THICK AS A BRICK

I first heard this album at the age of 13 or 14. I have little memory of it, other than the intro part that was on the radio all the time when I was growing up. But my friend and I (who's father had the original LP in his collection) got no end of amusement from the full size newspaper on the inner sleve. So it was with great enthusiasm that I listened to it again after discovering prog music in my twenties, recalling that it was an album length song. And I was not dissapointed in the least. This is quite simply the best and most succesful album length piece of music I've ever heard (I'm not including more traditional concept albums here, only albums that are one continuous piece of music). It has everything to appeal to a prog lover; bombastic parts, odd time signatures, tight and complex ensemble playing, long and high quality soloing on various instruments, pastoral sections, interlocking themes that recur throughout with many variations. It is probably the only Jethro Tull album I still listen to, and is the only one I still own (thought there are others I consider great, and as a whole I like the band a good deal still). One of the great things about it is that it does not take itself too seriously. There is a humor that pervades it that is charming and helps to make it seem much less pretentious and overblown. But don't let that fool you, the music is top notch and the playing is pretty much flawless. I can't, in good conscience, give less than 5 stars. Though I think my personal overall rating is closer to 4 1/2 stars, I'll still give the masterpiece designation for the archives.