HOLIDAYS IN EDEN

This album contains 70% straight rock / pop songs and only 30% (maximum) prog elements. If you haven't got this, you should purchase the 2CD version as disc two has more prog elements than the original 1 disc version. Say if it's not really prog, it's more rocking than disc 1. If you are expecting prog, the main problem with disc 1 is too many straight pop stuffs here, i.e. "Cover My Eyes", "No One Can", "Dry Land" that really do not fit to be categorized under any category of prog or even rock. These are the stuffs that you would not expect to be performed by Marillion. They are more suitable performed by the sort of Michael Learns To Rock or Duran Duran.

The sound of early Marillion is still around here. The opening track "Splintering Heart" has a very strong nuance of early Marillion as you may catch easily from Rothers guitar play and Kelly's keyboard sound. The ending session of "The Party" has also a sort of "At That Time of The Night" or "Lavender" style. They are not the same, but they share similar style. One thing that I like about disc 1 is the epic that comprises three songs in one piece of music: "This Town", "The Rakes Progress" and "100 Nights". "This Town" is a straight rock music like "Bon Jovi" but when the music enters "The Rakes Progress" it goes heavier. It's a nice composition, I think.

Disc 2 is opened with a Rare Bird's cover "Sympathy". I admire the clearness of H vocals part here. Excellent. Another version of this song also appears at track 5. It's another excellent version. "The Splintering Heart" is much better here, it is more rocking compared to original version. This version of Moles Club demo should be in the original disc 1. Musically, disc 2 is much better than disc 1 (the original release). The only problem with disc 2 is its sonic quality is not as good as disc 1. It needs better mixing.