AN HOUR BEFORE IT'S DARK

Marillion, Marillion is no longer to be presented, no longer to be compared, you just have to talk about it with your guts, far from criticism, far from fanatical Ayatollahs ready to be ostracized as soon as "we don't say like them". Marillion let's say it straight away released an album with 3 great tracks, a hymn title where the progressive instrumental developments are missing, which makes it an interesting musical magma but without musical island, without catchy relief and where the presence of Steve singer is too noticed, this in view of their original sound.

'Be Hard on Yourself' in 3 parts with an intro that hit me, slow evolution and voice in osmosis with the instrumentation, maybe a great album, in short it's fresh and playful while the lyrics reflect the world pandemic noir, a paradox in itself; break with vocal Steve who assures, already a little too much compared to the quality of the musicians too in withdrawal I persist and sign; I think of 'Brave' there which I liked for the concept concept and the progressive instrumental spaces; the 3rd part in line, ie break we imagine a solo and well no it's the voice that is there and the solo is only in the background, too bad! it's beautiful but it could have been so much more beautiful! 'Reprogram the Gene' with Mark's gorgeous 25" intro against a schoolyard backdrop; at 2 minutes a superb solo from Steve (the guitarist!) on the flamboyant 'Lavender' era otherwise it's Steve with the nervous voice, well, I'll listen to the album in instrumental afterwards because I like his voice but it drowns the musical fish well and prevents one from really escaping (is it ambition after all?); the lyrics are beautiful but I keep hearing the vocals like an instrument, so problem, problem, how good was that song from yesteryear! The finale with the instruments very indented, like a Bugatti that you don't dare to roar, good but not transcendent and don't tell me I'm not a fan! 'Only a Kiss' sublime so nothing to add. 'Murder Machines' in mid-tempo, title not chained and Steve and Mark who set the mood, always behind when are they going to let go and put the voice in the background? In short, here everything works well anyway, it's the unstoppable melody and the finally greasy solo, between spleen and distress, the voice in the megaphone does good. 'The Crow and the Nightingale' tribute to the great Cohen for the title bringing me back to 'Brave', intoxicating melody, real guitar solo, highlighted synths, here Steve keeps a solemn voice and the crescendo with the Marillionian guitar, oh yes one had the more marked instrumental I will say that it is sublime everywhere; the Three Choir Noir reinforces the chills and more guitar, put?. It's good ; the solemn string quartet, the title of the album. 'Sierra Leone' in 5 pieces with sounds of the fabulous 'Misplaced' and 'Marbles' for a time, it's latent, evanescent I read and confirm; the piece that moves slowly in prog convolutions and that makes you dream, here is the album that takes height especially with the 3rd part; the title that makes you forget time, that's also what we're looking for with prog, original music, art rock and many don't dare to admit it, advancing in age and having the fear of death, of the pandemic, of fear, here I am slipping, wanting to philosophize with two bullets. 'Blue' with the smell 'Brave' the best of the Hogarth period in my opinion raises the tension and it is in this situation that Hogarth is good without doing too much, by letting his friends do their job, moreover I see Pete stamping with his bass, that's to say; the end with the guitar highlighted, remember that it is still the goldsmith of the group, in short I did well to criticize objectively since they begin to do what I dreamed of them! 'Care' in 4 parts, deaf groove, dark texts on the end, the big departure; electro synth bass, guitar solo like Saga's Crichton that makes your mouth water right in the middle; the chorus with the plaintive guitar refers to the fabulous 'This Strange Engine' with a dreamlike character, the one that makes the hair shiver, since the hair has often deserted the fans; 'An Hour' floydien' latent, so progressive, so all good, good hurry up before it becomes all black, 'Every' prolongs the feeling and Steve gives in my opinion the most beautiful of his languorous voice magnificently accompanied by Steve-guitar whose masterful solo is expected with this climb, solo which arrives just perfect, I'm putting the replay back! Do not forget this piano arpeggio at the start and at the end concluding the 2nd most beautiful title. For those who follow, I omitted the finale which seems to repeat almost all the titles, a mixture of voices sprinkled on the instrumentation and a nervous crescendo, enjoyable as in the time of the Marillions; well the choirs amplify the moment as much as this last real guitar solo, so I counted 4 of them in the whole album, and I won't forget to quote Ian with his roll of boxes which propels this title, which erases a little impression of departure. A white and a bit of alternative 'Murder' to conclude.

Well, we had to give him some time! An album by Marillion, my favorite band, is still not nothing, so far from glorifying it, far from writing it's my top 2022 without any real argument, and without having listened to anything else (at this moment in the middle of year I'm over 100 on the clock), in short, this latest Marillion keeps my original feeling: good but could do better, but how? Less vocals, less Harillion, more instrumentation as in the last 2 river titles where they exult, where they transcend themselves, where they show that they are not a major group for nothing. So yes it's easy to criticize but to tell the truth is my motto and I reiterate my opinion that Marillion made a very good album which could have been perfect with ifs; you'll notice that I didn't name any other bands in my column which shows that they still do Marillion; in short, good listening.