Marllion - Anoraknophobia CD

This review has taken a while to get around to writing, mainly because the DPRP review I mentioned previously summed up just about everything. Anyway, here we go. To start with, Marillion are a progressive rock group. They always have been, and no matter what they say or do to try and shed that label it will not work. No matter how mainstream their music has now become, once the prog card is on the table, the radio companies and buying public will not give it much of a chance. With this in mind, why do they persist in trying to be more popular than they will ever be? Why don't they just play to their own audience and be happy with life? I've no idea, but let's see what Anoraknophia has to offer while we ponder these questions.

"Between You and Me" kicks off the album with a pleasant gentle piano, and in typical fashion, changes into an out and out rock song. The first thing that hits you is the production. Fantastic, perhaps the best Marillion album in terms of sound quality ever. The first track is a bit nonedescript, although the slower middle section contrasts well with the rest of the track and the U2-like guitar at the end is different . Quite good, but nothing outstanding. They seem to have a track on every album like this, usually the first one, and it nicely re-introduces you to them before moving on to the more interesting tracks.

"Quartz" is the next track and it is a cracker. It starts off with a drum loop and a proper bassline from Pete with some bluesy guitar doodlings. The drums and the vocals enter and we are treated to a great tuneful piece of music. Sparse but perfect keyboards fill in the open sound. Wonderful. The BIG sounding chorus is good too, although I'm a bit unsure about how cheesy the lyrics are! The track continually varies the accompanyment of the verses in a manner we haven't seen from Marillion for a while. And then it goes mental. Heavy with a shouty vocal bit which works well (surprisingly). This in turn instantly changes to a classic smooth and beautiful passage which is classic Marillion. Brilliant. This is what I want to hear, but is it not progressive? I think it very much is! A fantastic track.

"Map of the World" is obviously a single attempt. I like it a lot although it is a bit lightweight compared to the rest of the album, but no bad thing there. I also think it sounds like something The Corrs would sing (especially the chorus, just needs some fiddle and a woman singing!!), but again no bad thing I suppose if you are after a single success! And do I hear some harpsichord in the background!

"When I Meet God" has some great thoughful and even vaguely clever lyrics, and the music reminds me of "AOS" with a lot of Radiohead thrown in. However, this is better than anything from their "Radiohead" album (oops sorry, "Radiation" album). It is atmospheric but driving too, though you can't exactly call it pacy.  Suddenly, the song stops and changes direction. Or you think it does. But really its just a variation on the same feel, using different sounds to create the same atmosphere as before. Very clever. The use of the organ introduces a hint of familiarity which leads you into the closing section featuring news reports of recent disasters. I could have done without those, they spoil the track for me. A pretty good, if not great,  track nonetheless.

"The Fruit of the Wild Rose" starts with a laid back bluesy, jazzy feel. It sounds great, the spacious production and tight but heavy bass really shining through. I'm a bit more unsure about the choruses, they sound weak compared to the rest of the track. But if there's one bit on this album that I love it is the big middle eight that powers in and takes over! Big keyboards and a great keyboard counter melody which leaves a lovely bassy keyboard line over which the next section builds. Not too sure about the ending, I hate this sort of guitar playing. Good but it could be anyone on earth. Faceless blues based twiddling and the acoustic section is just cliched! It also lasts too long.  I'd have ended this track just after the middle eight, it really didn't need to go anywhere else.  So, first half is brilliant the end bit isn't my cup of tea.

The next track is my least favourite track on the album, and probably my least favourite Marillion track since just about anything off  "Radiation"! "Seperated Out" starts with, and has throughout it, sound clips from an old film. The track is not good enough to prevent it from being ruined by the aforemention interludes. To be honest the track is pretty dire and the contrived middle eight just lowers it in my esteem even more.

A pity the previous track wasn't much cop, because the next is good, if a bit overlong. "This is the 21st Century" starts with a dub drum loop to which joins the band members' contributions. It sounds a bit messy until the vocals start, but from then on it is a great song. Atmosphere, great singing, wonderful keyboards (this has to be Mark Kelly's best track in years). And although not much happens for much of the track, it is awesome. Power without volume. Emotion without cliche. But it isn't perfect. The end rambles on and on, with Steve Rothery sounding like he is playing with no one else listening, i.e. playing any old crap, and not bothering to play it well either. Anyway, still a great track and definitely not what you would expect to hear from Marillion. Perhaps all their press hype along those lines is justified then?  Er, no. Not once you've heard the final track.

The final track on the standard release is "If My Heart Were a Ball It Would Roll Uphill". After a forgettable intro, it turns heavy and very big! The verse riff is massive, but unfortunately overshadows what is a weak chorus. They are various bits and pieces of interest from all of the band members but nothing that inspires which is a pity 'cos it is a longish track. It has to be said that apart from Peter Trewavas no one seems to be in control here. They are not playing anything technically impressive, but it just seems a bit over the top for loudness sake, a bit messy and ultimately not a very good listen. It sounds very much like some of the noisy bits from "Radiation". However, the middle section is great and harks back to a fishy time. Don't like the scratchy noise in the background though, I buy a CD to not here crackles thanks very much! This is progressive rock but not at its finest and proves that if they want to shed the label, then recording a song like this won't help.

The bonus disc with the limited edition version of the album starts with a track called "Number One". A piano and vocal track with a touch of cello. I love this song, why it wasn't on the album proper I'll never know.  I'd have rather heard this than the last five minutes of "21st Century".

The other tracks are demo or remixed versions of some of the other album tracks. OK, infact I probably like some of them better than the proper versions, especially "Seperated Out".

As I said before this album has superb production. Even the drums sound good which makes a change, as Marillion drums have always sounded a bit dull.

Each member gives a good solid performace, especially H and Mark Kelly. This is perhaps there best album for ages. Steve Rothery still has a tendancy to play too much bluesy type stuff for my liking. No one can play a solo like him when he's in the mood to play in that classic style of his (i.e. "Easter", end of "White Russian"). A pity we don't hear it much these days. Pete Trewavas sounds on form. Nice little touches of invention abound. He is a great bass player, but Marillion's current style of music doesn't give him much room to express himself. Ian Mosely. Mmmm. I've never been a big fan. As drummers go he does the job. But subtley and invention are not him at all. You know what he's going to play in every situation, and he does. All the time. Never mind though, because at least his drums sound pretty good here.

So, to conclude. A good album . In fact I would say its the best they've done since "Afraid of Sunlight". It has it's fair share of iffy bits, but they aren't spread about too much, so most of the songs escape them and are trully good. Of course, this doesn't sound like "Script", "Season's End" or, thankfully, "Radiation". It has bits of everything. But it sounds like Marillion as they sound this year. They are changing their sound album by album. But they are still progressive (after all, isn't the previous point a definition of the genre) and are always worth a listen.

This is a deep, multi-layered album, both sonically and lyrically. An album that will take a while to appreciate. No, it isn't full of keyboard solos, guitar solos and complex changes of time and tempo. But dynamic is most certainly is. And although I tend to like the aforemention musical style of progressive rock more than most people, I can appreciate that the band have produced a great album with "Anoraknophobia".
 

(Copyright David Hopton -  14 October 2001)

Marllion Anoraknophobia Cover Copyright Matt Curtis @ APD