Album of the Day

Brave, by Marillion (1994): My first Marillion purchase was Misplaced Childhood and for quite a while after I focused on the Fish-era back catalog based on the opinions of many folks on Usenet. At the time, Steve Hogarth was still the "new guy" and many long-time fans hadn't bought into the switch. But then I started hearing about Brave and how that was winning some people back. Indeed, it was a critical album for the band - an astonishing return to form after Holidays in Eden failed to please either fans or the market. A sprawling concept album, not only did it instantly become one of the band's best, it pointed the way down the path they continue to tread (in various ways) to this day. I instantly fell in love with it, stunning cover and all, and firmly became a fan of the band as it existed at the time rather than it's 80s "glory" days. Play it loud with the lights off, indeed!