Marillion

[lonestar]

I bought Clutching at Straws today, my first Fish-era Marillion album (7th overall).

No 1 album on my top 50. Probably one of the best life decisions you've ever made.

[devieira73]

News about the new album, from Marillion's eWeb Newsletter:

"Better late than never - Happy New Year to everyone.
So it's 2016! A big year in the offing for us.
We're now back in the studio developing the song ideas for M18 (which is still available to pre order at www.pledgemusic.com/marillion). We begin the new year in good shape, listening to the 6 current contenders currently working-titled:

The Leavers 14m 26sec
El Dorado 12m 18sec
Class 4m 58sec
Things Buried 3m 53sec
New Kings 16m 30 sec
Melt Our Guns 5m 20sec

If you can add, then you'll see there's already an hour of music on the boil. The time references are current song lengths but will lengthen or shorten depending upon creative decisions currently being taken. It's also possible that songs will be subtracted and added to this list. Song titles may also change, so don't write to us asking where things came from and went to!

We have another two or three strong ideas queuing up for development which we are on course to have ready for the "backing track final performance" stage which will take place at Peter Gabriel's "Real World" studio in late February. It's all coming together nicely now.

Tour dates are starting to take shape - head over to www.marillion.com/tour for details. We are adding dates for UK and Europe over the next few weeks so keep checking back.

In the Spring we will also be announcing the dates and venues for the Marillion Weekends for 2017, which will go on sale this Summer.

So our plan for this year seems to be - finish the new album (and give it a name!) and then go tour in as many countries as we can. We feel the tour for the new album will run well into 2017, then we are planning the Marillion Weekends, and then more touring. Phew!

Thanks to everyone who bought the new DVD 'Unconventional' - we have had some great reviews so far - watch this short video to see more https://vimeo.com/149435860. We are very pleased with the job "Toward Infinity" has done in producing this for us.

2016 is going to be a great year.
Thanks for being part of it.

h, Ian, Mark, Pete and Steve"

[The Letter M]

Wow! Three fairly lenghty songs! I like the look of that - I enjoy it when they take the time to really develop and expand upon a song idea, as I really enjoyed "Gaza" the last time around. Hopefully it's a solid hour+ worth of music whenever this thing comes out.

I noticed they didn't get an exact, or even a ballpark release date, but I'd assume it'd be no later than May since they seem to say "Spring 2016", so hopefully it'll be out by then, without delay! I still have to pre-order mine, though. So many good things coming out this year that I'll be SUPER poor in no time!

-Marc.

[Prog Snob]

I bought Clutching at Straws today, my first Fish-era Marillion album (7th overall).

It's a fantastic album. I really liked the direction they were heading (and they obviously developed more with H's first few albums as well).

My favorite Marillion album, and in my top ten favorites of all time.  LOVE that album.

Great album. Sugar Mice is one of my favorite Marillion songs.

[SwedishGoose]

I was a huge Marillion fan back in the day... bought everything they released and that I could find. Singles, maxi singles etc... then Fish left.

The first album with Hogarth was quite alright and I loved the lyrics of Univited guest as that was how I and many more saw Hogarth.

Then for every release they lost me more and more. I have tried to get into the later SH era Marillion albums... I just can't. They seem so bland and uninspired to me.

A lot of Fish solo albums have been great though...

[Deathless]

I was a huge Marillion fan back in the day... bought everything they released and that I could find. Singles, maxi singles etc... then Fish left.

The first album with Hogarth was quite alright and I loved the lyrics of Univited guest as that was how I and many more saw Hogarth.

Then for every release they lost me more and more. I have tried to get into the later SH era Marillion albums... I just can't. They seem so bland and uninspired to me.

A lot of Fish solo albums have been great though...

I'm with you on this. I really enjoyed their first two/three releases with Hogarth, but I'm having problems getting into their later 90's/early 2000's output.

I absolutely love Fish's first two solo albums as well. They are in heavy rotation right now.

[Prog Snob]

I hear this a lot from Marillion fans. I guess since I got into them through Hogarth first, I lean more towards his material. Don't get me wrong. I love the stuff they did with Fish, but there's something about Hogarth's voice that draws me in even more.

[Stadler]

I was a huge Marillion fan back in the day... bought everything they released and that I could find. Singles, maxi singles etc... then Fish left.

The first album with Hogarth was quite alright and I loved the lyrics of Univited guest as that was how I and many more saw Hogarth.

Then for every release they lost me more and more. I have tried to get into the later SH era Marillion albums... I just can't. They seem so bland and uninspired to me.

A lot of Fish solo albums have been great though...

I'm with you on this. I really enjoyed their first two/three releases with Hogarth, but I'm having problems getting into their later 90's/early 2000's output.

I absolutely love Fish's first two solo albums as well. They are in heavy rotation right now.

Well, we can debate whether this is a good thing or not, but BOTH camps have been patchy.   For every great record (Vigil, Brave) there's a not so great one (Raingod's, This Strange Engine).   I had given up on Marillion, too, at the time of TSE, because I hated that and I didn't really care for Afraid of Sunlight, and didn't buy another record by them until I was browbeaten into buying Marbles, which is amazing (I defy anyone to not put Neverland in their top 10 Marillion song list).  I then went back to radiation, .com, and Anoraknophobia (which are all better than TSE), and around that time AoS clicked and now it is one of my favorites too.   I'm not a huge fan of Somewhere Else or the "Less Is More" set, and while I expect it to click at some point, Happiness... and Sounds... haven't clicked yet.

Fish is a different animal.  He's trying, but there are so many "cunning plans" over the years, that his solo work is spotty at best.   Sunsets is strong, as is Field of Crows, but I think he overreaches at times with his "concepts".   The whole "So Fellini!" thing was weak, in my opinion.    Having said that, there are about four or five lyrics that I would LOVE to sit down and ask him about.     

[Prog Snob]

Well, we can debate whether this is a good thing or not, but BOTH camps have been patchy.   For every great record (Vigil, Brave) there's a not so great one (Raingod's, This Strange Engine).   I had given up on Marillion, too, at the time of TSE, because I hated that and I didn't really care for Afraid of Sunlight, and didn't buy another record by them until I was browbeaten into buying Marbles, which is amazing (I defy anyone to not put Neverland in their top 10 Marillion song list).  I then went back to radiation, .com, and Anoraknophobia (which are all better than TSE), and around that time AoS clicked and now it is one of my favorites too.   I'm not a huge fan of Somewhere Else or the "Less Is More" set, and while I expect it to click at some point, Happiness... and Sounds... haven't clicked yet.

Fish is a different animal.  He's trying, but there are so many "cunning plans" over the years, that his solo work is spotty at best.   Sunsets is strong, as is Field of Crows, but I think he overreaches at times with his "concepts".   The whole "So Fellini!" thing was weak, in my opinion.    Having said that, there are about four or five lyrics that I would LOVE to sit down and ask him about.   

I really enjoy Sounds. The Sky Above The Rain is such a beautiful song, and I probably am endeared to it more because it's a reflection of my life in recent times. I also love Somewhere Else and Less Is More. The Memory of Water is such a heartfelt song. It's one of the songs, I always skip to. Not dance...I mean skip other tracks for.   

[Stadler]

I need to give Sounds more time.  In fact, I'm flying later, maybe I'll put that on.   

To me, "less is more" is not a good mantra for Marillion.  They're a prog band - or at least, I like the prog side of them best - and so they are better when it's the five guys PLAYING. 

[RoeDent]

I enjoy STCBM, but The Sky Above the Rain drags on a bit too long, especially considering we've had over an hour of music already by that point. The few times I've listened to the album, I find myself mentally exhausted by the time I get to that song. and there's not a lot of variation in it to keep me interested.

As for Clutching at Straws, the 2nd listen went even better than the first. Which is usually a good sign that I will grow to really like the album once I get used to it.

[Prog Snob]

I need to give Sounds more time.  In fact, I'm flying later, maybe I'll put that on.   

To me, "less is more" is not a good mantra for Marillion.  They're a prog band - or at least, I like the prog side of them best - and so they are better when it's the five guys PLAYING.

I enjoyed Less is More for what it was, but agree it's always better with the band effort, not just a couple of guys. It's the same as any band for me really. I love when they throw something different at you, but prefer their usual fanfare.

[ytserush]

I was a huge Marillion fan back in the day... bought everything they released and that I could find. Singles, maxi singles etc... then Fish left.

The first album with Hogarth was quite alright and I loved the lyrics of Univited guest as that was how I and many more saw Hogarth.

Then for every release they lost me more and more. I have tried to get into the later SH era Marillion albums... I just can't. They seem so bland and uninspired to me.

A lot of Fish solo albums have been great though...

I'm with you on this. I really enjoyed their first two/three releases with Hogarth, but I'm having problems getting into their later 90's/early 2000's output.

I absolutely love Fish's first two solo albums as well. They are in heavy rotation right now.

Well, we can debate whether this is a good thing or not, but BOTH camps have been patchy.   For every great record (Vigil, Brave) there's a not so great one (Raingod's, This Strange Engine).   I had given up on Marillion, too, at the time of TSE, because I hated that and I didn't really care for Afraid of Sunlight, and didn't buy another record by them until I was browbeaten into buying Marbles, which is amazing (I defy anyone to not put Neverland in their top 10 Marillion song list).  I then went back to radiation, .com, and Anoraknophobia (which are all better than TSE), and around that time AoS clicked and now it is one of my favorites too.   I'm not a huge fan of Somewhere Else or the "Less Is More" set, and while I expect it to click at some point, Happiness... and Sounds... haven't clicked yet.

Fish is a different animal.  He's trying, but there are so many "cunning plans" over the years, that his solo work is spotty at best.   Sunsets is strong, as is Field of Crows, but I think he overreaches at times with his "concepts".   The whole "So Fellini!" thing was weak, in my opinion.    Having said that, there are about four or five lyrics that I would LOVE to sit down and ask him about.   

Totally disagree on the soft spots (Brave, most of Afraid of Sunlight, Less Is More) (Suits) but we've already gone over that.

I really don't have a problem with anything else. I don't think Hogarth ever sounded better sonically than on This Strange Engine.  I love his natural timbre on that one. If I hadn't like that one, I may have been done with the band by that point myself.

[Stadler]

Totally disagree on the soft spots (Brave, most of Afraid of Sunlight, Less Is More) (Suits) but we've already gone over that.

I really don't have a problem with anything else. I don't think Hogarth ever sounded better sonically than on This Strange Engine.  I love his natural timbre on that one. If I hadn't like that one, I may have been done with the band by that point myself.

Well, we're not all that far off.  I will go back and revisit TSE; I just always thought it bland and uninspired, but I can't say I've ever listened close enough to really appreciate Hogarth (who I think is excellent; I don't think new fans quite realize how easily Marillion could have tanked if H didn't work out.  Fish was a rock star - or at least thought he was - back then, and Marillion was an arena touring band. Not like today, where both struggle to play small clubs.

[RoeDent]

I've listened to Brave many times in the year I've had it, and I can't help but feel like Made Again is tacked on to the end. There's a good 5 seconds between the end of The Great Escape and the start of Made Again, which makes it feel even more separate from the album. I know there's a "sad ending" version of TGE, but with that, you miss out on the most stunning part of that song, Fallin' From the Moon. An album that's 95% melancholy might as well go all the way on that front and be 100% melancholy. The Great Escape with the happy ending feels like a better ending to the album than Made Again.

[Sir Walrus Cauliflower]

Just heard of this band on here a couple days ago, and have yet to check them out. What would you guys say is the most accessible, and what would you consider their best album?

[CharlesPL]

Fish Era - Misplaced Childhood, Clutching (my fav Marillion album)
H era - Seasons End, Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles

accesible - Holidays in Eden, This Strange Engine, Somewhere Else, Seasons End

[Stadler]

Fish Era - Misplaced Childhood, Clutching (my fav Marillion album)
H era - Seasons End, Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles

accesible - Holidays in Eden, This Strange Engine, Somewhere Else, Seasons End

"Accessible" doesn't necessarily mean "indicative of the band".  Personally, I think Charles nailed it with "Misplaced", "Clutching", "Seasons", and "Brave", and I would go in that order. 

[?]

accesible - Holidays in Eden, This Strange Engine, Somewhere Else, Seasons End

Somewhere Else was the second or third Marillion album I heard, but I didn't find it accessible at all. It took me a long time to warm up to it and I still find it one of the weaker H albums. I agree with the rest of your list, though.

[SoundscapeMN]

Agreed on Somewhere Else.

Also while I enjoy a lot of Holidays in Eden, the songs that seem like obvious attempts at radio singles may not appeal to a new listener.

[ytserush]

Totally disagree on the soft spots (Brave, most of Afraid of Sunlight, Less Is More) (Suits) but we've already gone over that.

I really don't have a problem with anything else. I don't think Hogarth ever sounded better sonically than on This Strange Engine.  I love his natural timbre on that one. If I hadn't like that one, I may have been done with the band by that point myself.

Well, we're not all that far off.  I will go back and revisit TSE; I just always thought it bland and uninspired, but I can't say I've ever listened close enough to really appreciate Hogarth (who I think is excellent; I don't think new fans quite realize how easily Marillion could have tanked if H didn't work out.  Fish was a rock star - or at least thought he was - back then, and Marillion was an arena touring band. Not like today, where both struggle to play small clubs.

Marillion were never an arena band in the US. (Unless you want to count the opening slot) They were still doing club dates here until Fish left. Europe and South America, obviously, were another story. Both were able to maintain that level (arenas and festivals) there for a few years after the split.  Brave and Songs From The Mirror killed any shot to save that and the declining touring economics put the nails in the coffin.

[Cyclopssss]

Still think ´Fugazi´ is criminally underrated. Such great atmosphere on there.

[Stadler]

Totally disagree on the soft spots (Brave, most of Afraid of Sunlight, Less Is More) (Suits) but we've already gone over that.

I really don't have a problem with anything else. I don't think Hogarth ever sounded better sonically than on This Strange Engine.  I love his natural timbre on that one. If I hadn't like that one, I may have been done with the band by that point myself.

Well, we're not all that far off.  I will go back and revisit TSE; I just always thought it bland and uninspired, but I can't say I've ever listened close enough to really appreciate Hogarth (who I think is excellent; I don't think new fans quite realize how easily Marillion could have tanked if H didn't work out.  Fish was a rock star - or at least thought he was - back then, and Marillion was an arena touring band. Not like today, where both struggle to play small clubs.

Marillion were never an arena band in the US. (Unless you want to count the opening slot) They were still doing club dates here until Fish left. Europe and South America, obviously, were another story. Both were able to maintain that level (arenas and festivals) there for a few years after the split.  Brave and Songs From The Mirror killed any shot to save that and the declining touring economics put the nails in the coffin.

You are, of course, technically correct.  I was referring to the point that a) neither band could do a festival like Lorelei today, b) neither band would even get the arena OPENING slot today, both of which are consistent with what you said (and not that clear the way I said it even though that is what I meant).   I would argue, though, that their "runs" lasted that long.  I tend to think - but it is only my opinion, and I welcome your thoughts on this - that their second albums were the death knell.  After "Internal Exile", EMI dropped Fish acrimoniously, and "Holidays..." was the start of the decline; each album, starting then and ending (well, bottoming out) with Marbles, sold progressively less.  I know Marillion didn't get dropped until after "Afraid..." but I think "Holidays..." was really the turning point.

[Scorpion]

I'm not really knowledgeable enough to chime in here, but I just want to add that Fish was one of the headliners of last year's Lorelei festival, and Steve Rothery played a pretty good slot with his solo band as well, so based on that, I'd think that Marillion could very well headline at least that particular festival.

[Stadler]

If it's the same festival - same size, etc. - as the show they recorded and released on CD/DVD back in the day ("Live From Lorelei"; you should get it!) then consider me stunned.   If I recall, that show then was the size of a US arena crown (20K +/-).   I could very well be wrong (and Scorpion, I am not calling you out with this), but I feel like there is NO WAY that Fish is playing 20K rooms in 2015. 

[Deathless]

Fish was also playing his "Farewell to Misplaced Childhood" shows this year, which bumped up his booking at a number of festivals/concerts.

[?]

AFAIK, Steve Rothery refuses to transpose songs, which would be necessary in order for Fish to be able to sing the old Marillion stuff, and that's why even a guest appearance for a song or two is very unlikely.

[ytserush]

Totally disagree on the soft spots (Brave, most of Afraid of Sunlight, Less Is More) (Suits) but we've already gone over that.

I really don't have a problem with anything else. I don't think Hogarth ever sounded better sonically than on This Strange Engine.  I love his natural timbre on that one. If I hadn't like that one, I may have been done with the band by that point myself.

Well, we're not all that far off.  I will go back and revisit TSE; I just always thought it bland and uninspired, but I can't say I've ever listened close enough to really appreciate Hogarth (who I think is excellent; I don't think new fans quite realize how easily Marillion could have tanked if H didn't work out.  Fish was a rock star - or at least thought he was - back then, and Marillion was an arena touring band. Not like today, where both struggle to play small clubs.

Marillion were never an arena band in the US. (Unless you want to count the opening slot) They were still doing club dates here until Fish left. Europe and South America, obviously, were another story. Both were able to maintain that level (arenas and festivals) there for a few years after the split.  Brave and Songs From The Mirror killed any shot to save that and the declining touring economics put the nails in the coffin.

You are, of course, technically correct.  I was referring to the point that a) neither band could do a festival like Lorelei today, b) neither band would even get the arena OPENING slot today, both of which are consistent with what you said (and not that clear the way I said it even though that is what I meant).   I would argue, though, that their "runs" lasted that long.  I tend to think - but it is only my opinion, and I welcome your thoughts on this - that their second albums were the death knell.  After "Internal Exile", EMI dropped Fish acrimoniously, and "Holidays..." was the start of the decline; each album, starting then and ending (well, bottoming out) with Marbles, sold progressively less.  I know Marillion didn't get dropped until after "Afraid..." but I think "Holidays..." was really the turning point.

Well, I like Holidays and thought it was fairly similar to Seasons End although a bit "lighter." I thought it was on par with that "wall of sound" quality that had been on previous albums which more or less disappeared with Brave. (Which I think pretty much killed the band's profile in the US. I'm not suggesting the change in style was completely responsible for this, the label (by this point EMI subsidiary IRS) really didn't know what to do with it (and there was no US tour. I can't remember now why because my interest had started to wane.)
A few Holidays tracks were getting airplay and there seemed to be a real push (the last one?) to break the band.

As far as Fish goes. His first solo album for EMI was also his last. (See Speaking In Tongues from Internal Exile) Internal Exile was released on Polydor about two years after Vigil after Fish engaged in a battle to get out of his EMI record deal. I happen to love that album too, but some thought the material was too "Scottish" which limited its accessibility (The US album came out with a more generic album cover) Fish was still a pretty big deal overseas as was Marillion.

Both are festival regulars although they are not consistently headliners anymore (To my somewhat limited knowledge at this point.). Save for a handful of diehards in the US both are essentially off the musical radar here.

Fish followed up Internal Exile with the Songs From The Mirror covers album which I don't even think saw a US release. Not the best career move at that point.

[Stadler]

Well, I like Holidays and thought it was fairly similar to Seasons End although a bit "lighter." I thought it was on par with that "wall of sound" quality that had been on previous albums which more or less disappeared with Brave. (Which I think pretty much killed the band's profile in the US. I'm not suggesting the change in style was completely responsible for this, the label (by this point EMI subsidiary IRS) really didn't know what to do with it (and there was no US tour. I can't remember now why because my interest had started to wane.)
A few Holidays tracks were getting airplay and there seemed to be a real push (the last one?) to break the band.

As far as Fish goes. His first solo album for EMI was also his last. (See Speaking In Tongues from Internal Exile) Internal Exile was released on Polydor about two years after Vigil after Fish engaged in a battle to get out of his EMI record deal. I happen to love that album too, but some thought the material was too "Scottish" which limited its accessibility (The US album came out with a more generic album cover) Fish was still a pretty big deal overseas as was Marillion.

Both are festival regulars although they are not consistently headliners anymore (To my somewhat limited knowledge at this point.). Save for a handful of diehards in the US both are essentially off the musical radar here.

Fish followed up Internal Exile with the Songs From The Mirror covers album which I don't even think saw a US release. Not the best career move at that point.

All this is consistent with my understanding as well.  The only thing I would add (and not argument, but just comment) is that my perspective of Holidays... and Brave are exactly the opposite.

I LOVED Season's End (and it is still a top 3 H-era album).  Saw the tour, and to this day I lose it over "King of Sunset Town", "After Me", and "The Space".   Holidays was a SUPREME let down for me.  MASSIVE.  I like "Waiting To Happen", and the ending mini-suite, but there is a lot on that record that still, to this day, does not resonate ("No One Can" is just.. .unlistenable to me).  I thought they LOST the "wall of sound" here, and then gained it back with Brave. I love what Dave Meegan does for this band, and would be eager to see them work together again, and the best word I can use for that album is "dense".   

[sfam2112]

AFAIK, Steve Rothery refuses to transpose songs, which would be necessary in order for Fish to be able to sing the old Marillion stuff, and that's why even a guest appearance for a song or two is very unlikely.

When Fish sang "Market Square Heroes" with them in 2007(?), it was transposed down a half-step and during the 2013 Weekend, "The Space" was down a full-step for h.

[ytserush]

Well, I like Holidays and thought it was fairly similar to Seasons End although a bit "lighter." I thought it was on par with that "wall of sound" quality that had been on previous albums which more or less disappeared with Brave. (Which I think pretty much killed the band's profile in the US. I'm not suggesting the change in style was completely responsible for this, the label (by this point EMI subsidiary IRS) really didn't know what to do with it (and there was no US tour. I can't remember now why because my interest had started to wane.)
A few Holidays tracks were getting airplay and there seemed to be a real push (the last one?) to break the band.

As far as Fish goes. His first solo album for EMI was also his last. (See Speaking In Tongues from Internal Exile) Internal Exile was released on Polydor about two years after Vigil after Fish engaged in a battle to get out of his EMI record deal. I happen to love that album too, but some thought the material was too "Scottish" which limited its accessibility (The US album came out with a more generic album cover) Fish was still a pretty big deal overseas as was Marillion.

Both are festival regulars although they are not consistently headliners anymore (To my somewhat limited knowledge at this point.). Save for a handful of diehards in the US both are essentially off the musical radar here.

Fish followed up Internal Exile with the Songs From The Mirror covers album which I don't even think saw a US release. Not the best career move at that point.

All this is consistent with my understanding as well.  The only thing I would add (and not argument, but just comment) is that my perspective of Holidays... and Brave are exactly the opposite.

I LOVED Season's End (and it is still a top 3 H-era album).  Saw the tour, and to this day I lose it over "King of Sunset Town", "After Me", and "The Space".   Holidays was a SUPREME let down for me.  MASSIVE.  I like "Waiting To Happen", and the ending mini-suite, but there is a lot on that record that still, to this day, does not resonate ("No One Can" is just.. .unlistenable to me).  I thought they LOST the "wall of sound" here, and then gained it back with Brave. I love what Dave Meegan does for this band, and would be eager to see them work together again, and the best word I can use for that album is "dense".   

No One Can is just amazing.

Maybe Dry Land is my least favorite on that album. Whenever I hear the beginning, I'm thinking bad Journey song.

Another thing I didn't like about Holidays (and I guess I'm being picky about it) is that they changed the band logo. Now obviously they were no longer THAT band but would have thought they could have come up with something better than that. (and they did later with the understated "ee cummings thing."

[RoeDent]

Next Marillion album into my collection is Fugazi. Punch & Judy has recently become one of those songs where one listen simply isn't enough. Then I heard the title track, fell in love with that and decided to take the plunge and get the album.

And it may be followed swiftly by Afraid of Sunlight.

[Cyclopssss]

I love Fugazi, it always gets overlooked. The album was finished under a lot of time-pressure from the record company while they were on tour. Every song on it has its own flavour, Assassing, Incubus, Punch and Judy are all good, Jigsaw is a nice ballad. Emerald Lies is a standuit track for me, so emotional. She Chameleon is such a great brooding track and the titeltrack tops it all off with a flourish.

[SoundscapeMN]

the title track to Fugazi does stand out.

[Stadler]

^^^ One of those songs (Forgotten Sons is another) that takes on a whole new, different life live, as well.  Not sure there is a poor live version out there.