THICK AS A BRICK

Thick as a Brick was the highest-rated album on ProgArchives for a while, but there were several evidences (for example the PA Ultimate Album List) which confuted that it was the best prog album in the eyes of reviewers. Then...why was it the #1 so long? The solution is (besides it had only a very little advantage), that TaaB is unequivocally a masterpiece, but for some reason not as dividing and controversial as the other greats (Close to the Edge, Selling England by the Pound) are. There's something in this album what makes it beloved by most of the people, perhaps the catchyness of the melodies and the instrumentation, which is really fantastic.

There's only one song split into Part I and II. I listened to them for a while in the bad order, because I mistagged my files on my computer. I just realized it on the day of my review, but I really think that this false order makes no difference in the enjoyment level.

Part I starts as an ordinary folk rock song, then the Tull landmarks join in. The building up is almost perfect, and at 6:10 the main motif comes...MAJESTIC! Especially its later variants will be breathtaking, but this prepaires us to the following ones well.

The first few minutes of Part II are surprising, they are like the band were looking for ideas and just jamming around...but then the real movement starts and the energy lasts until the end of the album.

All in one, a great album, nevertheless not the best of prog.