At the time of the
release of 'Clutching At Straws', little did I know it spelled the end
of an era, the end of Marillion as I knew it. I was clueless to all the
problems and animosity within the band which lead to the spiteful split between
Fish on one side and Steve, Mark, Pete and Ian on the other. Decent record
sales and successful tours couldn't prevent the end, instead it probably
increased the gap between the band members even quicker and more ferociously.
When I listened to the
album for the first time I was thrilled by the rockier edge to the song 'Incommunicado',
as well as the heartbreaking frustration and rejection of 'Sugar Mice'.
You can call it a slight return to the Marillion of old, if you will. Fish is
wearing his heart and emotions on his sleeves, having written some of his most
candid lyrics to date. Musically the band are pushing themselves to a fantastic
performance that elegantly enhances the pain, the brief hope and broken dreams
the lyrics portray.
Bleak and paranoid, 'Hotel
Hobbies' starts off slow and in a reflective mood. Torch, the main
character of the album - Fish perhaps? - is pondering over his destructive ways
but is getting none the wiser. A brief burst halfway through could be a moment
of hope but after Rothery's brilliant solo, ineptitude rears it's ugly head
again, leaving our leading man in the hardship of another oncoming failed
day. 'Warm Wet Circles' is
reminiscent, going way back in time, thinking about life before moving away
from your home town. What life is for those who stayed behind while you tried
to make it...as well as the awkwardness you feel going back to your old haunts realizing things are still the same. A gut-wrenching solo from Steve! Again,
the partnership of Mosley and Trewavas elegantly works as the band's heart
beat. The thumping of Pete's bass guitar while Ian softly rides the hi-hat
allows Torch to rack his brain, coming to the realization that he probably is
just like the guys who remained but worse off. Despite his making it, he has
really gotten nowhere which pushes him to the breaking point. The amazing Tessa
Niles was brought in to add vocals and lifts the song to uncharted territory.
Omitted from the original vinyl version, 'Going Under' is a short
haunting mainly acoustic song, where our main man's mental state is at the
throes of breaking apart completely. He is fully aware of this and is seriously
contemplating leaving this world. An upbeat keyboard piece by Mark Kelly kick
starts 'Just For The Record', bringing some hope for Torch. Still, it's
about the typical self-deception of an addict who, in the midst of the ultimate
high, believes he can kick anything, get back on track and come out of this on
top. A strong, cold wind blows in while the band builds up the atmosphere in
this sinister composition. Lyrically, it's the odd one out since it deals with
neo-nazism and very little about Torch. Remember, this was recorded in 1987 but
is more poignant than ever since that movement is on an alarming rise in Europe
right now. Torch's contribution is his observation of this and his decision to
do nothing at all...but get more drugs to shy away any piece of responsibility.
Lifting the mood
considerably, 'Incommunicado' is as stomping a rocker as Marillion ever
will be. Torch is on a high, in all senses of the word, seeing himself on top
of the world. All his problems are gone and he is back on the winning team
again. It all comes crashing down for him in 'Torch Song'. Laughter and
the opening of a bottle initiates the song as he brutally realizes nothing has
changed. He is still knee deep in his addiction which is gradually killing him.
But he doesn't care since life as he knows it is nothing but misery, so why
bother any more? 'Burn a little brighter now...'. Just listen to the
beginning of 'Slainte Mhath'! Ian and Pete are again portraying the
heartbeat and nerves that are standing on edge; Steve's amazing picking on the
guitar soars on top as Mark creates dreamy, emotive atmospheres. Set in a full
blown war where soldiers are needlessly killed, Fish used this as an allegory
for how Thatcher's politics demoralized and ruined the shipping industry in
Scotland. As part of the story of Torch it represents his hopelessness with his
ailing health and mind. One of my all time favourite Marillion songs ever, 'Sugar
Mice' might be a bit on the commercial side, but it is one of the most
heartbreaking lyrics Fish has ever written. Forced to look for work abroad due
to the expansive lay-offs Thatcher's rule over the UK caused, an exiled man
sees his relationship crumble and fall while trying to make ends meet. Steve Rothery
plays one of his greatest solos here...nuff said! 'The Last Straw' is
the last song on 'Clutching At Straws' and it carries a very fitting
title, indeed. While hard at work, Torch's eyes are opened up to whom he really
is and what he has become. And more importantly it finally dawns on him that he
has lost. His addiction has won and there is only one way to go. Tessa Niles is
back for this one and her duels with Fish are bar to none and adds so much
power to the song. Fading out is 'Happy Ending' which is someone yelling
"No" followed by some crazed laughter. It is listed as a song but
really isn't.
Hindsight is always
twenty-twenty no matter how you look at things. So in regards to this
magnificent album with all the craziness surrounding the creation of it, and
even more the climax after it's release, all the signs of the inner turmoil
within the Marillion camp that I was oblivious to are present in virtually
every sentence sung. Perhaps that realization has made 'Clutching At Straws'
an even better album in my eyes, as the years have rolled by. I don't know,
however I do know that despite all the anger and hostility the guys went
through, they created a near-perfect goodbye for Fish. After all, this classic
line-up of the band ended on the highest note possible.
- Swedebeast
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