After 30 odd years and 20 albums many bands are just riding the wave, playing jukebox, retrospective shows and half decent new albums as an excuse to go out and tour. Few bands are releasing quality, few bands are still writing and recording some of the best music of their career, but then few bands are Marillion. A fiercely independent act always, trends often bypass the band, they write and play what they want however they want. Having been at the forefront of the crowdfunding revolution, they are now given their rightful status at the highest echelon of the British prog scene. Now many acts would rest on their laurels but as I said many are not Marillion so following on from 2016’s F*** Everyone And Run (F E A R), which was quite rightly hailed as a masterpiece, the band have released their 20th studio album An Hour Before It’s Dark.
As its predecessor was the dark, this record is the light, feeling much more upbeat musically, though lyrically still broaching difficult topics, it ultimately is about hope, the lyrics reflecting on old wounds and the passing of time, along with the crazy state of affairs in the world, but with an optimism that if we show some unity we can bring back the balance towards what is good. Like with the previous album four of the songs here are segmented into parts, allowing them to unfurl naturally and create their own identity. Be Hard On Yourself is what gets us going on this 20th studio release and it’s a propellant effort, with a driving bassline from Pete Trewavas and insistent drumming from Ian Mosley, shifting through various motions as the theatrical vocals of Steve Hogarth draw you in to An Hour Before It’s Dark’s first optimistic track. Having heard this on their tour late last year, it carries as much wow factor as then, but as H himself said giddily, it’s not even the best song on the record.
There is a song here that could possibly be the best Marillion have ever produced, which is the wonderfully evocative Care, which closes the record with majesty. But overall, An Hour Before It’s Dark oozes quality, every Steve Rothery power chord, melodic phase and shining solo is a gift, Trewavas’ bass lines are an independent entity but also anchor what’s going on while Mosley’s drumming is expressive and bright. Having been produced at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, like the preceding record, it sounds wonderful, the right mix of analogue warmth and technological trickery. Murder Machines is an excellent single for the album, H singing "I put my arms around her and killed her with love" so tenderly but powerfully, the lyrics here dealing with lockdowns and isolation, along with relationships.
Mark Kelly's piano and synths drive the emotional The Crow And The Nightingale, a beautiful dark piece of balladry that is so associated with modern day Marillion, awash with lush soundscapes and introspection. It's simply beautiful as the first slow, flowing number on the album, a real tribute to Marillions use of tone and pace as it cascades into another brilliant Rothery solo to close out. Definitely this albums Pink Floyd moment. Reprogram The Gene meanwhile is a clarion call ending with the lyric "let's all be friends" its' yet again inspiring unity, a simple message but a complicated musical palette. Sierra Leone yet again brings more lyrical and vocal brilliance from H, weaving a tale against the sublime playing, it's almost dreamlike, drifting through it's 5 parts, as the mood fluxuates, although the whimsical style of the track comes through on all parts.
As I've said the idea of optimism is pertinent to An Hour Before It's Dark, it comes through ll on every song all the way until the stirring finale. The last song is of course Care, which I mentioned earlier and is not only this albums best cut, but one of the bands best songs period. The opening sets the tone with some whispered vocals, a full wall of keys/synths and some funky bass riffage, as we segue into the second part of the song which is actually the title track, I guess, repeating bleeps and some cascading drums, bring fourth part 3 which is mostly just a hair raising guitar solo. Marillion leave us with the final part of Care, a cathartic, explosion of sentiment and warmth, reminding you to seek out the good as the choral backing swells into the ethereal realms. These choirs come in the beginning, middle and end giving the record some continuity.
This is a magnificent record from a band that are influential, incisive and incredible. While F*** Everyone And Run (F E A R) was born in darkness, An Hour Before It's Dark is a journey towards the light. Perfect. 10/10
As its predecessor was the dark, this record is the light, feeling much more upbeat musically, though lyrically still broaching difficult topics, it ultimately is about hope, the lyrics reflecting on old wounds and the passing of time, along with the crazy state of affairs in the world, but with an optimism that if we show some unity we can bring back the balance towards what is good. Like with the previous album four of the songs here are segmented into parts, allowing them to unfurl naturally and create their own identity. Be Hard On Yourself is what gets us going on this 20th studio release and it’s a propellant effort, with a driving bassline from Pete Trewavas and insistent drumming from Ian Mosley, shifting through various motions as the theatrical vocals of Steve Hogarth draw you in to An Hour Before It’s Dark’s first optimistic track. Having heard this on their tour late last year, it carries as much wow factor as then, but as H himself said giddily, it’s not even the best song on the record.
There is a song here that could possibly be the best Marillion have ever produced, which is the wonderfully evocative Care, which closes the record with majesty. But overall, An Hour Before It’s Dark oozes quality, every Steve Rothery power chord, melodic phase and shining solo is a gift, Trewavas’ bass lines are an independent entity but also anchor what’s going on while Mosley’s drumming is expressive and bright. Having been produced at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, like the preceding record, it sounds wonderful, the right mix of analogue warmth and technological trickery. Murder Machines is an excellent single for the album, H singing "I put my arms around her and killed her with love" so tenderly but powerfully, the lyrics here dealing with lockdowns and isolation, along with relationships.
Mark Kelly's piano and synths drive the emotional The Crow And The Nightingale, a beautiful dark piece of balladry that is so associated with modern day Marillion, awash with lush soundscapes and introspection. It's simply beautiful as the first slow, flowing number on the album, a real tribute to Marillions use of tone and pace as it cascades into another brilliant Rothery solo to close out. Definitely this albums Pink Floyd moment. Reprogram The Gene meanwhile is a clarion call ending with the lyric "let's all be friends" its' yet again inspiring unity, a simple message but a complicated musical palette. Sierra Leone yet again brings more lyrical and vocal brilliance from H, weaving a tale against the sublime playing, it's almost dreamlike, drifting through it's 5 parts, as the mood fluxuates, although the whimsical style of the track comes through on all parts.
As I've said the idea of optimism is pertinent to An Hour Before It's Dark, it comes through ll on every song all the way until the stirring finale. The last song is of course Care, which I mentioned earlier and is not only this albums best cut, but one of the bands best songs period. The opening sets the tone with some whispered vocals, a full wall of keys/synths and some funky bass riffage, as we segue into the second part of the song which is actually the title track, I guess, repeating bleeps and some cascading drums, bring fourth part 3 which is mostly just a hair raising guitar solo. Marillion leave us with the final part of Care, a cathartic, explosion of sentiment and warmth, reminding you to seek out the good as the choral backing swells into the ethereal realms. These choirs come in the beginning, middle and end giving the record some continuity.
This is a magnificent record from a band that are influential, incisive and incredible. While F*** Everyone And Run (F E A R) was born in darkness, An Hour Before It's Dark is a journey towards the light. Perfect. 10/10
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