THICK AS A BRICK

I feel like the radio version of this song kind of spoiled me for this album. I mean the song was ok and pleasant and everything, but based on it I would never have bought this record. That is until I got into progressive music and saw that this was in most peoples top ten. I now bow to the brick, it is indeed thick. I say that after spending a week listening to it with fresh ears. I now see what all the fuss is about. It's kind of cool that this record was Anderson's response to critics who kept calling "Aqualung" a concept album. So he went out to make a spoof on concept albums. I have to say Ian Anderson is one of the most talented and humerous people in the prog world. I just read he is going to be honoured by the queen, I wonder if he'll be present for it. Haha. He is so anti-establishment, and there is a lot of that in this album, often brought out in a funny way. Just read the newspaper that originally came with it to see that. Or the newspaper articles in the liner notes if you have the cd.

It starts off with what I used to hear on the radio. Anderson's vocals, acoustic guitar and flute leading the way. Piano and bass add to the sound after a minute. This all changes 3 minutes in.Let the adventure really begin. It starts much more aggressive. Organ and bass are prominant. Mood and tempo continue to shift. Vocals return after 6 minutes. Some nice guitar 7 1/2 minutes in that rise to a climax before 9 minutes. The organ is great 11 minutes in, becoming very GENESIS-like. Love that passage. Another change 16 1/2 minutes in.The vocals a minute later are full of energy and confidence. This is such a pleasure to listen to, it's so catchy and well played. Some nice organ late. Side one is near perfect in my opinion.

Side two takes a while to get going but when it does we are treated to an uptempo melody with some fantastic drumming. The drum solos are a bit much though, but check out the brief organ 3 minutes in. It's like the song is stalled until after 4 minutes when flute, acoustic guitar and vocals arrive. One of my favourite sections on the whole album is the darker passage that arrives 7 minutes in. For 6 minutes the solemn vocals and then organ just moves me emotionally. It then brightens 13 minutes in as it becomes faster paced with flute and drums leading the way. I really like the section 16 1/2 minutes in with vocals. A theme from side one is repeated 2 minutes later. Some orchestration. After 20 minutes the intro from side one is repeated. Great way to end it all.

It would be redundant to recommend this one. I'm sure you have it already.