Clutching at Straws

by Marillion

Clutching at Straws cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 12 June 1987
  • Label: EMI
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 1:48:30
  • Community rating: 3.72/5 from 6 ratings

Artists on this release: Tessa Niles, Mark Kelly, Pete Trewavas, Ian Mosley

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Chronicling the psychic toll of fame and severe alcoholism, 'Clutching at Straws' is a lush, highly introspective concept album and Fish's final record as Marillion's frontman. The band frames his deeply melancholic, narrative-driven lyricism with complex, atmospheric neo-progressive rock arrangements. It stands as a melodic, emotionally heavy swan song for the defining lineup of the British progressive rock revival.

Genres

Descriptors: alcohol, melodic, conceptual, progressive, complex

Tracklist

  1. Hotel Hobbies (3:35)
  2. Warm Wet Circles (4:25)
  3. That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) (5:59)
  4. Going Under (2:47)
  5. Just for the Record (3:09)
  6. White Russian (6:26)
  7. Incommunicado (5:15)
  8. Torch Song (4:05)
  9. Slainte Mhath (4:42)
  10. Sugar Mice (5:46)
  11. The Last Straw / Happy Ending (5:58)
  12. Incommunicado (5:57)
  13. Tux On (5:13)
  14. Going Under (2:48)
  15. Beaujolais Day (4:51)
  16. Story From a Thin Wall (6:47)
  17. Shadows on the Barley (2:07)
  18. Sunset Hill (4:21)
  19. Tic-Tac-Toe (2:59)
  20. Voice in the Crowd (3:29)
  21. Exile on Princes Street (5:29)
  22. White Russians - Demo (6:15)
  23. Sugar Mice (5:55)

Credits

  • Marillion - primary artist, composed by [all tracks], music by [music], arranged by
  • Ann Lawler - administrator [sec]
  • Pete Trewavas - bass
  • Fish - concept by [sleeve concept by], lyrics by [lyrics], voice
  • Andy Field - crew
  • Smick Hardgrave - crew
  • Steve Robinson - crew
  • Ian Mosley - drums, percussion
  • Steve Rothery - guitar [guitars]
  • Mark Wilkinson - illustration [illustration by], design [design by]
  • Mark Kelly - keyboards
  • Derek William Dick - lyrics by [lyrics]
  • John Arnison - management
  • David Jacob - mixed by
  • Avril Mackintosh - mixed by [assistant]
  • Janus Van Helfteren - photography by
  • Chris Kimsey - producer [produced by], backing vocals
  • Nick Davis - recorded by
  • Richard Sullivan - recorded by [assisted by]
  • Tessa Niles - backing vocals
  • John Cavanagh - voice [dr. finlay]

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