Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent musicianship, pleasant, melodic songs., 29 Nov 2000
By A Customer
Having disbanded for a short period to explore solo projects, Marillion got back together to record 1997's 'This Strange Engine'. Recent solo albums by singer Steve Hogarth and guitarist Steve Rothery, both very acoustically based, clearly had an effect on the new Marillion album. It is acoustically based (which I love) and is certainly Marillion's most easy listening record. Many fans seem to hate this album because it is softer, does not challenge the listener or make any adventurous leap forward and it does contain one or two average pop songs. I, however, am very happy to defend it. 'Man of a Thousand Faces', 'One Fine Day', 'Estonia', 'Eighty Days', 'Accidental Man' and the epic title track are all good songs. The album is let down by poorer tracks 'Memory of Water' and 'Hope for the Future', because they do not rise above average pop (something we have not come to expect from Marillion). On the whole, though, 'This Strange Engine' is the best album by the band since 'Brave' (still nowhere near as good as that masterpiece) and would not look out of place in the music collection of any fan of "musicianship pop". Definitely not an album for fans of Marillion only, but unfortunately people who would not consider themselves Marillion fans (ironically the audience at which this album was clearly aimed) will not be reading this. With a little help from their friends at Radio 1, this album could have put Marillion back in the pop charts where they belong and there are certainly a few tracks on here that would have been perfect singles.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another thoughtful, at times beautiful, album by Marillion., 10 Nov 2000
Many Marillion fans claim to hate this album, largely down to its softer feel. Yes it is largely acoustic, but how can genuine fans have a problem with that? It is just another example of the versatility of Steve Rothery. TSE is an album with Steve Hogarth at his most accessible as a songwriter to listeners unfamiliar with Marillion: Man of a Thousand Faces is one of Hogarth's cleverest songs lyrically; One Fine Day is an optimistic dream of a perfect world; Estonia is a catchy and beautiful song about lives lost in a catastrophic accident (with the lyric "No one leaves you when they live in your heart and mind") and many critics of the album will still acquiesce that the titletrack is Marillion at their finest. Okay, Accidental Man and Hope for the Future are really just lightweight pop songs and Memory of Water is odd to the point of embarrassing, but these shouldn't obscure the rest of the songs on this album. TSE really highlights how sadly ignored Marillion have become. Fans of the band are not sad - they simply appreciate high quality musicianship and songs with often beautifully considered lyrics. In my opinion, TSE has its fair share of candidates for a Steve Hogarth era Marillion compilation. A pop album of sorts, in an easy listening, accessible way rather than commercially orientated and tacky.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn't do it for me, 15 Jun 2003
I love Marillion, Fish and Hogarth stuff alike. However, This Strnge Engine just doesn't do it for me at all. I found most of the songs little better thanb average and some of the music frankly boring. I was so disappointed with this album and after a number of listens it didn't get any better. In fact for a long time it put me off buying the later albums Radiation and Marillion.com which were both a huge improvement. A rare blip in my opinion.
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