INTERVIEW/REVIEW: Marillion, Radiat10n (Velvel)
- Dan Birchall
Marillion's tenth album, Radiat10n , hit the United States October 27, five weeks after its European debut. Two US-only tracks excuse the delay, but fans will surely debate the album's virtues in comparison to the band's other works. This may sound a bit extreme, but Marillion fans are a special breed - when lack of label support made a US tour unlikely, they raised $50,000 to make it possible! The bandmembers clearly appreciate the devotion, and while breaking new ground with each album, also work to reach marks set in the past.
Though Marillion's songs have always been emotionally charged, this album is a bit of a twist. The lyrics are often painful, but the presentation, though wistful and perhaps resigned, is never depressing. In an interview with Consumable, vocalist Steve Hogarth described "a double spiral of pain and light-heartedness," adding, "All this pain was reflected in the songs, and yet, when we came to record them, the atmosphere in the studio was upbeat."
The album begins with "Costa del Slough" and "Under The Sun," humorous takes on the effects of ozone-layer depletion and global warming. "The hole in the ozone layer has got to be a good thing if it improves the God-awful English climate," jokes Hogarth, "and if the polar ice-caps should melt, well, that would bring the beach much closer to my front door. All the dead and dirty little English towns (e.g. Slough) would sprout palm trees and become tropical resorts!" Twisted humor persists on "The Answering Machine," with an amusing look at how answering machines mediate relationships between dysfunctional people.
"Three Minute Boy" is pure semi-autobiographical Marillion, the tale of a star's rise and fall. US fans may not see Marillion as big stars, but the band has done well worldwide. Hogarth explains, "I've been touched by the fame thing enough to be affected by it, and to gain an insight into the potential for further damage higher up the tree." The band's trademark heart-rending intensity and dynamic range shine on "Now She'll Never Know," "These Chains," "Born to Run," and "Cathedral Wall," as Hogarth spills emotions from what he calls "a period of domestic collapse that I've been through these last couple of years."
The final new track, "A Few Words for the Dead," is a stunning epic with some of the most compelling lyrics Marillion has penned. World music influences underly the universal message that avenging our wronged ancestors only perpetuates conflict for future generations. The album ends with an acoustic "Estonia" and a danceable remix of "Memory of Water," both off the band's last album, "This Strange Engine."
Radiat10n aims to please, and hits the mark pretty squarely. A few fans will surely want more loud songs, or more quiet songs, or whatever. But all in all, this is strong, listenable music, with some compelling lyrics. And for fans who want to hear it live, Hogarth says the band is looking at a US tour - with label support - in February of 1999.
