Marillion FEAR *

Personnel: Pete Trewavas, Steve Hogarth (vocals); Steve Rothery (guitar); Geraldine Berreen, Eleanor Gilchrist (violin); Teresa Whipple (viola); Abigail Trundle (cello); Mark Kelly (keyboards); Ian Mosley (drums). Audio Mixer: Michael Hunter. Recording information: Real World, Box; The Racket Club, Bucks. Delivering a political album is always risky, with the possibility that it will get locked in its historical era usually a direct consequence. On their 18th album, prog rockers Marillion don't seem to care, and they have nothing to lose and no one to account to but themselves. FEAR is an acronym for "Fuck Everybody and Run." Two of its three lengthy, multi-part suites ("El Dorado" and "The New Kings") are overtly political statements that look at England and the calamitous state of the world not only observationally but experientially. Topical songs have been part of the band's catalog as far back as 1984's "Fugazi," and have shown up as recently as the multi-part "Gaza," from 2012's