THICK AS A BRICK

Thick as a Brick finds Jethro Tull reborn and reinvigorated after the slightly dreary Aqualung. Seemingly without effort, they pull off one of the most accomplished prog rock albums of all time.

TaaB is quite different from anything they had ever done before. It's not the brooding blues rock of the beginnings, nor the straightforward stadium rock of Aqualung. The closest reference to previous work would be the album Benefit, but with that album's progressive leanings stretched to the maximum and with a unifying vision that is probably unsurpassed in prog history.

There's the continuous interplay between acoustic and amplified sections, between sung parts and instrumental parts, between folk, rock and improvisations, between playful ditties and dramatic hymns. And the most remarkable of all is how all these different pieces seamlessly fit together.

It is the sound of a band that plays with confidence and maturity, giving each member the opportunity to put in their best and shine throughout. They simply dash through the proceedings with an unrelenting energy and passion I have rarely heard from them. In its entire 45 minutes, there is not one weedy moment, not one transition that doesn't work.

It's not easy listening and a big chunk to bite through but ultimately rewarding. It's one of the most fascinating albums of the 70's but I can't say it has aged well on me. 4.5 stars