Song of the Night (#13) Marillion - Garden Party

I don't know what "neo-progressive rock" is, exactly, but it seems that British rock group Marillion is cited as a prime example of the genre. Despite reading about them all the time, I was rather put-off by the "progressive rock" description, and chose to give them a pass.

This was until I heard Garden Party.

Now, I haven't heard much of Marillion's discography. I can't judge on how representative this one song is of their overall output, but this particular song is brilliant, brilliant gem.

The titular Garden Party is a gathering of the social elite and wealth-stuffed fools, and the song's every lyric satirizes their excessive habits. For his part, vocalist Fish gleefully roasts the hell out of his targets; he might well be a voyeur to an orgy ("I'm fucking"). Oddly enough, despite the jesting tone, the melody soars to heights I can only describe as... heartwarming!

Yeah, there are the requisite prog-rock touches (namely the stop-start groove and a gorgeous synthesizer solo), but while most prog is unfocused and annoying, Garden Party is compelling in its concision.

Now that I've been properly introduced to Marillion, I'm going to have to absorb the rest of their music. Here's hoping it's as fantastic as this song.

Song of the Night (#12) Queen - Kind of Magic

This has to be my favourite Queen song. Just one of many songs written for the movie "Highlander" (which, coincidentally, I've never seen), "Kind of Magic" was written by drummer (and sometimes singer and bandleader) Roger Taylor. In spite of its lesser known status in comparison to other Queen songs, (*cough* *cough* Who Wants to Live Forever) 'A Kind of Magic' provides a suitably rousing finish for (what I've heard to be) an epic movie.

The album arrangement of the song is inspiring enough; you have Freddie Mercury's heroic, brilliant voice conveying magic and wonderment throughout. His vocals are backed by an upbeat bass-line, steady groove, and most importantly, Brian May's wondrous, soaring guitar lines.

The music video above is a fan creation combining a remixed version of the song and brilliantly placed scenes from the Highlander movie. The exciting action scenes strengthen the feeling of triumph present in the original song. I don't listen to very many "happy" songs, but 'A Kind of Magic' never fails to make me smile.