CD Review: Marillion--Less Is More

This is not the album cover. We already posted the album cover.

Yes I'm finally taking down the Marillion design from the Hair Whip--right after I write one last piece.

Marillion's sixteenth studio album (wow, they've been around a long time) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band (and the 20th year of Steve Hogarth as their singer) with this generally excellent acoustic collection of songs recorded during the H years. Stripping down to acoustic is something that the boys from Aylesbury have done a few times, whether on the excellent acoustic versions of "The Hollow Man" and "Alone Again in the Lap of Luxury" that graced the Brave bonus disc or on the 2005 "Los Trios Marillos" tour which featured three band members in a relaxed, unplugged setting.

The versions here are quite brilliant, and jaw-dropping if you know the original tunes. The most radical re-workings include "Interior Lulu" (from the 1999 record marillion.com) and he antagonistic "Quartz". The latter has had its drum loops removed and its raging sections reduced to almost tearful sighs of resignation from Steve Hogarth.

Other highlights include a radical reworking of "The Space…" (a highlight of past Marillion acoustic shows), the total redemption of "If My Heart Were a Ball It Would Roll Uphill" (never one of my favorite tracks) and the collection's sole new song, the soothing, aching "It's Not Your Fault". Throughout the disc, the band members experimented with instrumentation, trading the usual synths and electrics in for dulcimer, bongos, and even an impromptu pipe organ built by band member Mark Kelly.

Less Is More is a solid effort, recommended as an introduction for those new to Marillion, and as an excellent guide to the Steve Hogarth period for those fans who may only be familiar with the band's 1980s work with Fish. Overall, This is probably the best Marillion release since marbles in 2004. One hopes that the band's unplugged experiment will result in some new sounds and fresh textures as they continue their musical explorations into the next decade.