Marillion Album: “Happiness Is The Road: Essence Vol. 1”

This is Marillion's 15th album, in their 30th year as a band. If you've ever been to a concert by a band that old, you'll remember that the crowd goes crazy for the old classics, and heads for the bar for a drink the second someone says "this is a song from our new album."

Marillion is the exception to that rule. Especially ths year. I can't recall a new album getting so much praise from the fans, and I can guarantee people are waiting eagerly to hear this new material live.

But at the same time, this is (yet again) different than anything they've done before. The sound this time is lush and rich, with gorgeous keyboards from Mark Kelly. Steve Hogarth's lyrics are deeply personal, dealing with his newfound ability to seize a moment and not live in the past or the future. Fans of Steve Rothery's heroic guitar will find moments to enjoy, too, although he spends just as much time being part of the soundscape rather than playing above it. That, to me, is the great strength here - all the sounds are working together, and the result is breathtaking. Michael Hunter's production deserves some kind of award.

The first disc, Essence, draws from all kinds of influences. There are Pink Floydian moments, soul moments, reggae moments, Vangelis moments... it's a strange journey. But it's coherent, sweet, and inspiring. Very highly recommended for any fan of rock music that reaches higher than a back beat and a cool riff.

I have not heard Marillion sound better.

I have had my two cents rolling around in my pocket for the last few months and have decided it's time to share the wealth. This year marks my 23rd year in the Marillion fold. There have been very few low moments in this relationship. We keep going because this band has integrity, and you know it. I have given myself 2 months to absord this release. I was lucky enough to order if a year in advance and get the whole thing at once. I simply can't fault this band for not relying on formula everytime the go in the studio. They have been trying to break the shakles of the "progressive" label for many years now and for good reason. This is not a progressive rock band, rather a band that contains that element PLUS many other elements. I don't believe any person can listen to this once or twice and cast judgement. This has to be absorbed. Tote it around with you for a month and then make a decision. I find this to be haunting and beautiful. It has a dud or two... Most discs do. A band tends to absorb itself in it's current creation and often missed the flaws when all is said and done. That being said, this one reached me and continues to reach me. Once person said that in order to appreciate this album, you must listen to it in one take. I disagree. Although I do believe this is the BEST way to appreciate it, I found that after going through it all at once about 3 times, breaking it up into individual songs allowed the whole to be more cohesive.

No need to go on here. If you are a fan of this band, you should appreciate this one, it's special. I DON'T suggest you give this one to a Marillion virgin, this one is for us, the lifers.

In a year or so I can see myself boosting this review to 5 stars. Enjoy them while you can, it can't go on forever. After they are gone, you will have your Spocks Beards and the like who create the same album over and over.

Marillion's latest endeavour involves a 2 volume set, the first of which is "Essence". This volume is the more mellow of the two and apparently is based around Steve Hogarth's visit to a doctor in Utrecht, Netherlands back on the last tour, after he was suffering from exhaustion. Instead of prescribing drugs, the doctor suggested a certain book to read and to focus on the present, while not worrying about the past or future. Sounds heavy, right?

"This Train Is My Life" is classic Marillion and quite an enjoyable way to begin the CD after the short piano piece, "Dreamy Street". Each song here runs into one another and has a real jam-like vibe and improvised quality to it. There are great atmospheric sounds that pervade thoughout "Wrapped Up In Time", "Liquidity" and "Trap The Spark", while (dare I say it) a soulful Marillion carries "Nothing Fills The Hole".

The real gem of this CD is the title track, which begins in true Marillion form - just keys and Hogarth carrying it along...although somewhat mumbling at times. The song suddenly moves into a great reggae feel once the band kicks in. Yes, you've heard me now say soul and reggae during this review....are you sure this is Marillion? Yes it is...a more mature Marillion indeed. After this fantastic track comes to an end, the band decided to include a hidden track (Half-Full Jam) which brings Volume 1 to a satisfying conclusion.

Is it the best thing they've ever done? No. However I'm happy to say that although Volume 1 has a concept attached to it, the CD sounds nothing like Marbles or Brave. It is its own entity and you have to love the band for that.

Marillion is in an enviable position: they have no record label telling them what to do. Thus, in their own wisdom, they just make the records they want, whatever happens during the recording process. This time they have created enough material for 2 separate and distinct releases, both titled HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD: ESSENCE (Volume 1) and THE HARD SHOULDER (Volume 2). ESSENCE is the moodier of the two, full of the great emotional sort of music Marillion can make. If there is a theme, it's about life and living.

In "This Train Is My Life," Steve Hogarth comments on the speed of modern life, singing "This train is my life, Speeding through the night, We have been to these places, For barely a moment." In "Essence" he implores us to "Get out of here, Get out while you can, Choose life, strive for essence." Marillion is certainly the thinking man's band. But rather than being preachy, Hogarth's lyrics are observational. The band has been around the world numerous times and they are still here, after many other bands have succumbed to the excesses and distress of being in a band. In "Happiness Is The Road," H implores that "Happiness ain't at the end of the road, Happiness IS the road." Indeed. Highly recommended for fans old & new. (c) 2008 Michael Bettine

For more than 20 years now that Marillion is my favourite band, surviving many years ago from the change of a great lead singer and always keeping their sound actual but with a trademark easily recognised by any fan. Plus, you feel the passion with which they still work on any new album and that means a lot.

Yet, between the late 90's until the release of Marbles in 2004, they produced some albums that - although having always songs at their best level in each one of them, didn't reach the level they were able to put out in the past. With a discography of already 15 original albums, I know that it would be impossible to enjoy all at the same level but I was not sure what to expect with this double-album. Now, enjoying the 2 volumes of "Happiness Is the Road" as I do, I must apologise Marillion for all the previous question-marks. They were truly inspired for releasing so many songs and they were able to produce another work I put on my top of preferences.

The opening song for all this is very quiet, basically with Kelly's piano and Hogarth's voice, but then comes "This Train is my Life" and you immediately feel that this got to be a great album. Plus, if you love as I do the sound from Steven Rothery's guitar, this track marks the debut for many spectacular moments of it throughout the album.

The 2 volumes are highly homogeneous, both on a same level of quality, and I will only mention on volume I Essence the superb and discrete song in the middle "Nothing Fills the Hole" and, on volume II The Hard Shoulder, the 2 epics from the space, "The Man from the Planet Marzipan" and "Asylum Satellite #1", always the sort of songs hard to resist for any Marillion hard-fan.