Fish – Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors

Fish – Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors

Released in January 1990, Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors is the debut solo album by Scottish vocalist and songwriter Fish, following his departure from progressive rock band Marillion in 1988. Produced by Jon Kelly and released on EMI Records, the album marked a major new chapter for one of British rock's most distinctive voices, combining the ambitious songwriting of neo-progressive rock with contemporary production, political commentary and emotionally charged storytelling.

Best known for his work on Marillion's classic albums Script for a Jester's Tear and Misplaced Childhood, Fish brought his unmistakable baritone, theatrical delivery and literary approach to lyrics into his solo career. On Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors, he developed that identity further, working with keyboard player Mickey Simmonds and a range of accomplished musicians to create a sound that balances expansive progressive arrangements with more direct, radio-friendly rock.

The opening title track establishes the album's brooding, atmospheric character, building through layered keyboards, measured rhythms and Fish's expressive vocals. Its extended arrangement gives the music room to develop while the lyrics explore themes of uncertainty, perception and the difficulty of distinguishing truth from illusion. It is an effective introduction to an album concerned with personal conviction and the contradictions of modern life.

“Big Wedge” takes a sharper, more confrontational approach, delivering a biting critique of commercialism, advertising and consumer culture through an energetic rock arrangement. “State Of Mind” combines melodic immediacy with a restless, searching quality, while “The Company” offers a more reflective perspective on relationships, loyalty and the pressures of everyday existence.

One of the album's most memorable songs, “A Gentleman's Excuse Me”, reveals Fish's more intimate side. Its delicate arrangement and understated emotional delivery contrast with the harder-edged material elsewhere, demonstrating his ability to move between grand progressive rock and thoughtful singer-songwriter territory. “The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)” adds a darker, more unsettling dimension, exploring voyeurism and the uneasy relationship between observation and intrusion.

“Family Business” returns to a more forceful rock sound, while “View From The Hill” develops an expansive, atmospheric arrangement that recalls Fish's progressive roots. The album closes with “Cliché”, an extended composition that brings together melodic sophistication, reflective lyrics and the kind of gradual musical development associated with classic neo-prog.

The album was a commercial success, reaching number five on the UK Albums Chart and establishing Fish as a viable solo artist beyond Marillion. Its mixture of ambitious arrangements, accessible songwriting and socially aware lyrics makes it an important release in the late-1980s and early-1990s British progressive rock landscape.

For fans of Marillion, neo-progressive rock and intelligent, lyrically driven British rock, Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors is a compelling debut. It captures Fish at a pivotal moment in his career, retaining the theatrical scale and emotional intensity of his earlier work while developing a distinctive musical identity of his own.

Tracklist

1. Vigil – 8:43

2. Big Wedge – 5:19

3. State Of Mind – 4:42

4. The Company – 4:04

5. A Gentleman's Excuse Me – 4:15

6. The Voyeur (I Like To Watch) – 4:42

7. Family Business – 5:14

8. View From The Hill – 6:38

9. Cliché – 7:01