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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Inspired Effort, or Radioactive Waste?, January 24, 2004
3 and 3/4 stars. Marillion's 10th studio album Radiation is an intriguing album for being less intriguing than most of their other albums. It is definately one which will take a few listens and one of those albums where one may really like certain tracks and actually be disappointed in others. No middle ground. One problem here lies in that the album isn't as cohesive as a lot of their other albums, which flow from point A to point B and sound like a cohesive package, an aural journey. Here, Radiation comes off as just a collection of tunes - almost like an album of good B-sides or songs left off the album proper. Don't bother reshuffling the track list either, it won't do much good. That is not to say that the songs are weak, there are still memorable ones, just that it sounds...incomplete or something. Hard to put a finger on it. Another sore point is the blurry production, which actually damages the overall effect of the album in some spots. A shame. One thing must be pointed out, however, that with this album the band made a conscience decision to experiment and break away from a lot of their trademark sounds. They were trying the 'alternative' route while leaving their 'neo-prog' sound behind for newer bands like Arena, Spock's Beard and Grey Lady Down to take and run with. So gone are Rothery's soaring guitar leads, replaced with a more chunky, alternative, grungey twang. Airy synth chords are out, the keyboards are more Beatles and less Genesis this time around. And they want to be Radiohead so bad they can taste it. The album's title should give a clue to that, and they also cover Radiohead's 'Fake Plastic Trees' on the 'These Chains' cd single. If you can handle Marillion trying to sound current and forget all about that Scottish guy with face paint who fronted the band in the 80's, you may want to try this album. Again, the songs are decent but the production and overall flow are somewhat flawed.
The songs: COSTA DEL SLOUGH: sound effects give way to an unexpected one minute acoustic opener with a jazz feel. UNDER THE SUN: an grungey alternative rocker which would have been a hit if they were not Marillion. The guitars are more to the fore here. ANSWERING MACHINE: the only one track here that recalls earlier Marillion circa 'Fugazi' or 'Clutching At Straws' with furious keyboard work and Steve Hogarth's voice sounds as if it was recorded off of the answering machine. THREE MINUTE BOY: usual Marillion lyrical fare about some young person(s) caught up in the world of fame and fortune and being unprepared for the downside of it all. Not a bad track, but done better on earlier albums like 'Brave'. Goes on a bit longer than it should. NOW SHE'LL NEVER KNOW: an acoustic track mixed so low on the album that you have to turn the stereo up pretty high to hear it, and even then there's that muddy production! It's hard to get into this plain, reflective track for those reasons. It's a track that's almost not even there on the album. THESE CHAINS: a Beatles-ish track which is a definate keeper, with a rather orchestral, organic feel. Here is where the album succeeds. Also released as a single. BORN TO RUN: Marillion try another experimant- doing a slow blues song. Blues isn't a direction they're known for but the bluesy guitar leads and the shimmering organ actually work for them more than some may care to admit. All they needed was Bob Seger to sing it. CATHEDRAL WALL: again, that blurry, fuzzy production. Otherwise, this is a strong 90's Marillion track not out of place amongst material from 1995's 'Afraid Of Sunlight'. Towards the end they start cranking up the agression, but then it stops dead. Too bad. A FEW WORDS FOR THE DEAD: a closing track in the atmospheric direction they were going with in the 90's, fading out with an anthemic theme which perhaps has Steve Hogarth not knowing when to stop singing and letting the music drift off tastefully without him. The spaces in between the vocals can make the vocals stronger when they do come in. there are two bonus tracks, an acoustic version of 'Estonia' as well as a remix of 'Memory Of Water', which is superior to the original on their previous album 'This Strange Engine'.
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