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Thread: FEATURED CD: Marillion - Clutching At Straws

  1. #51
    Well, I prefer 'Clutching at Straws' to 'Happiness is the Road', but that's not saying much if viewed in isolation!
    I think 'Clutching at Straws' is Marillion's finest album with Fish; better song-writing, more mature playing, a greater palette of textures than previous albums, and some fantastic moments (the 80s Marillion never did anything better than "Hotel Hobbies"). There are a couple of duff tracks - but I doubt I'd agree with previous posters about which ones they are! I've always had a soft spot for the straightforward moog-laden rocker "Incommunicado" (which is always great live; also when H used to sing it back in the 90s), and I like the synth solo break in "Just for the record". For me, the weakness is "The Last Straw", and I'm surprised to see so many fans of it on this thread. Just goes to show...

  2. #52
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oreb View Post
    IMO that's a big part of the problem: the fans on that forum are by and large uncritical lickspittles and the band seem to listen to them. A vicious circle that gets smaller and smaller over time.

    I totally disagree with this. I think people are honest on there. Somewhere Else was not at all well received, though many people who didn't like it at first came around to like it after a while.

    I personally don't think the band has ever done a bad album, though I have no problem naming the few songs I don't care for. Even Lucy Jordache (their manager) will name songs old and new that she doesn't care for, though like me she likes most.

    BTW, I don't think the band even reads the forum.
    Last edited by JKL2000; 03-22-2013 at 09:04 AM.

  3. #53
    The eons are closing
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    Don't know as I only have the EMI remaster series.
    The only two of those worth anything IMO are the Script remaster and the Season's End remaster. All the others are muddy and too boomy; most likely due to the 24 bit 'remaster' requiring dithering down to 16 bit.

    Keep the original pressings, much better IMO.

    Quote Originally Posted by JIF View Post
    I know I asked this before, but were the EMI(U.K) and Sanctuary(U.S) discs remastered differently? Just asking, because I ordered the EMI remaster of Misplaced Childhood on Amazon, and it sounded like shit. Then, I got the Sanctuary remaster of the same CD at Second Spin, and that sounded 10 times better.
    Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit

  4. #54
    Quote Originally Posted by Oreb View Post
    The best album of the Fish era IMO, and no slouch alongside the best of Hogarth's stuff as well. Follows closely behing Brave and Marbles as their best studio album.
    I agree John, as I mentioned before hand time did that for me. I often prefered the first three Marillion albums over this gem, but in every aspect of this album, lyrically, musically and recording wise just was far superior to the first Fish Marillion related albums.
    Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care... Frank Zappa

  5. #55
    ItalProgRules's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    Yeah, I remember the buzz around Marillion circa '83-'84. The San Francisco FM station I listened to back then (KFOG) played "He Knows You Know", and then "Assassing" the next year, and then "Kayleigh" after that, so they were definitely getting exposure. The prog crowd I ran with in those days were all pretty excited about supporting Marillion because there really wasn't much else out there (that we knew of, anyway).

    The MP tour was my first chance to see them live after hearing favorable reports from prog-leaning classmates at college. I thought they were good, but by no means on a par with the first gen prog groups. It seemed sort of watered down -- like they were constantly pulling their punches. Plus it was all "by the book" in terms of the proggy stuff (and I apologize but I've just never been a big Ian Mosley fan).

    Fish was clearly a compelling front man (though his act wore thin quickly for me as well), and it's too bad they were ultimately screwed by their association with the Capitol Records payola scandal. But all that said I still thing CaS is the best that lineup ever produced (I'd rate Fugazi a close second.)
    One of my memories of that very early concert, and remember we were all under the impression that we were about to get a Gabriel-era Genesis type of thing, is that we were wondering before the show if the singer was named "Fish" because he wore some sort of fish costume during the show
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  6. #56
    So.... why is he named Fish?

  7. #57
    The eons are closing
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    Long baths
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  8. #58
    Quote Originally Posted by MudShark22 View Post
    Long baths
    As long as he's not taking them with Chris Squire...




    ...not that there's anything wrong with that.

  9. #59
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    I've got this and a handful of other Marillion albums. Aside from Fish's lyrics, which are quite good, the music is snooze inducing. Rothery is a pale, pale imitation of David Gilmour. I give them props for keeping the mainstream interst in prog alive during the 80's and 90's. I was shocked to hear how good of a bassist Trewavas was on the Transatlantic records. He's sorely underutilized in Marillion.

  10. #60
    To me Clutching is NOT a prog album but a really good Art Rock album, not enough widdley widdley guitars and keys as on Script and Fugazi. Nevertheless I love Hotel Hobbies, and White Russian. I'll tale Torch Song over Sugar Mice any day and think Warm Wet Circles is not too bad. I do wish they'd do this album in it's entirety at a convention however as H has sang most of it.

    I won't be surprised to hear either Slange or S.Mice in Montreal as they do play these two a lot.

    Wilton
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  11. #61
    Member PotatoSolution's Avatar
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    I can't believe people are bashing "Just For The Record". I like it just because I get to hear Mark Kelly cut loose for once.

  12. #62
    cunning linguist 3LockBox's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trurl View Post
    As long as he's not taking them with Chris Squire...




    ...not that there's anything wrong with that.
    that'd better be a good sized tub
    Compact Disk brought high fidelity to the masses and audiophiles will never forgive it for that

  13. #63
    Member Yanks2014's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Digital_Man View Post
    It seems to be kind of an insult to call this neo prog. I guess technically it is but it doesn't really have the typical neo prog sound imo. It's a very song oriented album but there's just so much depth to the songwriting and performances that it just seems to transcend genres for me. YMMV of course.
    Really? Guess it depends if you use NEO as simply a desrciption, or an an insult. For me, this album is a classic description of neo, and I mean that in a very positive way, despite not being a huge neo fan. I like the sub-genre to a certain extent, and Marillion were kings of the style as far as I'm concerned. And they have of course gone on to other things, and done them very well thankfully.

  14. #64
    Member Yanks2014's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ88 View Post
    I remember when 'Happiness Is The Road' came out, most of the fanbase were falling over themselves to throw superlatives at it on their forum at the time. Nowadays that album seems to be quite poorly regarded. I liked 'Essence' as much as anything they've done, myself, and I've not changed that opinion...not so much 'The Hard Shoulder', which only has a few good songs IMHO. That disc didn't hold up for me.
    By who? "Happiness" is an awesome collection, and perhaps there was a bit of a backlash by some after all the priase it got. that happens sometimes. For me, the best of the Hogarth era is Seasons End, Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, Marbles and Happiness. And I don't put these in any particular order, they are all very fine releases. But just because a few loudmouths whine about an album that mostly got rave reviews, that does not change anything.

  15. #65
    Member Yanks2014's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3LockBox View Post
    that'd better be a good sized tub
    I was thinking the same thing! OK, now i'll be trying to block that image from EVER entering my brain!

  16. #66
    Member Yanks2014's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb View Post
    I've got this and a handful of other Marillion albums. Aside from Fish's lyrics, which are quite good, the music is snooze inducing. Rothery is a pale, pale imitation of David Gilmour. I give them props for keeping the mainstream interst in prog alive during the 80's and 90's. I was shocked to hear how good of a bassist Trewavas was on the Transatlantic records. He's sorely underutilized in Marillion.
    Why bother with this thread if you feel this way about them? And while I totally understand the comparisons between Gilmour and Rothery -they take a similar approach to guitar playing, they are still in much different musical directions for their careers. I'm a huge fan of both of their playing, not sure why I would have to praise one by knocking the other. They both have a great body of work. If Marillion were trying to copy the Floyd sound, your criticism would be valid.

  17. #67
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb View Post
    Rothery is a pale, pale imitation of David Gilmour. I was shocked to hear how good of a bassist Trewavas was on the Transatlantic records. He's sorely underutilized in Marillion.

    Could not disagree more with both points.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  18. #68
    ItalProgRules's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb View Post
    I was shocked to hear how good of a bassist Trewavas was on the Transatlantic records. He's sorely underutilized in Marillion.
    I totally agree with this. I was floored by Trewavas's playing in Transatlantic, and I mean truly floored. I kept saying "who is that imposter using Trewavas's name in Marillion!" There's one part in "All of the Above" that gives me the goosebumps every time.
    High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire

  19. #69
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    If I may offer a very different opinion, I think Trewavas is fantastic in Marillion, and I was thrilled to hear he was going to be a part of the "Portnoy supergroup". The main reason he was chosen for Transatlantic was how good he is in Marillion. I had long marvelled at what an inventive bass player he was. To be honest, I'm very surprised to hear people say otherwise. Oh well, to each their own!

  20. #70
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yanks2009 View Post
    Why bother with this thread if you feel this way about them?
    Well, the thread seems to invite all discussion, not just sycophantic comments. I'm curious as to Marillion's popularity, but as with most things on PE, opinions do differ! Mine is in the "meh" camp.

    I guess as far as Rothery is concerned, I hear a lot of Gilmourisms a la, "The Wall". However, I will grant that he's the finest Rothery-type guitarist out there! Just not my cuppa!

  21. #71
    I would rate Rothery as a 1st rate Gilmore wanna-be... which is not a bad thing All kidding aside Gilmore must have been a major influence but they were not carbon copies.

  22. #72
    Member Paulrus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    I had long marvelled at what an inventive bass player he was. To be honest, I'm very surprised to hear people say otherwise.
    To me PT is a very McCartney-esque bassist, in that he constructs melodic accompaniments for the arrangements that are pretty well locked in with the drums. He never really strays outside of that zone, which means the bass is always a comfortable but not demonstrative part of the mix. He's never been a grand-stander, content to reinforce the rhythmic grooves while offering some action on the bottom end.

    By contrast, I'm a bass player of the Geddy Lee/John Entwistle "rocking riffs" school and Trewavas' style is completely alien to me. It's the type of thing where you have to either be much more harmonically astute on your feet than I am, or you have to pretty much chart out every note in advance. To me, bassists who operate that way tend to suffer in terms of punctuating the groove and rarely bring any sort of unexpected twists at the low end. But there's a lot to be said for how that style bridges the rhythm and the top line action, without getting in the way. Anyway, I really respect PT as a player but I could never play the way he does.

  23. #73
    I'm still waiting for" The Happy Ending"

  24. #74
    never really liked this one myself, it gets lots of rave reviews and such but i'm in the no big deal/meh camp. Fish's lyrice have always been pretty excellent so it more of the same and its good stuff.

  25. #75
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    To me PT is a very McCartney-esque bassist, in that he constructs melodic accompaniments for the arrangements that are pretty well locked in with the drums. He never really strays outside of that zone, which means the bass is always a comfortable but not demonstrative part of the mix. He's never been a grand-stander, content to reinforce the rhythmic grooves while offering some action on the bottom end.
    Extremely well said, Paulrus.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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