TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N' ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE!

I became very intrigued by this album after hearing the magnificent title-track on a Jethro Tull compilation disc. But a few minutes of research adviced me against picking up the entire album for my collection. It was only a few years later, in 2004, that I once again fell in love with the track after seeing the even more impressive music video! There was just no way I could avoid this purchase now and so I became a proud owner of my very own copy of Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die!

My initial response to what I heard wasn't all that enthusiastic. Fortunately there were quite a few strong moments that kept up my ambition to dig deeper and so this material slowly but steadily began to grow on me. My journey with this album began at the level only slightly above A Passion Play but only a few spins later revealed qualities that took it beyond War Child bringing it almost to the same level as Stand Up! This means that Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die! doesn't really reach to the realms occupied by Aqualung and Thick As A Brick but considering my critical approach to their music anything rated 3 star or above is still well worth investigating!

The weakest moments of this album come in the shape of Taxi Grab, which is just dull, and Bad-Eyed And Loveless that puts Jethro Tull a few steps back in their development by offering a pure blues number. Luckily the title-track, Quizz Kid and the very impressive two-track outro makes up for those drops in quality making this release a mix bag covered with sparkle dust!

***** star songs: Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die (5:42)

**** star songs: Quizz Kid (5:10) Crazed Institution (4:48) From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser (4:08) Pied Piper (4:35) The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive) (5:24)

*** star songs: Salamander (2:52) Big Dipper (3:38)

** star songs: Taxi Grab (3:56) Bad-Eyed And Loveless (2:12)