Fish - Bouillabaisse - The Best Of Fish

Year of Release: 2005
Label: Snapper
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 144:27:00

The day I heard Raingods With Zippos I was hooked on the music of Fish. It goes without saying how important his contributions to Marillion were, he helped to put them on the map in the 80s. I think Fish has really blossomed since leaving the limitations of a band and the collaborative processes involved, he is much better left to his own devices as his very successful solo career has proven through several extremely distinctive albums.

Bouillabaisse - The Best Of Fish does very well in outlining his solo career by breaking down one disc into the ballads and the second into his rockers. The definition of Bouillabaisse is - A combination of various different, often incongruous elements: a bouillabaisse of special interests. I do not think there is a better way to describe what you will hear on this best of collection (so far).

There are several reasons why I enjoy Fish and this particular set. First, you can understand the man when he sings, he has lyrics that for the most part make sense and have oodles of emotion and meaning, and he always manages to get one killer band to back him. I think most people familiar with Fish place high expectations on anything he releases - I know I certainly do. I grab his material without listening to any samples, and I just know it will be good. He has not disappointed me yet.

I found this two-disc set very satisfying in that it covers all the facets of Fish, all the elements that make him tick, the hopeless romantic, the cynical angry man dealing with the tough realities of life, everything that the man is. He is not afraid to let us know what goes on inside his head and what stirs in his soul. For all of these reasons I love the music of Fish and Bouillabaisse most certainly covered the highlights of his solo career to date.

[And covers some of his Marillion material as well, including the perennial favorite "Kayliegh" -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Disc One: Balladeer: Just Good Friends (3:58) / Shot The Craw (4:01) / A Gentleman's Excuse Me (4:20) / Kayleigh (3:36) / Solo (4:02) / Incomplete (3:44) / The Company (4:07) / Fortunes Of War (5:05) / Our Smile (4:15) / Lavender (3:43) / Lady Let It Lie (4:08) / Cliche (7:06) / Scattering Crows (5:05) / Tara (4:01) / Caledonia (5:25) / Raw Meat (5:05)

Disc Two: Rocketeer: Big Wedge (4:21) / Credo (4:04) / Incommunicado (3:58) / Goldfish And Clowns (4:11) / Long Cold Day (5:33) / Brother 52 (3:55) / Clock Moves Sideways (7:17) / The Perception Of Johnny Punter (8:36) / Moving Targets (5:46) / Plague Of Ghosts: (i) Old Haunts (3:13) - ii) Digging Deep (6:49) - iii) Chocolate Frogs (4:04) - iv) Waving At Stars (3:12) - v) Raingods Dancing (4:16) - vi) Wake Up Call (Make It Happen) (3:32)

Musicians:
Fish - vocals

solo material:
Elizabeth Antwi - backing vocals
Aly Bain - violin
Lorna Bannon - backing vocals
Martyn Bennett - violin
Jackie Bird - backing vocals
Robin Boult - guitars
Sam Brown - vocals (1)
Mark Brzezicki - drums, percussion
(VIWM) Maryen Cairns - backing vocals
Danny Campbell - backing vocals
Davey Crichton - strings, string arrangement
Phil Cunningham - whistle, bodhran and accordion
Mark Daghorn - programming
Irvin Duguid - clavinet Katherine Garrett - backing vocals
Chris Gaugh - cello
John Giblin - bass
Danny Gillan - backing vocals
Brian Hale - violin
Steve Hamilton - saxophone
Dave Haswell - percussion
Kick Horns - brass
Don Jack - backing vocals
Luis Jardim - percussion
Ethan Johns - drums and percussion
Carol Kenyon - backing vocals
Nicola King - backing vocals
Tony King - backing vocals
Hal Lindes - guitars
Pierre Michel Meier - spoken French vocal
Ben Molleson - fiddle, whiste
Eliot Ness - string arrangement, samples
Zoe Nicholas - backing vocals
Tessa Niles - backing vocals
David Paton - bass, backing vocals
Foster Patterson - keyboards, backing vocals, Hammond organ, piano
Richard Sidwell - trumpet and flugelhorn
Mickey Simmonds - keyboards
Fraser Spiers - harmonica
Dave Stewart - drums
Chris Thompson - backing vocals
Tony Turrell - keyboards, harmonium, programming, samples
Frank Usher - guitars
Steve Vantsis - double bass, bass
Ewen Vernal - bass
Mo Warden - spoken outro vocal
Bruce Watson - guitars, mandolin, e-bow
Susie Webb - backing vocals
John Wesley - guitars
Kevin Wilkinson - drums and percussion
Steven Wilson - string arrangements, guitars
Gavin Wright - violin
John Young - keyboards
Doc - voice

Marillion material:
Steve Rothery - guitars
Ian Mosley - drums
Discography:
Vigil In A Wilderness of Mirrors (1990)
Internal Exile (1991)
Songs From The Mirror (1992)
There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop
?Swears He's Fish(1992)*
Toiling In The Reeperbahn (1993)**
Derek Dick And His Amazing Electric Bear (1993)**
Pigpens Birthday (1993)**
Uncle Fish & The Crypt Creepers (1993)**
For Whom The Bells Toll(1993)**
The Funny Farm Project - Outpatients '93 (1993)***
Suits (1994)
Sushi (1994)**
Acoustic Session (1994)**
Yin and Yang (1995)
Fish Head Curry (1996)**
Krakow (1996)
Sunsets On Empire (1997)
Kettle Of Fish (1998)
Fortunes Of War Acoustic Set UK '94 (1998)
Tales From The Big Bus (Live From K?ln 1997) (1998)
Haddington Corn Exchange 1998 (1999)
The Complete BBC Sessions (1999)
Raingods With Zippos (1999)
Candlelight In Fog (USA 2000) (2000)
Fellini Days (2001)
Sashimi (Live In Poznan, Poland 1999) (2001)
Fellini Nights (2002)
Mixed Company (2003)
Field Of Crows (2004)
Bouillabaisse - The Best Of Fish (2005)
Return To Childhood (2006)
Communion (2007)
13th Star (2007)
A Feast Of Consequence (2013)
The Moveable Feast - European Tour 2013-2015 (2016)
Farewell To Childhood - Live In Europe 2015-2016 (2017)

NEARFest - Fish Live In The USA (2009)
Leamington Spa - Sunday October 21st (2013)
Fishheads Club Live (2013)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: December 17th 2005
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.fish-thecompany.com
Hits: 2681
Language: english