LESS IS MORE

This was an unusual album as a Marillion fan. During the first couple of listens all I wanted to do was hear the original versions. Slowly and surely these new arrangements started to sink in and ended up thinking....'hmmmm I quite like that version of Hard As Love' and 'that version of Memory of Water is MUCH better than the original'. Then most of the other tracks started to fall into place too.

It made me realise that the acoustic touch was what was missing from the 'Anoraknophobia' album, as the 3 tracks from the album that appear here (Quartz, If My Heart, 21st Century) all have that something that was stale and lifeless on the original....and none of these new arrangements outstay their welcome either!

'Go' and 'Interior Lulu' are other tracks that work wonderfully well. The chorus section (i.e. 'the poisoned attitudes section') of Lulu is simply stunning, the weaving snakelike melody and heartfelt delivery from Hogarth makes you wonder why this section only appears once.

It is Hogarth that really shines on this album. when singers are often left walking a tightrope in an acoustic setting because their vocals are so exposed, h excels and amazingly seems to perform better.

L=M is a tastefully done project and although in some ways can be seen as a stop-gap between albums, think of it as album in it's own right. Forget the orginals and treat it as a new entity and suddenly the album starts to work with great rewards. 3 1/2 stars.