I mentioned in my previous post that I was taking a new journey with this blog to educate both you and me...and I am staying true to my word. I deliberately chose a band I was unfamiliar with--and one that is "cool" enough to follow me on Twitter. I figure if they are willing to give me a shot the least I can do is return the favor. So if you will indulge me as we take this new road together I will attempt to give a little insight into what has been described as a neo-progressive rock band from the UK.
Marillion formed in 1979...which on the one hand makes me feel old and on the other hand makes me a bit embarrassed. Old because '79 was the year I said good-bye to high school and hello to culinary school...seems like a lifetime ago. Embarrassed because I have not heard their music in all these years. Makes me think that despite believing I am more broad minded, worldly, and musically savvy than the average Top-40 fan, perhaps I am just caught in a different paradigm where I too stay close to the center hanging onto the familiar, away from the outer edges...wow; I actually wrote that without the aid of a black light or a bong...
First let me say this is one cool band and their sound is very hard to nail down. I have been listening to some different cuts via their website--where they are giving away a demo CD or download if you request it (take that "Big Record Label elitists") as well as in my favorite music library known as YouTube. Their current line-up consists of Steve Hogarth on vocals, Steve Rothery on guitar, Ian Mosley on drums, Pete Trewavas on bass, and Mark Kelly on keyboards. Their original singer, Fish (aka Derek William Dick) left the band in 1988 amid tensions and disagreements about excessive touring. The band sans Hogarth has pretty much been in tact since 1984; Hogarth joined in 1989 to assume front man duties. OK enough back story...about the music...
Listening to the sampler "Crash Course" gives me some insight into the band's sound, although I must also gather more evidence as time allows. The sampler is a polished listen to what the band is about as defined by the band. That is all well and good...but I need to decide for myself...
The first song I am exposed to is "The Sky Above the Rain." The sound is clean and the vocals strong, a good start. But I want more from a prog band. Less of the studio sound and more of an improvised movement that flows from each member as if they all knew what the other was thinking. "Power" has a solid groove and a good bass line, but again it reminds me more of The Alan Parsons Project (not a bad thing) and even Radiohead than early Genesis or Porcupine Tree...perhaps I need to dig deeper...
"Script for a Jester's Tear" is much closer to what I am looking for in a prog band...and evokes some of the early Genesis I have heard so much about. The song moves through many mood swings and drags the listener through the depressing life of someone who continually falls short of his own expectations. Musically it is excellent; the layers of guitar and the percussion work together flawlessly; this song really flows. "Market Square Heroes" is another early release that takes me back to the better days of the progressive sound. Fish has a voice that really resonates, and the whole sound on this cut reminds me of Uriah Heep. Marillion seems to be a band that picks up steam as it goes and rides that adrenaline rush all the way to an amazing climax.
Before I am accused of being strictly a fan of Marillion during the Fish era, I also greatly enjoyed the song "Dry Land" from the band's first LP with Steve Hogarth on lead vocals. The sound is definitely different--I understand why people say the band keeps re-inventing itself--and this song really reaches into your emotions. The knife twists slowly yet is able to allow the listener to enjoy the pain; not overly sharp nor numbingly smooth...just the right amount of "stab" if you will.
Moving through the Marillion library, I am trying to avoid the continual comparison to other bands as I believe this ultimately diminishes the members here and their music. Originally I made mention of sounds and bands I was reminded of to give you the reader a base from which to leap when diving into Marillion for the first time, just as I have done. However; I believe that a week of listening to this band over and over has given me what I need to judge the band and its music on its own merits.
Marillion is a band I have come to enjoy listening to and I can honestly say this past week has been a musical pleasure for both me and my ears. Checking out their website I see they have quite a few solo and other projects going as well. I like that because I believe it keeps the members fresh and open to new ideas. Touring is still something they keep up at a heavy pace as well...but this band seems to have gotten in early on getting the audience involved and staying true to the people that got 'em to where they are. You don't release 17 studio albums by chance...
The track below is "Misplaced Childhood." I chose this song because it reminds me of what makes progressive music special...break the parts into their separate selves and they are just ordinary--but take them as a whole and you have an entirely different entity...one that barely resembles the parts from which it was constructed.
So I guess change and an open mind can be good. Hey; I twice saw Robert Fripp play guitar while standing up--once live in Boston and once in a video--so you can teach an old dog new tricks...see you next week with another new serving from the progressive buffet...
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