Clutching At Straws (studio album)
by Marillion

This could become my favourite Marillion album of both the Fish and Hogarth eras. The keyboards on here are awesome with some amazing Mini Moog soloing particularly on Incommunicado. I can see this album standing up among such masterpieces as Genesis Selling England by the Pound and Yes Close to the Edge. Yes, I am serious. It probably won't happen until Marillion call it a day completely which probably won't be long now based on the recent concert I wasted my money on. I used to admire Hogarth but not after the last concert where he could hardly string a sentence together he was so pissed on stage... when someone walks on stage with a cricket bat with some electronics fitted which seem to do absolutely nothing, then that is time to call it a day I think...

This album has grown on me because I was starting to come of age in the late 80s and felt very depressed and the album spoke to me a bit...I didnt really fit in because I liked a little bit of everything....tried to get friends and family into this band but it took so long....

Honestly. this album continues to grow on me the older I get. It's easily one of the greatest prog albums of all time, as well as one of my favorite albums of any genre.

100/100

From oiche 10/23/2020 20:26 | #259669

A solid album. Would just add for trivia interest that the bar on the sleeve is the Beer House, Colchester, UK. I've had many a good night in there but the bar has been closed a few years now. The picture was originally of the locals with the band pictures superimposed over the top. One of the guys at the back of the bar was a friends father and a good friend of mine.

Excellent album from Marillion, my second favourite by the band (behind Misplaced Childhood). Fish's vocals were perfect on this record. Fav tracks : Warm wet circles, slainth math, sugar mice and the last straw.

The last Fish vocal Marillion album and although very good, at the time it did not have the impact the first three albums had on me. I was gutted when Fish left (they were the first band I saw live - Real to Reel tour - and my favourites at the time) but listening now I think you can hear things were changing...shame neither Fish nor Marillion were as good afterwards.

From discojets1 12/24/2016 16:48 | #180900

In my opinion they improved their sound immensely from Misplaced Childhood. Its more progressive and less poppy. Steve Rothery is fantastic on this album. Fish voice sounds very reminiscent of Peter Gabriel during the Genesis on this album. Very ethereal and dreamy, nice 80s synth and guitar sound.

Again an impressive beginning with that epic-sounding feel. Always liked 'Torch Song'.

I think it's a slight improvement over Misplaced Childhood, but by this point it was clear that the band was taking a far more "adult-oriented" and less proggy direction. The direction's certainly not a bad thing, but I think the band lost some of its energy and power along the way. The first two Marillion albums are melodic, deep, yet also very powerful. This one...well, it's up and down. It's a little too soft on the whole. With that said, the opening 3 tracks are stellar, and White Russian gives me that Fugazi vibe I've been looking for.