c o n r a d

This album was a long time in coming, ostensibly due to the difficulties Fish had in securing a record contract. In the end this album was released on Fish's own Dick Bros. label, which was a shame for his former record companies as this is probably his finest solo work. Lyrically, this album displays some of the bitterness Fish felt towards the music industry at the time, especially the "Suits". The lyrics are generally strong, though songs such as "Raw Meat" can smack a little of self pity. It is not the lyrics, however, that make the album. Suits contains a number of very strong songs. "Mr. 1470", "Emperor's Song" and "Jumpsuit City" are among Fish's finest songs. "Somebody Special", "Pipeline" and "Bandwagon" add unexpected energy to this album. There are fewer flat spots than on other Fish albums, with "No Dummy" probably being the lowlight. The melancholic "Fortunes of War" never gets quite as bad as it threatens to. If you are curious to hear what Fish sounds like post-Marillion, I recommend this album without hesitation. review by Conrad Leviston — 12-11-02 —