MARBLES BY THE SEA

There have to be some very good reasons for rating a live version of a previously released studio album with four stars, i.e. labelling it as "essential prog." I hope that this review?my first for ProgArchives?will make these reasons clear. I should begin by saying that the studio release is my favourite Marillion album, Fish-era included, and one of my favourite albums of all time. This live version has been one of the most frequent fliers on my sound system since I purchased it as a download from Racket Records last month (a very nice service, by the way, and one that I hope see an increasing number of record labels providing). That said, personal feelings are not a sufficient basis for a review. So...

There are two things I listen for in any live album: the excellence of the music itself just as with a studio album, and the energy that is unique to a live performance. In terms of the former, though my standards are high, I tend not to expect quite as much as I would from a studio album as a live recording, particularly a recording of a specified concert, is a one- take-only affair. That said, 'Marbles by the Sea' goes well beyond my expectations. The music is richly layered and masterfully performed?on a par with the original release and in some cases quite possibly better. Beautiful music played by artists in full command of their art.

Also worth noting is that, unlike the single disc 'Marbles Live,' this double album includes all songs from the original release. The only difference is that the epic "Ocean Cloud," which on the original appears on disc one, is the song with which the performance concludes. The notes on the label's website explain: "the band were originally unsure if they could even play 'Ocean Cloud' live?when it was evident they could, they decided to leave it out of the main set and use it as a 'surprise' encore." The choice was a good one and, following up on a superb rendition of "Neverland," both a crowd and a band favourite, the effect of the song is even more impressive than on the studio release.

Regarding the energy that one looks for in a live recording, that is where this album excels. Marillion is a very good live band in terms of both performance and audience rapport. I am particularly struck by the opening song, "Invisible Man," in which the audience breaks into spontaneous applause about two thirds of the way through (those of you familiar with the studio version can probably intuit where and why). From beginning to end, this performance keeps both the original audience and the contemporary listener engaged. The inclusion of a judicious amount of audience banter enhances the live feeling of this album without seeming intrusive or self-indulgent. At the conclusion of "Neverland," Hogarth says to the applauding audience, "This doesn't happen very often in life." He is right. The only regret that this album evokes is that I was not at the concert.