MARBLES

Hang on a minute. This is really good. Who would have thought that Marillion would have grown old graciously? It's like Radiohead without the emotion. Sorry, but it's still quite cerebral - isn't that the point of prog? That said, there are some lovely instrumental passages and I love the idea of a good, sprawling, two hour, self indulgent, quadruple album being released in 2004. The other fascinating thing about Marillion is how they operate these days - ie, without a proper record company (gasp). Good on them. I hope they continue to plough their own furrough for as long as they want to. In days of corporate 'indie' labels shifting 'units' and 'promoting' records by having their groups play arenas after a debut single it's nice to order an LP from a band's own website at a remarkably low price and find that the thing doesn't even have a barcode. Get in! Yes it's too long, no there isn't anything rock and roll about this but as an antidote to everything else that makes me so cross, I'm giving it 5 stars. Marillion = anarchy.