Marillion: Live from Cadogan Hall

This two-disc set presents the last night of Marillion's 2009 tour in support of their studio acoustic album Less Is More, which presents stripped-down reworked versions of earlier songs by the band. Formed in Aylesbury, England, in 1979 (and originally named Silmarillion, after the J.R.R. Tolkien novel), the group consists of keyboard player Mark Kelly, drummer Ian Mosley, guitarist Steve Rothery, bass player Pete Trewavas, and vocalist/hammered dulcimer player Steven Hogarth (who replaced initial frontman Fish after he left in 1988). Marillion's music isn't quite rock and isn't quite pop; it's more like progressive folk-pop. The 22-track selection here draws from the past 20 years, with notable songs including “Out of This World,” from Afraid of Sunlight; “Memory of Water,” from This Strange Engine; “No One Can,” from Holidays in Eden, which Hogarth performs solo (often compared to Peter Gabriel, he sounds more like Neil Finn); and a new number, “It's Not Your Fault,” which Hogarth introduces as a sort of lullaby. Although the group experienced their biggest commercial success during the Fish era, they've continued to maintain a devoted fan base, who will be well served by this solid set, which is presented in DTS 5.1 and PCM stereo. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)