Great review - love the thoughtful enthusiasm! :-) It's really interesting how this is polarising people - there are those who think it's a masterpiece produced by a bunch of guys each at the top of their game, dealing with difficult issues head-on with a fiery passion in a work that could be their best ever... then there are those who see it as dis-jointed, lacking melody, weak on lyrics and musically bereft of any new ideas! Everyone is right, of course, since music is about what it makes you feel. I suggest if you've not heard it yet, clear your diary for an hour, put the track listing to one side and sit down with the lights off and the volume up... then see where the journey takes you. Maybe you'll feel disappointed, cheated and angry. Maybe you'll feel uplifted. Maybe you'll fall in love. Maybe you'll cry. I've heard all of these reactions (and felt several of them myself). Either way, people do seem to care a lot about it, so for that reason I think it's an important album. Thanks again for your review.
PS: it's just made number 2 in the UK (and German and Holland) album charts. Not bad for a bunch of guys in their 60s with their 20th (or 19th) studio album!
That was a spot on review and totally agree best thing since Marbles. It would seem the isolation during Covid really inspired every facet of the band and delivered a much more IMO accessible album than FEAR. As has been said previously Angels On Earth is just beautiful in every way.
I've never heard Marillion's music. I'm scared to check them out now as I already have too much great music to listen to. I will though, some day soon.
This morning H's podcast The Corona Diaries chapter 97 dropped into my feed. It's a Q&A with fans about the album and in particular the lyrics. It's a great listen and provides an insight into the inspirations and process the band used.
Hi Scott. Loved the review. As is usual with a Marillion album, it reveals more to the listener after repeated plays. As a consequence, I think you missed a couple of things on the album, some of which are probably a very British thing, so no real surprise. Added to H's deliberate use of words so that they can have multiple meanings to the listener. As well as climate change and the pandemic, the other big theme on the album is about relationships between people ending in various ways, including death. For instance, how its possible to 'kill' someone through infidelity. Discovering your significant other in an embrace or kiss with someone else and similar references on the theme peppered throughout the album. According to H, the line "I've seen the future, it ain't orange, it's green..." was a reference to an old British telecommunication company called Orange. Their adverts tag line was, 'The future's bright, the future's Orange.' In an interview with Rolling Stone Germany the interviewer told Steve that he thought it was a reference to the x-prez, which took H by surprise, he laughed and thought that that was an ever better one. In the Nightingale and the Crow, it's how Steve sees himself compared to Leonard Cohen as song writers. Cohen is the Nightingale and H is the Crow. Maintenance drugs was inspired by his friend developing tumours on his spine and having chemo. He told H they were his maintenance drugs. But as you said, Covid is also a theme that runs through the album, so the inference is unsurprising.
Wish I would have liked this as much as you, but they lost me after Marbles. I loved that album so much, I went to see them at Bospop in Holland in 2005 - and I live in Chicago. Glad you like it, and I appreciate the enthusiastic review.
You might be on to something there. Yet I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not!!! I’m actually trying to keep myself in check as I can get a little excited when talking about music…Thank you!!!
the subsections are terrible for the listening experience if on your phone or mp3 player, which usually have normalization turned on, so suddenly, it's louder at the end of the section, and loud again on the beginning of the next section, messes the song up. The solution is to use some software to stick all the parts together and create a new file.
Thought they’d set a bar with FEAR that they’d be struggling to surpass. But, oh my goodness. Wow! This really is an absolute gem of an album both lyrically & musically. How can the last two albums be streets ahead of all the other H era Marillion material (my opinion that of course) Theory is: H & Co need “troubled times” for masses of creativity? Just a theory. Brexit gave us FEAR (class album) & Covid19 brings us AHBID, (faultless album, imo) Hopefully its not WW3 for the hatrick!
Biffy Clyro in the background... nice review. I'm not quite on board with this record, as much as you seem to be. But I'm a massive Marillion fan and have my reasons to be a little objective. I should have a review up this week, but I'm still waiting on my physical copies.
@@TheProgCorner Music is extremely subjective . Also our ratings of particular album often change over time I'm a bit biased but Marillion's least memorable tracks are way better than many bands best ! Fantastic live too . As this is their 19th album & with H as lead singer for over 30 years ,I wouldn't leave it too long 🎶
@@TheProgCorner they are. Hopefully they'll come back over to tour the States in the next couple of years (and avoid going into debt), and youmay get that chance.
Scott what a good review of the new Marillion album. For me it's 9 out of 10 points. It's better than Fear. The 2 themes of the album are the climate change and the pandemic. Nothing wrong with that. Lot's of people are now buying an electric or hybrid car in Europe. And the pandemic was really a problem the last 2 years. But for me the music is the most important thing. And I really like the songs on the new album. If you don't know the album start with Murder Machines. It's really great.
I actually prefer FEAR as it holds a special place in my soul but this one is right up there with it. Marillion keeps delivering after all these years. Lots of great music in their huge catalog.
I'm one of those old farts that gave up on Marillion a while back. Marbles was the last straw for me, and I haven't bought a Marillion disc since. Brave was the last disc I actually liked. However, your comments make me curious. Perhaps I will give this a listen.
@@TheProgCorner Marillion Weekend is going to be cool. As fate would have it, it's July 1-3, with my 60th birthday being on the 3rd. So I'll be sitting in the balcony of L'Olympia watching my favorite band for 3 nights.
Late to the show but i bought this record yesterday. I am big fish fan but had no album with hogarth. So this is my first with him. I liked and know marbles before but i dont have it in my collection. And to be honest but i expected more. The music is solid/good but nothing more. Hogarths voice doesnt sound that good to me. The production is very good and instrumentation has some very nice moments....but to be honest the lyrics killed it a little bit from me. I wouldnt go so far to say its woke or somekind of but it seems very naive and i think the lyrics wont age well. Overall its a solid album. Not a bad purchase but also not the best. 3/5 for me
Don't Hurt Yourself: pre-woke/neo-Marxism Be Hard On Yourself: post-woke/neo-Marxism Marillion has fully embraced wokeism. Fear & An Hour Before It’s Dark are both neo-Marxist concept albums.
Funny, after 2 listens I still feel like the mix is a bit weak, it never pops. Lyrics are not that smart, it's very arguable. The flow of the album is mediocre, the whole thing doesn't sound coherent, more like a patch of boomer prog sections following each other. Being on the left doesn't mean you can go completely cringe... At one point, just let it go.
The more I listen, the better it gets. That is what I expect from Marillion. "Care" makes me well up every time.
I hear you!!! So good.
Great review - love the thoughtful enthusiasm! :-)
It's really interesting how this is polarising people - there are those who think it's a masterpiece produced by a bunch of guys each at the top of their game, dealing with difficult issues head-on with a fiery passion in a work that could be their best ever... then there are those who see it as dis-jointed, lacking melody, weak on lyrics and musically bereft of any new ideas!
Everyone is right, of course, since music is about what it makes you feel.
I suggest if you've not heard it yet, clear your diary for an hour, put the track listing to one side and sit down with the lights off and the volume up... then see where the journey takes you. Maybe you'll feel disappointed, cheated and angry. Maybe you'll feel uplifted. Maybe you'll fall in love. Maybe you'll cry. I've heard all of these reactions (and felt several of them myself). Either way, people do seem to care a lot about it, so for that reason I think it's an important album.
Thanks again for your review.
Well said. It’s an amazing piece of art.
PS: it's just made number 2 in the UK (and German and Holland) album charts. Not bad for a bunch of guys in their 60s with their 20th (or 19th) studio album!
Not bad at all.
Nice one, Scot! I agree that Mark really gives this a lot of life, which is a good thing. I loved his Marathon, too.
That was a sweet little record. His contribution to this new Marillion feels more substantial for some reason...
That was a spot on review and totally agree best thing since Marbles. It would seem the isolation during Covid really inspired every facet of the band and delivered a much more IMO accessible album than FEAR. As has been said previously Angels On Earth is just beautiful in every way.
And I like it more with each listen…
I do like a positive review and from the bits that I've heard I'm in agreement. Looking forward to a complete listen.
I'm sold!!! (And I don't waste time reviewing records I don't like. Life is way too short for negativity!!!)
Hey Scott.I am late to the Marillion party..at only have F.E.A.R, which I love..Nice review on the new one..You have my attention👍❤..glen
It’s awesome!!!
I've never heard Marillion's music. I'm scared to check them out now as I already have too much great music to listen to. I will though, some day soon.
Good plan. Who needs another band with a twenty album discography to scour over??? It’s a lot of work…
This morning H's podcast The Corona Diaries chapter 97 dropped into my feed. It's a Q&A with fans about the album and in particular the lyrics. It's a great listen and provides an insight into the inspirations and process the band used.
Very cool. I need to check that out!!!
Such a brilliant record, glad you liked it as much as I did Scott!
Yeah, and I am not a super fan of theirs. At all. This one feels special. And timely!!!
It's a monster of an album, and gets bigger and louder with every listen.
It really does!!!
Best channel on UA-cam!!!
Hi Scott. Loved the review. As is usual with a Marillion album, it reveals more to the listener after repeated plays. As a consequence, I think you missed a couple of things on the album, some of which are probably a very British thing, so no real surprise. Added to H's deliberate use of words so that they can have multiple meanings to the listener.
As well as climate change and the pandemic, the other big theme on the album is about relationships between people ending in various ways, including death. For instance, how its possible to 'kill' someone through infidelity. Discovering your significant other in an embrace or kiss with someone else and similar references on the theme peppered throughout the album.
According to H, the line "I've seen the future, it ain't orange, it's green..." was a reference to an old British telecommunication company called Orange. Their adverts tag line was, 'The future's bright, the future's Orange.' In an interview with Rolling Stone Germany the interviewer told Steve that he thought it was a reference to the x-prez, which took H by surprise, he laughed and thought that that was an ever better one.
In the Nightingale and the Crow, it's how Steve sees himself compared to Leonard Cohen as song writers. Cohen is the Nightingale and H is the Crow.
Maintenance drugs was inspired by his friend developing tumours on his spine and having chemo. He told H they were his maintenance drugs. But as you said, Covid is also a theme that runs through the album, so the inference is unsurprising.
Yeah, the more I listen the more I hear all the subtle word play!!!
Wish I would have liked this as much as you, but they lost me after Marbles. I loved that album so much, I went to see them at Bospop in Holland in 2005 - and I live in Chicago. Glad you like it, and I appreciate the enthusiastic review.
Marbles is my favorite Marillion album!!!! Maybe it will “click” for you one day. But hey, I didn’t like Brave for a long time so…
@@TheProgCorner Possibly, it took me 40 years to get into "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"
That was me and Tales From Topographic Oceans!!!!
Great review and I share your enthusiasm.
Yeah, it’s pretty special!!!
Nice review. I haven't stopped listening yet. Sierra Leone is my favourite.
Powerful track!!! I love it.
This is like Scotty Kilmer reviewing albums instead of car mechanics. Nice one mate, love your enthusiasm.
You might be on to something there. Yet I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not!!! I’m actually trying to keep myself in check as I can get a little excited when talking about music…Thank you!!!
the subsections are terrible for the listening experience if on your phone or mp3 player, which usually have normalization turned on, so suddenly, it's louder at the end of the section, and loud again on the beginning of the next section, messes the song up. The solution is to use some software to stick all the parts together and create a new file.
I hear you!!! It’s a bit contrived as I know they did it for the publishing but…
Thought they’d set a bar with FEAR that they’d be struggling to surpass.
But, oh my goodness. Wow! This really is an absolute gem of an album both lyrically & musically. How can the last two albums be streets ahead of all the other H era Marillion material (my opinion that of course)
Theory is: H & Co need “troubled times” for masses of creativity? Just a theory. Brexit gave us FEAR (class album) & Covid19 brings us AHBID, (faultless album, imo)
Hopefully its not WW3 for the hatrick!
It gets better and better!!!
Biffy Clyro in the background...
nice review. I'm not quite on board with this record, as much as you seem to be. But I'm a massive Marillion fan and have my reasons to be a little objective.
I should have a review up this week, but I'm still waiting on my physical copies.
Yeah, I’ve never been a huge fan but I love Clutching, Marbles and Brave. And I think I like this better than FEAR. I defer to your expertise!!! ❤️
@@TheProgCorner well for what it's worth, those are 3 of my top 5 records of theirs.
FEAR I enjoy, but not as much as I wish I do at this point,
@@TheProgCorner Music is extremely subjective . Also our ratings of particular album often change over time
I'm a bit biased but Marillion's least memorable tracks are way better than many bands best !
Fantastic live too .
As this is their 19th album & with H as lead singer for over 30 years ,I wouldn't leave it too long 🎶
Never seen the band live. I’ve heard they’re great.
@@TheProgCorner they are. Hopefully they'll come back over to tour the States in the next couple of years (and avoid going into debt), and youmay get that chance.
Scott what a good review of the new Marillion album. For me it's 9 out of 10 points. It's better than Fear. The 2 themes of the album are the climate change and the pandemic. Nothing wrong with that. Lot's of people are now buying an electric or hybrid car in Europe. And the pandemic was really a problem the last 2 years. But for me the music is the most important thing. And I really like the songs on the new album. If you don't know the album start with Murder Machines. It's really great.
It’s fast becoming my favorite Marillion album!!! Love it!!!
Nice review Scott.My copy is still at the record store
Go get it!!!
Have a feeling this is going to be a very important album!
It really feels important.
An emotional ride of an album.
Absolutely!!!
Good review. Thanks. I haven’t heard it yet.
Yeah, it's pretty awesome!!!
@@TheProgCorner I hope to give it a spin this week.
I actually prefer FEAR as it holds a special place in my soul but this one is right up there with it. Marillion keeps delivering after all these years. Lots of great music in their huge catalog.
FEAR IS A GREAT ALBUM!!!
I'm one of those old farts that gave up on Marillion a while back. Marbles was the last straw for me, and I haven't bought a Marillion disc since. Brave was the last disc I actually liked. However, your comments make me curious. Perhaps I will give this a listen.
Yeah, I’m not a huge fan either but this one is definitely worth a listen!!!
Best yet simple as
Can't wait for Montreal Festival
Super jealous!!!
@@TheProgCorner Marillion Weekend is going to be cool. As fate would have it, it's July 1-3, with my 60th birthday being on the 3rd. So I'll be sitting in the balcony of L'Olympia watching my favorite band for 3 nights.
Nice!!! Should be awesome!!!
fab album that doesnt need to explain very existential
Yeah, I really like it.
Late to the show but i bought this record yesterday. I am big fish fan but had no album with hogarth. So this is my first with him. I liked and know marbles before but i dont have it in my collection.
And to be honest but i expected more. The music is solid/good but nothing more. Hogarths voice doesnt sound that good to me.
The production is very good and instrumentation has some very nice moments....but to be honest the lyrics killed it a little bit from me. I wouldnt go so far to say its woke or somekind of but it seems very naive and i think the lyrics wont age well. Overall its a solid album. Not a bad purchase but also not the best.
3/5 for me
It grew on me!!!
Yes, this album is THAT GOOD! Fo yourself a favor and listen to it
Yes Yes Yes
The Band describe it as their 20th Album.
I guess I was counting Happiness Is The Road as two albums…
They count is as one - plus: Less is More, and With Friends From The Ochestra. Great Review, btw!
Yeah, does that one count? Some bands have very tricky discographies!!! Thank you!!!
musically its a masterpiece lyrically its so niave
Naivety can be beautiful 💕
Because it doesn’t fit with your beliefs? Interesting.
2nd I do like the music, I don't drink the climate change kool-aide.
20 seconds in and I'm done.
Really? With the album or my video??
(👍👍👍)
Don't Hurt Yourself: pre-woke/neo-Marxism
Be Hard On Yourself: post-woke/neo-Marxism
Marillion has fully embraced wokeism. Fear & An Hour Before It’s Dark are both neo-Marxist concept albums.
Yep.
That's a good thing. Better than dopey, narcissistic Trumpism
Very left-leaning but would we expect anything different??? 👍
Marxism never sounded so good 😍
If that’s what it is then maybe I’m a damned Marxist. Who knew??!! ❤️❤️❤️🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
Funny, after 2 listens I still feel like the mix is a bit weak, it never pops. Lyrics are not that smart, it's very arguable. The flow of the album is mediocre, the whole thing doesn't sound coherent, more like a patch of boomer prog sections following each other. Being on the left doesn't mean you can go completely cringe... At one point, just let it go.
I still give the album 5 bags of popcorn and two tiny coffins
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿⚰ ⚰
An excellent rating system!!!