Clutching at Straws
Album by Marillion
Released	1987
Recorded	Westside Studios, London, 1987
Genre	Progressive Rock
Length	49:31 (LP) 52:18 (single-disc CD) 1:48:36 (two-disc CD)
Label	EMI
Producer(s)	Chris Kimsey
Professional reviews
AMG (3/5) Link
Marillion chronology
Marillion: Misplaced Childhood (1985) Marillion: Clutching at Straws (1987) Marillion: Seasons End (1989) Fish: Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (1990)

Clutching at Straws is the fourth studio album of the progressive rock band Marillion. It was released in 1987 and was the last album before Fish left the band. A 2-CD remastered version with additional B-sides and demoes was released in 1999. Image File history File links Album_cover_marillion_clutching_at_straws. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks, released together commercially in an audio format to the public. ... Marillion are a British Rock group formed in Aylesbury in 1979, whose 13 studio album career is generally regarded as comprising of two eras, delineated by the departure of original frontman Fish in late 1988 and subsequent arrival of replacement Steve Hogarth in early 1989. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation) and Defining London (below). ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Progressive rock (shortened to prog, or prog rock when differentiating from other progressive genres) is an ambitious, eclectic, and often grandiose style of rock music which arose in the late 1960s, reached the peak of its popularity in the early 1970s, and continues as a musical form to this day. ... A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in producing, manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and sometimes video recordings (especially music videos), on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Kensington in London, in the United Kingdom. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Chris Kimsey is a record producer and musician most famous for having co-produced The Rolling Stones Undercover and Steel Wheels albums. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Marillion are a British Rock group formed in Aylesbury in 1979, whose 13 studio album career is generally regarded as comprising of two eras, delineated by the departure of original frontman Fish in late 1988 and subsequent arrival of replacement Steve Hogarth in early 1989. ... Misplaced Childhood is the third studio album of the progressive rock band Marillion. ... Seasons End was the first album recorded by Marillion after the split with Fish in late 1988. ... Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors is Fishs (born Derek W. Dick) first solo album since departing Marillion in 1988. ... Progressive rock (shortened to prog, or prog rock when differentiating from other progressive genres) is an ambitious, eclectic, and often grandiose style of rock music which arose in the late 1960s, reached the peak of its popularity in the early 1970s, and continues as a musical form to this day. ... Marillion are a British Rock group formed in Aylesbury in 1979, whose 13 studio album career is generally regarded as comprising of two eras, delineated by the departure of original frontman Fish in late 1988 and subsequent arrival of replacement Steve Hogarth in early 1989. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Derek William Dick (stage name Fish), born 25 April 1958, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyric writer and occasional actor. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

The melancholic lyrical pattern of "Torch", a writer seeking comfort in booze and drugs to fix his writer's block, is a strong hint at why the band broke up shortly after the album (see the external link below). Although commercially not quite as successful as its predecessor Misplaced Childhood, in retrospect, it is considered the best work of Marillion's Fish era by many, including Fish himself, as he has stated in several interviews. Misplaced Childhood is the third studio album of the progressive rock band Marillion. ...

The remaster has a slightly improved sound quality. However, most interesting is the newly added second CD with demo tapes from the writing sessions for the then-planned fifth album, right before Fish left. Much of the musical material was then used on Seasons End with the new singer Steve Hogarth, while the lyrics ended up in some form on Fish's solo albums. Derek William Dick (stage name Fish), born 25 April 1958, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyric writer and occasional actor. ... Seasons End was the first album recorded by Marillion after the split with Fish in late 1988. ... Steve Hogarth born May 14, [1956], Kendal, also known as h, is the lead singer of Marillion. ...

Track listing

1. "Hotel Hobbies" - (3:35)
2. "Warm Wet Circles" - (4:25)
3. "That Time Of The Night (The Short Straw)" - 6:00
4. "Going Under" - 2:47 (not on the original vinyl LP)
5. "Just For The Record" - 3:09
6. "White Russian" - 6:27
7. "Incommunicado" - 5:16
8. "Torch Song" - 4:05
9. "Slainte Mhath" - 4:44
10. "Sugar Mice" - 5:46
11. "The Last Straw" - 5:58

• Happy Ending" - 0:00 (this is listed as such on the back of the album, but in a statement of irony, it is not an actual track; Torch's life has no Happy Ending)

The 1999 remaster has the following additional tracks on the second CD:

1. "Incommunicado" (Alternative Version) - 5:57
2. "Tux On" - 5:13
3. "Going Under" (Extended Version) - 2:48
4. "Beaujolais Day" - 4:51
5. "Story From A Thin Wall" - 6:47
6. "Shadows On The Barley" - 2:07
7. "Sunset Hill" - 4:21
8. "Tic-Tac-Toe" - 2:59
9. "Voice In The Crowd" - 3:29
10. "Exile On Pricess Street" - 5:29
11. "White Russians" (Demo) - 6:15
12. "Sugar Mice In The Rain" (Demo) - 5:54

External links

Liner notes for the remaster by some of the band members (on the marillion.com band page):

• Fish, giving a verbose and interesting insight about the breakup
• Mark Kelly
• Ian Mosley