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Actually I have trouble picking a favourite out of these two (kind of like choosing between children), but I do believe The Bends is just that little bit better.

This album was actually voted as the Greatest Album Of All Time, and to be honest, that's a little overblown, albeit that this is album is an amazing album, it isn't the Greatest Album Of All Time, there are some quite flaw like moments on it, that to be honest I would have changed or left out, but these weak moments are surpassed by the rest of the album.

This album was even more experimental than The Bends, with the use of noise and electronics, to add an added ambient depth to the music.

This album was also recorded in the same studio as Marillion's Brave, which doesn't really make a difference, but there is a similar atmospheric tone behind it.

1. Airbag - An amazing intro and a great chorus. Thom's vocals are wee bit pitchy to be honest.

2. Paranoid Android - This song is amazing and just rules. I actually learnt this song on guitar after I had heard this album. I love the way that it modulates between minor and major keys. The chord sequence is also very prominent throughout the song, and it flows really well and even has some jazz inspired discords. There is a guy on You Tube who plays this song instrumentally on piano and it's very well done and the true genius of the song is heard.

3. Subterranean Homesick Alien - A play on the Bob Dylan song title. An amazing chorus in this song and amazing use of keyboards give it a very space rock vibe.

4. Exit Music (For A Film) - The first time I heard this song was in Father Ted (very funny moment in the last episode). This song is very melancholic and is actually about suicide. Very progressively influenced, with the use of mellotron, and some of the best mellotron work I had ever heard.

5. Let Down - A more positive side of the album with an uplifting catchy chorus. Quite beautiful as well.

6. Karma Police - An amazing song with some amazing vocals. The perfect song for a single. The song is based on the idea of an almost Orwellian idea where you can have people arrested if they are different than you. Thom is a good lyricist whenever you dig deep into the context.

7. Fitter Happier - A weird interlude with the use of Stephen Hawking like narrative, atmosphere and noises. Very effective and eerie.

8. Electioneering - I love the jaunty indie vibe in this song. Very catchy. This song is basically about how Politicians lie and cheat in order to get a vote from you. (Very true, I'm sick of this General Election, saying they will do so many things when in fact we would be better of if we just elected Prince, he'd get nothing done but it would be quite funky.)

9. Climbing Up The Walls - A nice calm moment of the album. Not the strongest or the most effective.

10. No Surprises - I never really like this song, but after listening to it for a few times, I really love it. It's so beautiful and calm with amazing layered vocals, amazing glockenspiel and keyboard countermelodies, just an amazing beautiful piece of music.

11. Lucky - Wee bit filler. I'm not saying that it's not good, it just doesn't stand out as much as the other material.

12. The Tourist - What a way to end the album, with the almost droney and beautiful vocals from Thom.

CONCLUSION: An amazing album. Not as good as The Bends in my opinion, but just as effective and probably more interesting.

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