Having found their much lauded working formula of fan-funding new albums and no longer dealing with record labels, Marillion had, and still have, the luxury of actually taking breaks after an album/tour cycle is completed. And that's exactly what they did after the 'Sounds That Can't Be Made'-run was over. But when they were ready to return they reached out to their fanbase asking if there was interest to be on board for another supporter-funded record. The response was massive with the actual money amassed it covered not only the studio time and production, it also allowed the band to tour South and North America!
After two years in the making 'Fuck Everyone And Run', 'F.E.A.R.' from now on, was released in September 2016 and ended up reaching the 4th spot in the UK albums charts, the highest placing since 'Clutching At Straws'. And in doing so Marillion truly showed their naysayers they are still a force to be reckoned with because 'F.E.A.R.' is a brilliant. Even though it came out in 2016 the topics it deals with, mainly foreboding and every man for himself philosophy, it could have been released today as these two sentiments are very much prevalent.
"Only" 6 songs are featured, however 3 of them range between 16:45 and 19:08 minutes and are broken down into sub-songs, so who cares, right? The album begins with 'Eldorado' the first which has underlying songs, 5 of them in all. Together 'Long-Shadowed Sun', 'The Gold', 'Demolished Lives', 'FEAR' and 'The Grandchildren Of Apes' tells the story of times past when things were different and better through what greed always does to humanity, broken people and how we never learn from history until it's too late. These chapters, if you will, move from being acoustic, laidback and minimalistic to jazzy and soulful all coated in a sense of dejection, the end is near and hopelessness. 'Living In Fear' deals with what the cost of living in fear is. Is it easier to put on blinds and keep your head down and go with the flow, or do you stand up against the fuck everyone and run mentality? The music builds up gradually but the band do let silence speak perfectly. 'The Leavers' is next and is the second composition created in sub-chapters, 5 as well: 'Wake Up In Music', 'The Remainers', 'Vapour Trails In The Sky', 'The Jumble Of Days' and 'One Tonight'. At first, to me, this song is about people constantly on the move – bands and their crews for example – and the people they constantly leave behind, their families but also fans wherever they play. Delving deeper though the song seems to talk more about people who need to explore and find new challenges all the time - the leavers. The remainers are those who are content to remain where they are from and have no need to travel. And these two groups tend to ”clash” when a connection is made. The music weaves back and forth between bombastic rock, solitary pianos and traditional Marillion pop-rock bringing a sense of urgency and purpose.
'White Paper' starts out with only Steve Hogarth and Mark Kelly before the band finally joins in keeping it minimalistic as Steve Rothery plays on top. Growing apart as the longstanding relationship fails and the sadness of this realization hits hard. 'The New Kings' is the third installment which comes in the shape of sub-chapters: 'Fuck Everyone And Run', Russia's Locked Doors', 'A Scary Sky' and 'Why Is Nothing Ever True?'. These 4 chapters are just as valid today, if not even more, as they were when written dealing as they are with the fuck everyone and run mentality especially the way big corporations and governments screw everyone as long as they get what they want. At the same time we the people are supposed to bend knees and bow heads to the new kings. It also begs the question were we all duped and fooled from early childhood and through school thinking there were opportunities and chances for us. As before Marillion moves back and forth between tempos which works so well to bring all kinds of emotions. 'F.E.A.R.' ends with 'Tomorrow's New Country' which is a short piece acting as the final goodbye to all we know being lead by an acoustic guitar and piano assisting Steve Hogarth.
When this album first came out I took it as face value, which I don't thin is wrong. However, the more I listen to it these days Marillion seems to be seers of quite some magnitude. Because what they say on here is what's going on in our world presently and in a very bad way. Musically they are better than ever championing the less-is-more approach and silence which they have truly mastered. Also the way the lyrics and music complements each other is bar to none. Excellent, indeed!
-Swedebeast
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