CREST OF A KNAVE

1987's CREST OF A KNAVE is a solid "comeback" effort that is not quite up to the lofty standards of earlier fare, but it still won't disappoint Tull fans. Regrettably, by this juncture, Ian Anderson's voice is just not what it used to be, but his flute is as compelling as ever, and Martin Barre shines as usual on the axe.

Opener "Steel Monkey," and closer "Raising Steam" are throwaway cold and mechanical numbers that awaken best-forgotten memories of UNDER WRAPS, but "Farm on the Freeway," "Dogs in the Midwinter," "Budapest" and the hard-hitting "Mountain Men" ably redeem the session.

A worthy addition to your Tull collection - just don't expect the consistent brilliance of the classic 70s albums. Its somewhat harder edges led KNAVE to garner an award for "heavy metal album of the year," if you can believe that! HA!

Forget the critics (with full respect to Peter Rideout): Crest of a Knave is one of the most underappreciated gems in prog-rock, and one of the two best "comeback" albums of the 80s (the other is Octave by The Moody Blues). True, Steel Monkey and Raising Steam are simply very good rockers. But the rest of the album is among Anderson's most thoughtful, creative work in years. Farm on the Freeway, Jump Start, She Said She Was a Dancer, and especially Budapest are compositionally superb, the overall musicianship is first-class, and the production is top-notch if not flawless. This one deserves your attention.

2.5 stars really!!!

After the catastrophic UW albums and its ill-advised and un-welcomed 80's experimentations, Tull came back with an acceptable (all things being relative here); but definitely nothing to scream "genius" about. Indeed after a "tentative" trilogy (A, TB&TB and UW), the mad flauter decided to play it safe and make it a sort of apology to older fans (not that there were legions new fans to alienate, anyway) and in the process managed to find a way to the heart of a new generation of fan that hadn't heard their older cousin's album collection. But the least we can say is that Anderson decided to play it safe, and he certainly didn't over-reach himself or over-stretch his songwriting talents with this "minimum syndical" album. Behind a suggestive artwork (not really confirming its promise in the musical content), the album is a fairly conventional one, in spite of its obviously commercial compromisitions.

Besides the ZZTop-esque (Eliminator-era) Steel Monkey opener (which cheapens the album) and the closing Raising Steam as well, the album has a few good tracks, like the slow-starting Farm On The Freeway (acceptable, despite the easy formula) and the then-usually-long Budapest (somewhat worthy of Minstrel's Gallery, but really nothing more), and Jump Start. Midwinter, Mountain Men (despite a cool flute passage), and the bonus track Part Of The Machine (the chinese/bamboo flute is a little twee, methinks) are standard Tull tracks; but none of these manage to raise the waters above lukewarm temperatures. There is however definitely more good stuff/tracks on Knave than in their previous three (four if you count the catastrophic solo album) with Ian being an intelligent man and realizing the error of his ways in the early decade, but also taking minimal risks in the process. Unlike many, I don't see the Dire Straits sonics on the present album. Absolute bores or clunkers include Dancer, Waking Edge and the two ZZ Top outtakes

Sure, Crest is quite an improvement on their last three atrocious albums (A, TB&TB, UW), and comes close or equals Stormwatch, which is probably the album it resembles the most, IMHO(minus the string arrangements). In conclusion, COAK is somewhat of a return to business after a long lay-off but remains nothing to write home about. Crest doesn't bring anything new under the sun... At best, with a better (70's) production, this would've been elbowing Minstrel, WC, SW and maybe even APP, Woods and Horses. I know of a few kids who started on Tull on this one and think highly of it, but as I made them discover the early stuff, they came partly to their senses but this was more than a generation gap: I had vinyl record and they were stealing CD's so this comfort of listening and use issues came also in their appreciation of this one. Well, at least this knave doesn't f**k up.

After the "Under wraps" album, Tull continued without Peter John Vettese, and Anderson himself managed to play all the programmed keyboards & drums here, producing surprisingly good keyboards parts, still having the nervous and very rhythmic mood Vetteese used to produce. Nevertheless, the keyboards here no longer take most of the room; Barre's electric guitars still flirt with the metal boundary, and he even sounds like Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), as reveals his new bluesy style here! The least we can say is that it works, especially with the omnipresent excellent mellow flute played by Anderson. Even sometimes, it makes me think about ZZ Top of the 80's (Legs)!! I would add that Tull here added many subtle, delicate and mellow parts. There are also many excellent acoustic guitar parts. Anderson's vocals sounds a bit like the Dire Straits' singer, and this gives a serious character to the record. All the tracks are excellent! Jethro Tull never stopped creating new sounds and they have great albums from the 60's to the 90's!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Surely this is a Dire Straits offshoot album?I don't think I have ever heard an album as closely linked with Mark Knopfler and his band of merry men. Crest of a Knave is very mediocre and I have to be honest I lose interest very early on, only ' Budapest' truly demanding a relisten. I have to say I have no more knowledge of JT after this album. I was fortunate to see them live in Johannesburg in 1995 and one thing was for sure they still held their own up on the big stage.

I think this is a poor and unispired hardrock album by this band from the end of the 80's wrapped in a pretty covers. Only slightly interesting moments here are the longer tracks "Budapest" and "Mountain Men", but even these tunes didn't save this ablum from being returned to the second hand record dealer. Only for die-hard fans of the band or those who like commercial 80's hardrock.

"Crest Of A Knave" won JETHRO TULL a Grammy and as it turned out it was voted the best metal album! It just goes to show that the people voting for these awards do not seem to have a clue. Its obvious that they had not heard some of the earlier albums by this band that were much more deserving of an award, "Thick As A Brick" comes to mind immediately because it was so innovative and groundbreaking. With all of that said, "Crest Of A Knave" is a fine rock album, minus the progressive elements however. I agree with Ian Anderson, its one of my favorites as well. For its pure, straight ahead rock approach, you cannot ask for more. Martin Barre proves once again why has been one of the preeminent string benders of the last 40 years.

"Farm on the Freeway," not looked upon as a classic JT track, most certainly is in my book and "Budapest" is an incredible tune that still stands tall today and is one of the highlights of their live performances. "Steel Monkey" is quite the rocker to start the set. It is the band's own personal tribute to that little old band from Texas, you know the dudes with the long beards?

I am spoiled and accustomed to enjoying a plethora of bonus tracks on nearly every release of this remastered series, this one offers only one, "Part of the Machine," which is excellent. The remastering is superb per usual and I immediately pulled my old copy out of my CD rack and threw it in a box once I heard this. It was a very intelligent decision to get Anderson involved with this process and to offer his perception of each album's sessions. It makes each release so special to all of us hardcore JT fans. Another one well done-I would expect nothing less.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

June 30, 2005

Rating-9/10

Well this time I like to remind you of this underrated and sometimes easy-listening album, because even a folk prog band such as J.T. (so famous all over the world for quite a time), had to adjust itself to the commercial exigencies of the early eighties, by keeping up with the times!!The opening track was a diverse song, in comparison to their complex music standard inside their "magical" and anyway successful albums (except on the complex and much more controversial work entitled "A Passion Play" ); but since the first notes concerning the second song -" Farm On The Freeway" - you could find their typical sound, by means of a pleasant flute, followed by an interesting vocal intro by Anderson and above all the stunning guitar playing...well "Said she was a dancer", charged with the easy- listening sound, was nothing more than a simple ballad, a bit criticized by the critics;instead "Dogs in the mid of winter" was treated in the same manner as the opener of the album, but it was an unremarkable note at the end. In fact after a few minutes of normal rock music, you could listen to a real prog folk gem like "Budapest", much more complex than their previous songs and characterized by a delicious harmonization performed by some of the most skillful British musicians all together !!Certainly "Mountain Men" and the other last two tracks were not equal to "Budapest", but however you could find interesting features within...I don't know whether such features are still enough nowadays to make it consider well worth checking out, but this album could be a pleasant rediscovery of their catchy stuff of the eighties, quite valuable anyway!

I am a big fan of Jethro Tull and this is my favourite Jethro Tull album. It would be nice to give it 5 stars but I honestly can't because it's not a masterpiece of progressive music as it's not really very progressive. However, this album is interesting for a number of reasons.

First, they won a Grammy award for this album as the hard rock/heavy metal album of the year (famously beating Metallica). There was much hilarity about this at the time but in fact the award is well deserved. If you want to hear Tull at their hard rocking best then you can't go wrong with this album.

Second, the album is not without it's progressive moment. There is the 10 minute track Budapest which involves a nice interplay between Ian Anderson's flute and the guest violinist Ric Sanders (of Fairport Convention). This track remains a favourite at concerts. On the latest release of Aqualung, there is an interview with Ian Anderson from 1999. In that interview he says that the complexity of Budapest is much better than anything available on Aqualung and something that he would not have been capable of at the time of Aqualung.

Third, in the recent re-release, Ian Anderson dedicates this album to guitarist Martin Barre. This is one of Martin's best albums, where he is allowed to show what he can really do.

So if you want pure progressive rock, this album is probably not for you. But if you're looking for intelligent well-played hard rock then you'll love this.

In September 1987, three years after the release of the innovative yet controversial "Under Wraps", a new album that would put Jethro Tull back in the spotlight again, saw the light: "Crest Of A Knave". The title played on the phrase "crest of a wave" and was thought of when the artwork of the cover was ready. He explains: "I was very, very selfish about making this one. I really just didn't want anybody else to have any creative input on it all, other than playing the final parts in the studio. The last few albums involved the other guys quite a lot, in the arranging and in writing bits of music, and I felt this time that I wanted to get away from having input from other people - not because I thought I could do it better, but just because I wanted to be very selfish about it and take total charge".

What did Ian intend with "his selfishness"? Probably Ian realised that the next album would be a "go or no go" for Jethro Tull. If he would not be able to stop the process of alienation between the band and its fan-base - that started after the big split in 1979 and increased through the keyboard dominated albums that followed, in spite of their ingenuity - there would be no future for Jethro Tull at all. He had to embark on a new course that would make it possible to write innovative music on one hand, while on the other hand the music would by the fans be recognisable as the "Tull music" they loved.

Surprisingly, Crest Of A Knave became a Grammy hard-rock winner, overtaking Metallica! (.And Justice For All). It had an immediate impact, hitting the charts in the UK, Germany and the USA. For the first time since 1979 Jethro Tull once again had a gold album!

Violinist Rick Sanders guested on the Album. Gerry Conway made his last appearance with Tull on this album playing drums on four tracks, while Doane Perry drummed on two tracks (the rest was up to Ian). Nor Doane, Gerry or Ric were credited on the album cover though. Peter-John Vettese left the band before the tour, replaced by Don Airey, who within a year was followed up by Martin Allcock, another Fairport Convention member! (the other was the bass player Dave Pegg). Crest Of A Knave is frequently regarded to be the album in which JT exit from their 80's experimentation, returning to the folkish basis of the 70s. I don't think so!!! Not completely! Here in fact we have other examples of their controversial ideas that flowed forcefully in Under Wraps. Malevolents would say there are in Crest other "slags" or "scorias" from the previous one. Not only in music and arrangements, but also in lyric's themes! Only on Rock Island (1989) you can hear a complete exit from the 80s period. For example: Dogs In Midwinter and Mountain Men feature Ian on that "awful" electronic drum, that's not a good thing (I told you, Ian, no drums for you, no more, please!). Said She Was The Dancer insist in division between west and east of Europe: two people from different sides of the Iron Curtain ("eastern steel - western gold") meet and make their own image out of the other by way of wishful thinking: "Well maybe you're dancer, and maybe I'm the King of Old Siam" (".... best to let the illusion roll" and ".... but if your dream is good, why not share it when the nights are cold?"). Budapest is about that splendid Hungarian big capital beyond the iron curtain. This is, anyway, the masterpiece here (outclasses all the other songs), great acoustic passages, as their tradition, great work from Barre on electric guitar, remarkable violin by Ric Sanders. Steel Monkey is a powerful hard rock song, also a video was made and someone think it's a sort of tribute to the Texas' band ZZ Top. Good ones: Farm On The Freeway, Jump Start, Raising Steem. Note that the tracks Dogs In The Midwinter and The Waking Edge were not included in the original vinyl-version of the album but did actually on the CD.

Good 2005 remastered edition with only one bonus track: Part Of The Machine (what a bonus!!!! This is one of the greatest JT songs ever! Findable, before, only in the 1988's compilation for the 20th anniversary of the band. I recommend this one and I hope it'll be possible to include it as a mp3 on progarchives.)

Historic album, not a masterpiece yet, but excellent. Sure!

Hate to be hard on Ian given all he's done for the genre and seeing that the best concert I ever saw was the 'Broadsword And The Beast' tour, I have to say that this particular album bores me to tears. Oh, it starts out decently with the semi-hit 'Steel Monkey', a catchy number with jiggery keyboards and "Farm on the Freeway' which has a nice jam in the middle, but from then on it's a chore. I've always enjoyed Ian's lyrics, some of the best in Rock, hands down. This album has some good ones lyrically, especially, 'Said She was a Dancer' which puts me right the middle of his story, "How Moscow, what's your story?..." and one of Mr. Anderson's favorite compositions, 'Budapest'. But musically, everything seems rather flat in the drumming and keyboard areas, especially the last three tracks. Plus, I don't know if I'm the only one that's noticed, but Ian's voice at times sounds like Mark Knoepler of Dire Straits, especially during the slower tracks. Anyway, I do believe that this album starts the downward trend of my beloved Tull and should only be bought if you must need all the albums. So with a sad heart I give it a measly 2.5 rounded to 3. Okay, I'm going for a tissue....

This is definitely not a good album to start with Jethro Tull even though all characteristics of Tull sounds are offered here. For me personally, this album sounds like the solo project of Ian Anderson or in musical vein it's similar with "A" project which initially would be a solo album by Anderson. The difference this album with previous albums of Tull is probably on the use of keyboard / synthesizer which is now very obvious in this album. Take the opening track "Steel Monkey" which starts off with a kind of industrial music with the punch of electronic equipment (keyboard). It's not something special with respect to traditional or typical Tull's music but it's not a bad track.

The second track "Farm On The Freeway" is truly my favorite especially with the ambient opening of soft keyboard, guitar, flute and soft vocal line that brings the music into more dynamic venture resembling the origins of Tull's musical characteristics. "I was a rich man before yesterday ." is my favorite lyrical part which remarks the music moving up into a more dynamic style with blues influence. It's definitely an excellent track especially with great interlude showing a combination of guitar riffs and flute solo. Quality-wise this track is at par excellent with the band's legendary track such as "Locomotive Breath", "Aqualung", "Cross-Eyed Marry" etc.

"Jump Start" shows the band's typical music with acoustic guitar accompanying voice line with flute-work. "Said She Was A Dancer" is a sweet ballad. "Dogs In The Midwinter" blends flute work with electronic, industrial music. "Budapest" is another killer with the same quality as second track "Farm On The Freeway". It starts off with soft flute-work and soft keyboard in ambient style followed with the acoustic guitar work and voice line. Very good intro. The music is compromising traditional Tull's music with more electronic stuffs with obvious keyboard and electric guitar touch in bluesy style. I especially like the acoustic guitar fills combined with flute sounds. Terrific!

Other tracks "Mountain Men", "The Waking Edge" and "Raising Steam" are well crafted compositions. "Mountain Men" has a strong melody and one of my favorites. "The Waking Edge" has an Eastern nuance with the combination of acoustic guitar and flute. "Raising Steam" starts off with guitar riffs combined with electronic music with keyboard and electronic drums (sounds like it).

Overall, it's a good album even though not essential Tull albums. But you can hear all basic characteristics of Tull sounds: aggressive vocal line punctuated with flute shots and acoustic guitar fills. If you are new to JT you should not start with this album but try "Aqualung", "A Passion Play", "Thick As A Brick", "Stand Up" or "Heavy Horses". Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

The Tull won the 1989 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance with this effort, ahead of Metallica ! (this is well known of course).

What is less known though, is that their manager advised them not to go to the ceremony. The band even placed an add in a British music paper saying : "The flute is a heavy, metal instrument" ! (the phenomenal Ian's sense of humour is almost instantly recognizable).

Based on this, it is no wonder that this album is a solid rock one (flirting with hard rock at many times), but by no means it has anything in conjunction with heavy metal. Since I have always preferred their hard rock side than their folk one, I can only be pleased with "Crest".

"Steel Monkey" has some electro pop sounds ("Under Wraps" is not yet totally forgotten) but is rocking alright. "Farm on the Freeway" is a great song : starts quite slow and then builds up like a Dire Straits tune. Cool. The middle section is really great : wild fluting and great backing band. A highlight of this album and really a very good Tull song. Quite variated. "Jump Start" is also a good song. Switching from a bluesy mood to a hard-rocking one. Not unpleasant. "Said She Was a Dancer" starts again like a Dire Straits one. It's a mellow rock ballad. Not really great I must say. "Dogs in the Midwinter" has a good rythm (still those electro sounds at times) and fluting (but this is a general remark for this album in particular). It is a bit monotonous though and somewhat heavy. Then "Budapest" of course. This one starts a bit as "Baker Street Muse" : acoustic, slow tempo. A quiet Ian on vocals. Some guitar work reminds me of a band I already have mentioned twice in this review. The rythm increases and the melody starts to be really catchy. Short instrumental breaks features some great keys and nice acoustic guitar (gypsy style, of course this is "Budapest" right ?

Although it is simpler in its structure than "Baker" (it has less variations and sounds more like a standard song), I would consider it as another Tull epic (the last one being precisely "Baker" from "Minstrel" in ... 1975).

After the flute intro for "Mountain Me" the song really sounds like "High Hopes" from the Floyd. Except that "Mountain Me" was written seven years BEFORE. The similarity is incredible during the first part of the vocals. I found it rather strange that nobody has remarked this so far. It starts then to rock nicely (nothing heavy you know). This is another good song here. Rythm changes : from a slow acoustic to an intrepid electric tone. Martin performs really well here (as he is used to be I should say). A very good song.

This is a pleasant album that I can spin from start to finish without being bored (skipping the last two songs though). Not a masterpiece but still deserving three stars (even 7 out of ten).

(That's a 2.5)

So it's finally happened. Our greatest fear has been realized. Jethro Tull has bubbled down to Ian, Martin, Dave and a drum machine. Yep. With a wave and a cry of "Follow me boys, I know what I'm doing," Marty and Dave followed the Minstrel as he asked random people on the street, "Can you play mandolin? No, but you play synths? EVEN BETTER! How would you like to be an unofficial honorary member of Jethro Tull for the rest of the afternoon?" And thus begins the long strange trip of Crest of a Knave, and therefore, the heavy met-Tull period.

It would seem natural to compare this with A, the OTHER entry into new Tuller territory. I rate them both the same, but trust me, A is the superior product. And it hurts to say that. This baby gets by on pure style points alone; A is much better played, and contains far catchier, intelligent melodies.

Case in point: the first number, "Steel Monkey," is really quite bad. When a Tull album opens with those cheeezy keyboards, you know it can't be good. What, are they supposed to be menacing? And then Ian steps in on vocals, and it's even worse; yes friends, this is the introduction of the "new Ian voice!" Don't even start with the Barre solo. Didn't this man once play "Aqualung?"

"Farm on the Freeway" is not good, but at least it's not insulting. I think it's supposed to be eerie again, but I can't be sure. At least it's plodding instead of irritating. Now, "Jump Start" is strangely good. I can't quite figure out how it slipped in. Less emphasis on the Casios, and more on violent flute and guitar riffage. Ian and Martin are somehow able to squeeze the best soloing on the album into that one.

Okay, we've heard the first side of this record, the, uh, "rockers" I guess. Let's call 'em "radio metal!" You know, metal songs that aren't really lofty, and they just use squeaky clean guitar tones, so you might even hear 'em played on your local hard rock station. But now we come in with the ballads!

"She Said She Was a Dancer" is actually kind of amusing. I'm not sure that was the point, but that's how I hear it. I mean, come on, the lyrics? "Well maybe I'm the king of ole Siam?" Gotta be for humor. The vocals are some of the best on the album I guess, and the guitar behind is practically good. The song almost jerks a tear. Almost.

Now, there is one number that's highly underrated on this a here thingy: "Dogs in the Midwinter." That little introduction with the flute 'n organ? Charming. Same thing with the rest of this folksy pop rocker. Easily the best song on the album. I even don't mind the Barre-tar as it fades.

Now, up to this point, it's been hit or miss. But don't worry, Ian has decided to get more consistent. From now on, ALL the numbers will suck! "Budapest" is often hailed as the best of the bunch. Oh. Holy crap. Maybe they're right, maybe Tullers are mindless slaves to the flute who will buy anything...NO! This thing is awful. It's another ballad, but unlike "Dancer," there is no sense of fun, and it's way long, with no real melody. And the attempts to prog it up? Useless. Is that really a violin in the background? If you hadn't mentioned that, I never would have known, I figured it was just another synth. This Ric Sanders guy lacks the proto-metallic buzz of Daryl Way or the sheer virtuosity of Eddie Jobson. Pathetic Ian. Didn't you pen "Thick as a Brick?" Maybe it honestly was that kid...

Okay, what's next? "Mountain Men?" Right, now that we've butchered the marathon ballad, let's go with a marathon rocker! Okay, in truth, I actually hear a little potential in this number. Mostly from an atmospheric point of view though, and it's still way too long. And the synths really start to grate here, were they even in tune? Can synths be OUT of tune? Plus, that drum machine is really starting to get irritating...oh, wait, my bad. That's, uh, that's Doane Perry. Sorry.

We fizzle out with the next two. If there's anything good about country-ish ballad "The Waking Edge," it's that Ian's vocals take on a Keith Richards-esque quality. Which is honestly nothing to be proud of. Rocker "Raising Steam" is strangely like "Steel Monkey" in its ability to piss me off. It's a little more guitar heavy, for all it's worth, but it's WAY dopier. "I may not be coming back." Ugh. Please don't, at least not until you've had a chance to write some better material.

The strange thing about Crest is that you can actually tell whether a number will be worth it by listening to the introduction of each song. "Steel Monkey?" Bad keyboards, crappy song. "Waking Edge?" Boring introduction, dull song. "Jump Start?" Cool flute 'n guitar, tricky riff and solos. "Dogs in the Midwinter?" Folksy flute 'n organ, charming song. Go figure.

There is really so much against this album. You can pretty much neatly divide it into "dorky radio metal," and "ballads that are about Ian trying to have sex with foreign chicks," with the occasional "addition to the next 'Best of Tull' collection." Yeah. Pretty sweet, ain't it?

Alright, so there are a couple of redeeming factors to the album. Oddly enough, I can't mark the thing down on too many counts of barely passable melodies and irritating production coupled with pretentiousness. I mean, most of the rockers are just trying have a good ole family farm sellin', monkey stealin' good time! Or something like that. I mean, they even have some good old fashioned pee in the bushes photos in the liner notes (ala Who's Next). Just try not to take the first side seriously, then skip "Budapuss," "The Wanking Edge" and "Dazed-and Steamed," and you should be fine.

There! I didn't even mention the 1987 Grammys OR Mark Knopfler.

(There is but a single bonus track on the remaster of Crest, which I guess says a lot about the lack of group creativity at the moment, since usually Ian can't shut up long enough to allow less than sixty songs a second out. Anyway, "Part of the Machine" is a little roots rockier in form and feel than anything on the album. But it's not that good. Of course, it's not that bad either. Think "Mountain Men," only less irritating and shorter, and a nicer introduction. Okay, wait, it's actually pretty long. But the soloing is energetic, so...it's okay, but hardly anything to write home to Jethro about. No raise in rating.)

Drum machines? Check. Veteran 1960s rockers imitating popular 1980s bands which sported bandanas? Check. Heavy metal? No way!!!

CREST OF A KNAVE is easily the best Jethro Tull album of the eighties, and I've always enjoyed it more than HEAVY HORSES or STORMWATCH (if that sounds like sufficient recommendation). True, at certain moments the music sags. What's the purpose, for example, of recycling one of the main themes of THICK AS A BRICK in 'Mountain Men'? But the comparative sparsity of the band's sound (the liner notes defiantly proclaim: 'Jethro Tull are Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, David Pegg') allows the lead guitar to open up and (almost) dominate proceedings in a way it hadn't done since MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY. As opposed to BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST, where his solos only irritate, Martin Barre now sounds subtle, rough (when required) and inspired throughout. Best of all, Ian Anderson has come up with a range of memorable melodies, e.g. 'Jump Start', 'Farm on the Freeway', 'Budapest' - and never mind that he tries to sing like Mark Knopfler much of the time. Of course, the instrumental variations in the extended middle section of 'Budapest' can't hold a candle to similar passages created when Barriemore Barlow, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and John Evans were in the band, but they sound charming all the same. And to my delight, on 'The Waking Edge' Anderson even tries one of the things he does best: singing about heartbreak and desolation.

A FINE RETURN TO FORM!

After the disappointing UNDER WRAPS and the side project of A CLASSIC CASE, 3 years went by without a new JETHRO TULL release. IAN ANDERSON retired in his scottish estate and converted into some kind of gentleman farmer.More importantly,it was the necessary time he needed to rest his voice and hopefully get it back later.

It was now 1987 and CREST OF A KNAVE was released with a nice medieval art cover design! Was it a ''back to the roots'' album with a madrigal at King Henry's court? Not really as CREST OF A KNAVE is in some kind a very hard rocking album, finally giving MARTIN BARRE the opportunity to shine since the great BROADSWORD. I won't say it's a return to the source because there is still some typically 80s sound here and there like a drum machine on the fast opener , the hard rockerSTEEL MONKEY.

But the old TULL can be heard with all the nice fluting, time changes and heavy riffs like on the great FARM ON THE FREEWAY . Another difference from the past is also the way the voice of IAN ANDERSON has evolved; Yes, it got better since tha abysmal days of UNDERWRAPS- just listen to JUMP START; sounds like a STAND UP time song. But the delivery of his vocals is somewhat also more introspective than before sounding like MARK KNOPFLER from DIRE STRaITS. I don't now if this band had some influence on IAN ANDERSON as they were big back then, but it sounds quite similar on tracks such as FARM ON THE FREEWAY, SHE SAID SHE WAS A DANCER or even BUDAPEST.

Anyway, all these new additions to the JT sound mix well with the old one. CREST OF A KNAVE can be seen like a logical evolution of JETHRO TULL.....getting forward without forgetting the bases like they did so badly with UNDER WRAPS. This is JETHRO TULL, a good JETHRO TULL, a group that evolved nicely with this album. AQUALUNG part 2 doesn't exist; there is only one AQUALUNG, so just appreciate this album as a very good JT new album.

There are no weak tracks, even STEEL MONKEY is very catchy, could have used real drums of course, but there are..2 real drummers for the other tracks. IAN ANDERSON always considered the 10mns BUDAPEST as his number one all time masterpiece, not that i agree but that's a very nice suite well arranged with a great build up and nice melody. I told you, an excellent JETHRO TULL addition.

There is only one bonus track but one of the best song ever recorded;PART OF THE MACHINE that was only released in 1988 on the 20 years anniversary 5 LPs-3 CDs excellent boxset. Everybody knows also that CREST OF A KNAVE won the best ''Heavy metal'' Grammy award and finally put an end to the reign of long time HM king Metallica; at least, it helped JETHRO TULL as this album did well on the 2 sides of the atlantic.

I can't think of a good JETHRO TULL collection without CREST OF A KNAVE; Just enjoy the MOUNTAIN MEN!

4 STARS.

After the artificial and profoundly disappointing 'Under Wraps', this was surely a breath of fresh air despite the use of sequencers and a few times that sound as if Ian Anderson partnered with Mark Knopfler. It's like the band was saying "We can do a hot modern-sounding record too, and still maintain our prog past". And that they did.

The clipped hiss of a drum program and a sequenced piano cuts through and leads 'Steel Monkey', a well-deserved homage to the men who build the urban world. Heart-tugging 'Farm on the Freeway' is a highlight with crisp flautings from Ian and concise, metallic riffs by Marty. The song sardonically but sympathetically addresses the assault upon rural Britain, and it cooks, the boys pulling out some old classic Tull-isms and passages that evoke the Aqualung days, Anderson at his sensitive best and in fine voice. Folkie 'Jump Start' adds more contrast between Barre's electric ice, Dave Pegg's bass and Ian's baritone timber. Plus a red-hot flute break. Wonderfully sweet and funny 'She Said She Was a Dancer' is Anderson's memories of strange encounters in the night. The very cool 'Dogs in Midwinter' follows, one of the best Tull cuts of the 80s and gracefully dances along with neat melodies, pyrotechnic chirps from Barre's attentive guitar, Ian's playful flute, a gorgeous bit. Distant sentiment and flirtatious fantasies in the 10 minute 'Budapest', one of Anderson's favorite Tull songs, lightly arranged with classical passages and some very sweet flute/guitar lines. 'Mountan Men', the complement to 'Steel Monkey', maintains the groups allegiance to the natural world and is another excellent later period Tull track, and 'The Waking Edge' could be the Dire Straits if you close your eyes. Rocker 'Raising Steam' opens up a can of ZZ Top and bonus track 'Part of the Machine' is not to be missed, possibly the most classic sounding Tull piece here.

Not prog rock as normally understood and perhaps unrecognizable to old Jethro Tull followers, 'Crest of a Knave' was a successful and healthy foray into the brave new world that was the mid 1980s and as a collection of great sounding if straight-forward songs, it is a winner in this veteran's book.

No doubt a good Jethro Tull album. More diverse than the previous 3 albums, but sometime to much remaind me of Dire Straits or Pink Floyd, specially on voice on some tracks. Anyway the album has a typicall 80's sound with drum program and keys sound like they are from new wave current. Some fine tracks are to me Said She Was A Dancer and Budapest. An album that was consider in that years a well return to form after the crapy Under wraps. Well is a return to form but not to '70's Tull music more like to Broad sword. A modern Tull album both in sound and manner of compositions. 3 stars, among the good albums of this legendary band.

Return to the form? What form?

What's going on?

A mainstream rock album here. Not bad, but far from good. It's somewhat appealing to me - Ian's voice and Martin's guitar remind of DIRE STRAITS and that's not bad - I like that band. Cheesy keyboards are all over the place but that's not the problem neither.

I quite liked this album a few years ago (and I would rate it with three stars at that time), but after repeated listenings, I'm not so sure, and Broadsword And The Beast and Crest Of A Knave swapped their places.

The problem is, between good moments there's just nothing. Farm On A Freeway is this album's magnum opus, but it's just not on a level good enough for an average Tull fan. Budapest is empty. I mean, lot's of little tricks, acoustic parts, but each little pattern played on acoustic guitar or whatever is just dull. Unimaginative chunks of blues scales. Boring. Dogs In Midwinter is a album's highlight, regardless of song's unimaginative chorus. Said She Was A Dancer is a pleasant, again Knopfler-esque tune, with atrocious lyrics I'm a Pepsi-cola but you won't take me out of can etc. The rest of the songs are not very memorable, they had flashes of melody here and there.

It's not very good, it's certainly non-essential, but it MIGHT appeal to the larger audience because of that AOR approach, Dire Straits style and overall calming mood. It deserves two and a half stars.

Everybody knows the amusing story of how this record - in spite of its actual musical content, as well as its medieval-sounding title and elegant artwork - ended up winning a Grammy Award as best Heavy Metal album, beating none other than the mighty Metallica in the process. "Crest of a Knave", released three years after Jethro Tull's commonly acknowledged lowest point, the dismal "Under Wraps", is in many ways a return to form for the band - if one doesn't mind the occasional presence of drum machines, the only true link with the previous album. Anyway, on most tracks there is a real drummer performing, American-born Doane Perry, who ended up joining the band permanently.

Martin Barre's guitar is probably the main reason for the ridiculous 'heavy metal' tag - Barre's playing has always leaned towards the harder end of the spectrum, and "Crest of a Knave" is no exception. On the other hand, as the previous reviews have pointed out, some of the slower, more melodic tracks show the influence of a band that was very popular at the time of the album's release - namely, Dire Straits. For a lover of the Newcastle band as I am, there could be much worse influences than that... However, it is true that, with only a few exceptions, this is not a very proggy album, and could therefore sound like a disappointment to some fans of the band's earlier output.

Since my fellow reviewers have already provided enough input, I'll spare my readers an unnecessary track-by-track analysis. I'll limit myself to pointing out those songs which, in my opinion, are the highlights of the album. My own personal favourite is the poignant "Farm on the Freeway", which boasts some typically terse, and at the same time meaningful lyrics by Anderson. In only three stanzas, he outlines a story all too common in the American heartland - a man having to give up his home in order for yet another major road to be built: "And what do I want with a million dollars and a pickup truck?/ When I left my farm under the freeway..." Those simple two lines at the end of the song have the power to bring tears to my eyes. Anderson's vocals (which by that time had already begun to show signs of wear and tear) are somber and understated, enhancing the overall mood of sadness and loss. The instrumental middle section sees a fine example of the interplay between Barre's sharp, metallic guitar and Anderson's melancholy flute.

"Budapest", certainly the most celebrated composition on "Crest...", and a frequent feature of Jethro Tull's live set, is a 10-minute mini-suite about an encounter with a mysterious woman with legs that 'went on forever' in the titular Hungarian capital. Introduced by some romantically wistful piano, it develops into an interesting song with plenty of time changes and instrumental breaks. "Dogs in The Midwinter" is a more energetic, upbeat number, with an almost dance-like rhythm; while the laid-back "She Said She Was a Dancer", as suggested earlier, takes us right into Dire Straits territory - Ian Anderson even sounds a bit like Mark Knopfler here.

Though I enjoy this album quite a lot (certainly much more than its follow-up, "Rock Island"), I cannot really bring myself to give it more than 3.5 stars. As good as most of the music is (and the only bonus track, "Part of the Machine", is a strong addition, sounding a lot like 'classic' Tull), I would hesitate to call "Crest of a Knave" in any way essential. However, it makes for a very pleasant listen, and "Farm on the Freeway" and "Budapest" alone make it worth the purchase.

It's a good thing someone jump started these boys.

Jethro Tull's 1987 return to form is likely one of the most controversial albums to date. While other albums past other bands' primes have been more widely discussed it seems that the progressive community is split into two groups when it comes to this very album: Those who think that the album is a wonderful return and those who think the album is a pile of rubbish to be burned with Under Wraps. While the album certainly is different than Tull's classic work, there's no doubt that this is good stuff and worthy of multiple spins.

Another comment thrown the way of this album is the comparison to Dire Straits. While it's very obvious here that Ian ANDERSON's voice and BARRE's style of guitar have somewhat drifted towards and gravitated around Mark Knopler, there's still that Tull charm to the music. Mixing the old with the new, this album actually comes off as quite fresh, and being a big Straits fan anyways, this album was even better. Those who don't like Dire Straits may take offense to what Anderson was trying to accomplish here, but it's hard to deny that in the midst of the 80s, this album certainly helped the band survive.

Then the album takes more criticism over winning ''Best Metal/Hard Rock Performance'' for the year, beating Metallica (to the boos and taunts of the crowd) for the award. This is a fairly confusing ordeal, since even Ian Anderson himself has admitted to being confused by the nomination and stated that it was more of an award for a group that had never won an award before.

The album does start, however, just as it's award would suggest. Steel Monkey is a hard rocking, mechanical monster that utilizes the Tull's heavier side. Great for the rock fans, proggers may be put off a bit by this. Fear not! The next group of songs easily makes up for those who were turned off by the opener. This is, however, where the Dire Straits comparisons kick in. Farm On The Freeway is a great slow song with some quick, heavy guitar parts mixed in just to soothe the apatite of the heavier rocking people. A great mix regardless, this is one of the standouts of the album. Jump Start is another quick, high-paced song that's quite good. Said She Was A Dancer is a good slow track with a fairly funny story behind it. Dogs In The Midwinter follows closely, again, behind the faster songs on the album.

From here on in, however, the album is pure gold... and it was good before! Budapest is an excellent epic that ANDERSON describes as ''One of the band's best songs''. Really, this song is a throwback to the 70s while keeping some of the new style introduced on the album. Mountain Men starts off like late generation Pink Floyd and kicks into gear a couple minutes in. This is likely the next best song standing next to Budapest. Meanwhile, Raising Steam ends the album as it began... heavily.

Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, this album really is something else. 4 stars, excellent addition to any prog collection. Don't expect classic era Tull, but do expect some great music that really takes five or ten listens to really ''get''. Once the album is ''got'' however, it's likely to stay in your cd player for a good long time. Recommended to Tull fans, fans who want to hear where the ''hard-rock'' side of Tull comes from, Dire Straits fans (of course) and anyone who has little faith in 80s music. Great album, great return to form.

For a look at the classic Jethro Tull, check out any of their 70's albums. If you're a pretty strident Tull fan, CREST OF A KNAVE isn't a bad investment, but it isn't great either. I'm sure most fans that heard this wondered where the classic Jethro Tull sound went; we get songs that sound like Dire Straits castoffs. Don't let the appeal of a ten minute epic fool you; it doesn't compare to earlier Tull works despite ''Budapest'' being one of the better cuts from the album. CREST OF A KNAVE mostly takes a straight rock kind of sound with only the epic, ''Farm on the Freeway'' and ''Mountain Men'' attaining any classic value. The ballads (''She Said She Was a Dancer'' and ''The Waking Edge'') and the techno hit ''Steel Monkey'' are rough to sit through knowing the classics of Tull that I do. Worth the investigation only after you've exhausted enough of the 70's Jethro Tull works and still crave for more.

Crest Of A Knave is a somewhat uneven Jethro Tull album. The programmed drums and keyboard patterns on Steel Monkey make for an awful start. The following couple of tracks are quite strong on the other hand. Lyrically some songs here are similar to the theme of the Heavy Horses album; countryside romanticism, old time nostalgia, scepticism of technology and progress etc. Musically, however, this is not really similar to Heavy Horses.

She Said She Was A Dancer is a balled with somewhat cheesy lyrics. Dogs In The Midwinter is more typical of the 70's Jethro Tull; it would have fitted on Songs From The Wood.

Budapest is the longest track, but I would say that it is very far behind any of the bands 70's epic songs. There isn't really that much happening in the song during its ten plus minutes.

Mountain Men has real potential, but it is too long for its own good. The Waking Edge is one of the best songs here together with Dogs In The Midwinter and Farm On The Freeway. As many have mentioned there is a Dire Straits sound to several songs here. Personally, I don't mind that too much.

This album is good, but not quite deserving of four stars, I think. But it is not far behind.

"Crest of a Knave" is a very good album, comprising enough moments of musical greatness as to make the whole listening experience a full-range realization of the sort of creative recovery that Jethro Tull achieved after the gradually less satisfying two studio efforts that preceded it. This album isn't alien to modern sounds with noticeable accents on digital procedures (synthesizers, you know), but it mostly delivers a solid and well crafted return-to-form in terms of folk and rock elements, those elements that played such a relevant role in the band's continuous apex during the 70s. Another thing that catches quite rapidly the listener's attention is the assimilation of Dire Straits-related moods in Barre's guitar playing and Anderson's singing style (already in a decreasing phase, but still then handling the vocal duties in a genuinely dignified fashion). The Dire Straits factor has already been mentioned by a zillion reviewers and commentators before me, but no review on this album would be complete without bringing it out. The opener 'Steel Monkey' mixes industrial techno foundations with impetuous hard rocking guitars: almost like waving a last farewell to the sonic mechanics of "Under Wraps" (and Anderson's first solo album "Walk into Light") while opening back the doors to good old fashioned rock. This catchy opener was actually the first single, but it barely can be perceived as a proper signal of the band's predominant moods. 'Farm on the Freeway' and 'Jump Start' are, and as such they must be appreciated as manifestos of what this "reformulated" JT aims at for the latter half of the 80s: a lighter version of the stylish folk-rock that the band went on refining in the late 70s all the way until the "Stormwatch" album. The reflective disappointment of 'Farm' and the joyful cynicism of 'Jump Start' work well as neighbor songs, with the former focusing on majestic moods and the latter going for more frantic ambiences. 'She said She Was a Dancer' is the ultimate expression of the Dire Straits-factor in this period of the band. So, now let's go for 'Budapest', oh, the lovely 'Budapest': this 10+ piece is one of the most ambitious Anderson explorations on his lyrical side, staging a perfect portrait of melancholy and romanticism with its various motifs and atmospheres. Everything works great throughout the developments of melodies and the linkages that make the whole; it's just lovely, the last true grandiose gem written by Anderson. 'Mountain Men' recaptures the stylish framework of 'Farm on the Freeway' albeit with a more extroverted twist after the introductory theme. Another example of the successful return to form that I referred to earlier in this review. 'Raising Steam', on the other hand, closes down the original tracklist with patent similarities to 'Steel Monkey' - so, this album ends on a modern note. But there are three bonus racks in the most recent re-edition of "Crest of a Knave': my fave one off those has to be 'Part of the Machine', deeply Celtic and pastoral as something that might as well have been part of "Stormwatch" or "Heavy Horses". Why wasn't it included in the original album? - if so, the return to form would have felt more complete. anyway. So, all in all, everybody is aware of the conceptual fiasco that occurred when, in 1988, the Grammy people decided to give Jethro Tull the award for the best hard rock/heavy metal album of 1978 for this "Crest of a Knave". On the other hand, this mistake was an act of justice in disguise considering not only the magnificent greatness that JT gave of the world of rock from day one, but also considering the efficient way in which Ian Anderson and co. could cope with the anti-art-rock airs prevalent in the 80s music business and release some more of good prog rock in a consistent way. A least, more consistently than Yes with their "Big Generator" project. anyway. Just like an island in the mainstream ocean of AOR, heavy metal and R'n'B, "Crest of a Knave" shines brightly among the waves that crush eagerly against its rocks.

This was something of a comeback album for Jethro Tull. The band had retired after 1984's Under Wraps, due to Ian Anderson's throat problems. Three years is not so long a time to be without such a fine band.

Anderson's voice is obviously an issue. He strains to hit higher notes, and even on the lower sections, he has a different timbre than on previous albums. And while he makes an effort to capture the sound of his previous albums, he seems to understand his new limitations, and tones down much of the music. Nonetheless, this is a very good album, although not as good as some the band will record in the next few years.

Farm On The Freeway and Budapest are the standouts on the album, while two of the harder rock tunes, Steel Monkey and Raising Steam are hampered by an annoying electronic drum track.

A nice restart for Anderson & company.

Jethro Tull's post-seventies output has been a bit of a mixed bag, sometimes good, though rarely exceptional and occasionally bad as in Under Wraps. Crest Of A Knave is one of the better of the bunch with most of the tracks being at least good and it does feature two Tull classics. The biggest downside is the occasional use of drum machine and a slightly sterile production, in part down to the use of eighties synths.

The pick of the bunch is Farm On The Freeway, a track of light and shade against more upbeat moments which could sit comfortably with much of their seventies output. It features a pleasing instrumental section adding a bit more complexity to the proceedings than most of the album and I'd go as far as to say it's their finest moment since the Heavy Horses album. The other key track is Budapest, a ten minute mini epic. It's a fairly simple piece with an infectious melody with subtle dynamics and not surprising with a track of its length, containing a strong instrumental section.

The rest of the album consists of straightforward rockers in a Dire Straits vein like Steel Monkey, Jump Start and Raising Steam and more mellow moments like Said She Was A Dancer and The Waking Edge. Mountain Men is one of the better songs adding a bit more diversity to the proceedings than the likes of Steel Monkey.

While there's no danger of Crest Of A Knave competing with the likes of Thick As A Brick, Songs From The Wood or even Benefit for that matter, it is a fairly consistent album and the pick of anything this side of Broadsword And The Beast.

Anderson does a Knopfler! Actually, I like Dire Straits, at least their earlier stuff, and it is very true that Ian does sound remarkably similar to Mark on the vocals on many parts of this album, but, in truth, any similarity was almost certainly owing to the difficulties he had been having with his vocal chords, requiring surgery. His voice had, literally, changed as a result.

This is actually a solid Tull release from the 1980's, and, especially on Farm On The Freeway, you can hear similarities and a progression from the superb Broadsword And The Beast. It's a thoughtful track devoted to a pet passion of running new society and technology through a farmer's land, with which no amount of compensation can possibly assuage the feeling of despair and defeat. The flute playing is magnificent, and Martin Barre sounds extremely good.

My favorite Tull period has always been the folkier one, and there is sufficient on here to satisfy my preference. Jump Start could almost be a track from Heavy Horses, such is the rich texture of the sound created. It's another very strong track, with a rocking guitar solo at the end, only slightly marred by some strange vocal whoo's and effects.

The opener, Steel Monkey, is enjoyable enough, and was a single release reaching the giddy heights of number 84 in the UK charts, without being remotely essential.

The absolute dead ringer for Dire Straits is the short track Said She Was A Dancer, which I am bound to say sounds as if it were a cover from the debut album or Communique. Having said that, Knopfler didn't do irony as well as Anderson. Even the Barre sensitive solo is pure Knopfler, so they were obviously engaging in a spot of cross acting/dressing for this one! And we thought that type of thing had stopped with Hunting Girl!

Dogs In The Midwinter is a pleasant enough track, with some excellent flute and guitar work mainly backing some extremely stereotypical 1980's keyboards.

The lengthy epic on the album is Budapest, which clocks in at just over ten minutes. This excellent track, one of the clear highlights of their later career, has a blissfully melodic blues feel to it, and I really do think that Barre on this thoroughly enjoys revisiting his roots, because he has rarely sounded as good. The keyboards by Anderson, thankfully, take a back seat on this, and he does what he does best - telling an amusing and interesting story and interjecting with Barre on flute to keep the listener's interest throughout. This is, quite simply, Tull at their melodic and thoughtful best. A gem of a track and the standout on the album.

The remainder of the album is solid enough fare, without being exceptional. The pace picks up on Mountain Men, which is rather spoiled by Anderson clearly struggling with his vocal range and the fact that it drags on a little bit too long. The Waking Edge features some terrific interplay between Barre and Anderson, before a simple, but melodic piano introduces the main, understated, vocal. Raising Steam ends the album as it began, with a simple rocker.

Tull won the Grammy award for "Best Heavy Metal" for this album, which does rather make you wonder whether the judges had all taken a few days loaded with copious amounts of booze and drugs in order to reach their decision. What this is, in reality, is a solid release, that, in retrospect, puts a lie to the myth that prog giants could not release anything decent in this decade.

It's not an essential album by any means, but this is a very good album, and one that longstanding Tull fans will get pleasure out of. Three stars, but 3.5 in reality.

One can't help but feel a bit sorry for Jethro Tull in the wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time case of "Crest of a Knave." After the indiscriminate MTV virus that gutted prog had infected and adversely affected the three albums they'd released since the 80s decade began and the tour to support 84's "Under Wraps" record had strained Ian Anderson's voice so much that it required surgery to repair they finally put out a disc in late '87 worthy of their legacy. Yet it goes on to become famous not for its content but for earning a Grammy award that metalheads the world over felt they stole from Metallica. As if they had anything to do with it! I wouldn't be surprised if Ian's reaction was something along the lines of "I struggled through rehab to get my voice back for this crappy notoriety?" The fact is, "Crest of a Knave" is one of their better efforts overall and easily the best they'd done since the delightful "Heavy Horses" came out in '78.

During their 3-year hiatus the group had dwindled to trio status with Anderson taking over synthesizer duties, original member Martin Barre still wielding various guitars and Dave Pegg on bass. Since real drums had become optional studio hardware for Jethro Tull since the 70s ended they didn't even feel the need to have a full-time stickman on the staff. While I'm no fan of drum machines I can understand why they were such an attraction in that era. Yes, they lacked soul but they also didn't talk back or show up late, they played exactly what you programmed them to play and they infallibly kept the tempo perfect. Plus, everybody was experimenting with them in those days to some extent or another so I look at them more as a sign of the times than as a deliberate cop-out. The album opener, "Steel Monkey," is anchored by fake drums but they don't detract from what turns out to be quite an impressive song. The tune benefits from an intriguing chord progression and Barre's guitar work has a lot of pizzazz and bite. "Farm on the Freeway" is next and a flesh & blood drummer, Doane Perry, does the honors of guiding the track. His subtle groove lays the groundwork for this entertaining number that grows stronger while gaining momentum. The song incorporates the classic Tull style and blends it with modern instrumentation while the lyrics about urban sprawl are poignant. "They forgot they told us what this old land was for/grow two tons the acre, boy, between the stones/this was no Southfork, it was no Ponderosa/but it was the place that I called home," Ian muses wistfully. "Jump Start" is a bluesy, acoustic guitar-driven tune that would've been more effective had they maintained its initial low profile instead of over-rocking it up unnecessarily.

"She Said She Was a Dancer" is a mellower cut that reminds me very much of one of my favorite bands of that era, Dire Straits, especially in Anderson's vocal approach. I don't find that aroma to be a detriment but I have no doubt that his preference for the lower register in his singing was a direct, unavoidable consequence of his throat problems. The tune itself is interesting but not all that engaging. Things get proggier with "Dogs in the Midwinter." It has an involved arrangement that's a throwback to their earlier days when their folk influences made for highly inventive prog rock, were prominently showcased and allowed them to take the music world by storm. The ten-minute epic "Budapest" follows and it's the apex of the album. It begins with them creating a haunting aura that beguiles and captivates in an inviting way. Once again there's a palpable Mark Knopfler spirit detected in both Ian's voice and in Martin's guitar technique but it doesn't come off as cheap mimicry. I thoroughly enjoy how the number steadily evolves and builds in complexity and how the superb acoustic guitar work adds a classy excitement to the proceedings. The sly words manage to be witty without becoming crass when describing a young woman's alluring charms. "Yes, and her legs went on forever/like staring up at infinity/through a wisp of cotton panty/along a skin of satin sea," he croons lustfully. This tune is a prime example of prog folk done properly.

"Mountain Men" follows and its relaxed opening leads to a heavier rock motif reminiscent of their Aqualung phase (one I didn't particularly care for) but, thankfully, not as brittle and edgy in tone. There's nothing wrong with their performance on this cut but there's little I find to latch onto that's memorable or above average. The song's mysterious ending is the highlight of the track. "The Waking Edge" is a step up in that I could readily relate to its melancholy atmosphere and bittersweet flavor. It's a somewhat droll ballad but it has a certain charm that draws me in. Or maybe it's just that I'm a hopeless sucker for heartbreaking lines like "Well, you know, I felt her in my dream last night/strange how the sheets are warm beside me/now, how do I catch the waking edge?/as it slips to the far and wide of me." Anyone who's experienced that incurable inner ache can commiserate with his pain. The closer is "Rising Steam," a restrained rocker that prominently features Barre's gritty electric guitar but eventually shows all the earmarks of being filler material included more out of necessity than artistic expression.

By garnering the first-ever Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance or Instrumental trophy at the Grammys, a ceremony the band didn't even bother to attend, they made indelible music history with "Crest of a Knave." Obviously the sheltered elite that made up the lion's share of the voting bloc were clueless as to what the category was created for because Jethro Tull has only skirted the outer boundaries of hard rock and has never ventured into metallic territories. But that fact, as always, didn't stop the academy members from making utter fools of themselves. However, if you're a fan of Anderson & Co. but have avoided this infamous album due to its cruel fate and undeserved reputation I suggest you give it a fair listen before judging it. I think you'll like what you hear. 3.3 stars.

I still stand by my statement that every Jethro Tull album has at least one essential track on it. Some more than others, it's true, but I can name at least one essential track on every one of their albums. Crest of a Knave is no exception, in fact, it has 5 essential tracks and 5 others that are still great. That is better than most of the Tull albums released around this time. To me, this is the perfect "entry level" JT album as it has a good representation of the bands music and it is easily likable. So what if it's not one of their essential albums, it is still one that I enjoy every time I listen to it.

The rock is a bit more straightforward on the faster songs. There are even a few acoustic-driven tracks (namely the Dire Straits influenced "Said She Was a Dancer" and the 10+ minute "Budapest", 2 of the best JT tracks ever). "Farm on the Freeway" and "Mountain Men" are both prog based mid to fast tempo songs. From there you have some more hard-rock centered songs, but they are not as washed out as the rock songs on "Catfish Rising" in my opinion, I think they are great quality hard rock songs. There are a few weaker ones like "Dogs in the Midwinter" which has too much synthesizer on it that cheapens and dates the album and "Part of the Machine" which sounds so much like "Farm on the Freeway" that you'd think it was a copy, but if you get the original vinyl, these songs aren't even on the track listing, which I think the album flows much better without these tracks anyway.

This is a decent JT release and if you are debating which one to get to best represent the late 80s/early 90s releases for JT, then this is the one you should get. For my money, it's the best representative for that period of time with enough great music to leave a great impression on you and also proves that JT still had some great songs in their heads. Not a masterpiece as a whole, but it has some masterpieces on it, so it's still an excellent addition to your collection. 4 stars.

I picked up Crest of a Knave with very low expectations. After all, it's an '80's album by a prog band, so mediocre is about the best one can hope for. And mediocre pretty much sums up this "hard rockin'" release by Tull. It has enough energy and guitar work to be interesting, but too much bland songwriting and originality to be exciting.

The album opens laughably bad... like, probably one of the worst songs the band has ever recorded. "Steel Monkey" sounds like a song taken from the soundtrack to Lethal Weapon 2. It's just awful, but imagining Danny Glover in a chase scene grunting "I'm too old for this" while Ian Anderson sings this song's absurd lyrics almost makes it campy.

"Farm on the Freeway" is instant redemption though. This is a smooth, classy, melodic song with a great instrumental mid-section. As bad as "Steel Monkey" is, "Farm on the Freeway" is good. "Mountain Men" stands out as another solid Tull-style rocker, with good guitar work by Barre. His performance is really the only highlight in Crest of a Knave, as one unmemorable song drifts by after another. The extended track "Budapest" is a slow-tempo lament over a call girl that Anderson (and probably the whole band, from the lyrics) banged during their tours. Again, with the exception of the acoustic guitar work, it has mediocrity all over it; it tricks us into thinking it's intelligent and thoughtful but it really just sounds like the band doesn't know what to do with this song, as it meanders around from synth passage to flute solo aimlessly. By the end of it I had a hard time wondering what if anything happened during those 10 minutes.

Anderson gets a lot of respect for coming back after throat surgery but his changed voice does make the group sound A LOT like Dire Straights. This isn't really a criticism, just a side note. While listening I was waiting to hear about how to get my money for nothing and my chicks for free, but instead he sticks to waxing nostalgic and sentimental. Unfortunately his vocals don't leave an impact.

There are other songs on the album, but I forget everything about them except for the fact that they're forgettable. To sum up, Crest of a Knave is more fuel to the fire that consumed proggers in the '80's. Some of them transitioned very well, like Rush, while others didn't quite know how to age gracefully. In this case, Tull retains their identity, but just sounds tired and unambitious. At least they stuck to their rockin' guns though.

Songwriting: 2 - Instrumental Performances: 3 - Lyrics/Vocals: 2 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 2

It is difficult to find any kind of similarity between the Crest Of A Knave with any of the glorious works prior to the 80s. When you listen Said She Was A Dancer or The Waking Edge, for example, you don´t know if you are listen songs by Jethro Tull or Dire Straits, and said this without any contempt by the more than respectable group of Mark Knopfler, and up to that point we also find some similarity to the texan rockers ZZ Top in the most popular and promoted Steel Monkey or Raising Steam. An album more twinned with classic hard rock, which inexplicably won the Grammy for the best heavy metal album (¿?) of the year.

It is not a bad album, but it has almost nothing to do with the progressive, except for the brilliant Budapest, which in its 10-minute duration, Anderson and his band make a spectacular display of musicality by the most authentic Jethro Tull, and one of my favorites from his song catalog. I wish the rest of the album had taken that path. Budapest is the progressive oasis in the middle of the desert.