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Fish: Weltschmerz

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Chocolate Frog Records
Released: 2020.09.25
Time:
 42:15 / 42:20
Category: Progressive Rock
Producer(s): Steve Vantsis, Calum Malcolm
Rating:
Media type: 2xCD
Web address: fishmusic.scot
Appears with: Marillion
Purchase date: 2021
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


CD 1

[1] Grace of God (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 8:19
[2] Man with a Stick (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 6:27
[3] Walking on Eggshells (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis) - 7:18
[4] This Party’s Over (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 4:22
[5] Rose of Damascus (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 15:45


CD 2

[1] Garden of Remembrance (D.W.Dick/J.Mitchell) - 6:07
[2] C Song [The Trondheim Waltz (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/F.Patterson) - 4:41
[3] Little Man What Now? (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 10:54
[4] Waverley Steps [End of the Line] (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis/R.Boult) - 13:45
[5] Weltschmerz (D.W.Dick/S.Vantsis) - 6:51


 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Fish - Vocals
Derek William Dick - Handclaps

Steve Vantsis - Engineer, Producer, Marimba, Fretless Bass, Bass Guitar, Loops, Synth, Keyboards, Electric Guitar, Handclaps
Robin Boult - Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar
John Mitchell - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Guitar, Soloist
Craig Blundell - Drums
Dave Stewart - Drums
David Jackson - Saxophone, Whistle
Liam Holmes - Electric Piano, Organ, Piano, Synth
Foss Patterson - Keyboards, Piano, Electric Piano, Synth, Soloist
Doris Brendel - Backing Vocals
Michael Owers - Trombone, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Martin Green - Accordion
Liam Golecki - Handclaps
Simone Dick - Handclaps
Lu Edmonds - Oud
Tony Helliwell - Speech
Liam Bradley - Percussion

Scottish Chamber Orchestra - Strings
Dave Milligan - Arrangemnts
Ian Stephens - Arrangemnts
Egbert Derix - Arrangemnts

Harriet Davidson - Cello
Su-a Lee - Cello
Tanja Derwahl - Cello
Brian Schiele - Viola
Felix Tanner - Viola
Linda Custers - Viola
Aisling O'Dea - Violin
Kana Kawashima - Violin
Rachel Smith - Violin
Robert McFall - Violin
Lin Jong - Violin
Lara Meuleman - Violin

Calum Malcolm - Engineer, Producer, Mixing, Mastering
Cameron Malcolm - Engineer, Editing
Dr. Paul Ferguson - Engineer
Mark Wilkinson - Artwork
Julie Wilkinson - Artwork

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2020 2xCD Chocolate Frog Records - FHC034CD



In September 2020, I released my final studio album ‘Weltschmerz’. It’s been over 5 years since I first came up with the title which is a German word that translates to ‘world weariness’ or ‘world pain’. In this present day and age never has an album title become so apt.
The writing process has been prolonged and demanding, taking place over the last 4 years, but the end results I promise you are more than worth the wait.

Together with my long term principal co-writer, the talented multi instrumentalist, engineer and co producer Steve Vantsis who worked with me on 2007’s ‘13th Star’ and the acclaimed last album ‘A Feast of Consequences’, we have put together around 86 minutes of material, an ‘old fashioned’ double album that will be released on 2 cd’s.

Renowned producer Calum Malcolm (Blue Nile, Prefab Sprout, Clannad) is again at the helm and has brought his wealth of expertise and immense musical knowledge to create what is without doubt my finest album to date.

We have utilised an array of musicians including elements of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, a brass section, sax and whistle player David Jackson (Van Der Graaf Generator), drummer Craig Blundell (Steve Hackett, Porcupine Tree) guitarists John Mitchell (It Bites, Lonely Robot) and Robin Boult, keyboard player Liam Holmes, backing vocalist Doris Brendal and of course Steve Vantsis on bass and various other instruments including programming, to create an exceptional collection of songs that are befitting of my farewell album.

The artwork as always is created and designed by Mark Wilkinson and we decided to create special packaging similar to the ‘Feast of Consequences’ edition. He has done a magnificent piece of work assembling his original artwork, illustrations, photos and my expansive sleeve notes and lyrics across 100 pages that will be presented in a hardback book with slipcase that contains the 2 album CDs and a Blu ray disc.

‘Man with a Stick’ (Single of the Year on Planet Rock 2019) ,’Little Man What Now’ and ‘Waverley Steps (End of the Line) were originally on the ‘Parley with Angels’ EP released in September 2018 and have been remixed for the 2020 release.

The Blu ray disc, only available in the deluxe version, will have a my first ever 5-1 mix produced by Avril Mackintosh and Andy Bradfield (‘Clutching at Straws’, ‘Script for a Jester’s Tear’), the promo videos for ‘Man With a Stick’, ‘Weltschmerz’ and 2 others, live audio recordings of ‘Man with a Stick’, ‘Little Man What Now’ (with David Jackson) , ‘C Song’ and ‘Waverley Steps’ from the 2018 shows, live concert footage of ‘Weltschmerz’ songs from Edinburgh Queens Hall March 2020, demos from 2018/19 and a 90 minute interview conducted by Will Smith of the history and content of the ‘Weltschmerz’ album  filmed here at the Studio by David Barras and Scott Mackay who have created the amazing new video for the title track.

‘Weltschmerz’ will also be released as a heavy duty 180-gram double vinyl album in a gatefold sleeve with colour inserts and as a standard double CD in an FSC approved cardboard wallet with a 24 page colour insert.

The album will also be available for digital download and streaming on recognised providers.

All formats and new ‘Weltschmerz’ merchandise will only be available on our soon to be revamped mail-order service from fishmusic.scot and preorders will start at the beginning of June 2020.

More information on the content and release/ pre-order schedules will be made available as we move forward and up to date news from the March UK tour and the album’s progress will be broadcast on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and of course on the website.

Please subscribe to keep up to date with what is definitely the most exciting release of my career and I’m sure you will not be disappointed when the epic that is my ‘Weltschmerz’ album finally arrives.

Sincere thanks for all your continued support and belief in my career.

Take care, stay alive

Derek W. Dick (aka. Fish)



Careers of rock stars end in many ways… someone once said: “Some of us go down in a blaze of obscurity. Some of us go down in a haze of publicity”. The author of that lyric, Derek Dick, aka Fish, has been on a path to “end well”, after an incredible career in music that spans more than 40 years. However a variety of circumstances- illness, bereavement, band changes, nevermind a global pandemic – have meant that the path has not been as straight or as smooth as he had anticipated.

A key element in this exit strategy was the creation of a final album – an opportunity for one more comment… a last word… an epitaph or perhaps a eulogy for his musical career. Describing himself as a writer who also sings, Fish is not known for hiding his true thoughts or feelings, but nevertheless the finality of this album meant he had a sharp focus on what he wants and needs to say. Farewell speeches don’t always make good art, so how does Weltschermz stack up?

Weltscmerz is crafted as an “old style” double album – two discs of approximately 42/43 minutes long, complete with complimentary artwork and lyrics (yes you can stream it too, but beware of missing out!). The title is a German word that means “world weariness” and, while it’s not a concept album in the narrative sense, this underlying theme, and Fish’s reflections on those aspects are the conceptual thread that runs through it. That might raise the question – is this a dark and depressing listen? In my opinion, the answer is that isn’t the case. It’s not an album of minor key moaning, but rather uses reality to find some elements of light in the darkness. For example, Walking on Eggshells, in which the subject is the challenging side of relationships (and by Fish’s own admission, draws from his personal experiences), has a joyful mid-section that combines 12-string guitar, swelling strings, a very proggy Moog lick, with the “she’s always there for you” refrain, bringing the underlying hope.

In the video interview on the deluxe set, Fish mentions that he didn’t shy away from prog elements, because they reflect a large part of his influences. For musical collaborators, Fish continues his partnership with Steve Vantsis as wingman, complemented with contributions from familiar friends, Robin Boult, Fos Patterson and John Mitchell, each of whom bring their own traits to the overall album.

The album has many delights to explore that a review couldn’t do justice to. If you’re after epics, there are two phenomenal story songs in Rose of Damascus and Waverley Steps. If you want to get personal, This Party’s Over is Fish calling himself out to deal with the issues he is facing , while The Prog Report Song of the Year winner, Garden of Remembrance will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s/ dementia. The opening The Grace of God has a rhythm inspired by the pulse and noise of the MRI scanner that Fish was subjected to, while closer Weltschmerz has the singer leading the charge to:

“Stand up to be counted, stand up to be heard
Stand up at the barricades, stand up for your world”

A special mention must be given to the format of choice for this release – the Deluxe version which adds a blu-ray with 5.1 mix, a making of video, videos for 4 of the songs and some live versions. It also includes an interview with Mark Wilkinson whose artwork accompanied the start and the end of Fish’s recorded career. The accompanying booklet contains 100 pages of his artwork, as well as lyrics and 8000 words of sleeve notes by Fish. Believe me – this isn’t a flick through / watch once package – it’s one you’ll reach for again and again!

“I’m a grey bearded warrior, a poet of no mean acclaim
My words are my weapons that I proffer with disdain”

If this truly is the end for the grey bearded warrior (and I’ve no reason to doubt that!), then it would be fitting to end with a good album. However this album is quite simply one of the best of his entire career – the music, lyrics, production and packaging are all absolutely first class. It seems appropriate that the peace sign-waving Market Square Hero leaves the stage with an album that stands head and shoulders with anything else in his career.

Geoff Bailie - ProgReport.com



Wann ist eigentlich der beste Zeitpunkt, sich von der Laufbahn als professioneller Musiker zu verabschieden? Abgesehen von Dramen wie dem berüchtigten Club 27, versteht sich? Die einen würden sagen, man soll aufhören, wenn's am schönsten ist. Ginge man alleine danach, hat Derek W. Dick, der Allgemeinheit natürlich viel besser bekannt unter seinem Künstlernamen Fish, den Zeitpunkt wohl verpasst. Denn bösartigerweise könnte man behaupten, dass die großen, kommerziell erfolgreichen Zeiten längst vorbei sind – genau genommen seit seinem Ausstieg als Frontmann von Marillion 1988. Doch ist die volle künstlerische Freiheit, insbesondere, seit der Schotte nur noch im Eigenvertrieb arbeitet, nicht viel mehr wert? Andere wiederum sagen, man soll in Würde abtreten, solange es noch geht. Viele so genannte Alterswerke von in Unehren ergrauten Musikern, die sich noch ein karges Zubrot zur Rente verdienen wollen, stauben als stumme Zeugen dafür in den Plattenregalen vor sich hin. Auch Fish hat diese Entscheidung nun getroffen – das elfte Album soll nun das letzte der Karriere sein.

Vieles hat dazu beigetragen, dass "Weltschmerz" nun der endgültige Schlussstrich sein soll. Der Verlust seines Vaters nach langer Demenz ist so ein Grund, natürlich aber auch die eigene Gesundheit – eine Sepsis hat ihn selbst fast das Leben gekostet. Man könnte an dieser Stelle viele Fehler machen. Eine solche Platte könnte larmoyant die Schlechtigkeit der Welt beklagen, sie könnte auch vor Selbstzitaten nur so strotzen. "Weltschmerz" ist nichts von all dem. Denn diese Platte ist das, was man allgemein als Schwanengesang bezeichnet. Ein wunderschönes Stück Musik, das zutiefst berührt, das einen Künstler zeigt, der mit sich selbst im Reinen ist, der aber trotzdem immer noch einen gewissen Zorn in sich trägt, kurz: Hier hat sich ein großer Künstler sein eigenes Denkmal gebaut.

Warum ist das so? Nun, da ist zum Beispiel der Opener "Grace of God", der sehr ruhig, melancholisch beginnt. Und plötzlich im Mittelteil abrupt die Krallen ausfährt, mit einer Melodieführung, die bisweilen an Steven Wilson erinnert. Das folgende "Man with a stick" dreht den Spieß direkt um und versteckt seine sehr nachdenkliche Botschaft hinter einem feinen Groove und zeigt nicht zum letzten Mal, welch brillanter Texter Fish eigentlich ist. Der mit "This party's over" auf seine alten Tage nochmal richtig wütend werden kann und zum Abschied bitter mit dem Mittelfinger winkt. "I'm calling it a day, enough of all this bullshit / I'll say goodbye to all my would-be friends", verkündet der Schotte, und außerdem: "I'm sick of hearing you just want to party / I'm tired of hearing the same old song / You talk the talk, end up doing nothing / Then fool yourself that the problem's solved."

Dann allerdings folgen zwei Songs, bei denen eigentlich jedes Wort zu viel ist. Für die man sich eigentlich mit Textblatt und Kopfhörer verbarrikadieren muss. Mit jeder Menge Taschentücher. Denn im Ernst: Wie kaputt, wie seelisch degeneriert muss man sein, um bei "Rose of Damascus" kalt zu bleiben? Nur vermeintlich distanziert, eher mit der schonungslosen Genauigkeit eines Berichterstatters beschreibt Fish das Leben und das Schicksal einer syrischen Geflüchteten, und keine der knapp 16 Minuten Spielzeit ist zu viel. Zutiefst persönlich hingegen ist das folgende "Garden of remembrance", das sich behutsam dem Thema Alzheimer nähert, die Perspektive des Erkrankten einnimmt, der von seiner Frau, die er schon längst nicht mehr erkennt, liebevoll gepflegt wird. Und natürlich sind hier wieder Fishs Eltern gemeint. Wenn der Schotte auch oft und gerne in seinen Texten über die kleinen und großen Probleme der Welt schreibt und diese in wunderbare Allegorien kleiden kann, hier kehrt er sein Innerstes nach außen. "Growing together, now forever apart, with a love so embracing held in their hearts / But nothing between them, no memories shared / No recognition in his soft, pale eyes, she's still there." Puh.

Es fällt schwer, danach zur Tagesordnung überzugehen. Doch es lohnt sich. Denn das durch die berühmte Ballade von Hans Fallada inspirierte "Little man what now?" glänzt durch ein feines Saxophon-Solo von David Jackson von Van Der Graaf Generator, den Gottvätern des Canterbury-Sounds. Und "Waverley steps (End of the line)" ist nicht mehr und nicht weniger als ein zukünftiger Prog-Klassiker, bei wohl auch noch beim fünfzigsten Durchlauf neue Spielereien zu finden sein werden. Nun hat Derek W. Dick im Laufe seiner Karriere nicht nur Klassiker veröffentlicht, um es einmal vorsichtig zu formulieren. So manche Platte mäanderte orientierungslos vor sich hin, ließ die adäquate musikalische Umsetzung der gerne einmal verklausulierten Geschichten vermissen. Für "Weltschmerz" hat sich Fish hingegen fünf Jahre Zeit genommen. Fünf Jahre, in denen vieles passiert ist, was der Schotte so hochklassig in seinen Geschichten verarbeitet. Das Ergebnis ist viel mehr als ein würdiger Abschied eines großen Künstlers. Das Ergebnis ist ein tief beeindruckendes Statement. Danke für alles.

Markus Bellmann
© 1999 – 2021 Plattentests.de

 

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