THICK AS A BRICK

When one has such an extensive collection as yours truly, it becomes apparent that there are few albums that come around for regular spins and I can think of none as effective as this Thick as a Brick, a trustworthy companion on countless memorable occasions going back 35 years now. Its still as poignant as ever, a jaw-dropping marvel of songwriting and musical brilliance , a classic arsenal of hyper-tight ensemble playing featuring a destructive up-front bass missile, AkAk gun drum salvos, wrenching guitar, sweeping keys, revolutionary flute adornments and Anderson's rather desolate expression of timeless lyrics ("The kettle almost boiling") . Martin Barre's fist extended solo is a masterpiece and deserves place in the Hall of Fame! (Heavy Metal category or not!), a screechingly bluesy affair that bites, scalds and shears with wanton abandon! Along with a couple of Yes, Genesis, Floyd and Crimson tracks, this is the epitome of prog music, a trendless creation of sonic genius that stood the test of time and should be a standard of any musical education, certainly as far as rock goes. All the ingredients are here, nothing amiss, nothing to criticize, a mini-prog bible of sorts. To think the events around its recording were so innocently seedy: a dirty and damp studio, a tight group of primo musicians squeezing the sponge as one, laughing, eating, drinking and carousing together, like a big dysfunctional rock family! I remember the immense impact TAAB had upon its release, every hirsute desperado flocking to the vinyl record shops, who were often unable to supply the rabid demand, as if it was some huge headline newspaper edition. (Which is why the remarkable cover still rings true as cleverness today, never reproduced quite as perfectly!). The Brick has been dissected by many thousand pundits, so I won't add anything to their often august comments. This is not essential, it's immortal. 5 stoned masons