A PASSION PLAY

This has to be the single most bonkers, grotesque and twisted prog masterpiece that I have ever heard... and I do not say that lightly. How does one go about reviewing an album this contorted and willfully difficult? Lets start with the concept. A sort of dickensian paradise lost, a whimsical trawl through the afterlife. Dark, complex lyrics clash with demanding arrangements that pull us ever further down the rabbit hole until we get to the mad hatter's tea party that is, The Hare That Lost His Spectacles. A wonderfully narrated piece of whimsy that acts as a bridge between songs one and two. It is hard to put into words the look of bewilderment on listeners' faces as we are regailed by tales of the wise old owl and his furry cohorts. My own experiences with this album range from complete bewilderment and disappointment at first, to accepted appreciation and now, utter amazement. This is definitely a divisive album that demands a tremendous leap of faith from the listener. It is an album that has grown with me and I have grown with it. It is also an album that reveals more of itself with each spin. As to whether or not this album is better than Thick As A Brick, it is a moot point, as both albums represent not just a pinnacle in Tull's career, but also two sides of the same coin. Special mention must go to Martin Barre who once again delivers fluid and emotive lead work over a backdrop of ever increasingly complex rhythms and odd time changes. The final cherry on this massively indulgent fruit cake is as always, Ian Anderson's thoughtful, funny and inventive lyrics. It is hard not to be passionate about A Passion Play, whether you passionately love it, or passionately hate it. For me at least, it pushes all my prog buttons and stands as my favourite Tull record.