HEAVY HORSES

As I prepared to listen to Heavy Horses for the first time ever, I reflected on that it is the follow-up to one of my favorite Tull releases, Songs from the Wood (1977). And seeing its rating here, comparable in (potential) quality to other favorites, namely A Passion Play (1973) and Minstrel in the Gallery (1975), I was pretty excited to finally give it a chance. And perhaps this chance is, for me personally, quite timely. I've really opened up to quite a number of bands that even still aren't necessarily favorites, but those in which I've always had some level of appreciation. Jethro Tull, being there in Prog effectively from the beginning, is certainly one such band.

The album opens with the classic track "...And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps", heavy with sharp Anderson- fluting and intense synth. Really an excellent track. And then I was off into the great unknown... haha. Glad to say Jethro Tull was never a band that truly 'scared' me.

"Acres Wild" is a classic Euro-Folk Rock song. One thing I was looking forward to was that it's the first of two songs featuring then-once-CURVED AIR founder/violinist Daryl WAY (the other being the title track). Interestingly enough to me, this Way feature was the same year as his on PIERRE MOERLEN'S GONG Fusion classic Expresso II. I find the track is nicely juxtaposed by the stronger "No Lullaby", more a Heavy Prog song. Darker brood, as we know Tull to deliver. But also more an [mini-]epic! Ultimately, it was also merely 'Good' haha. I don't know what could have made it more. "Moths" offered nice melody, but not much else.

"Journeyman" reminded me, in riffage, of something off perhaps Free Hand [and perhaps The Power and the Glory] by GG. A compliment, for one thing. "Rover", also strangely GENTLE GIANT-esque in its 'more' (I am The Maximalist haha), is a welcomed turn for me. Here, flute and what sounds like but is apparently not vibes are paired atop mostly acoustic guitar and Anderson's gruff vox.

Another welcomed track, a return to theme(?), "One Brown Mouse" definitely has it going on. Certainly if there are highlights that should be heard by [fellow] Tull skeptics, I hope they can take note. Great melody (not unlike "One White Duck" to my ears) and great performance. As I say often, no shock here. And finally to the mini-epic "Heavy Horses" , great melody and composition truly ensues. Drums, flute, guitar and keys alike, and in tandem, are all highlighted beautifully (even Anderson has one of his strongest, more traditional vocal performances). Haven't been wild about the production choices throughout (it's at least functional for a band like Tull), but it works best on this track methinks. The triumph in the middle section is awesome! I think in a pleasant surprise following my other new faves, this one takes the cake! And having wrapped it up I realized I did know the chorus from... somewhere sometime haha.

And I guess, sorry, bound to be disappointed after that track: "Weathercock" was indeed a song. "Living in These Hard Times" must be referring to the goddamn Dark Ages lol. Renaissance Euro-folk thing. Whatever. And lastly, "Broadford Bazaar": beautiful, but certainly no highlight.

Overall, a very pleasant listen and just glad I finally got to hear it (glad for the push). Pressed to rate higher and certainly at one point expecting more from the album (specifically the backend), but...

True Rate: 3.5/5.0