SOMEWHERE ELSE

Well, here I am debating whether or not buying Happiness is the Road... I've been a fan of Marillion since the Incommunicado days and I own all of their albums plus some of their live recordings and DVDs. Yes, my name is on Anoraknophobia, which didn't fulfill me, and on Marbles, which is high on my Top 100 out of some 1000 CDs. Everytime I listen to Marbles I embark on a satisfying journey through different emotions, and as the last notes of Neverland fade away I feel emotionally drained but refreshed... So, what's the story with Somewhere Else? I bought it when it was launched, but I remember playing it once ot twice and strangely, the only thing I felt then was the urge to take the CD out of the stereo and spend the little free time I have listening to Something Else... Last week I gave it another chance. It happens to me that for some albums I need them to sink into the subconscious after 1 or 2 first frustrating listens, only to be happilly surprised next time I listened to them, which can be months later. Well, I must confess that I turned the stereo off after Most Toys... Life is way too short and money too scarce to be a completionist. This album lacks what Marbles shines on: emotion, soul, passion. The last nail on the coffin can be found on the last page of the booklet: with this album still warm from the press, Marillion was already focusing on Album 15... And what about the 14 made of flowers? That looks suspiciously like a funeral wreath to me. This album should be considered an EP-Singles one, not a studio album... And yes, I will download Happiness instead of paying a small fortune (at current exchange rates) for the real thing.