WAR CHILD

War Child ? 1974 (3.4/5) 11 ? Best Song: Bungle in the Jungle And so Ian Anderson takes his social soldier papers and cashes them in for his lifetime ticket to the old-time café across the street. After two gargantuan records in a row, coming off as nearly impenetrable and fiercely overblown to the vast majority of people, he figured time was he started writing regu'lar rock records once more. We got some emotion finally brewing in our little wee bones, hm? It's another attack on society, but isn't that what you'd expect out of a romping song like 'Queen and Country'? Oh, don't tell me you expected him to write something patriotic, did you? Oh, I think I like this album much more than I should. I don't love it, but damn is it so much better than what most bashers will tell you. The band expands the sound, making twitting saxophones a good part of it all, and when it comes to energy, there's never been more. It rivals Stand Up in that respect, without sounding like it was recorded in an outhouse, either. Another song your old man might recollect is the pitiful, snot-nosed and wondrous 'Bungle in the Jungle', which is every bit as good as Bouree for different reasons. The mood is always that sort of dour folk trotting. Maybe the hate-mail he received from Passion Play threw a wrench in his demeanor. 'Lady' could be better, sure. It's a fine little seasonal ballad, filled to the brim with the ballroom atmosphere, but rides on atmosphere alone, because I can't find much a melody at all. The flutes on the album, if I may be allowed a transition of topic, are wonderful. 'Back Door Angels', which sounds like some high quality pornography, is the lushest sounding of them all. I talk as if the thing's amazing, it isn't. The songs aren't so memorable or hot when taken separately, and lack that all-encompassing factor. It's consistent, and worth listening to, but it isn't perfect, just remember that. I hate always sounding like I'm sitting on the fence.

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