If someone asked me to name the six most representative prog bands ever, that being bands that outstood the changing times, that were capable of creating a legion of fans and followers, that would proliferate against any evolving trends, and that managed to reach the masses at one time or another, my list would modestly have to consist of the following: Pink Floyd, Rush, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson and Marillion.

If there ever was a synonym for the progressive rock genre, it would probably be non-radio-friendly music, so that what results really amazing is the fact that some of the genre's bands, such as Marillion, completely destroyed that mold and carried out the immensely difficult track of breaking into the mainstream while maintaining their prog roots. Let's face it, commercial success is a far-fetched concept for any true prog band, and anything remotely close to it should be immensely appraised and treasured.

And it became reality for Marillion when Misplaced Childhood, the band's third studio album, smashed the charts and gave the band its first taste of success. The conceptual album was so powerful that it was capable of reaching a huge audience and make it identify with the record's main theme of a depressed and weary man beaten down by love and life's problems, who finally realizes that one forges one's own path for life and optimistically decides to redirect his by being true to himself and embracing the child within each person; that is, an innocent and honest perspective of the world.

The album begins with the emotional "Pseudo Silk Kimono," in which keyboardist Mark Kelly flows with amazing grace through several atmospheric layers and, hand in hand with singer Fish's deep and metaphorical lyrics, creates an intense intro for the album's storyline, as well as for the sentimental masterpiece "Kayleigh." This last one touches upon a very sensitive aspect in Fish's love life, that being his most important sentimental relationship going awry, which means that the track's lyrics bare his very soul and place him in a very fragile state with his feelings out in the open. Musically, it was Peter Trewavas' bass playing that immediately caught my attention since the first time I heard the song, as there's something in his playing that just lifts the track in an incredible manner. I'm not quite sure if it's any particular aspect of his playing or just his overall feeling during the song, but it amazes me every time I listen to it. And the song itself is the perfect pop song in the sense that it's entirely accessible to the casual listener, and yet deep and touching to the more attentive listener, so that it's no wonder why it became such a huge hit when it was first released.

The following track, "Lavender," develops naturally as "Kayleigh" begins its eventual ending, and, being entirely in the same style as the later, it's no surprise that it was considered the album's second potential single. The track picks up on the love theme once again, but looked at from a more innocent perspective, while a beautifully arranged piano melody becomes the primordial lead line during the whole song and the other instruments take care of embellishing that center reference. Meanwhile, the lyrics' flow suggest a sunny day walk through the park. After that walk is done, however, the band chooses to start the complexly arranged "Bitter Suite," a track that consists of five subsections: "Brief Encounter," "Lost Weekend," "Blue Angel," "Misplaced Rendezvous," and "Windswept Tongue." The first two parts are strongly tied to one another and one wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them if it wasn't for the lyrics. The instrumental intro starts with a truly awkward drumbeat that fits in perfectly with the track's implicit mood change, and, as the music begins, there appears to be no definite form, but rather a couple of jam-oriented rhythms that create an amazing setting for the song's lyrics. Then the song returns to the main melody line of "Lavender" in a surprising action when the song reaches "Blue Angel," while Fish drifts away through his metaphorically charged lyrics in the section's verses. Finally, the song misleadingly seems to reach its ending, and instead goes right into "Misplaced Rendezvous" and "Windswept Tongue," both consisting of a lovely melancholic melody that backs up the verses while Fish tells of a man on the brink of depression and about to crack.

Then it's off to another suite, called "Heart of Lothian." The track links perfectly with the album's storyline and music in its two chapters, called, respectively, "Wide Boy" and "Curtain Call," and it picks up the pace with a more rock n' roll edge that has Steve Rothery's amazing guitar playing carrying the basic melody throughout the track. "Curtain Call," on the other hand, stops the initial excitement of "Heart of Lothian" and changes it into a more relaxed and simple structure, which indeed suits its "life gone down the drain" lyrics. Meanwhile, the next two tracks, "Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)" and "Lords of the Backstage" could in their own right be interpreted as additional small chapters within the storyline, as they amount roughly to two minutes each. The first opens up with a Hindu-styled melody of sorts and an up-tempo beat that's completely unexpected, while "Lords of the Backstage" is characterized by a more mainstream sound with a concise and catchy bass lead line and vocal melody guiding the listener through. And as the track seems to reach a bridge, it gives way to "Blind Curve," a majestic piece with a palette of melodies that is divided into another five chapters: "Vocal Under a Bloodlight," "Passing Strangers," "Mylo," "Perimeter Walk," and "Threshold."

The song's initial arrangement is quite a surprise, as it twists and turns continually, in sharp contrast to "Lords of the Backstage." A glorious vocal line leads its first chapter forward and concentrates on Fish's agony, while sampling the extended melancholic epic through a graceful flow of musical layers and thoughts that are placed on the table one after the other and then arranged in a truly poetic manner. Then, with "Passing Strangers," the songs picks up a bit more energy but still wallows in an intensely deep mood that features Rothery at the front with an expressively emotional solo, only to have the general melody smoothen down and provide a background for a beautiful vocal melody on "Mylo." The singer's vocal interpretation is so strongly heartfelt, that one feels as if one had been placed in his shoes, with him, by the way, having lost the plot completely. Then "Perimeter Walk" opens with an indistinct voice that warns us of a presence that is haunting the room and subconsciously fills one with nostalgia, while Fish breaks out and pleads for his childhood to be returned; an effect that is enhanced by the band's natural ability of delivering atmospheric layers of sound. Finally, "Threshold" comes in with a true feeling of self-discovery and newfound will to rebuild one's life, bringing the entire song to a fitting conclusion.

"Childhood's End," meanwhile, takes care of putting everything back into place, as the lyrics describe the entire storyline as though a bad dream had finally come to an end and a new, wonderful beginning were right ahead, awaiting with open arms. The music is very strong, melodic, friendly, and, in more ways than one, happy, which is a perfect ambience for the track's intended meaning. It is then time for the grand finale in the form of "White Feather," which is the perfect ending for this majestic concept album. The track suggests an uplifting message that exudes a warm and comfortable feeling of self-realization and optimism with a chant that stays with one and keeps the album's message fresh in one's mind: Life is what we make of it.

While Marillion's public profile skyrocketed with Misplaced Childhood, a new beginning for progressive rock was being created. The album offered everyone an aspect that one could relate to, and its ability of being simultaneously radio-friendly and meticulously well-developed and deep made it a true success, in marked opposition to other progressive breakthroughs that were content to stay within a defined line and in turn were rejected by the broad public later on. As a result, the band opened the doors for a wide new audience that had felt completely alienated by the older essence of progressive rock and yet could relate to Marillion's more accessible sound, which allowed the band to release a true milestone of what a concept album should be, including its strong message and solid conviction. Being such an album, Misplaced Childhood achieves the perfect balance of all the necessary elements and succeeds where many others have failed

-by Javier Elizondo