Remembrance' is a piano lament on the effects of Alzheimer’s which, given the subject matter and the genuinely poignant delivery from Fish (the song was written about his mum's battle with the disease), is a song that’s hard not to shed a tear to.
In complete contrast is 'C Song (The Trondheim Waltz),' which is more akin to a drinking song.
A fairly uplifting and likeable number, it’s another farewell note delivered in waltzing good humour.
The portentous and forlorn sax wailing 'Little Man What Now' brings another musical shift while Fish lyrically ponders the road ahead across the song’s eleven minutes.
Another strong number with "less is more" spaciousness, it’s a track that will bear repeated listens.
'Waverley Steps (End of the Line),' complete with a brass section, is another statement of finality with the final stop at Edinburgh Train Station acting as the metaphor (denizens of Edinburgh will know that "getting off at (previous station) Haymarket" has a very different meaning).
Fish indulges in a bit of reminiscing in the lyrics while musically the number is, again, not a million miles from Marillion.
Weighing in at almost fourteen minutes long, 'Waverly Steps' is not quite as successful (in long-form terms) as 'Rose of Damascus' but it’s still a very good number.
The Celtic-prog title track closes out the album.
The lyrics of 'Weltschmerz' are indeed world weary and detail some of the current failings and problems.
An earlier Radio Edit of the song didn’t trouble mainstream radio playlists but make no mistake, this is a very strong number wrapping up an equally strong album and, it would seem, a celebrated career.
If Fish does manage that farewell tour, do yourself a favour and get along to see him a final time.
After that, you may only see or hear of him concentrating on the written word – which is no bad alternative, given his oft-times razor sharp wordplay and insightful lyricism.
If this indeed be his last studio/ musical hurrah, he’s signed off on a world weary high.
Nelson McFarlane
FabricationsHQ