ANORAKNOPHOBIA

This is (Marillion in) the 21st century: poppy and modern, without losing sight of sophistication and depth. Anoraknophobia continues the musical discourse the band had started on the previous couple of records, where Marillion had almost completely abandoned the neoprog sound of their origins, in favour of a more compact and accessible alternative pop/rock with progressive leanings. Anoraknophobia pushes further in this direction, with the band experimenting with drum loops and sound effects within eight songs that, despite their average length of about 8 minutes, rely on pretty simple and standard structures and never venture too far into progressive wizardry.

Although prog aficionados (particularly those nostalgic of the Fish-era's Marillion) may not find much to enthuse over this record, Anoraknophobia is an enjoyable album that flows away easily and pleasantly throughout its 64 minutes. The songs contain plenty of melodic hooks, majestically delivered by an inspired Steve Hogarth, while the rest of the band build elaborate atmospheric soundscapes, where Mark Kelly's keyboards and Steve Rothery's ever so tasteful guitar licks are particularly noteworthy. In a few places, Marillion appear eager to experiment with modern sounds, like in the semi-rapped mid-section of "Quartz", in the sampled extravaganza of the rockier "Separated Out", or in "This Is the 21st Century", which is built around an insistent electronic drum loop that relegates drummer Ian Mosley to the background for most of the song. But, for the most part, the band stick to the type of lush, expansive melodic pop-rock that has often characterized the Hogarth-era's Marillion.

In a few places, the album reaches high quality levels. "When I Meet God" is a beautiful, dark and emotional ballad characterized by a sublime verse and a poignant chorus. "This Is the 21st Century" is another high point, also in terms of lyrics as Hogarth muses about the loss of mystery in a modernized, technological world. "If My Heart Were a Ball?" closes the album is style with a monumental crescendo that perhaps arrives a tad too late, as I wish the track were a couple of minutes shorter. The other tracks are pleasant, but do not reach the level of these three songs. And, in truth, there are a couple of songs that I tend to skip when I put on this album, like the poppy "Map of the World", which is plagued by a rather insipid chorus melody, or the long and repetitive "The Fruit of the Wild Rose", which builds and builds without ever reaching a satisfying climax.

Overall, Anoraknophobia does not reach the quality levels of other Marillion's masterpiece albums, like the follow-up releases Marbles, but it is certainly better than some of the band's weaker efforts, like the predecessor "Marillion.com". "When I Meet God" and "This Is the 21st Century" are classic Marillion tracks that are highlights of the band's discography, and the album is worth a spin only for those tracks alone. The rest flows away somewhat inconspicuously, but pleasantly enough to keep the listener interested and entertained for the most part.