This weeks dusty album was a tough choice. Usually in the span of a week something or other will hit me musically and its easy as pie. This week not so much. I debated as there were two albums running around in my memory both by the same artist. I realize there has been some buzz of ‘remastered and ‘re released’ Jethro Tull albums recently. Yeah, that’s all well and good for those of you who like new and improved toothpaste. I prefer the original output in situations such as this.
My thought at first was to cover “Thick as A Brick” an album cover to read over while eating cereal and great one liners like ‘your sperms in the sink’..but I couldn’t simply because it’s the big anniversary time for it and every dumbass hack with a metronome is counting beats and spewing pseudo intellectual saliva in praise or dismissal of this lovely old work. I say leave that crap for the big gutted suburbanites with nothing to do but drink Coronas with ‘the guys’ and try to look cool.
So I am going with “Songs From The Wood”, say what? Considered ‘Folk Rock’ and released in 1977 an 11 year old Hel already was headed down the path of no return. But those damn siblings were still there with their Jensen stereos and the super huge speakers… I didn’t have one. So deprived. So through the walls this is what I heard. The odd thing is that the youngest of four kids all three of my sibs dug the same type of music. I converted my oldest brother to the seedy side of punk rock but for now.. he was a Tull fan as were the others. My other brother, the thinker actually went through a phase where he thought he was Tull and often leaped from bed to bed playing an imaginary flute. I swear it took all my efforts to not use that as the photo for this post… he’d kill me and I have far too much living to do— another time I will, I promise.
“Songs From The Wood” is a pretty late offering in Tull land. Already had a good following and a pretty strong image. That odd Minstrel (which for years I was grossed out about cuz I thought it was menstrual) with that Dickens like persona. Really what the hell was his deal with that ‘Ye Olde, English’ bit?
The title tune was catchy as hell and for the longest time I could whistle out the flute solos like a boss. Keep in mind ’77 was an odd year. The US was fresh off the ‘bicentenial’ and the rock scene actually had sub genre’s, it was the best of times it was the ugliest times.
“Cup of Wonder” was another song off this album that stuck. COWBELL!!! I don’t know anyone who liked this tune, others jumping on the “Jack in The Green” which reminded me of a leprechuan dance and still annoys me to this day. ‘Cup’ had a decent beat, which isn't Tulls strong point. Generally there long ramblings but this one—it got a toe tappin’ goin on. Ian Andersons voice is gorgeous in this song. Gruff as always but for some reason seemingly more vulnerable. Why was this not a greater hit- what the hell is wrong with you people I was only 11 there was nothing I could do!
“Hunting Girl” was just a big fat waste of time. Too flutely and sythy, I suppose it was a finly composed work but to me it sounded like the soundtrack for a gypsy reunion. Blegh, skip this actually take “Ring Out Solstice Bells” while youre at it. Why? Cuz the dumb ass hand clapping. I swear these two songs should just be deleted and the master tapes burned. They seem so very dated and almost like filler. Oh and to you Tull-ists, shut it I don’t care what the symbolic meaning was to any of this. These are tunes not University courses.
Ahh and back to the cool “Velvet Green” is a nice Victorian romp thorugh some odd summer house in a knoll somewhere. The great thing about this tune is if you listen to it and look at the album cover it almost seems like a storybook. Again Andersons nasal pitch just adds an element of quirk. His harmony upon himself is a nice bonus adding a layer that only makes the song more rich and hearty. This is a stew of a song. Thick with tones and rythem, I adore when he he whisper sings. ‘tell your mother that you walked all night on velvet green’ he does an adorable falsetto too, just sayin. I want a tambourine.. no really I do.
Best tune? “The Whistler” I love all the background sounds (listen in headphones) “cmon Im the whisteler I have a pipe and Ive come to play” again a tune with a beat. Although the images of circle dancing gypysies couldnt be strong if ya tried it is a beautifuly done song with ‘the sun sets in mystical places’ Its as if he is not only telling a story but demanding you partake in it. This is certainly not a passive tune and if you have ever been behind the wheel of a car when it comes on you have not only whistled the flute parts (til your cheeks burned from the work out but you also tapped out that beat on the steering wheel. Great driving song.
“Pibroch(Cap In Hand)’ is a bit hard rock dark to me. A dark and sexy velvet of a song that seems just short of dangerous. The thumpy bass keeps it sinister when the vocals get a bit too sappy. This is a drug induced ‘shroom haze again not a negative but more of a yin to the rest of the albums yang. Where the other tunes had gypsie dancing caravans this is sweaty late night rolls in stickiness. Again lyrically it contradicts this but personally it’s a thrust tune (if you pass on the nearly caliope harpsichord portion… wtf is that injected for?)
Ending with ‘Fire At Midnight’, is a so long, farewell, al vedersane, goodnight to the album. Was it supposed to be a story? Hmmm happy frolicking dancing screwing and goodbying… hmm it’s the epitome of 70s rock. Take that you poser intellectuals…now you can feel free to discuss the iambic pentameter and tulls salivary output in track two.
solstice bells is fantastic. It is the Crimbo feeling nonpariel. The clapping is wonderful