Today the album on our list was "Aqualung." This is what I wrote for my friends about this album.
I really am hoping that for some people that this is their first time listening to this album and that it is a big discovery for them. I know when I first heard it through many years ago it was for me. Now I grew up in the 70s and 80s and during my formative music years Jethro Tull was a staple of AOR radio. As I kid I thought "Aqualung" was a weird and somewhat amusing song. But I think at some point Jethro Tull sort of became a bit of a joke. I think there was some mocking of the flute. I think in general prog rock became the enemy of the hip and cool punk rock scenes. And then I think when Jethro Tull beat out Metallica for the Grammy for best Metal album their reputation was sealed. They really became this joke and seemed to represent an older out of touch generation. I mean that Grammy fiasco was ridiculous. But then in the late 90s I got a hold of a CD that was a Jethro Tull greatest hits type of thing. It was remastered songs and such and suddenly Jethro Tull came to life for me. I think before that I really just thought of them as the "Aqualung" band. The Jazz flute band. But that CD turned me around because I realized they had all these other songs that I knew and that even ones that I didn't know were pretty killer. I then picked up a few albums along the way and this one is one of the ones that I got. And it is a pretty great album.
It starts with "Aqualung" which is no longer just a weird song to me. It is actually a pretty powerful song and it has some killer hooks and riffs. Then we move into "Cross Eyed Mary" and things really kick into high gear. This was a song that I think I may have first heard from the Iron Maiden version. Now I liked that Iron Maiden version, but this one seriously rocks. I mean there is just something so awesome about the vocal delivery when Ian Anderson sings "Cross-eyed Mary."
The next three songs slow things down and get quite lyrical. They are a welcome break after those killer opening two tracks. Then side one finishes out with "Up To Me." Right off the bat there is there is a hooky and slightly dark riff and flute riff which signals a return to the harder darker vibe of the start of side one. I really like this song. Flute work is fantastic.
Side Two is just as good as side one. It has a nice mixture of the more acoustic numbers as well as some serious rockers. "My God" quietly brings us into side two. It is a sort of sneak attack starting off quiet and gentle, and then builds in its intensity. The music I think gets quite complex and impressive and again the Flute is front and center kicking butt and taking names.
"Hymn 43" I think is probably considered a deep cut, but it is a killer of a track. It has any amazing riff/hook with that dun, dun da da da dun dun. achicka, achicka, achicka. That was my attempt to put that music into words. But seriously, this is a track that when it comes up you have to turn up the volume to 11. I think when I get to this song I am like "Yep this album rocks."
"Slipstream" is a nice calm before the storm which is "Locomotive Breath". "Locomotive Breath" may be the best song on the album. And I like it's placement deep into the album. The song is so killer, you'd almost expect it near the beginning or to start a side two, but nope. This one is saved for nearly the end. This is another one to turn up to eleven sit back and let the song take you away. To me the image that comes to mind is the image from the old Maxell tapes adds where there was the guy sitting in a Corbusier chair in front of speaks getting blown away by the sound coming from the speakers. https://iconicphotos.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/images_maninchair.jpg?w=1618
I'd like to imagine that the guy in that photo is listening to "Locomotive Breath." And as much as this song rocks, the flute is doing its own jazz thing and it all works perfectly.
The album finishes up with "Wind-Up" with another rocker. I feel like this is another deep cut that I never heard on the radio, but it should have been played on the radio more. I think it is a great song. It has all the elements of "Aqualung", "Cross-Eyed Mary" or "Locomotive Breath" and in my opinion can stand shoulder to shoulder.
So over all this album is extremely strong and is one that I have played quite a lot over the years. It is definitely my go to album for Jethro Tull. And so as good as this album is, that just speaks to my statement about the Santana record which I declared better than this. And even still I'll rank Abraxas above Aqualung, but both are super stellar albums. These two are great examples of album oriented rock during its classic early days. I think if you are a fan of classic rock and classic rock albums these two are must haves.
This is something I saw today.
