MARILLION: Holidays in Eden [tape] Check video!

Holidays in Eden is the sixth studio album by the British band Marillion, released in 1991. It is their second with vocalist Steve Hogarth and has been regarded by many fans as a setback from their previous albums due to its mainstream-oriented sound and song writing. It was recorded after the Seasons End tour which had lasted almost a year. Despite the band's obvious efforts to create a recording more appealing to mainstream media, thus attracting new fans, Holidays In Eden could not compete regarding sales or chart positions with the band's first four studio albums from the 1980s.
"Dry Land" was previously recorded by h's earlier band How We Live.

Track listing
Side one
1. "Splintering Heart" – 6:54
2. "Cover My Eyes (Pain and Heaven)" – 3:54
3. "The Party" – 5:36
4. "No One Can" – 4:41
5. "Holidays in Eden" – 5:38
Side two
1. "Dry Land" – 4:43

2. "Waiting to Happen" – 5:01
3. "This Town" – 3:18
4. "The Rakes Progress" – 1:54
5. "100 Nights" – 6:41

HOLIDAYS IN EDEN, Marillion's sixth album and second featuring vocalist Steve Hogarth, finds the prog-rock legends veering in a new direction, keeping much of the bombast but opting for a more pop-oriented sound. While opening track "Splintering Heart" contains the cascading keyboards and flamboyant tones most associated with the well-traveled British outfit, "Cover My Eyes (Pain and Heaven)" with its elements of U2and Springsteen, would not seem out of place on top 40 radio of 1991. The hooks are fast and furious on the title trackand throughout, but for the progressive fan concerned aboutthe change, a second disc is available with re-recordings in a more familiar vein.

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This was singer Steve Hogarths second album with the band, the first being the well received 'Seasons End', and he gives a vocal performance that knocks spots of anything that Fish sang with the band, and that is no easy task.
The production is crisp and the band manage to achieve a neat mix of more accessible material and traditional Marillion moments. The only problem that Marillion fans have with this record are the three singles that were taken from it, but for me, the only stinker out of those tracks is the over slushy 'No One Can'.'Cover My Eyes' and 'Dry Land', for all their chart appeal, are good guitar based pop numbers, no different to the kind of radio friendly efforts the band did with Fish at the helm towards the end of his tenure with the band.
How tracks like 'Splintering Heart', with its time changes, moods and atmospheres, plus a stonking guitar solo from Steve Rothery can be construed as 'selling out' beggars belief. Also, check out the instrumental section of 'The Party', it's vintage Marillion. The 'This Town/Rakes Progress/100 nights' opus which closes the album wouldn't sound out of place on the 'Clutching At Straws' album and 'Waiting To Happen' is an acoustic guitar based masterpiece.
The only grumble with 'Holidays In Eden' in my opinion is the artwork. The change in the Marillion logo and the lack of any continuity in the cover painting to previous albums broke my heart when 'Holidays In Eden' first came out in 1991. Having no reference to jesters, chameleons and magpies on the cover, was like seeing an Iron Maiden album without 'Eddie' on the front. However, musically, this album is a lost classic and needs to be rediscovered. I've been a Marillion fan for 20 years and no one is telling me that 'Radiation' and 'Marillion.com' are superior records to 'Holidays...'.
Go on, treat yourself to a slice of classic rock from a classic band.

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Beyond Progressive, Most Impressive (or...Holidays from Fish),
Six of one, half a dozen of the other; so it would seem. This is not for un-changing Marillion purists.
It is however in my consideration one of their finest albums, in close consideration to Brave; and is an excellent departure from the Fish-era of Marillion and a good starting point for anyone new to this band.
Quite simply everything it stands for says so. The beautifully modern album artwork, sweeping guitars from Steve Rothery and Steve Hogarth's outstanding vocals. Their wonderful old sound combined with the re-birth of a newly maturing re-vitalized band; evolving into something some have come to cherish to this day. Steve Hogarth has settled into the band and gives us a proper taste of what he and his fellow band-mates under his influence can truly achieve together.
Whatever genre you choose to label this, it is a subtle and diverse musical treat and the power to which this album will eventually unfold before you and hold your imagination; or at least to me is phenomenal.
Even after 19 years, this album holds my enthusiasm and has a huge place in my heart and my life.

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A Very well arranged and perfectly executed set of songs,
Many critise this album for being too 'poppy' and to an extent these people have a point. A number the tracks a very poppy edge to them e.g. 'No one can','Cover my eyes' but I have to admit it was the songs on this album that first drew me to marillion. In particular 'Splintering Heart' which is just a masterpiece. The title track is a little weak but good for a laugh. The 'This Town' trilogy is very impressive with an extremely interesting concept behind the lyrics. This is class recording, not for those sceptical of a hint of commerciality, but good enough to satisfy most marillion fans for years to come.