SOUNDS THAT CAN'T BE MADE

Living in the UK isn't without its advantages; it means, for instance, that when the pre-orders of Sounds That Can't Be Made got mailed out my copy arrived with great speed. I spent the whole weekend giving it an in-depth listen, and at the time felt that it was the top-flight followup to Marbles with Somewhere Else and Happiness Is the Road weren't (though to be fair to those albums, I don't think they were intended to be).

You can't, of course, predict how the passage of time will affect an album, though, and as I look back at Sounds with a bit more context I found some aspects more challenging. You could guess from a look at the track times that Marillion were back in one of their proggier moods this time around, with three songs at over 10 minutes (and the first song on the album a 17 minute monster!). These three songs are effectively the tentpoles that hold the album up, being long proggy pieces in the tradition of The Invisible Man or Neverland from Marbles. It's only after getting a bit of perspective that I've realised how much they are in the tradition of that album - not in the sense that this is an outright soundalike, of course, but it feels like Sounds attempted a similar return to prog-oriented songwriting that Marbles did.

Album opener Gaza might well prove to be one of the most controversial tracks of Marillion's career - not for its musical content, but for its lyrics and themes. Directly tackling the conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians is a profoundly difficult tightrope to walk, but to Steve Hogarth's credit his lyrics are unusually nuanced when it comes to rock songs about Gaza. It helps, I think that he's spent time talking to both Palestinians and Israelis (as he is careful to state in the album booklet) about the situation, and that though the lyrics show how a character born into a hopeless situation can be radicalised and turn to violence, at the same time it's fairly clear that H considers violent action utterly counter-productive at best, and directly contributing to the continuation and escalation of the cycle at worst ("For every hot-head stone ten come back").

As the song says, the situation documented has no easy answers ("nothing is ever simple"), and H is careful to note that there are "grieving mothers on both sides of the wire", and the main thrust of the song seems to be a lament that there have been so many generations of children born into and growing up in this conflict. I think on the whole these are sentiments that only the most hardline partisans in the conflict could disagree with, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of people from all sorts of backgrounds who find the song distasteful - some will say it's too sympathetic to the Palestinians, some will say it's not condemnatory enough of the Israelis, and so on. At the same time, I think Marillion were right to tackle the subject matter, since in many respects the song is a thematic descendant of Forgotten Sons from Script For a Jester's Tear - both taking a "peace first, ask questions later" approach to the conflicts they centre around.

Some may question the booklet's endorsement of the Hoping Foundation, which is an organisation whose declared aim is to fund projects providing aid to Palestinian children; it seems to be something of a prog cause celebre, with David Gilmour and Roger Waters having got together in 2010 to support it, but on the other hand I get very mixed messages about it when I try to research its position; I suppose this just illustrates how difficult the subject is.

My major problem with Gaza, actually - aside from the fact that the message seems to outweigh the music just a little - is that the more I listen to it, the more I become a little uncomfortable with the way that H sings the song from the point of view of a Palestinian resident of the area in question. Not only does this rather undermine the song's attempt to be at least somewhat neutral and acknowledge the problems on both sides (just how impartial can we really, credibly expect the song's narrator to be when they're right in the thick of it?), but it also seems to be an attempt by H to identify with the protagonist of a song which kind of worked on Brave (partly because H was singing about a British girl growing up in a culture he was part of and could observe from the inside) but feels somehow kind of presumptuous here. Forgotten Sons issued its criticism from the mouth of a third party; Gaza claims to be speaking for someone involved in the conflict, but I think if Marillion really wanted local people to have a voice, they'd promote the voices and music of people from Gaza rather than trying to step in and be that voice. Peter Gabriel did a great art rock protest song with Biko, but he didn't presume to speak as Biko.

The rest of the album is somewhat less heavy going. The middle tentpole, Montreal, is a 14 minute tribute to the city written as an account of one of the band's visits there on tour. This does risk being self-indulgent, a gushy blog post in the form of a song, a "thank you" that would perhaps work better as a fan club special release rather than the centrepiece of an album. That said, the general theme of discovering a city which is so welcoming and so supportive of you that it feels like a home away from home means at least goes some small way towards delivering something a bit more thematically deep than "thank you Montreal, we love our Canadian Marillion weekends".

Nonetheless, H is at his best when he is singing songs that, even if they are about a specific subject (Estonia, Out of This World, Easter, etc.) can touch on something a bit more universal, but Montreal is so personal that it feels difficult to connect to; listening to the song certainly tells me how it feels to be Steve Hogarth visiting Canada for a Marillion weekend, but that is an absurdly specific experience and I'm not sure why anyone who isn't Steve Hogarth or another Marillion band member would ever care.

Closing number The Sky Above the Rain is an exploration of relationship difficulties and lack of communication, where the two protagonists are a woman who's stopped loving her partner but doesn't want to talk about it and the man in question, who's desperate to communicate about it and despises living a lie. Fairly regular subject matter for Marillion, and for neo-prog, and for grumpy dadrock for flabby-bottomed divorcees in general.

All three of the tentpole songs are packed with the sort of treats that usually satisfy Marillion fans - including me - on the instrumental side of things with Mark Kelly's keyboard soundscapes and Steve Rothery's guitar solos given their usual spotlight. As for the shorter songs, the most notable one is probably Pour My Love, which features lyrics from John Helmer, who helped H out with the lyrics for the albums from Seasons' End to Marillion.com and makes a welcome return here to provide the words for this rather soulful song - I don't think it's quite the "Marillion meets Prince" song that it's been described as but it's certainly creeping in that direction. The band don't seem to have been tempted to include any songs which don't support the generally fairly progressive tone of the album, with even lead single Power having some occasionally rather Steve Hackett-sounding guitar from Steve Rothery (who offers his own take on Hackett's distinctive "weeping guitar" sound at points).

In short, if you're a fan of H-era Marillion and consider Marbles to be one of their better albums, you're highly likely to see this one as a return to form at first. As with many H-era albums, it impressed me at first, then I fell out of love with it a bit, then it grew on me again. I wouldn't put it on the top tier of the Hogarth albums with Brave, Afraid of Sunlight, and Marbles, but it's not that far below those rarefied heights, particularly if I tune out the lyrics and focus on the lush musical backing on those songs where I think the lyrics get too self-indulgent.

Marillion are one of those bands that have continued quietly to produce astounding music for the last couple of decades without the need to try to bother the charts with huge sales or satisfy record company execs with the conbtent of their records. The result is that they have often produced amazing music to their own standards which sells to their dedicated fan based. Everyone else carries on oblivious to what has to be one of the best music catalogues in the world!

After a wait of nearly four years with only the stop gap album of Less is More to keep the fans happy Marillion finally unleash their latest opus. It was worth the wait!

Two things get Marillion fans REALLY happy in advance of a new album. The word 'CONCEPT' or news that there are some long tracks on the new record!

Last time around it was a concept album (Happiness Is The Road) whilst this time out we have not one long song but three (and when you consider the shortest song on the album is still 5:47...) and the album kicks off with the epic Gaza which clocks in at a massive 17:30! This is a powerhouse of a song, a veritable monster. The sensitive subject matter about growing up on the Gaza Strip in the middle of the conflict there is not one to be taken lightly and to Steve Hogarth's credit, he doesn't. Haunting arabic rythyms and vocals mix with a pounding bass line and some marvelous guitar solos including perhaps Steve Rothery's most aggressive solo ever around the 4 minute mark. This ranks alongside Ocean Cloud, This Strange Engine and Interior Lulu as an instant classic.

Following this is Sounds That Can't Be Made. The fourth longest track on the album and starting off with a vibe remenicent of 80's Prince. Synths are used to great effect and the song would make a great single if it could be edited down but let's face it, we wouldn't want that would we. The effect of the song slowing down at the four minute mark would be lost! Pour My Love is another song that could have got massive airplay in the 70's and early 80's. It showcases superb songwriting and musicianship perfectly. Sure to be a live favourite.

Power was the first song from the album to be released and it is a classic h era Marillion song. Moody with a catchy hook. Again, given air play it could be a massive hit. The chorus is moving and as the title suggests, powerful. Again a live classic in the making.

Montreal is the second epic on the album and it is a love song to a city that the band have come to love. It is in the vein of Neverland it that it builds slowly thanks to the musical soundscape and rythym created by Mark Kelly, Pete Trewavas and Ian Mosely. h sings to suit the mood and sound whilst Steve Rothery again lays down some sublime guitar. One to listen to with the lights off and at full volume. At over 14 minutes long this is a soung to savor.

Invisible Ink is a change of pace and tone as the band become moody and contemplative.. Then at 3:55 the song changes mood to become noisey and uplifting. Doing the reverse of STCBM, it ends vary satisfyingly with another great solo from Rothers.

Lucky Man starts out softly then a great hook kicks in before it settles into what sems to be a traditional guitar ballad. Rothers replicates tyhe guitar sound found on Asylum Satelite One from Happiness and it runs through the song showing just how good he is at putting emotion into his playing. It makes a great companion to h's vocal performance and shows off another great uplifting chorus.

Rounding off the album is the final epic, The Sky Above The Rain. 10 and a half minutes of ecstacy for any Marillion or modern prog fan. Delicate piano starts us off on another uplifting journey and musically takes you up through the crowds into a bright blue sky. Not bad for a song about a woman who is ending a relationship when she doesn't want to! All about communication between a couple who don't seem to understant each other. Rother's lays down some giuitar remenicent of Dave Gilmour's last solo album backed up by a beautiful Kelly soundscape. It manages to pull off the same trick as Fantastic Place from Marbles. Just when you think it can't get any better, it does. At 4:30 minutes in it changes tone and becomes mournful and Kelly's abilities come to the fore before we burst through the clouds carried by h's vocal and then Rother's takes us even higher. Simply beautiful.

This is just about the most consistent album Marillion have produced over their career (and this is a band whose back catalogue contains Misplaced Childhood, Clutching at Straws, Brave, Afraid Of Sunlight, Marbles and Happiness is the Road.) They have produced better songs elsewhere on weaker albums but as a whole this is about as good as it gets. What are you waiting for? Go and buy it now!

Four listens so far and this album has the feel of something special. The best I can discern is this is a concept album based on human emotions and Hogarth is a master of eliciting them from us with his lyrics and Rothery is a master of eliciting them from us with his guitar. I don't usually comment on lyrics, but this album is one of the best lyrically that I've heard from them since Brave. That's not to take away from the music because as usual that is excellent as well. I will review the songs in order of my preference. Montreal is Marillion's "second city" and you can feel the affection they have for the City in the song. This may be a fav of mine because I have been to two Marillion Weekends in Montreal and the city and I share the feelings the song elicits. Sky Above the Rain is outstanding lyrically and musically. As usual H can find some optimism in any situation ending the song with the lyric "Rise up to that blue space above the clouds where troubles die and tears dry" Gaza is a typical Marillion Epic and succeeds in bringing attention to a geo political problem using every day emotion and sensibilities. Power is hard to describe as I don't have a degree in psychoanalysis, but it seems to be about a guy on the edge who doesn't want to be taken for granted. At any rate, the music is powerful. STCBM is what appears to be the one ProgPop song that Marillion seem to have on every album and I would say is a tie with Power. Portions of it reminded me of a Collins/Hackett era Genesis song. Invisible Ink is a very similar, yet softer, song in comparison to Power in my opinion. It's about a guy who can't seem to express himself and tends to "creep out" the woman he pursues, but I think in the end he finally gets his point across. Pour my love is a little too mushy for my taste and one of the few times in Marillion history where Hogarth's voice overtakes the music. Lucky Man I just don't like and it is the only reason STCBM gets 4 stars, not 5 from me.

The troubled one.

I've been looking forward to this album so much that, after all the positive reactions that it already received on the net, I'm rather troubled about it than really happy - now that I finally got it. On 'Sounds that can't be made', Marillion start to paint with thicker colours again. It's a wall of sound-album, even more than 'Marbles'. As if Michael Hunter had read what I don't like about his production of 'The hard Shoulder', here he allows/prescribes the band a lush and thunderous soundscape so much it ends up in the other extreme ( where 'The hard Shoulder' sounded like an unfinished and raw demo at times ). Didn't I say 'a little more' only ? This album hits me on the head like a hammer cause even in the quieter moments it's still feeling loud with Hogie's voice ( in good shape, no doubt ) so upfront in the mix it's starting to penetrate me more than once... and, when the band's going into heavier parts ( surprisingly often ), it's sounding violently thunderous with thick layers of Keyboards and massive guitars. I can take that with the first track, I can take it with the second, but I can't take it over a complete album and I sure can't listen to it all in one go without getting stress-effects. The performances ( especially Mark Kelly and Steve Rothery, great soloing ! ) are more than once absolutely stunning but although the band plays tight in the end there's something missing... it's the kind of dynamics that comes from the inside and then connects to my soul, not the designed or obvious one. So as a consequence... this album, which has a considerably high amount of 'prog' so it may be something for you, fails to touch me the way most of the other albums did, it's even growing tedious with the second half. 'Gaza' is a great opener, the title track is effective and catchy, too, 'Power' is a fine song with good groove and 'Montreal' contains, in parts, the most moving moments of the album, but... no, not this way, the whole thing starts to fall flat on me somewhere on the road. Even 'The Sky above the Rain' fails to really enchant me.

As I need to get used to it still, my hope for 'Sounds that can't be made' remains that it'll grow on me. I gave it about 5 spins yet so my review might come a little early. But where other albums, especially from the h-Era, were subtle enough to win me over, even when first impressions weren't overwhelming, with this one I have my doubts. The melodies aren't that memorable or fresh I think, and after you've been through the album it's hard to tell one track from the other ( minus 'Power' because of its special groove ) cause most of them are sounding so... brutally in the face the effect of it wears thin and doesn't serve the songs themselves. I wish it had a different production. I'm obviously no fan of Michael Hunter, although I love 'Essence' and 'Cadogan Hall' just the way they are. If not Dave Meegan or Stewart Every being back on the desk, I wish the band had their Brian Eno to capture the magical moments, not the most perfectly executed - and Michael Hunter, who is a very good engineer, only doing the final mix - perhaps with a little piece of advice. I'm sure this album could be far better if it weren't so violent to my ears. It may meet your expectations if you want your Marillion loud and proggy ( and somewhat regressive at the same time ), but to me it feels like a huge step backwards with some little splinters of what I really love remaining.

It doesn't feel right to me and I'm not really satisfied with half of the tracks. 'Pour my Love' has a fine refrain, I don't like the verses. I love the intro to 'Invisible Ink', but soon after the intro is done the song goes nowhere. Great Organ/Guitar-parts in 'Lucky Man', but the song itself remains patchwork. Creativity ' yes, lots of ideas and lots of things to like about it. But most of it sounds too familiar, still, and somehow I get the feel of worn out emotions. Not 'burnt out' like AOS, where they simply didn't have much power anymore, but worn out in terms of 'they didn't know where to take their power' and, instead of letting it touch you from the inside, decided to crash it on you. Not sterile as on HiE but cold in terms of hitting the same buttons over again - with increasing penetrance and loudness. This is my first impression, if anything changes I'll write another review and change the rating. For now ' it's a disappointment and I've got to stay honest. Maybe I'm wrong. Wish i could embrace the album just like Warthur does. But I've got to admit that I can't. It's too much for me so maybe the band wanted too much ?

3 1/2 stars ( for progarchives, a personal 3 ) at best, cause it's more 'prog' than say 'Somewhere else' and better than 'The Hard Shoulder' but I do prefer 'Radiation'. Honestly. Best ( means good ) tracks: Gaza, StcbM, Power, Montreal

LOVE; Roop

Sounds That Can't Be Made is the seventeenth studio album by the band who, when they started their long road in the 1980's, were once considered as the leading lights of a new wave of prog, and who, latterly, have created a cottage industry and business model (based around the web and a ridiculously loyal group of fans) that is the envy of many artists.

My first ever review for this site was the band's last studio album of original material, Happiness Is the Road. In a rush of utter fandom, I awarded it the maximum five stars. Now, with over 200 reviews to my name, I can look back and see that this was mistaken. HITR is an excellent album, but it is not a masterpiece when one judges it by the criteria we use on this site, certainly when you compare it to Brave & Marbles, the two albums that the Hogarth era has produced that could genuinely be given that description.

So, where are this great band, who I unashamedly call my favourite band, now?

In this review, I will go a little back to front, as it were, and commence with the final track, The Sky above the Rain. One of three tracks that clock in in excess of ten minutes (the shortest of the eight tracks is 5:47 minutes long), it is built around a very gentle Mark Kelly piano loop. What follows is a piece of music that demonstrates the power of music, and, yes, progressive rock music, to move one, and to reduce otherwise sober people, to tears. As with tracks such as Invisible Man, Sky.. Is a track in which Hogarth bears his soul. The story, and what a story, revolves around a loving couple who still adore each other, who have clearly been through the full and complete journey that most couples make in life. Except, she, who still loves him, doesn't want him physically. He still wants her physically, still loves her, and so puts up with the situation, because "what else can he do?" He yearns for the clear blue sky, above the cloud that dominates his present life, the blue sky that signifies happiness and a life that is complete.

As with all the finest Hogarth lyrics, his four colleagues rise to the occasion with aplomb. This is a performance that is wrought with feeling, from the aforementioned Kelly loop, to Rothery, who plays with such feeling that it is impossible not to be carried away, to a rhythm section that carries all with it. When the song descends into the quiet of Kelly's piano, you pause for breath. And then, as a complete surprise, the track bursts into its outré, a symphonic piece of pure majestic sound that has the subject yearning for his blue sky, his happiness, his soul, and his life.

I regard this track as the finest this great band have ever released, it is that good. It is a majestic piece of music. It is so utterly, and achingly, beautiful that you really do wonder at the genius that produced it.

So, is the rest a let-down in comparison? Not a bit of it. The opener, Gaza, is, of course, the one that has attracted the most "debate", and the band are on record for their concern that it might alienate more than a few people.

Political comment is not, of course, a new thing for the band. Fish positively oozed it. I always regarded Hogarth, though, as a little more subtle ? witness the incredible Easter from his first album with the band. And so it is with Gaza. I have, for many years, despaired at former "comrades" in the Labour Movement with their blind adherence to the "Palestinian Good, Israeli Bad" mantra, never realising the utter irony of left wing activists wishing to destroy a Jewish state.

Hogarth avoids this completely, for his lyrics are a humanitarian cry, written from the child's viewpoint of growing up in utter poverty, with the reality of death all around, whilst also making an intelligent nod to the fact that every stupid and pointless weapon thrown will result in tens more sent back. When he cries that "To live like this, it just ain't right", he is spot on the mark, because it isn't right. It is not, however, as simple as that politically, and that is where Hogarth gets it spot on, because a child simply doesn't understand the politics, he or she just knows that there is no hope, and cries out for a better life. Musically, it is a seventeen plus minute prog epic. The Rothery solo thirteen minutes in is to die for, whilst I don't think that Ian Mosley has ever been so dramatic and forceful on his drum kit. The whole piece cries out with sound, and the very knowing and intricate Middle Eastern sounds incorporated are very welcome and represent an intelligent move forward for this band.

The title track follows, and is, to me, simply the finest moment that Mark Kelly has ever had with this band. It is said, by the great man himself, that he will spend a whole day tinkering with one tiny sound in order to get that note right. Well, thank God for pedantry, because this whole track is built around his keyboards, and they have never sounded so lush. Hogarth himself gives a purposeful performance, whilst the remainder of the band collaborate to provide a massive backdrop.

Pour My Love is the one track where I pause a little to think. It doesn't seem to fit in well with all else around it. It marks the lyrical return of John Helmer (it is an old lyric), and has an almost funky feel to it. Enjoyable, but not classic.

Power is one of those tracks that the Hogarth era has produced so well. It is well in the vein of commercial tracks of the past, such as You're Gone, and was the first track released to the world via the band's website. Hugely enjoyable, and, as with a lot of similar tracks, comes out better in the live experience.

Montreal is basically a blog of the Marillion Weekend (a fan event featuring a number of live sets over a weekend, and where Marillion nuts can immerse themselves in their beloved obsession) set to music, and what stunning music it is. A definite collective effort, it provides us with a loving pastiche of a city, and set of people (fans and others) to whom the band clearly love and appreciate, whilst also giving us an insight into the wrench of leaving loved ones behind. In its feel, it is perhaps the closest track on the album to Happiness Is the Road, which is no bad thing at all. Kelly again shines, Rothery's touches are loving, Mosley thumps out, whilst Trewavas proves once again just why he is the finest bass player in the game at present, utilising his instrument as a lead. At fourteen minutes, this is another prog epic from a band who were supposed to have left such things behind when a certain Scot walked into the wilderness. That was always nonsense, and this album proves it so.

Invisible Ink is a deceptively simple track, which begins with a Hogarth monologue underwritten by some extremely good keyboard work, and is, again, a track which would have sat comfortably on Happiness Is the Road. When, two minutes in, the track bursts into life, it becomes one of those infuriatingly catchy foot-tapping numbers that the band has always done so well.

Lucky Man just about says it all for me. This is a very personal account by lyricist and band, with a musical backdrop instantly recognisable as Marillion, of just how fortunate a position they find themselves in. It is the story, set to music, of how they can continue to make creative music free from the shackles of record company interference, how they are fortunate enough to have a fearsomely loyal set of fans, how they have financial stability, and personal joy. In fact, this track is just about the perfect summary of the band in 2012, and I imagine it will also be a good hit live (it was not on the setlist I saw earlier this month). The riffs themselves are uplifting, and, all in all, this is the sort of track that would cheer up the most miserable day.

So, how to rate such an album? Well, it is easily their best since the immense genius that was Marbles. It is an extremely consistent album, one that combines some exceptional pieces of music with some enjoyable pieces, and manages to fit them together into one seamless whole, in much the same way as both Afraid of Sunlight and the criminally undervalued Radiation did.

This album is not a work of genius in the same way as Brave & Marbles were. Having said that, for a band to even produce one such masterpiece, let alone two, is a rare thing. What this album is, though, believe me, is the sound of a band still forging ahead creatively and emotionally after well over 20 years as this particular collective. It is the sound of a band not afraid to court controversy, not afraid to open their hearts (both musically & lyrically), and still, very proudly, at the heart of Britain and the world's progressive rock movement. Those, in my opinion, are reasons enough for us to count our blessings.

Four stars for this, a truly excellent piece of work, and one that I cannot recommend highly enough, and 4.5 stars if we had such a rating on this site.

Bands, artists and 'owners' in general tend to criticize the illegal downloads for low numbers on sells and they blame that same thing for bands being 'shrinked' at some level.

In fact, what make albums sell less is the lack of quality, now we have options, we can download something, listen, and then say if our money will be well spent or not in that particular record.

That's why some bands, specially the big ones, never present more than one song when they're on studio recording a new album, like MARILLION did with 'Power' few months ago. And that's why many many bands, like MARILLION again, do those 'pre-order' kind of thing with 'gifts' and want us to believe that will help to finance the album, even when the band owns the studio where it were recorded...

I was listening and listening and wondering where the great music lies in this album that a bunch of people claim to have. And the text I started this text is explained now, cause if I could listen this album before buy it, I would never buy. And many people would do the same, and will do the same in the next months. And that's the exact kind of thing that they want to hide with the political right speech most of the time. I was avoiding to listen it for some time and now I know why, in the back of my head I knew it wasn't worth of attention. Specially after that lame excuse to an album that Not The Weapon But The Hand (2012) is.

Progressive Rock today don't have any guts anymore, there's no sound anymore, just a bunch of pop produced material wrapped on pseudo Prog elements. Exactly like on Sounds That Can't Be Made (2012). Poor in songwritting, poor in tones, specially poor in vocals, poor in lyrics and the worst, the album fails in make you feel interested in what they're playing. Those things are made very clear on 'Gaza', 'Pour My Love' and 'Montreal'. At least 'Invisible Ink' and 'The Sky Above The Rain' are not so bad.

Maybe STEVEN WILSON helped them to write and produce the album, this would explain a lot why is so bad...

New Marillion album out. This used to be one of the musical highlights of my year, but not quite as much the last couple of years since "Happiness Is The Road." Although I'm feeling far more positive about this new release than about "Happiness is the Road" and the uninspired "More Is Apparently The Superior," I can't say I'm that much impressed with their latest album... In fact, I dare to say that, had I not been a fan for so many years before, and someone would have recommended it to me, I, amid the bulk of more refreshing and interesting sounding artists I get recommended lately, probably would harvest a song or 2-3 and discard the rest by now...

Okay, I realize this sounds a bit too harsh, for I know their music always takes some time to grow on me, and the music does sound well-produced and well-written, but it does not 'do' much for me so far, unlike when I first heard, e.g. "Marbles," or "Somewhere Else" (at a press listening party in Fame, Amsterdam at that).

'Gaza' feels like a melting pot of musical ideas, but it is far less fragmented than, and yes I'll blaspheme here for a little, 'This Strange Engine,' which I always found rather segmented. On 'Gaza,' at least, I felt that the various segments were quite exciting, as is the lyrical content about an infant's view on the Palestine conflict. The whole piece feels quite passionate and energetic, which I quite missed in their music since "Somewhere Else." Especially the "It just ain't right" bit felt like a-class, properly-developed Marillion, but on a whole the song is just a melting pot of too many ideas for one listen -and incidentally that thought popped into my head a bit too frequently while listening...

"Montreal" starts to become interesting far too late, about halfway through, and is not remotely up to par to their other longer suites, which have far more going for them. It's such a pity that this song also suffers from clear cuts in between its segments, but unlike 'Gaza,' the various sections are not as interesting. Plus after spending fourteen minutes listening to a diary-like story that already does not quite hit home and feels a bit dreary for the first 5 minutes or so, it is particularly unfair to cut the song off with an uninspired fade-out, and an extremely brief one at that!

What DID excite me a lot were the return of some incredible guitar solos, and Pete's bass lines sound phenomenal if you listen to the album on headphones. I also loved the use of more electronics on quite a bit of the music, however, Mark Kelly contrasted this with the same type of Casio presets (most noticeably on 'Montreal') that he's been using as part of their music since the 80s. Perhaps 30 years later it might seem the proper time to let those go? Yes, that's what some might call progression? And, for the love of God, will someone please break into their studio and destroy the effect pedals that are responsible for those horrific 'Asylum Satellite One' special FX that Rothery seems to use A LOT these days. Completely ruins what sounds like could be a great solo at the end of the album... (And incidentally, the guitar halfway through the last song is remarkably reminiscent of Snow Patrol's classic pop song 'Run,' though I don't dislike it here).

The result was that, in retrospect, the only song I felt was a proper Marillion classic -whether or not this sense of familiarity I felt with this song is a good sign? I know I still like it a lot!- is "Power". Great vocals, filled with a nice touch of drama at times, a good build-up, great bridge and closing section, and nice guitars. The title track sounds better upon repeated listening, but that piece of pop music that follows it sounds so run-down-the-mill that I fail to see why it is included among the other more mature-sounding pieces of music. These men can do so much better. 'Pour My Love' sounds good, but it is so trivial I fail to see the point. 'Lucky Man' is similarly un-progressive, but at least it is a good quality rock anthem-like song.

Overall, I feel like this is either one of those cases where there's much to be discovered on "Sounds That Can't Be Made" by repeated listening, or it really is simply an example of too many ideas cramped into an album that, at over 70 minutes long, already feels a bit stretched out. So far, and the album has been on repeat, I'm rooting for the first of these two things to happen. And, last, but not least, the music presented here stirred an appetite to write a review after such a long time. That has to count for something, I'd say.

Steve Hogarth and company have managed an interesting trick on Sounds That Can't Be Made, a record that's both maudlin ("Pour My Love" and "Lucky Man" being the most obvious examples) and stridently political (opener, and longest track, "Gaza"). Meaning, on the whole, Sounds doesn't quite gel. "Gaza" could have been a standalone single, perhaps having a complementary backing side. Longer cuts, "Montreal" and the closing "The Sky above the Rain," while both being well-executed, don't manage to quicken the pulse or break any new sonic ground. Sounds, then, is Marillion in fine mid-tempo mode, save for that queer duck of an arresting opener, which then begs the question: What sort of album were the boys aiming for, anyway?

There are certain bands where fans say that they prefer this era of the band or that, and while I can honestly say that I enjoy all periods of Genesis the same cannot be said for Spock's Beard or as in this case, Marillion. I still have the single 'Market Square Heroes' (and the next four or five releases) on 12" and lapped up everything the band was doing, and when 'Misplaced Childhood' came out I played it again, and again, and again. But then Fish left. I eagerly made my way to Wembley Arena to see them in concert on their first tour with 'H', but after Little Angels had proved themselves to be the better live band I was devastated. What had happened to the group I loved so much?

Over the years I have seen them in concert again, and have also purchased all of their studio albums, hoping that one day I would be able to yet again feel how I did about this band back in the Eighties. The line-up has stayed the same all those years, Pete Trewavas has done some great stuff with Transatlantic, and I have always rated Kelly and Rothery, so where are we in 2012? Well, they kick things off with the longest song on the album, "Gaza" which is more than seventeen minutes long and is one of three that are more than ten. Lyrically this is a challenging area as well, so it seemed like were off to a good start. There is some good guitar, and symphonic keyboards, but my attention soon drifted and before I knew it the album was over and I couldn't remember anything about it.

So, I put it on again and found that when I really listened there is a lot going on, but again I was easily distracted and realised that the biggest problem was that I was getting bored. But if you read the comments on the web many people are saying that this is their best album for years, but to my ears how much is that actually saying? They are very good at what they do, but it's not what I really want to listen to. So three stars because it isn't poor enough to get two, but I doubt if I will be coming back to it in a hurry.

All the albums after MARBLES I considered to be quite disappointing, so I didn't expect too much from the new album. After several listenings, however, I think that the album is quite an inmprovement to the former CDs. Gaza is musically interesting, but in my opinion it lacks coherence. There are many beautiful parts, but they don't really fit together. Most of the other songs work better. The other longtracks Sky above the rain and Montreal work better. Power is with its nice melody the best of the shorter tracks. All in all the album isn't a real masterpiece and you shouldn't expecet anything really new, but it contains some rather strong songs, so I am really looking forward to the tour!

Marillion's latest release "Sounds That Can't Be Made" is a relaxing well performed experience that has some very gentle melancholy songs and at times the inspired excellence that one has come to expect of the band, though it is not consistent. Over the years the changes in the band's lineup and sound are remarkable. The band have really settled into a serene style with patient stillness in the music that builds into majestic sweeping arrangements.

As usual there is the stirring voice of Steve Hogarth and the wonderful keyboard prowess of Mark Kelly. Bassist extraordinaire Pete Trewavas is always integral to the sound and especially the lead work of Steve Rothery, backed by massive percussive rhythms by Ian Mosley.

The album sails along nicely with songs such as epic length Gaza (17:31), and the incredibly emotional Montreal (14:00). These are perhaps more progressive in structure than the more poppier Invisible Ink (5:44) or Lucky Man (6:54). Nothing really jumps out to me as a masterpiece track though, as it all feels very similar in style. The closer The Sky Above The Rain (10:34) is certainly another high point of the album musically, a love song with nice piano and soaring guitars, especially the ending, but again I did not feel anything on the album measured up to some of the genius work of the past. The chorus's feel like power ballads, the instrumental breaks are not as dextrous as they could be, there is not enough innovation and I can hardly tell one song from the next; it all just blends into a dreamy 70 minutes, great music to sleep to but not that enjoyable to listen to on repeat visits.

It is a good album, tailor made for those who love Neo Prog, but it was all a bit too relaxed for my liking and none of the melodies jumped out. It perhaps will not disappoint Marillion fans, but I was expecting something along the lines of the masterpieces of The Flower Kings' "Banks of Eden" or other albums of late that have blown me away. Marillion have been around long enough to produce something special, and they have demonstrated this potential, but the songs on this album just float along on one relaxing style and the musicianship is fairly standard for a keyboard dominated band. Try it before you buy it, is my advice as this is a standard Neo prog album; good but not essential listening.

As 2012 is entering into its final stretch, I can confidently say that Marillion have provided me with some of this year's finest memories. I had the pleasure of seeing them perform an inspired and purely magical concert in Philadelphia this June, I've rediscovered some of the band's classic albums and gained an entire new appreciation for them, and to top it all off, they've also released one of their strongest albums in recent memory with Sounds That Can't Be Made. From my perspective, this has been a great year for Marillion (without even mentioning Steve Hogarth's killer collaboration album with Richard Barbieri released earlier in 2012), and anybody who's been 'on the fence' about the band's recent material owes it to themselves to check out Sounds That Can't Be Made. In what I can only call the band's strongest effort since the 1994 masterpiece that was Brave, Sounds That Can't Be Made is a breath of fresh air in the modern progressive rock scene that offers the introspective sound that Marillion has become known for, as well as a few more progressive twists than we may have come to expect from the band recently.

Although Marillion have generally distanced themselves from any form of 'traditional' neo-prog in recent years, the band's fragile and emotional style of rock music has appealed to me greatly on albums like Happiness Is The Road; that album may have been met with fairly mixed criticisms, but the meticulous attention to atmosphere grew on me to the point where I consider it a truly great observation. Sounds That Can't Be Made focuses on the same sort of subtle beauty and intense ambiance as its predecessor, while incorporating more progressive twists and bombastic atmospheres. This is still an extremely mellow listen compared to most prog bands on the scene today, but the exceptional songwriting and brilliant arrangement makes it no less satisfying. Sounds That Can't Be Made may take a few listens to 'click', but it's the sort of album that leaves a huge impression when given the time it deserves - I still find myself discovering new subtleties with every listen, and the emotional impact of some of these tunes rivals the best material that Marillion has ever produced.

My first experience with Sounds That Can't Be Made was through "Power", the single released some time before the album's actual release date. The thick bassline and powerful chorus immediately grabbed my attention, and by the time I heard the entire album, I was actually really impressed. Tasty musicianship and professional compositions are to be expected from Marillion at this point, but this album had an extra edge that really set it apart from the band's other material. The epic songwriting and thought-provoking lyrics in "Gaza" shows Marillion taking their art to a new plateau, "Montreal" is one of my favorite songs in the band's entire discography, and "The Sky Above The Rain" is a perfect example of a 'goosebump song' - whether I want it to or not, Steve Rothery's soulful leads and Hogarth's mesmerizing vocal performance never fail to send chills up my spine. This trio of epics accurately represents Sounds That Can't Be Made's highlights, and although "Lucky Man" doesn't do a whole lot for me, the entire seventy-four minute running time is captivating and powerful.

Sounds That Can't Be Made may not have an ambitious concept like Brave does or the same classic potential that the Fish-era recordings have, but the quality of the release alone is enough to have it regarded as a high point in Marillion's career. A remarkably strong effort indeed, Sounds That Can't Be Made has been on my rotation for dozens of spins now, and it still packs a massive punch every time I take it out for a listen. I think Marillion fans will be delighted to hear this one, and folks who haven't been too enthusiastic about other recent albums may also want to check it out - this is one of the strongest albums that these British legends have ever released for sure! While it would probably take an album crafted by some supernatural force to dethrone Brave and Clutching at Straws (for me, at least), Sounds That Can't Be Made is the next closest thing. In a few short words, Sounds That Can't Be Made is an essential landmark in Marillion's discography - and all I have left to say is "well done, gentlemen!".

Sounds That Can't Be Made is Marillion's 17th studio album. It's a very strong album considering that the band is so far into their career, however, the band has already proved that they can keep the quality of their newer albums up with Marbles. But that was 8 years ago, and Sounds That Can't Be Made is Marillion's best album since Marbles.

The album opens with the epic Gaza. The lyrics of this song are based around the conflict that has recently been occurring in the Gaza strip. Both the lyrics and the music are strong in this song, and as was possibly expected with such a large song, it didn't collapse into itself.

The title track follows, which is possibly the best song on the album. The guitar solo is amazing, the keyboard is amazing, well, everything is amazing. Fantastic song.

Pour My Love follows, which is a soft, ballad-ish song with a nice chorus melody. There's not really much to say about this song apart from: it's good, but not amazing.

Power is though. The bass guitar in the verse helps create the atmosphere, and the memorable chorus hook is a highlight from the whole album. There are some interesting soundscapes used in this song. The bass guitar and drums especially stand out in this track.

Montreal follows, which is probably the lyrically weakest moment in the album, as nearly the whole song just sounds like a journal entry. But the music doesn't suffer. The song starts with some cool keyboard work at the beginning, and takes many twists and turns from there.

Invisible Ink is probably the weakest song on the album, and is quite similar in style to Pour My Love. Again, I don't have much to say, apart from that it's okay.

Lucky Man has quite a catchy chorus, and is again a fairly good song. There is a memorable riff somewhere in the song, but I don't feel as if it's played enough for the listener to truly appreciate it.

The Sky Above The Rain is one of the best songs on the album. The whole song is based around an ostinato played on the keyboard. This song is very melodic, and is sure to become a favourite with fans.

Overall: This album is worth getting if you're a Marillion fan, but if you're not, don't jump to buy this album. 7/10 (rounded up to 4/5)

Sounds That Can't Be Made is Marillion's first album of original material since the double effort that was 2008's Happiness Is The Road Volumes 1 & 2. It seems the four year break did them good, because they returned with an album that is much more focused; Sounds That Can't Be Made is a single collection of eight tracks.

The album opens with the 17 and a half minute long "Gaza", a charged track dealing with the living conditions of the people in Gaza. The track alternates between heavier sections and more ethereal parts. There are moments which are probably about as heavy as anything Marillion has done. You can tell this a subject the band really feels for and they manage to convey both the emotion and the urgency of the situation.

"One day I'll play you the sounds that can't be made", is the opening refrain of the title track which actually sounds like about as *proggy* a song as the band does these days. I found myself tapping my foot vigourously with this one.

The album almost immediately changes direction with the almost power ballad-y "Pour My Love". It is a pleasant enough song in that style and it doesn't drag the album down, but at about six minutes an argument could be made that it goes on a minute or two longer than needed.

"Power" is a track I first heard when I saw the band play at the Opera House in Toronto back in June 2012 and he remembers thinking about it as a very serviceable album cut and that's pretty much what it turned out to be. It follows the oft-used Hogarth era pattern of building from a slow start to a crescendo before dropping back and then shifting into high gear again.

We then reach "Montreal", the second longest track on the album, which is basically a love letter to their fans in that city; there is a reason they hold their North American fan conventions in Montreal, after all. Perhaps it's because I have seen the band play "Montreal" in Montreal (twice!) that I feel a special connection to this track. It is an absolutely fantastic 14 minutes of music and, in my opinion, the anchor of the album.

The album contains two more shorter tracks: "Invisible Ink", another very serviceable album cut of post-Marbles rock music, and "Lucky Man", which is actually quite a good and memorable rock song.

Sounds That Can't Be Made ends with the third 10+ minute track, "The Sky Above the Rain", which begins as an introspective piece lead by piano.

Overall, Sounds That Can't Be Made is an excellent album that is clearly a cut above the band's previous several efforts. Some have mentioned that it is probably Marillion's best work since Marbles and quite rightly. Although it falls a bit short of being a masterpiece like some of their earlier works, the extra time the band took to make this album shows; it is a more inspired and consistent release which is well worth having in your collection.

I give it a solid 4/5 M's. Mmmm!

After suffering through initial listens of both TAAB2 and Homo Erraticus, I was soothed by playing this emotive and passionate new offering from Marillion. I, for one, was never a fan of the 80's neo-prog (read neo-Genesis) movement and always found the H era band to be a breath of fresh air. What makes this album work for me is the honest level of sincerity that shines through the songs. The epic opener Gaza has a huge in you face sound that compliments Hogarth's yearning vocals. The song is not a political vehicle but simply one mans observation that enough is enough. The title track Sounds That Can't Be Made contains all of the key musical signatures that make Marillion's sound so unique: Peter T's thick shuddering base lines, Ian Mosley's pile driver drums, ominous keys from Mark Kelly, ridiculously melodic guitar solos from Steve Rothery and, of course, Steve H's impassioned vocals.This musical bliss and blitz carries over into the following songs Pour My Love and Power. The long slower reflective song Montreal is probably where this album should have ended as the concluding three songs contain two straight up albeit very good rockers (Invisible Ink, Lucky Man) and concludes with another long slow burning number (The Sky Above The Rain). I try to think of these songs as bonus cuts as the proceeding 5 choice songs total 50 minutes in running time. STCBM may not be a perfect Marillion album but after hearing so many new prog albums that lack emotion and passion, Roy Harper's Man And Myth being the exception, it's good to feel that blast of fresh air again. 4 stars.

I cannot listen to this album one more time. After numerous increasingly unsatisfactory listens, I spent last several nights listening to it carefully with my headphones, trying to pick any hidden treasures. To no avail. Pieces are artifically elongated, musically poor (lyrics even poorer), formulaic (almost all pieces start slow and you know crescendo is coming but when it comes, it's just loud without a memorable melody, no particular harmony). It is not bad in the sense that it is too "poppy" (except for "Pour My Love" - simply unlistenable) but it just is a wall of sound, almost uniform throughout the album. Sounds that should not have been made (sorry, couldn't resist). Where is Rothery's guitar? Pete's bass? All blended into a fog of sound. I have never liked Hogarth's voice; but when the music was good, it didn't bother me much. I can certainly enjoy many songs since Seasons' End as late as Marbles. But, in this album, there is simply too much Hogarth for my liking. His interpretive skills are limited; the guttural passages or plaintive tones are truly painful to my ears. Final word on lyrics: a song about minutiae of their trip to Montreal is not my idea of good lyrics. Congratulations to Marillion on having the guts to write something about Gaza but again lyrics fall way short of their intentions; "just ain't right," really? This album just ain't right for me. If you like Hogarth, you might tolerate it better and perhaps find few more enjoyable passages than I was able to.

I've mentioned more than once that 2012 has been an exceptional year for new music in the prog world, with stunning releases from Rush and 3rDegree, among others. Even now, in December, I've got a fresh stack of discs that includes 2012 releases from Anglagard, Aranis, Big Big Train, and Mahogany Frog. It's been a good year. However, it was inevitable that a much anticipated release would come down the pike that didn't live up to that high standard.

But it sucks that that inevitability was the new Marillion album.

Don't get me wrong ? Sounds That Can't Be Made is a pretty good record. Admittedly, I'm a fanboy, so even bad Marillion album (I'm looking at you, Holidays in Eden) ranks pretty high compared to the rest of the world. But it's not amongst their best work and, in 2012, that means it's pretty far down the table.

The title track is a pretty good example of why the album isn't doing much for me. It isn't until about 2/3rds of the way in (the "aurora borealis" section) that it really kicks from "meh" to interesting. But by that point, you're not really engaged with the song anymore. Most of the tracks on the album have moments of brilliance, but they're buried in puddles of mediocrity. That's particularly true of the two epics, "Gaza" and "Montreal," in which the connective material between sections just doesn't hold up.

In fact, it's the shorter tracks that come closest to success. "Power," which was one of two tracks debuted during the band's US tour this past summer, works pretty well, as does "Invisible Ink." Neither of them are fantastic, but they're both solid. Similarly, closer "The Sky Above the Rain" builds organically to a lovely conclusion, although it takes its sweet time getting there.

"Gaza," as you might imagine from the title, has been the controversial song off the album amongst the fan base. Personally, I think Hogarth's position that it's a humanitarian song, not a political one, gets it right. It's not really about the geopolitical situation, it's about the realities of life on the ground. In that way, it's a bit like "Easter," which he once introduced as being dedicated to "everybody in the world caught up in a war in which they want no part." Given that, I wish the lyrics were better and a little less on the nose. Were it a five-minute tune, that's one thing. Over an old-fashioned album side, it quickly becomes a bludgeoning.

I generally classify songs on an album as falling into one of three categories. First, there's the standout tracks, the ones that make you reach for the CD and put it on in the first place. Second, there's those tracks that are good, but not great, and don't demand to be heard, but if you're putting the album on anyway, what the hell. They're average and ordinary. Finally, there's the tracks that get skipped more times than not. Sadly, none of the tracks on Sounds That Can't Be Made fall into the first category. None of them fall into the last one either, thankfully, but if there are two words I don't associate with Marillion it's "average" or "oridinary."

I was one of those who were rather disapppointed with Marillion's album. The production is great, yes. Gaza starts like a thunderstorm, and Power has a modern feel to it that Somewhere Else had nowhere near in its whole existence. But that s about it, after all. The Sky Above The Rain has wonderful lyrics - and boring music. Lucky Man is boring as hell... I mentioned Gaza for its enormous potential... but the downside is that there are no transitions or musical ideas whatsoever to pull the parts together. Same goes for Montreal - lovelessly put together. Pour My Love and Invisible Ink... could be on Radiation, and that is a nasty thing to say. The title track is also rather unemotional, pure flow normality.

So, Marillion sounds uninspired and tired. This is a very bad thing to say about every band, but for this one, who really lives from its energy and emotion, it is a catastrophe. The good moments are still good, but a critical producer would have been necessary to turn this music into a meaningful whole-

For a band like Marillion, now with seventeen studio releases in their library, there is bound to be a lot to love... and a lot dislike. Even in the past three releases I've found myself captivated, inspired, disappointed, and now with Sounds That Can't Be Made, bored. This, despite the album's stellar production values and layers of musicianship... it's just a boring album.

The set-piece, a 17 minute opus that blends styles and inspiration into a surprisingly heavy and ominous composition, comes across as disjointed and unengaging. The band sounds great, but the song didn't grab me or leave me with much to walk away with. It's an experiment, and I respect Marillion for trying something like it, but it doesn't play to their strengths. Over rated and off-putting.

The better songs are those like the title track, "Pour My Love," "Power," and "Invisible Ink," which are extended art-pop pieces that feature the band's slinky cool and thoughtful playing. Rothery has a handful of great solos, and the rhythm section specifically stands out especially strong throughout. These few songs also have poetic and thoughtful lyrics by Hogarth.

Speaking of H, Hogarth does his vocal shtick well, giving us his characteristically interesting phrasing and emotional delivery. However, like the songwriting overall, there are no real passages that stuck with me because of the density and triteness of the lyrics in almost every other track on this album. Many songs are crammed with words, and too many of them are banal and unambitious. "Gaza," "Lucky Man," and the painfully bad "Montreal" are so uncreative and pandering that it actually took me three listens to make it through this album.

The handful of good tracks and the band's musicianship rescue the album from a 2-star rating, but that's being generous. Sounds That Can't Be Made is a collection of Marillion moments that sometimes coalesce into interesting songs, but more often overstay their welcome in lengthy and uninspired songs. As a huge fan I get a lot of enjoyment listening to the band play the instrumental passages, that's about it. Vastly inferior to the momentous Marbles or Brave; this album feels like This Strange Engine with higher production values. Let's see if the guys can rebound next time.

Songwriting: 3 - Instrumental Performances: 4 - Lyrics/Vocals: 2 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 2

After the massively underrated Happiness is the Road, Marillion managed to release another solid album.

In terms of production, the band never sounded better because all instruments are clear and pristine. Maybe the Trewavas's bass could have had a bit more protagonism, but it's ok nevertheless. And It's incredible to check that after 25 years in Marillion, Steve Hogarth's voice is still in top form!

It's a pity that this guy has so an affected and studied pose on stage, because he has one of the best prog-rock voices in my humble opinion. But let's talk about the songs in Sounds That Can't be Made.

Gaza starts the album in an incredible way, achieving of the band's highlights. An impressive song with strong lyrics, heavy guitars and great progression. Together with acts like The Invisible Man and This Strange Engine, Gaza is without a doubt one of the best songs of Hogarth's era. Just a must hearing track for every prog lover.

Sadly Sounds taht Can't be Made can't maintain this quality level with its silly text and boring melodies. Just too repetitive and dull, except for the great guitars towards the end. Pour My Love is a song in the style of the worst tracks in Radiation and Marillion.com. Just forgettable and the lowest moment in the whole album. This trip-hop influences... Just lame.

Luckily the rythmic Power raises our souls with its beautiful keyboards and good Trewavas work, while Montreal is another highlight of the album despite its mundane lyrics. A gift for the fans showing the most variable and prog side of the band. Invisible Ink is a beautiful little song in the vein of the most intimate compositions of Happiness is the Road. Lovely despite (or thank to) it's simplicity.

Lucky Man is solid, but a bit repetitive for my taste despite the powerful Hogarth's singing. The Sky above the rain closes the album brilliantly, with its beautiful lyrics and increasing intensity. It's a song perfect and effective to be played live, but with a too much Hogarth's protagonism. Another little classic from this album!

Conclusion: Sounds that Can't be Made is clearly not one a peak in the band's history, but it's still a very solid release from a veteran band which refuses to live from the past and it's always exploring new paths to expand their music. This album is not so good and surpising like the previous Happiness is the Road, but easily surpases other Marillion's efforths. It has three wonderful songs (maybe four), and the rest is also pretty enjoyable if not memorable with the exception of the forgettable Pour My Love.

Good work, guys!

Best Tracks: Gaza, Montreal, The Sky above the Rain.

My rating: ***

In my opinion MARILLION haven't been a Neo-Prog band since "Seasons End" back in 1989, the first album Hogarth sang on after Fish was kicked out. That album was pretty much written with Fish in mind so there's that. I love "Seasons End" mainly I think because I have spent my life in a tourist town and when Summer ends you used to know it when we were a small town, not so much now. "Misplaced Childhood" and "Seasons End" are on my list of all time favourite Neo-Prog albums. Here, like the many albums before we get Progressive Rock that is extremely well done as usual. The band are almost Adult Contemporary at times with several songs being quite mellow with the chorus being where they amp it up some. This album is long, too long.

So many highlights but the title track, "Montreal" and "Lucky Man" stand out for me as the best. The latter is all about the chorus and those meaningful words that I completely agree with "I have everything that I want". "Gaza" rubs me the wrong way big time as my brothers in Israel know a little bit about being a target over their thousands of years in existence. The band have stated they are not anti-Israeli but they are missing the big picture here completely. And they have lost fans over this as stated on the fan based web site. Instrumentally this is a great track though. The only tune I'm really not into is "Invisible Ink". By the way "Montreal" is one of their best songs, especially that instrumental section from 5 minutes to 6 1/2 minutes.

Marillion's love album? To an extent, it certainly is one of these records. 2012's 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' is the band's 17th studio album, and for many, it represents the genesis of what could be considered the band's most brilliant and most mature phase; it surely does for me. After the triplet of releases received with more mixed reviews ('Somewhere Else', 'Happiness Is the Road' and 'Less Is More'), the band enter the 2010s with a most gorgeous, rich, melodic and cerebrally emotional collection of new songs, showing either their most political side, or their most romantic one.

Eight striking new compositions, clocking in at around 74 minutes, 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' gives the listeners their first impression through the very elegant cover art, with the shell-like golden element in the center and the binary data on the side. Then the album begins with the 17-minute epic 'Gaza', one of the most powerful songs in the band's entire catalogue, it is also their most political one, commenting on the Gaza strip, famously through the eyes of a boy growing up there - the vivid images depicted by Steve Hogarth's divine vocal performance on this track are absolutely fascinating; The entire band, moreover, is performing dramatically well, with the weeping guitars and the cinematic keyboards, it is all working just perfectly well, as Marillion propose one of the most impressive epics of the whole decade. This one is followed by the dreamy title track, another very emotive piece, full of twists and turns, it leaves the listener in some wonderful awe, simply one of the most beautiful songs you could ever stumble upon. Here, once again, Steve Hogarth shines all along with his unprecedented vocals, the man is always living the songs, as the beauty of his singing throughout the whole record brings tears to my eyes every time. Next up is the gorgeous 'Pour My Love', another one of Marillion's masterworks, a very soothing and otherworldly experience. 'Power' is another incredibly well written song - majestic and inspiring, this song is all about the story that unfolds, told beautifully by h, who is singing his heart out on this one. It has to be mentioned that his lyrics on this album are quite cathartic, very intelligent, relatable, and exquisitely beautiful.

The 14-minute 'Montréal' is next up on the track list, another joyous, elegant and vibrant composition by the band, 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' is entirely flawless up to this point. The sixth entry on the album is 'Invisible Ink', a song that feels like a painting, quite lovely and entirely gentle, this is one of the lesser-known gems in the band's discography. 'Lucky Man' has to be the proggiest out of all the songs, with the jumpy keys and the upbeat bass playing, we could say it somehow reminisces some of those Fish albums, as well as 'Seasons End', surely a surprise given the way the rest of the record sounds. Finally, there is the 10-minute 'The Sky Above the Rain', a slow-paced love song that gives the album its very tranquil ending.

A fantastic album from start to finish, tremendously well-written and gorgeously performed, it has a really contemporary, forward-thinking edge to it, as I already said, marking the beginning of one of Marillion's most exciting phases, if not the most exciting one. Not only a recommended listen, but a mandatory one - 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' is one of the masterpieces of symphonic art rock.

'Sounds That Can't Be Made' is the 17th studio album by Marillion, released on 17 September 2012. The album opens with the epic, 17-minute "Gaza." This is one of the heaviest songs by Marillion, not only musically, but lyrically too. "Gaza" is among the most overtly political Marillion songs, along with "Forgotten Sons" (from 'Script for a Jester's Tear') and "The King of Sunset Town" (from 'Seasons End'). The lyrics are told from the perspective of a boy growing up in the Gaza Strip. Steve Hogarth apparently had a lyric for "Gaza," but was hesitant to use it. He didn't want to be perceived as a privileged British man talking about world issues. After many conversations with Palestinians living in the refugee camps of Gaza and the West Bank, Hogarth gained the confidence to use the original lyrics for "Gaza." I will refrain from sharing my two cents on the ongoing issue, as this is not the time or place to be doing so. However, I used to have some issues with "Gaza" that hindered my ability to fully enjoy it. As time passes, I enjoy the song more, as it truly is a beautiful piece filled with breathtaking moments.

The first minute of "Gaza" is ambient, and then the band enter. Steve Rothery plays an interesting guitar riff in 7/4. The music conveys a sense of foreboding. The music shifts to an ethereal bit with Steve Hogarth's pretty falsetto vocals. The music returns to the original guitar riff, this time with copious distortion. Ian Mosley's drumming is powerful during this section. As this opening section dissipates, the music settles in a more traditional Marillion sound. Then, Ian Mosley plays a heavy drumbeat, indicating the impending heaviness. Pete Trewavas enters with possibly his heaviest, most distorted bass riff ever recorded. Mark Kelly's synth tones has a similar timbre to that of a trumpet. Once this section ends, Pete Trewavas plays slap bass subtly while Steve Rothery plays atmospheric guitar melodies. The band slowly crescendos to another melodic section. After this, Mark Kelly plays a beautiful chord progression on piano that accompanies Steve Hogarth's vocals as he sings "it just ain't right..." Then, the whole band enters as Steve Rothery plays an emotional guitar solo. The coda ends the song on a sombre, yet intense note. The ending acapella lyric, "someday surely someone must help us," finishes the mammoth track strongly.

The title track is one of my favorite songs on 'Sounds That Can't Be Made.' I like the backing vocals on this song. Mark Kelly's synth tones add a futuristic element to the music. He also plays a keyboard solo that transitions into the grandiose coda; one of the album's many high points. I love the lyric, "only love can stop you from merely existing." "Pour My Love" doesn't sound like any other Marillion song. It's a great, soothing pop song. The following track, "Power," starts with great atmosphere. Pete Trewavas' bassline stands out right away. The chorus contains a gorgeous melody sung by Steve Hogarth. As the title suggests, the song is about power and the ways that it can be abused.

In my opinion, "Montreal" is one of the most underrated Marillion songs. It's the second of the three epics on 'Sounds That Can't Be Made.' Some people don't like Hogarth's lyrics and their conversational tone, as if they're taken from a journal entry. The song also feels like it was written stream of consciousness. However, all of these aspects of "Montreal" are part of why I love it and view it as a stunning centerpiece of 'Sounds That Can't Be Made.' I love the section containing the lyrics, "Welcome back to Montreal," as it makes me feel like I'm home. Marillion return to progressive territory during the 7/4 section with the lyrics, "We were invited to the circus..." The concluding section is nothing short of moving. The music gradually crescendos into an overwhelming climax as Steve Hogarth sings, "Je t'aime my darling." The last two sections are structurally similar to the last couple sections of "The Invisible Man" from 'Marbles.' I like how the lyrics convey the positive side of touring, which isn't talked about much.

"Invisible Ink" is a brilliant foil to "Montreal," and like "Pour My Love," is a wonderful pop song with infectious melodies. I like the little touch of xylophone and how it plays the same melody that Steve Hogarth sings during the chorus. The heavy opening riff of "Lucky Man" reminds me of 'Abbey Road' by the Beatles, particularly the songs "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" or the Abbey Road medley. "Lucky Man" is a catchy rock song that starkly transitions into the final track, "The Sky Above the Rain."

"The Sky Above the Rain" is the third and final epic of 'Sounds That Can't Be Made.' This is another Marillion song that I consider to be extremely underrated. Steve Hogarth's heartbreaking vocals and Mark Kelly's piano accompaniment together are exquisite. On the surface, "The Sky Above the Rain" is a melancholic ballad, but hidden beneath the tears are glimmers of hope. Steve Rothery's lead guitar embellishments and soloing complements the atmosphere of the song perfectly. The uplifting 6/4 coda ends 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' with optimism.

In conclusion, 'Sounds That Can't Be Made' is one of the most accessible and mature Marillion albums. I didn't know that these were sounds that could be made, but I'm glad they were. Thank you, Marillion.