THIS STRANGE ENGINE

After I have found Marbles excellent I am somehow going through all post-fish era albums and I have to tell I am very much surprised by this one. I remember at the time it appeared I did not like it and actually it was the last album I listened to of Marillion till Marbles. And now I must take back some of my conclusions I made concerning Marillion. Still, I think that Seasons end is more on the side of former 'Fish" band, Holidays in eden is a crises where echoes already had vanished and new sounds did not come yet, Brave is the beginning of the new era, but for me very very sentimental, Afraid of sunlight is pretty good, but not excellent. But with the Strange engine, I think, they found finally their new own style, not as angry and ironic as with Fish, not as sad and sentimental as early SH albums but instead, a really fresh and lighty music charged with positive energy and ideas. I do not mind that you can hear here some influence of Genesis, Hammill, and (?)Talk talk (estonia), it is still very original and unique. If you like the Ladder of Yes, I recommend it highly to you. I still have no idea what was between this one and Marbles, but surely, now i am looking forward to it.