Marillion Afraid of Sunlight released

Afraid of Sunlight Marillion

Released: June 24, 1995 Peak: -- US, 16 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo-progressive rock

Tracks: Song Title [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Gazpacho [7:28] Cannibal Surf Babe [5:46] Beautiful [5:13] (5/29/95, 29 UK) Afraid of Sunrise [5:02] Out of This World [7:55] Afraid of Sunlight [6:50] Beyond You [6:11] King [7:04] Lyrics by Steve Hogarth and John Helmer; music by Marillion (Hogarth/ Kelly/ Mosley/ Rothery/ Trewavas). Total Running Time: 51:25 The Players: Steve Hogarth (vocals, percussion) Steve Rothery (guitar) Pete Trewavas (bass) Mark Kelly (keyboards) Ian Mosley (drums)

Rating: 3.523 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: ”Afraid of Sunlight was Marillion's first real progressive album since Fish had left the band. While it does not rank as high as classics like Script for a Jester's Tear or Fugazi, it still has some very strong moments.” AG "They've found their rut and seem happy to stick in it…That doesn't mean they've run out of imagination…they have the concept album, er, concept down pat.” ME “There is a loose thread that seems to bind the album together lyrically that is subtle and grabbing.” JW “Quite intense lyrics…start from Kurt Cobain' s suicide and analyze contemporary icons and myths as Elvis Presley, John Lennon Andy Warhol, Mike Tyson, O.J. Simpson, Ayrton Senna and even Princess Diana.” FS “The…songs…confirm the good period of Marillion creativity, in a territory at the borderline between [singer Steve Hogarth’s] pop desires and guitarist [Steve Rothery’s] more elaborated ideas. The album is quite homogeneus” FS and “there are some very beautiful melodic moments.” AG “The continous alternation between romantic moments and aggressive ones” FS makes for “a better mix between calm and agressive melodies than on previous albums made with Steve Hogarth.” AG “The first three tracks grab you instantly, while the rest of the album comes on slowly only to take you in and have you discovering new things every time you listen.” JW “Gazpacho is unnerving in its revelations” JW and “Beautiful is simply moving” JW while “Cannibal Surf Babe promises to be a hell of a lot of fun on record and in concert.” JW The song “is a tribute to the '60s (sort of). It starts off like the Beach Boys' ‘California Girls’ before turning into the nightmarish tale of a cannibal woman!” AG ”The best moments are in the second half of the album, with tracks such as Out of This World, Afraid of Sunlight, and King. As usual with Marillion, the keyboards stand out the most.” AG Marillion, once again, have “found a new place to travel, musically, arrangement-wise and lyrically.” JW Notes: A 2-disc reissue features non-album cuts "Icon," "Live Forever" (both B-sides for "Beautiful"), "Bass Frenzy," and "Mirages" in addition to alternate versions of "Beautiful" (aka "Second Chance"), "Beyond You," "Cannibal Surf Babe," "Out of This World," and "Afraid of Sunlight."

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Marillion ME Mik Escolme (submitted by), Music Boulevard. Originally from a review by Oracle (British TV text system). AG Alex S. Garcia, All Music Guide FS Francesco Sbrana (submitted by), Music Boulevard. Originally a review from an unknown Italian magazine. JW John Wesley, Music Boulevard Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/14/2008; last updated 3/6/2022.