MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Radiati0n

"I was horribly surprised."

Almost invariably, I tend to really enjoy the Marillion albums everyone else seems to rag on. Holidays In Eden, This Strange Engine, and even Marillion.com are all good or great albums to my ears. (Of course, they don't hold a candle to Afraid of Sunlight or Brave.) So when the chorus of derision descended on Radiation, I was comfortable in thinking it would be at least pretty good despite the criticism.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. While there is some good songwriting present, it is low in volume, with a more limpid production than any other Marillion album. In fact, the production is one of the big detriments to the CD. The individual notes of Rothery's guitar gets buried under the thick, messy sound quality; Kelly's keyboards barely have any presence in the mix; and Hogarth's great voice is suffocated by murky textures. But even if this album had a crystalline and visceral production, it wouldn't help much since the songwriting lacks the magic of their better work. Songs like "Under the Sun" and "These Chains" exhibit catchy songcraft, but the lyrical matter is frequently uninspired (especially "Under the Sun"). "The Answering Machine" is the worst song they've ever done, with a cluttered arrangement and lyrics so bad I am embarrassed on the band's behalf. It's affixed to an ugly riff that seems to characterize most of the songs, and all throughout Rothery's soloing -- one of the best elements of Marillion's music -- is emotionally tepid, inciting no more reaction than Hogarth, whose voice the production can't seem to get up into the forefront.

I love Marillion. They are one of my favorite bands, and many of their albums are all-time favorites of mine. It's very disappointing to me that I can't "connect" with any of the songs here. "Now She'll Never Know" is nice to listen to...it's quiet and soothing...but while it's easy on the ears, I can't say I actually like it. The ten minute piece "A Few Words for the Dead" is interesting and eclectic musically, with some Arabic drumming, ethereal synthesizers and good vocal melodies, and I like listening to it, but I don't feel that "pull" I feel with the band's better writing. "Under the Sun" is swell...I like the whistling synth, the chorus is simple, but catchy and fun to sing with, but it doesn't have that same endearing quality of similar songs that they've done, largely due to the production, but also because there's undertones of weak writing. I don't want to say "passionless," because that word is too strong, but it does creep into my mind as I write this.

It's strange though...for an album that I don't find terribly good, I've listened to it quite a bit. Go figure. I guess I was just optimistically thinking the album was good and I couldn't recognize it as such. Unfortunately, the album just isn't all that good at all. Disappointing Marillion release overall.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Clutching at Straws

"Hardly clutching at straws."

After Misplaced Childhood, Marillion frontman Fish found success a difficult thing to cope with. You wouldn't think that he could get anymore personal than he did with the previous album, but here the lyrics are often seriously disquieting as they reflect upon drug abuse and alcoholism unraveling a man's life and corroding his self-respect. It's gritty and lucid with that special, distinctive Fish lyrical prose, which is just a part of what makes Fish-Marillion's music so special. And although few of us experience the problems the character "Torch" goes through, Fish has a good knack for making us empathetic with the songs. It's hard not to be a little stirred by the sad "Warm, Wet Circles," the directionless wandering of "White Russian," the abyssal misery and forlorn fragility of "Going Under," or the lamenting, plaintive "Sugar Mice."

Of course, the accompanying musicians aren't slouches by any means. Rothery, as always, evokes an incredible degree of emotion from the gallant chords that sing from his guitar. While I think the most individually impressive Rothery solo is that from Seasons End's "Easter," Clutching At Straws is his most emotionally powerful work to date. His guitar is Fish's second voice. Rothery's ability to isolate and preserve Fish's emotions is unmatched by anyone. It is possible only through a collegial magic and musical connection that these men share. Keyboardist Mark Kelly is equally important, not being much for pizzazz, but being remarkably effective in subtle tones of atmosphere and feeling.

Clutching at Straws was the last Marillion album with Fish before the band separated (not counting the live La Gazza Ladra). It's thankful that they didn't let themselves record an awful album during this wild and stressful time, and their schism ended on a high note, establishing a faultless legacy as a precursor to their separate ways. It's probably the tension between the musicians that helped create the thick threads of emotion in this release. Now, Fish enjoys a fine solo career, and Marillion brought in the different but still wonderful Steve Hogarth to take the reins.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - This Strange Machine

"Not so strange."

"Coming down" from Afraid of Sunlight, one of my favorite all-time albums, This Strange Engine is good, but leaves a bit to be desired. Songs are quieter, often less ambitious and diverse, and the album misses an element of cohesion found in Brave and Afraid of Sunlight. The epic title track is missing an integral musical theme to hold it together. This is no Afraid of Sunlight.

Given time, I realized that it didn't matter. There's some great work here, some of the band's best writing, I'd say. "Man of a Thousand Faces" is one of their best album openers ever, I think -- quite simply a GREAT song. Driven by acoustic guitar and piano flourishes, think "King of Sunset Town" with acoustic guitars and you're close. Actually, Rothery uses lots of acoustic on this album. "80 Days" and "Estonia" are wonderful songs both anchored in acoustic guitar melodies.

The title track in particular is totally beautiful. Quite simply, it is a progressive songwriting showcase of huge proportions, and certainly one of my favorites of theirs. Rothery's slow, sparkling guitar solo near the end is gorgeous, with sonic grandiosity and innovative arrangements building up to it. The song reads in at a little over 30 minutes, but in reality there is only about 16 minutes of music. This is followed by a long moment of silence before some piano chords chime in and there's some creepy laughter. Did they think it was funny tricking us like that? It was mean, very mean! That's the most progressive thing on the album, although "Estonia" is fairly reminiscent of the "classic" Marillion sound, as well.

I always find myself liking songs no one else enjoys. "Memory of Water" is a spooky, haunting arrangement where Hogarth's voice is the main instrument, supported by quiet synthed violin and what might be cello and some flute. There's also some, uh, provocative lyrics in the form of, "Your taste is blood and ecstasy | But I must drink you all alone." I have mixed feelings about some of the other work, though. "One Fine Day" has an overly pushy guitar riff for a song with those quiet vocal melodies and rosy lyrics. "The Accidental Man" is pretty good, but "Hope for the Future" is too unlike anything they've ever done for me to appreciate -- it just doesn't fit. The refrain "Carrying a message" is overused and overall the music sounds like it belongs on someone else's record.

So it's an album of peaks and valleys, but those peaks are certainly some of their best moments.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Anoraknophobia

"Changing the face of neo-progressive rock?"

Listening to Anoraknophobia, one really gets a feel for how Marillion has changed over the years. It's been a long time since they paralleled Genesis (with Fish at the helm), and now after a decade with Steve Hogarth, the band is entering the twenty-first century with something quite different from their previous works. In fact, as you can infer from reading Marillion's biography at their site and checking out Barry's "dislikes" on the back insert, they are trying to distance themselves from the whole neo-prog thing (which they helped invent).

Perhaps you can see it coming. Lay out all your Marillion albums, from Script for a Jester's Tear to Marillion.com, then look at the cover for Anoraknophobia. It doesn't quite fit, does it? And just like the clashing cover, the music within is really dissimilar to their previous albums, although it is a reinvention that feels natural, with no contrived deliberation to sound effervescent and cool.

There's a welcome element of diversity here. Songs such as "Map of the World" and "Between You and Me" are warm commercial tracks with undeniably hooks to boot that are far more honest and "real" and the manufactured tripe on the radio these days. Also spread thickly throughout are wonderful, evocative songs like the beautiful and contemplative "When I Meet God" and the ambient "This is the 21st Century." "If My Heart Were A Ball It Would Roll Uphill" sounds like the title belongs on a Meat Loaf album, but fortunately the track is nothing as awkward as Jim Steinman's work. (If you like Meat Loaf... you have my sympathies.) I initially found this song noisy and hard on the ears, but persistence paid off...it's perhaps the most interesting musically, with that densely layered composition and heavy production.

Marillion's latest often tackles unusual song structures, and journeys down paths new to them. This has them straddling lines between a number of styles, which separates them from the masses and keeps them away from being a "me too" band. The trance-like "This is the 21st Century" is a lengthy (11 minutes), spacey song with Hogarth's subtle inflections effectively calling attention to the details of the arrangement. "When I Meet God" is just gorgeous stunner worthy of the band's most sensitive moments, with Kelly's exquisite synth chords giving me goosebumps near the end. "Quartz" is another long one, nearly reaching ten minutes with compelling bass & guitar interplay, dynamic Hogarth vocals, and ambitious melodies.

I'll be honest though -- I was really expecting to be blown away on the first listen. It didn't happen. I liked track 7, because I was familiar with it already (having downloaded it from mp3.com awhile back), and of course the instantly likable "Map of the World," but it took quite a while for this album to really sink in...and it's still got a ways to go, I'm sure. But I've noticed the best albums are like that. For now, anyway, I'm sincerely enjoying what they've put together, and I'm readily cognizant of the long-term listening pleasure this will give me.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - marillion.com

"Go! give it a chance. The truth lies within!"

Many have derided Marillion for the pop-factor on marillion.com. I actually enjoy well-done pop music, so I wasn't so apprehensive about getting this. Plus, I thoroughly enjoy Holidays In Eden, which is one of the band's "poppier" releases.

I initially enjoyed marillion.com, aside from the contrived rock infusing "Built-In Bastard Radar," but I wanted to make sure my satisfaction wasn't ephemeral as it sometimes is with albums like this. So I wanted to give it plenty of time before reviewing it.

Now I can comfortably say that it's a good album, but not quite up to par with the best the band has to offer. Of course, the song in question is "Interior Lulu," the 15-minute epic. Hogarth's singing at the beginning of it reminds of Tori Amos (that's good!). The second passage begins with some off-the-wall keyboards that remind me of a carnival funhouse (that's bad!). All in all, though, it's a very satisfying epic that takes a good deal of time to fully sink in, with a wonderful Rothery solo at about 8 & 1/2 minutes into it and all the tight instrumental interplay that's characteristic of this band.

As for the other cuts, I have no compunctions about saying that Marillion knows how to write good, commercially viable songs (although none of it would ever get on the radio). The opener, "A Legacy," is a great song that's easy to sing with. The ballad "Go!" highlights the emotive power of Hogarth's voice, in sharp contrast to the preceding track "Deserve," which is a more insistent rocker with a great hook. "Rich" is similarly catchy, and "Tumble Down the Years" is a beautiful song with an incredible chorus. The album comes to an end with "House," the 10-minute song that feels much shorter than 10-minutes. It's sort of surreally jazzy and mellow...and great way to bring things to an end. I wouldn't miss "Built-In Bastard Radar" if it suddenly vanished off the face of the album. Although there are some interesting melodies, it seems a little forced and Hogarth's voice on the chorus is suffocated by the arrangement.

It's a little shallower than works like Afraid of Sunlight and Brave, and in some ways it might be a little too unlike their other work, but .com is a great album from a band that continues to grow and impress. Since this gets mixed reactions from Marillion fans, you will have to judge it for yourself.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight

"My favorite Marillion album."


This is Marillion's stunning album about the trials and tribulations of a life in the camera's eye and the price of fame. Lots of variety, but it never drifts away from the classic Hogarth-Marillion sound - that is, lush and atmospheric arrangements, swells of emotion, and of course, awesome guitar solos from Rothery. The band's command of its vast, ever-expanding musical vocabulary is so complete, and its sense of purpose so clear, that I've come to realize that Marillion is able to realize practically any direction it wishes to go.

Afraid of Sunlight is nothing like the to the grand, emotionally wrenching big-hearted rock of which mastered with Brave, and nothing like the pop-inflected Holidays In Eden. Afraid of Sunlight is minimalistic, heavy with keyboards, and relatively hookless. The album and introspective, atmospheric, moody, with progressions that are hard to grasp. But at the same time, it's instantly enjoyable. The album encapsulates the sensitivity and the beauty of Marillion better than ever. If I had to complain, it would be that the album is mostly lugubrious through and through, with no uplifting finale. Even Brave seemed to have a happy ending!

But whatever, right? This is Hogarth-Marillion's crowning achievement in terms of songwriting and musicality.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Brave

"Probably Marillion's most ambitious work."

It was fifteen months of work that led to the completion of this record, which is in many ways the most 'progressive' thing the band has done. It is the touching story of a disillusioned young girl who runs away from home, attempts suicide, gets picked up by the police, and learns a thing or two about life and love. The story is told through a non-linear approach with intermittent flashbacks establishing the shattered emotional state of the story's protagonist.

After dabbling with pop for Holidays In Eden, the band headed in a challenging art-rock direction for this release, the most challenging of the Marillion catalogue (from Fish or Hogarth eras). The album features several moments of subtle beauty, emotion tumult, and brash hard-rock (some of the more audacious Marillion songs are on this album). The production is subtle and the arrangements are richly textured. Brave's music is not complicated, but it is densely layered with myriad sounds (more so than any other Marillion album).

For this reason, the album is only truly appreciated at high volume levels or with headphones. For instance, the lengthy instrumental passage on the 12 minute "Goodbye to All That" appears meandering, but headphones reveal considerable depth and ingenuity in the composition. The band adds a quick note in the liner notes, "Play it loud and with the lights off." This is definitely a must (although a candle might be handy so you can read the lyrics - it will still preserve the mood). Even saying that, I think the dynamic range of this album is just too extreme. Some parts are so quiet as to be nearly inaudible if you are listening at a "regular" volume. That's annoying, but I don't think it's a fair criticism in and of itself, because Marillion wasn't intending this to be for casual listening. Basically, it means you can't really listen to this album in the car without a lot of fiddling with the volume.

This is a wonderful album. Certainly one of the better discs from the Hogarth days.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Holidays in Eden

"Marillion goes pop and does it well."

Call me crazy, but I sincerely enjoy Holidays In Eden. I won't deny that it's commercially directed, a bit streamlined, but when the quality of the music is this good, who cares? This may be one of the few glowing reviews from a Marillion fan, but it deserves it. It is still characterized by good old Marillion attributes (awesome guitar solos, ambient arrangements, and lots of emotion), but it's diluted a bit by the pop endeavor.

Highlights include hook-laden "Cover My Eyes," with Hogarth showing off his deft vocal acrobatics, "Splintering Heart," a dramatic piece of classic Hogarth-Marillion (it's even a bit "Fishy"), the peppy title cut, and the radio friendly triad "No One Can," "Dry Land," and "Waiting To Happen." My favorite song would be "The Party," the moving story of a young girl who attends her first party (of the drugs, drinking, and promiscuous variety), and loses an element of her innocence as a result. A generic little idea that's made markedly compelling thanks to interesting lyrics and sad, atmospheric music. The final song, "100 Nights," also proves absorbing when given the attention ('cause it doesn't grab you right away). Under-appreciated, but many great things are.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Seasons End

"To lose, to gain..."

Marillion fans must have been freaked out when the band brought in Steve Hogarth to replace the idiosyncratic Fish. It seemed that the band was toast when Fish took off, taking his uniquely expressive voice and his amazing poetic faculty with him. His influence on early Marillion music was unquestionably big.

But Hogarth's first outing with the band collectively removed most fans' apprehensions. Although Hogarth lacked Fish's poetic abilities, he suited the band perfectly with his fine vocal abilities and remarkable emotional expression. The music is the classic neo-progressive stuff that the band does so well, and the band retains its ability to touch the listener in myriad ways. Hogarth-Marillion's lyrical subjects are less personal than Fish's, and tackle social issues (like "Easter," which implores for peace in Ireland, or the title track, which explores environmental spoliation in a pretty way), but they are emotionally intuitive nonetheless. The album is perfect if one disregards the rather trite "Hooks In You," a fairly standard pop song that represents the album's weakest moment (fortunately it's less than three minutes long). Rothery's solos are as elegant and emotive as ever, and Kelly's keyboards add an important layer of beauty to the songs.

There's song highlights aplenty. If you make a CDR without "Hooks In You," you get one of Marillion's best albums, from either era.

MUSIC REVIEW: Marillion - Misplaced Childhood

"Emotionally intense, confessional music."

A heavy drug binge equipped Marillion frontman Fish with the lyrical ideas that would anchor the band's concept album, an artistically challenging little project. Misplaced Childhood gives rise to tales of painful childhood experiences, lost love, and rock star lavishness. Fish's brilliant deftness with acerbic poetry and his distinct voice, supported by a very accomplished group of musicians, produced a great, great album.

Typical of 80s "neo-prog", Misplaced Childhood features lush musicianship but without the grandiosity and sophistication of a "true" progressive rock band. Some prog rock fans find Marillion (and the genre) boring. But this album is challenging from a thematic standpoint, and musically it is engaging because it dexterously straddles the line between low-key prog and enterprising pop/rock. The result is an album that attains a remarkable element of accessibility, but concurrently it fairly repays the intensive time it demands for the album to truly sink in and expose its greatness. This album is seductive, musically and especially lyrically; the songs compels exploration. The sonic surfaces are stylishly sad, but it's infectious at the same time. The album ends with "White Feather," a song with a hopeful note. It leaves you feeling good.

To conclude simply, if you're a neo-prog fan or an intelligent rock fan, I recommend picking up Misplaced Childhood.