Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Marillion
Label: EMI Records
Released: 1982
Running time: 26:07
Rating: 4.5/5
British art rock champions Marillion have put out a good number of singles over their colorful career, some more interesting than others. Today they’re one of the last legendary progressive rock bands that hasn’t dropped this kind of promo practice for their latest studio work, which is a real rarity among musicians for whom money isn’t the main reason to exist.
The long-running habit of releasing singles kicked off way back in 1982, barely three years after the band formed, when the original/classic lineup (charismatic Scottish singer Fish, guitar wizard Steve Rothery, versatile bassist Pete Trewavas, keyboard grandmaster Mark Kelly and up-and-coming drummer Mick Pointer) had only just properly come together and started its triumphant march on the big new wave of progressive rock.
For their first single, which mainly served as an overture to the unforgettable studio debut “Script For a Jester’s Tear” (1983), Marillion picked “Market Square Heroes,” an uplifting, bouncy number that had long been a huge crowd favorite at their gigs. By their usual standards it’s a more straightforwardly built song, marked by a bouncing rhythm and, as always, excellent vocals from Fish, especially in the melodic main chorus, where rebellious anger and joyful triumph blend together. In the main motif, especially in Kelly’s synth arrangements, you can pick up the influence of their big idols Genesis. With this neo prog rock classic, Marillion proved right at the start of their career that they had a remarkable talent for writing more compact and commercially accessible material too, which would go on to bear plenty of juicy fruit down the line. This evergreen became so popular at their early live shows thanks to Fish’s theatrical stage performances too, when, wearing a Celtic mask, he called for revolution against the shameless bourgeoisie and aristocracy with almost fanatical zeal. “Market Square Heroes” also came out as a promo video, kicking off yet another long-running trend.
The A-side of the single also features the melodramatic “Three Boats Down From The Candy.” Despite the funny title, which comes with surreal, socially critical lyrics, this is another superb achievement that sadly ranks among their lesser-known creations. It’s yet another highly intelligent and very creative composition, full of shifting moods, multi-part harmonies and plenty of dramatic transitions. What stands out most is the excellent main passage, where the instrumental section kicks in with an epic Rothery guitar solo, followed by a melancholic chorus led by Fish.
But both of those songs are easily, and in every respect, overshadowed by the epic, nearly 18-minute suite “Grendel,” which takes up the entire B-side of the original 12-inch vinyl. It’s the longest epic suite in the band’s history, and it’s clearly inspired by the symphonic prog rock of the 70s, led by the legendary Genesis, the band some people were so fond of comparing them to in the early phase of their career. The central motif of this symphonic prog rock magnum opus of theirs is in fact quite reminiscent of the one in the Genesis classic “Supper’s Ready” (the “Apocalypse in 9/8” section) from their legendary album “Foxtrot (1972). Still, “Grendel” remains authentic enough, and differs enough from its better-known model in most of its instrumental segments, to be counted among the grandest works of the Fish era. The lyrics are excellent too, though for a songwriter like Derek Dick (Fish’s real name) that was never in question.
Most lovers of literature can tell from the title alone that the suite, building up dramatically, tells the story of the demon Grendel from Beowulf, the oldest surviving medieval epic, but this time, for a change, through the eyes of the monster (just like in the modern literary source ‘Grendel,’ which served as inspiration for the lyrics). Even though this was the first and last time in Marillion’s history that they could be accused of ‘copying’ their famous ‘forebears,’ this ambitious effort will always stand out among their best compositions, and it shows better than anything else which musical creators the individual members grew up on in their youth. It would of course be an exaggeration to call it the best creation of the Fish era, but it’s certainly a lovely and ambitious tribute to the legendary progressive rock pioneers who had a major influence on their artistic development.
“Market Square Heroes,” the opening act of a magnificent career, enjoys cult status as a neo-prog evergreen and as a single, which meant that from the moment it came out it was a must-have in the collection of every loyal follower of this legendary band. None of the three songs described above appeared on the original versions of the studio albums, which gives this release a very special archival and collectible value.
Line-up
Fish – vocals
Steve Rothery – guitar
Mark Kelly – keyboards
Pete Trewavas – bass guitar
Mick Pointer – drums
Production
David Hitchcock
Track list
1. Market Square Heroes
2. Three Boats Down from the Candy
3. Grendel
