Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Fish
Label: Dick Bros Record Company
Release: 1997
Length: 61:04
Rating: 4/5
Derek Dick, aka Fish, the former frontman of the legendary Marillion, got the inspiration for his fourth solo album of original material, »Sunsets On Empire«, in the first half of the nineties, when he watched the news from the Balkan killing fields in shock, especially from Croatia and Bosnia, both of which he had visited on a concert tour. He just couldn’t truly grasp how the former shared state of the South Slavs had fallen apart in such a bloody way. Some of the lyrics on »Sunsets On Empire« touched on the Bosnian war, which had only just ended, while others were more typical of Fish’s usual socially critical, lyrical poetry.
Helping Fish write most of the material was Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, now a cult figure but back then still a relatively obscure patron of progressive rock. He also supplied extra guitar, keyboards and the excellent production on one of the better and heavier solo albums in the career of the Scottish highlander. Wilson’s songwriting stamp on individual tracks is impossible to miss, while on the closing lullaby »Say It With Flowers« the songwriting help came from Tim Bowness, Steven’s old buddy from No-Man. From the ‘standard’ backing crew, both guitarists were back, namely Frank Usher and Robin Boult, while most of the keyboards were again handled by Foss Patterson, who Camel fans will know well too.
The opener, »The Perception of Johnny Punter«, has Fish using his knack for vocal chameleonry to stage an uncompromising portrait of the typical ignorant Westerner, most likely an American, who couldn’t care less about the well-being of planet Earth and has never even heard of Bosnia. Thanks to its scorching guitar riff, it was the heaviest track in Fish’s solo career up to that point. The backing singers add a really tasty touch to the chorus. The song quickly became a fan favorite, and the same goes for the somewhat more acoustic »Goldfish & Clowns«, which has an exceptionally pretty chorus as well as a seriously crunchy guitar solo.
»Change of Heart« is another relatively laid-back little number with lush, mostly acoustic arrangements. The gloomier »What Color is God?« is a biting attack on organized religion and racism, and it’s where Wilson’s songwriting influence is most obvious, at times recalling forgotten Porcupine Tree songs. Thanks to Fish’s furious vocal approach, electronic synth patterns and irritated guitar passages, things get a bit more complicated again here, but more interesting too. The sentimental masterpiece »Tara«, drenched in gorgeous symphonic arrangements and one of the most beautiful songs of Fish’s career, was dedicated to his daughter Tara, who later often joined him on concert tours too.
»Jungle Ride«, an ode to the ‘misfits’, opens with a short narration in Fish’s trademark style, with a heavy Scottish accent, while the eclectic use of percussion and harmonica brings in some world music influences and a slight African ambience. On »Worm in a Bottle« Fish, who really lets rip vocally this time, looks back on his notorious drinking past. »Brother 52«, spiced up with Celtic string arrangements, is another solo classic and a favorite part of his live shows, and it features funny phone conversations between Fish and a mysterious character nicknamed Doc. The title track starts out slow, but over time, mostly thanks to Fish’s superb vocal performance, it builds an incredible atmosphere and stands as one of the album’s highlights.
»Sunsets On Empire« may well be the most overlooked achievement of Fish’s solo career. Mostly thanks to Wilson’s songwriting and production work, it has stood the test of time much better than some of his earlier solo albums. Sadly, »Sunsets on Empire« bombed commercially, and so did the 1997 concert tour, which cost Fish a ton of money and forced him to shut down his independent label Dick Brothers. From then on, he was a lot more careful with some of his business decisions.
Lineup
Derek Dick “Fish” – lead vocals
Steven Wilson – guitar, keyboards, orchestral arrangements, arranger, producer
Robin Boult – guitar
Frank Usher – guitar
Foster Patterson – keyboards, backing vocals (4), orchestral arrangements (5)
Chris Gaugh – cello (1,5)
Brian Hale – violin (1,5)
Martyn Bennett – violin (6,8)
Terence Jones – French horn (9)
Fraser Speirs – harmonica (6)
Ewen Vernal – bass guitar
Dave Stewart – drums
Dave Haswell . percussion (2,5,6)
“Doc” – phone voice (8)
Lorna Bannon – backing vocals (1,2,5,9)
Katherine Garrett – backing vocals (3,6)
Don Jack – backing vocals (1)
Chris Thomson – backing vocals (1)
Annie McCraig – backing vocals (9)
Production
Steven Wilson
Track list
1. The Perception of Johnny Punter (8:37)
2. Goldfish & Clowns (6:36)
3. Change Of Heart (3:41)
4. What Colour Is God? (5:50)
5. Tara (5:12)
6. Jungle Ride (7:34)
7. Worm In A Bottle (6:24)
8. Brother 52 (6:03)
9. Sunsets On Empire (6:54)
10. Say It With Flowers (4:15)
