(Review from progarchives.com)

‘Clutching At Straws’ is very much a transitional album for Marillion. Their previous album, ‘Misplaced Childhood’ was a huge success. However, instead of going down the ‘Passion Play’ route of doing a more of the same, albeit bigger and more bombastic, concept album, the band streamlined their sound. Although there are no big epics, this is the point where the band completely shunned any accusations of cloning and had a clear identity of their own.

From the very front cover of the record to the last song performed in here, you can perceive a sensation of sorrow, of darkness and that irremediable impact of confusion the album’s got for you.

Most of the songs written and composed for “Clutching at Straws” are intended to be breathed and lived intensively by the listener, and the album achieves that important commitment: it drives you through your inner fears, your captivated feelings and brings out the sensitivity locked away in you.

The “concept” of this album is about a “tormented artist” who is having problems with substances and who is in a personal crisis about what he is going to do in the future. In the case of Fish, he was tired of touring, he wanted to have a more “quiet” life, he had some problems with substance abuse, and he wanted to spend more time with his new wife, as he didn’t want to spoil his love relationship as he did in the past because he was so concentrated in his musical career. Also, he started to have some political ideas and these were not shared by the band.

So out went the larger-than-life Fish on a high note, leaving a hole that would be difficult to fill.

Line-up:
- Fish / vocals
- Mark Kelly / keyboards
- Ian Mosley / drums, percussion
- Steve Rothery / guitars
- Pete Trewavas / basses
with
- John Cavanagh / Dr. Finley (8)
- Christopher Robbin Kimsey / backing vocals (7)
- Tessa Niles / backing vocals (2-11)

Track List:
01. Hotel Hobbies – 3:36
02. Warm Wet Circles – 4:25
03. That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) – 5:57
04. Going Under – 2:49
05. Just for the Record – 3:10
06. White Russian – 6:26
07. Incommunicado – 5:17
08. Torch Song – 4:05
09. Slrinte Mhath – 4:42
10. Sugar Mice – 5:48
11. The Last Straw ~ Happy Ending – 5:59

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