HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD

This album is truly progressive rock music - not 'prog rock' in the classic sense. Some of the songwriting in this double album achieves a new and unique style and feeling - retaining some of the hallmarks of Marillion sound but evolving to new places. This innovation is particularly evident on disc one, Essence, whilst disc two, The hard Shoulder, displays the full diversity of Marillion's song-writing ability.

DISC ONE - ESSENCE

This disc exceeded all expectations, and the way it is constructed on an evolving, pulsing, ebbing and flowing musical base leads me to believe it contains real musical innovation at its core, as it subtly shifts from ambient jams to epic climaxes.

There are so many musical ideas in the 45 minute journey of tracks 1-10. One of the incredible things is the way in which the music continually evolves within every track. This band never sit back and write simple verse/chorus. Every verse has evolved from the last, every chorus has extra bits in. Even better, and one of the things I love, is that some absolutely wonderful tunes appear just a single time. This fits so beautifully with the concept of the album, that you have to live for the moment and try to catch the spark in life. By far the best example is in 'Wrapped up in Time', where the beautiful 'Echo of You' section comes and then is gone - an evanescent moment. Any other band would have flayed a tune this good to death.

Choosing stand-out moments is near impossible, but 'State of Mind' is perhaps the best individual 'song', 'Essence' would be the track which best represents the spirit and vibe of the whole CD, and the musical climax in 'Woke Up' was the bit that got me spinning round the room and singing my heart out.

DISC TWO - THE HARD SHOULDER

It's amazing that a band that has been around since the early 80s can create a disc of tracks as diverse and modern-sounding as this.

It includes breathtaking musical soundscapes (Asylum Satellite 1), glorious vocal melodies (Half the World), a driving rock anthem (Whatever is Wrong with You) and complex, dense, multi-layered musings on identity and emotional exposure (The Man from the Planet Marizpan, Real Tears for Sale).

Special mention goes to the opening track Thunderfly, in which the band manage to seamlessly merge hook-laden rock with ambient oases of gentle colours and sound, to create a single track which I promise sounds like nothing you will have ever heard before.

There are bands out there approaching their 'difficult second albums' that would kill for material this good - god only knows how Marillion manage to keep this up at their 15th attempt.

Share this MARILLION review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to yorkiemarillion
• Report this review (#186488)
• Buy MARILLION music online with PA partners
• Show all MARILLION MP3/Stream
• Go to MARILLION page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Happiness Is The Road page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for MARILLION related discussions