To throw that honor out there is saying a lot. It's saying that now, in late May, I have already declared my pick for album of 2001. It is saying a lot but I don't regret it. Three reasons:

- this is my favorite band and I'm going to be a little biased when a new album from them is released

- the music is incredible
... and three...

- they deserve it.

Friends, I bring to your attention Marillion. Formed in late 1979 under the name Silmarillion (the sil was cut quick due to copyright infringement) the band saw its first full release in 1983 with Script for A Jester's Tear. And that will be the last thing I mention about pre-Hogarth (vocalist)Marillion.

Why do you ask? Not that pre-Hogarth Marillion is bad, though I do personally like the work he's on (1989's Season's End on) better, but its this older Marillion that non-fans seem to remember them for. Their only major commercial hit was "Kayleigh" and "Lavender" off of their 3rd album Misplaced Childhood in 1985(ok, I lied about that whole "last thing I mention thing").After that, people just stopped listening, thinking the band had faded into away...

How wrong they were.

The band with original singer Fish saw one more release in 1987 called Clutching at Straws before the hefty Scot jumped ship in 1988. In 1989, Steve Hogarth joined as vocalist and lyricist for their 5th release Season's End. Since then, they have released seven LPs, live albums and other exclusives available through their fanclub "The Web".

Anoraknophobia is their 12th studio LP. This album is the result of a lot of love from both the band and their true fans. The band took a chance last year and asked its fans if they were asked to pre-buy the disc before it was EVEN MADE to help cover costs of manufacturing and recording, would they do it? An overwhelming 12,000+ fans (including this one) said yes and the wheels were in motion.

I own the limited edition that was only made for those who pre-purchased the album. It's got bonus writings, a bonus disc and more love. I say love because this band and its fans are more than your average band/fan bond; each is an extention of another, almost like a very very large family. It really is a special thing.

But now, after all of that, I'll talk about the album. What is there to say? Marillion has melded many different styles, from rock to pop to dub and more and have been able to shape this 8 song (not including the bonuses on the ltd. edition) release into a masterpiece.

The first song "Between You and Me" will feel very familiar to fans of their 1995 Afraid of Sunlight LP as both albums share the same producer in Dave Meegan. It's a good rocking tune that is a perfect opener.

Then the mood shifts. Track two "Quartz" took a few days to grow on me but once it did, it was for life. This song will garner the most comparisons to bands like Massive Attack and that's not a bad thing. The song is stylish and hip with some great drumming by Ian Mosley but it still has the overall feel of a Marillion song.

The third track "Map of the World" would definitely be my pick for a radio song. Co-written by Steve Hogarth's friend Nick Van Eede with a very sing-along quality to it. About a girl whose dream is to travel the world over and the everyday struggle of shutting out the demons of unneccesary spending, I can relate very well with this one.

Tracks four and five, "When I Meet God" and "Fruit of the Wild Rose" are about nine minutes each but you won't notice it. The harmonics in "...God" and the smooth basswork of Pete Trewavas in "...Wild Rose" help to make you forget that these songs aren't as short as most of what's out there today.

The sixth track "Separated Out" would be my pick as my least favorite song, but its still a good tune. Very rocking, very straightforward but when compared to the rest of the album it's just not as strong.

Track seven, "This is the 21st Century" by contrast however would most certainly be my pick for the best damn song... well, ever. This is Marillion's first stab at a drum loop and it runs through about 3/4 of the song's 11 minutes. It's consistency gives the listener something that almost lulls them into a trance like state while guitarist Steve Rothery continues to amaze with his simple yet precise musicianship and Keyboardist Mark Kelly helps finish the job. This song is beautiful, a tune dealing with about where we are, what we have been led to believe and what the future holds. And no matter how depressed you might be when you put this on the CD player, you cannot help but feel more hopeful about the world once its over. It's that good.

The disc concludes with "If My Heart Were A Ball It Would Roll Uphill". A long title but another fine song. This one shifts a bunch of times, going from rocking to slow and somber and back. It's a great ending and helps to pull everything into place.

Well this has to have been my longest review ever. But when you're dealing with something as important as this band is to me you don't get stingy with your words. Very few bands out there make you feel like it all means something, that they're not just a bunch of people up on a stage playing music. Marillion and its fans are a family, not in the conventional sense of the word but somewhere along those lines. However, unlike a lot of your conventional families, this one will always have room for one more.


Recommended: Yes