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.
Alitare |3/5 |
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