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Clutching at Straws

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Clutching at Straws was released on 22 June 1987 and is the fourth studio album by the British neo-prog band. It was the last with singer Fish, who left in 1988. The album is a concept album about Torch, an unemployed twenty-nine-year-old man who tries to forget his failed marriage and his failed singing career in drink, in bars and in hotel rooms. Incommunicado is about pressure from the record company.

The album sold less than its predecessor, Misplaced Childhood, but still entered the British chart at number two. Incommunicado, Sugar Mice and Warm Wet Circles reached the British top forty. Critics praised the music. AllMusic called it an underrated masterpiece, and Rolling Stone included it in a 2015 list of the best prog albums, with praise for the atmospheric production and the spacious guitar playing of Steve Rothery.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Warm Wet Circles and notice Steve Rothery's spacious, understated guitar playing.

Track list

CD 1

  1. 1Hotel Hobbies (Remastered)3:35Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Warm Wet Circles (Remastered)4:26Apple Music ↗
  3. 3That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) [Remastered]6:01Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Going Under (Remastered)2:48Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Just for the Record (Remastered)3:09Apple Music ↗
  6. 6White Russian (Remastered)6:28Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Incommunicado (Remastered)5:17Apple Music ↗
  8. 8Torch Song (Remastered)4:05Apple Music ↗
  9. 9Slainte Mhath (Remastered)4:45Apple Music ↗
  10. 10Sugar Mice (Remastered)5:47Apple Music ↗
  11. 11The Last Straw/Happy Ending (Remastered)5:59Apple Music ↗

CD 2

  1. 1Incommunicado (Alternative Version) [Remastered]5:58Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Tux On (Remastered)5:14Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Going Under (Extended Version) [Remastered]2:48Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Beaujolais Day4:51Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Story from a Thin Wall6:48Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Shadows on the Barley2:07Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Sunset Hill4:22Apple Music ↗
  8. 8Tic-Tac-Toe2:59Apple Music ↗
  9. 9Voice in the Crowd3:30Apple Music ↗
  10. 10Exile On Princes Street5:30Apple Music ↗
  11. 11White Russians (Demo)6:16Apple Music ↗
  12. 12Sugar Mice in the Rain5:56Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

See also

Categories: Albums and songs