Marillion - Clutching At Straws (Deluxe Edotion)

Following the multi-platinum success of Marillion’s concept album Misplaced Childhood, the British quintet returned in 1987 with their fourth studio album, Clutching At Straws. The album peaked at number 2 on the U.K. charts, where it scored Top 40 hits with “Incommunicado,” “Sugar Mice,” and “Warm Wet Circles.” Considered by many to be one of the neo-prog rocker’s finest, Clutching At Straws would also turn out to be Marillion’s final studio release with original singer Fish.

Both collections open with a new version of Clutching At Straws that was remixed earlier this year by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh. Both sets also include a concert recording of Marillon performing in Scotland at the Edinburgh Playhouse in December 1987 during the group’s final tour of Fish-era. It was mixed by Michael Hunter.

Some of the performances first appeared in 1988 on the live album, The Thieving Magpie. In concert, the band plays songs that span its entire career up to that point with “Garden Party” from its 1983 debut Script for a Jester’s Tear; “Punch And Judy” from Fugazi (1984); “Kayleigh” from Misplaced Childhood (1985); and “Warm Wet Circles” from Clutching at Straws.