A SINGLES COLLECTION - SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER

'A Singles Collection', also known as 'Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of The Other', is a compilation album of Marillion and was released in 1992. As happened with their compilation 'B'Sides Themselves', 'A Singles Collection' is also a very special compilation album. If 'B'Sides Themselves' was released and only based on the B sides of their singles, taken from several singles, and put for the first time on the compact disc format as a single CD like a kind of a new studio album of the band, 'A Singles Collection' is a compilation of Marillion's A sides singles from both musical periods of the group, the Fish era and the Steve Hogarth's era, celebrating the band's ten year jubilee, between 1982 and 1992.

'A Singles Collection' includes the band's six most successful singles on Fish's era and all the six singles released on Hogarth's era, until those times. The tracks aren't ordered chronologically, but are ordered in a curious and interesting way. All the odd tracks belong to songs from Hogarth's era and all the pair tracks belong to songs from Fish's era.

'A Singles Collection' includes also two bonus tracks. Those tracks contain two new recordings of Hogarth's era, 'I Will Walk On Water' and a cover version of the Rare Bird's song, 'Sympathy'.

'A Singles Collection' has fourteen tracks. The first track 'Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven)' is the single version of a song released on 'Holiday's in Eden'. This is a good song that obviously calls the attention grabbers for commercial success. I've nothing against melodic tracks but this song as practically nothing to do with prog, really. The second track 'Kayleigh' is the single version of a song released on 'Misplaced Childhood'. This is maybe one of the most recognizable Marillion's tunes. It's one of their most accessible tracks too. The third track 'Easter' was released on 'Seasons End'. It's one of the most charming and beautiful songs in Marillion's catalog, with its lyrics about Ireland and its recognisable guitar playing, not to mention the brilliant guitar solo on it. The fourth track 'Warm Wet Circles' is the single version of a song released on 'Clutching At Straws'. It's a very nice track opened with soft guitar fills. It has also a great tagline melody throughout the song. This is easily an accessible song. The fifth track 'Uninvited Guest' is the single version of a song released on 'Seasons End'. This is a solid track. It has a guitar fill that can refer to their earlier albums but with different composition and nuance, especially due to the adjustment with the different voice timbre of both singers. The sixth track 'Assassing' is a remixed version of a song released on 'Fugazi'. The track is energetic and uplifting. It's a very energetic song with a touch of Islamic music, with a beautiful interlude, a good bass line and a very dynamic drumming and percussion. The seventh track 'Hooks In You' is the single version of a song released on 'Seasons End'. It's basically a straightforward rock song. The final result is a strong rock/pop effort that has held up well over time. The eighth track 'Garden Party' is a remixed version of a song released on 'Script For A Jester's Tear'. The lyrics are fantastic, very satiric, and represent one of the best Fish's lyrical performances. This song reminds me the style of Gabriel. The ninth track 'No One Can' is the single version of a song released on 'Holiday's in Eden'. It's a very good ballad with atmospheric guitars and keyboards. It's true that it's not properly prog, but it still is a good song. The tenth track 'Incommunicado' is a song released on 'Clutching At Straws'. It's an upbeat rocker of a tune led by fun synthesizers and good chorus led by Fish. The eleventh track 'Dry Land' is a song released on 'Holiday's in Eden'. This is a master example of a well crafted pop/rock ballad. This is pure beauty in both, musically as in Hogarth's crystal clear vocals. The twelfth track 'Lavender' is the single version of a song released on 'Misplaced Childhood'. It features beautiful lyrics, nice vocals and great musicianship. This is a ballad track, albeit short. The thirteenth track 'I Will Walk On Water' and the fourteenth track 'Sympathy' are both bonus tracks. Both songs have long been available only on this compilation, up to the moment that it was decided to reissue 1991's 'Holidays in Eden' album. 'I Will Walk On Water' isn't properly a great track. It's a tasteless hybrid track that sounds like everything and nothing at the same time. Although, the version of 'I Will Walk On Water' is an alternative remixed version. 'Sympathy' is an excellent cover of the Rare Bird's classic and certainly doesn't disappoint people who have the original version.

Conclusion: Despite 'B'Sides Themselves' and 'A Singles Collection' are both very special compilations, they're too different in their essence. 'B'Sides Themselves' has many different versions from the original songs released on their studio albums. 'A Singles Collection' was released with the most successful singles created by Marillion until that moment in both eras. Still, 'A Singles Collection' isn't a compilation very well representative of the best musical period of the group, especially in Fish's era. So, this isn't a good addition to any progressive collection, really. It's true that it's a good compilation with some interesting musical moments of the group but it can't replace any of the band's studio albums. The positive point of it is the confrontation between the two different music eras. Due to that, I give to it 3 stars.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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