Marillion Album: “The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)”

I have always admired Marillion's live albums because of their intensity, and among them The Thieving Magpie is probably the best. It shows how a band can transform studio music into a true expression of the human soul. It shows that it is possible to enhance perfection.

All of the bands member perform at their best, seamlessly adding strength and warmth to the music. Their level of energy and coordination is untypical of live performances. I particularly enjoy Ian Mosley's faster and unrestrained drumming, as well as Fish's voice which adds tremendous sensuality to the music. I have to admit that because the album is a compilation of several performances there are some discrepancies in the sound quality. However I don't think this is reason enough not to give this masterpiece a five star rating.

The selection of songs in the first disc contains some of Marillion's best. My personal favorites are Slainte Mhath, Fugazi and Script for a Jester's Tear. If you are already familiar with the studio songs you will undoubtedly be blown away by their emotional live versions. The second disc contains an equally intense and complete live performance of Misplaced Childhood that sounds even more natural than the original album.

The Thieving Magpie was Fish's last performance with the band. They were never the same after that and probably never will. It's a farewell to one of music's finest bands and as such is hard to listen to it and not feel that they have left and empty space that may never be filled again.

I thought that no Live Prog Rock album could ever equal Genesis' "Seconds Out" until Marillion produced this amazing piece of work. The first CD draws from various "Clutching at Straws" tracks and some older songs (for example "Freaks", "Punch and Judy" and "Fugazi"). The second CD is, oh my God thank you!, the ENTIRE "Misplaced Childhood" album Live from start to finish. 40 minutes of uninterrupted breath-taking playing. Countless Live albums have been produced over the years but this one is special. It is there to remind us of everything that was good about Progressive Rock. This album is truly a masterpiece for all times!

It is often very hard for bands as complex and textured as Marillion to come across well live. This is not the case here. All the tracks carry the power, emotion, and complexity that the studio versions do and in some cases(He Knows You Know for one) exceed the studio versions. Fish's voice sounds grand and the overall mix is teriffic. It certainly ranks as one of the great live recordings, but not, as Bizzbuzz suggests, the greatest. For one, Genesis's "Seconds Out" is recorded even better, and easily matches the power of this collection. Still this is a great collection and should be part of any Marillion fans collection.

Move over" Queen "Live Killers", Genesis "Seconds Out", Rush "Exit stage Left," Nugent "Double Live Gonzo", Zep "Song Remains the Same" Rust Never Sleeps I could go on for a bit but they all have been bumped down a notch. I'm in complete amazement on how overlooked Marillion is especially here in the good ol US brained washed by idioctic press of America. This album is sooooo freakin good I can not even start to pick a favorite song ( although Fugazi is increditable). Steve Rothery is the most underated guitar player on the planet earth period and the whole bands just plays with such feelings, emotions and with such a perfect live sound. Buy this album, rip it , borrow it, I will go short of saying steal it, it is absolutely/positively must have. I'm starting a Pratt and Whitney third shift Marillion fan club because all my co workers hear it and first say who is this Genesis I say nope better and it goes from there give them a burned disc to listen either this of clutching at straws and then hooked line and sinker. The response is usually "I can't stop listening to them" Maybe someday they will get a wee bit of the respect they deserve. Amazing, wonderful not sure what other word can throw in there. WOW

If you grew up in 80s listening Pimk Floyd , Genesis, Dire Straights, and many others this is cd for you Fish and Marrillion is simply marvelous, here I just want to say that Marrillion without Fish simply does not exists, songs like Kally, Fugazi, White Russians and many others simply blow you away you must simply love this album besides it is live version,which is even better, this music is simply hard to come these days, I own a version that is import because it was made in Holland , and I am glad that you can still actually buy these stuff, I am kind of disapointed that Marrillion still exists and Fish is not there, so to summarize I just want to say that this a must own for any fan of Marrillion and Marrillion like.