UNDER WRAPS

Despite being corralled into the descriptive genre prison of progressive folk rock or even hard rock, JETHRO TULL was never one to shy aware from experimentation even if the fanbase of one of prog's greatest success stories didn't go along for the ride. For every chart topper like "Aqualung," JT seemed to crank out the antithesis such as "A Passion Play" which still remains a divisive wedge between those who found the band taking things substantially too far and ultimately the overweening pomp which found a backlash in the form of punk rock which would strike like lightning in the mid-70s. However the ever restless Ian Anderson always seemed to find the perfect way to bounce back and pacify the fans with another excellent album.

While TULL continued doing what they did best, namely crank out excellent tunes crafted into folk inspired rock compositions with proggy touches strewn about, by the 80s the band was sort of stagnating with most of the 70s lineup calling it quits and leaving band leader Ian Anderson along with guitarist Martin Barre to fend for themselves in the brave new world of heavy metal, new wave and post-punk. Anderson needed a break from the scene as well and engaged in some interesting collaborations as a solo artist which began with the album "A," originally was designated to be a solo effort but for some reason released under the JETHRO TULL moniker.

After yet another backlash from fans, Anderson continued his contemporary music upgrade by releasing his first solo album "Walk Into Light" which found him sharing songwriting duties with keyboardist Peter-John Vettese who had joined JT for "The Broadsword And The Beast" album. This is where Anderson jumped into the world of synthpop and new wave as he was trying to join the rest of the once prog turned pop bands like Yes, Genesis and even Franco Battiato to stake a claim in the new game that making instinct rock stars from MTV music videos. Anderson was so pleased with his new infatuation with 80s synthesizers and electronic drum kits that he decided to release another album of the same style as a JETHRO TULL work.

After all, Yes and related band Asia had scored huge hits in 1982 and even King Crimson was finding traction with their Talking Heads inspired sounds on "Discipline," so Ian Anderson must've asked the obvious question, why the heck not? And so it was. JETHRO TULL released the band's 15th studio album UNDER WRAPS right at the end of the dominant new wave scene when the 80s was getting all weird with pop styles splintering in myriad directions. Perhaps the strangest album in the entire JETHRO TULL discography, UNDER WRAPS truly sounds like two distinct timelines that collided and the result was some splinter reality where the early prog folk sounds of "Aqualung" got tangled up with A Flock Of Seagulls or some other similar synth-pop styled bands of the era.

This was perhaps JT's most collaborative effort as Anderson loosened his total control and allowed both Barre and Vettese to craft a number of the tunes. This version of the band featured only four members but with completely different instrumental duties. Anderson handled his usual vocals, flute and acoustic guitar but also become the electronic drum programmer as well as master of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer. Vettese played even more keys and even more electronic programming whereas Barre stuck to his comfort zone of only playing guitar. The band was rounded out with bassist Dave Pegg who is best known for playing with Fairport Convention. The mix of the folk rock elements of prior alongside the new wave synthpop sounds of the era have been the nightmare of prog purist's and an example of eclectic fascination by others.

Needless to say, prog rock stalwarts and new wave fans rarely cross over however i'm one of the exceptions. I love both styles of music and i love the bold brash experiments that some of the 70s prog bands undertook as they tried to forge a second coming in the unfamiliar arenas alongside Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, New Order and Orchestral Manoevres In The Dark. While many deem UNDER WRAPS as the absolute worst thing ever to emerge from the vile stank of the shallow 80s, personally i don't find UNDER WRAPS to be offensive in the least bit. In fact it's perhaps one of the most surreal listening experiences you can ever undertake. Infused with all those familiar Anderson teased out melodies with the same vocal intonations, the short poppy quirks of new wave are infused with electronic drumbeats, heavy synth stabs and that happy-go-lucky spirit of 80s new wave all despite the subject matter of the album revolves around Anderson's fascination with Cold War espionage fiction!

"Lap Of Luxury" starts the album off with the typical tinny and admittedly cheesy drum sounds of the 80s along with thick keyboard sounds including gimmicky new fangled synth sounds. This was the only single to be released and even managed to crack the top 30 however the album was a dismal failure by TULL standards and only reached #76 on the Billboard Top 200 but did better in the UK. The opener is a bit corny and my least favorite track on the album. The title track, well the first version is my favorite track as it is the most catchy. It captures the essence of a great new wave song. It has a steady electro-beat, a variety of synth riffs doing a jittery dance and actually finds Anderson's vocal style adapting quite spectacularly. The synth runs not only capture that herky jerky zolo sound that Devo made their own but also encapsulates the new romantic atmospheric elements as well. Barre's guitar parts are stripped down but he cranks out the chords like a pro!

While the rest of the album isn't as good as the title track, none of the tracks are overtly bad either. While more steeped in the folk elements with new wave supplemental sonic textures, the album more or less strikes that perfect middle ground for what you would expect for the convergence of the two disparate musical genres. Despite the nasty words that this album has generated over the decades, it's actually not that bad, however it's also not that great. Unlike bands like Yes and Genesis who completely reinvented themselves to fit in the 80s era, JT was too stuck in the past and instead of abandoning the familiar folky aspects altogether, only succeeded in haphazardly forcing them together. This album unfortunately lacked the dynamic drama heard on Yes' "90125" and likewise failed to craft the perfect pop hooks that Genesis so perfectly crafted.

While the album works at certain points, it sounds off at others. My main complaint about the album is that Anderson's vocal style just doesn't gel with the synthpop sensibilities. Given that this was a one off curiosity, i am enamored to throwing this on every once in a while but despite my appreciation for UNDER WRAPS it would be a disservice to call this album essential in any way shape or form even from an 80s new wave perspective. In other words, give me 70s TULL any day over this but also when i'm in a new wave mood, this doesn't cut it either. The original album only had 11 songs but the CD added four more tracks and are now officially part of the album (not considered bonus tracks.) The last song "General Crossing" is perhaps the most convincing new wave song on the album with the perfect keyboards and vocal adaptations. If only the rest of the album worked so well, but hey, you can't blame JT for trying!