THICK AS A BRICK

Back in 1972 Jethro Tull style changed if compared with their earlier efforts. Not only because the band decided to record a concept album including one epic song (in two pieces). Their style changed mainly because the band departured from the blues and turned into experimental prog rock with of course a bit of folk elements. There's kind of difference between Jethro Tull and other progressive rock heroes of that era. While music remains totally serious lyrics are put in some ironic manner, kind of absurd... whatever. If I can compare with my favorite artists of those times, while in Emerson Lake & Palmer lyrics were not as important as music in Van Der Graaf Generator there was a lot of idividual poetry in Jethro Tull lyrics play main role. It's still sort of poetry but more social done in that journalistic manner. And look at the cover... yeah it's about controversial poem written by kid named Gerald Bostock (of course it was Ian's joke but people often asked him much later who's Geralnd Bostock). Album sleeve includes full newspaper (CD project isn't complete unfortunatelly) and there are funny, bizarre articles written by Ian Anderson and Jeffrey Hammond (with additional help from John Evan). It's not something that we should take seriously and the same goes to the lyrics. It's still hard to say what's all about and Ian said in many interviews it was just a piece of satire on English tradictional society without a deeper meaning. Sort Of Monty Python's concept. And we should take it this way without thinking on the hidden meaning. Let's talk about music then. It's complete, professional art rock work almost without improvising. That's good because something I've never liked in King Crimson for example was that improvisation. Thick As A Brick is a solid work where virtuosity meets great conceptual thought. Just listen to those bass ostinatos in the first part of this epos. It's pretty hard rock feeling in that. Martin Barre plays good but not doing long solos. In first part he played a very memorable short solo which I think is outstanding. John Evan has his moments in second 'I call it a funeral part' when he proves that Hammond organ could still be very useful those days (even though it wasn't something that stood the test of time). The master of ceremony is of course leader Ian Anderson. His usual flute passages lead us from theme to theme and his clear acoustic folk guitar work it still Jethro trademark. His voice, as before, a bit nosy and fits perfectly with that ironical lyrics. Although Ian probably hated it he was true punk rock pioneer with his way of singing. Nevermind. Thick As A Brick is a true masterpiece. An album without a weak moment and one of my favorite albums of all time. It would be the best if not....if not the next Tull record. We should talk about that later...