Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Fish

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 24, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Chocolate Frog UK
• ASIN: B00006I4DB
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #492,302 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors

2. Big Wedge

3. State of Mind

4. Company

5. Gentleman's Excuse Me

6. Voyeur (I Like to Watch)

7. Family Business

8. View from the Hill

9. Cliche

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Full title - Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors. Mid-price reissue of the debut album from 1990, includes 5 bonus tracks, 'Jack & Jill', 'Internal Exile', 'The Company' (Demo), 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me' (Demo) & 'Whiplash'. Chocolate Frog. 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Painfully Somber, July 20, 2005

By	Christopher Calabrese (Watertown, CT, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, if you like Fish-era Marillion, then this is the cd to purchase. It basically sounds like early Marillion, and almost every song is amazing. I've got to warn you though - this record is extremely depressing, and it may put you in a sad mood just from listening to it. However, the emotion and strength of the music outweighs the somber feelings conveyed.

I personally used this cd in dealing with a break up. I was seeing a girl for a long time, and when we split up, I listened to VIGIL, and I think it may have only increased the sadness I felt. It's definitely not an album to ride your bike to. Tracks like 'Cliche,' 'Family Business,' 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me,' and 'The Company' will make you want to kill yourself, plus they sound like the type of Marillion we'd hear on CLUTCHING AT STRAWS or MISPLACED CHILDHOOD. The title track is about lying to cover up lies, and in a more historical sense, it refers to cold war relations. The U.S.S.R. had defectors, they knew it, and to make up for it, they fed some high risk government workers bogus information. The United States had to decipher fact from fiction and this was called a 'Wilderness of Mirrors.' The only track I think is a bit cheesy here is 'The Voyeur'. There are also some more upbeat, poppy, 80's-sounding tunes like 'Big Wedge,' which is about the one-dimensional motivations of greed in the United States as well as 'View From a Hill.' All of these songs either deal with Fish leaving Marillion, or Fish having some type of problem with a female. Honestly, though, are you surprised?

Fish's vocals here are spectacular, and this record may be the strength of his career when focussing strictly on the vocals. Other notable musicians here are Mickey Simmonds (keyboards), Robin Boult (guitar), and Frank Usher (guitar). There are also three notable bonus tracks. The alternative takes of 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me' and 'The Company' sound a bit more raw, but well worth it. There's also the scottish-influenced 'Internal Exile' which will make you feel like putting on a kilt.

This is one of my all type favorite records...EVER. I don't see too many reviews on here, and that means many people are obviously missing out on this gem.

4.0 out of 5 stars great first solo album, January 9, 2003

By A Customer

This is really quite a good cd. I think I was a little let down with a few songs just because I heard the demos on the Clutching at Straws bonus disc and they really captivated me before I even new this album existed. Still, great music and the bonus songs are great as well. Im lucky to own this.