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In case you don't know who he is, Fish is the former front man for the band Marillion. Since leaving the band in 1989 to forge onward with a solo career, he has recorded several critically acclaimed albums, though his totally original sound and style have yet to catch on here in the states. Is this lack of American enthusiasm about to change? If Fish has anything to say about it, it will -- and "Sunsets on Empire" may just be the vehicle to make his a household name on this side of the Big Pond.

This album is like a roller coaster ride -- a yin and yang, push and pull extravaganza that moves effortlessly across musical boundaries. providing something for everyone. Some tracks showcase the finely honed edge of Fish's in-your-face lyrical style, while others paint a more delicate side of the man who has long lamented about not being able to write a love song.

With his new-found writing buddy, Steven Wilson co-writing several songs AND producing "Sunsets", Fish has managed to solidify his style and break new ground at the same time.

The band assembled for this disc is a melange of names -- some familiar to Fish fans, some brand new. Robin Boult and Frank Usher are guitarists who have been around the block with Fish before, while Foss Patterson and Dave Steward (Drums/Keyboards) are the new kids in town. Old or new though, the band is tighter and more cohesive on "Sunsets" than on any of Fish's four previous solo endeavors.

"Sunsets on Empire" opens with a song that is both knock-em-dead powerful and controversial at the same time. The racially sensitive opening lyric got fish his first parental warning overseas, and created a stir large enough to get him to opt for a more politically correct opener for the American release (see the interview, this issue). What the P.C. crowd may not listen long enough to hear is that "The Perception of Johnny Punter" is not a song about racism at all, but about the senselessness of violence and hatred in our world. The long spoken passage in the middle of the song is a chilling reminder of what is still going on in the former Yugoslavia. Fish scores one hell of a powerful hit with this song and if the American censors would just get their heads out of their butts long enough to really listen, they might actually get an idea of what's going on outside the Politically Correct cocoon they've spun themselves into.

"What Color is God?" is another incredibly powerful piece of music. Inspired in part by Malcolm X and in part by Fish's young daughter, "What Color is God?" takes on racism and begs the question posed in the title: What color is God anyway? A funky groove and lyrical hook make this another song that you just can't listen to once.

"Jungle Ride" is yet another lyrical powerhouse. Fish says that the image the song brings to mind is of the fairgrounds of his childhood and the Jungle Ride which was the fastest, most popular ride ("Jungle ride, Jungle ride, tell me when it's over . . .). Here again, Fish uses spoken lyrics to describe in vivid detail the gangs of his homeland:

"I'd seen the kids torch the vehicle before I left on a nightly surfing run to a cybersex site in Chile. It wasn't as if they were getting rid of prints, everyone knew it was them. They didn't give a shit. They just wanted to see the flames. To throw a little light on the situation."

"Brother 52", the first single from "Sunsets" is based on a true story about two fans, 'Doc' and '52'. They moved to the heartland of America and became involved with a militia movement. When they began to stockpile guns, the Feds decided they were a menace and moved in on them. In the ensuing shootout, 52 was killed. His death was ruled a suicide, but as the song relates, some believe he was murdered. The power of "Brother 52" is in the way the story is told. While Fish sings and the rhythm pumps, a recording of a telephone conversation between the artist and 'Doc' plays just beneath the surface. This is yet another powerful piece and, apparently it is getting some decent air play on college stations here in the states.

"Tara" is an amazingly personal and delicate song about Fish's relationship with his six-year-old daughter. We discussed the song and the situation in the interview, but the moment was clearly not a comfortable one for him. He has been away from his daughter far longer than he would like to be. This song touched me deeply on a personal level. Several of Fish's songs have bemoaned his self-assessed inability to write a love song. "Tara" is a loving ballad from Father to Daughter and it is the most beautiful love song I have ever heard.

There are other gems on this nine-song Jungle Ride and each one of them carries with it a spark of intensity that burns brighter than just about anything out there in the record bins today. I recommend "Sunsets on Empire" as a must-buy. I try to use the "G" word sparingly, but Sunsets has "Genius" written all over it. Brilliant work by a brilliant man. But that's just my take. You be the judge.