Jethro Tull - Aqualung
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Free Music Notes for Aqualung
Free Music Review: A Genuine Treasure
Hit: 5 Stars
Aqualung is a wonderful, superlative, essentially perfect album. From the day it was released right up to now the record is fresh, exciting, compelling, intelligent, forcefully rhythmic, melodic, brilliantly played, brilliantly sung, and has one of the best ever cover illustrations to boot. After nearly thirty years of wearing out various copies of it, I have yet to tire of this phenomenal artistic tour de force. I had the great good fortune of seeing Jethro Tull live when they were doing the original Aqualung tour - they were hardly known at the time - and as great as the album is, their performance was even more electrifying. It was at Madison Square Garden and I was up front, a few feet from the performers.
As the show started the house lights went down and the stage went black. Silence. Long pause. Then, hobbling out of the blackness a single spotlight caught Anderson dressed extravagantly like the old man on the album cover, bent over and leaning on his flute, which he used as a cane. Leering maliciously, slowly creeping up front, he finally stopped, silently grinning out at the house as the audience howled with delight. Then he threw his flute straight up, high, and the spotlight went up with the flute, shining and sparkling as it twisted its way up and then down, the only thing visible in the darkness.
When the flute came back down it was met by Anderson's upraised hand, and at the instant he clutched it all the stage lights came up and the band struck the thunderous opening notes of the album. And it got better and better and better as the show went on, Anderson leaping and snarling and playing flute at the same time, a truly athletic performance. Whew! I can still see it.
If you've somehow denied yourself owning this remarkable work of art and music, get it now! I wish you many hours of enjoyment listening to this treasure.
Free Music Review: In the Shuffling Madness !
Hit: 5 Stars
This album came from thin air to establish Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" as contender for most inspired album since The Who's "Tommy"..I recall the release of "Aqualung"..I just didn't care for it at first..But rock enthusiasts more forward than myself, said play it anyway, it's a new brand of music..And that's the legacy of Jethro Tull..All their albums do require some willingness, but come into focus upon a couple of play-throughs.."Aqualung" is outrageously witty and graphic..With a twisted biblical sense of humor embedded into its pre - heavy metal leanings..This CD remains current!..At times Tull harkens back to early "Steppenwolf", the original heavy metal band..The lyrics, like Steppenwolf's "Get your motor running, head out on the highway" are daring and offensive, especially considering the times..But don't overlook the one of a kind, electric flute play of Ian Anderson, a classically trained musician..I saw the "Thick As A Brick" tour..And never saw a better band "live" period!.."Aqualung" stacks up as Tull's pinnacle achievement..Though Jethro Tull did morph into a soft brand of rock candy later, relegating them to an undeserved minor minion standing in Rolling Stone..But early Tull was certainly as cutting edge as either U2 or The Stones..Despite too, they have been unfairly typecast as a "Renaissance" band in certain other elitist quarters..Get back to early Jethro Tull though..Like Joseph Heller's "Catch 22", easily ahead of its time, and worthy of the respect of those interested in the evolution of rock.."Aqualung" is an overlooked missing link in hard rock geneaology, that led to other concept albums, like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", and "Jesus Christ, Superstar"..If you are a connosieur of rock, imbibe in "Aqualung" like fine brandy..Your friends will admire your vintage "find"..The shuffling madness, that is "Aqualung", like the Big Lebowski abides.Free Music Review: From Blues Band To Classic Rockers
Hit: 5 Stars
While it was the next album, "Thick as a Brick", that made them megastars, "Aqualung", the fourth album by the band, established the Jethro Tull sound. Not that the first three albums were bad, they weren't. But the band would never have sold the amount of albums they did, nor fill the arenas they did with their old sound. To some, this change may have been as sacreligous as Bob Dylan going from acoustic to electric, but who would have even remembered Jethro Tull if not for the change that started with this record? It still may still be their best, and as a big fan of their "classic" era, that's saying a lot. From the signature guitar riff that opens the title song, to the ending message of "Wind Up", it's loaded with juicy stuff that I've never grown tired of. OK, "Locomotive Breath" was played forever on FM radio, but that's because it was a great song.
It's loaded with other good stuff, both hard and soft. "Hymn 43" shows him at his angriest. But he also writes a tender love song with "Wond'ring Aloud" "Windup" starts slow, really rocks, and then softly ends to get it's message out one more time.
Who knows what kind of message about religion Ian Anderson was trying to convey in those days? It's probably changed over the years, but back then, it did ask some serious questions about how humans view God. Chances are he was a young artist rebelling about everything, and religion is always a nice target. My own interpretation is that there is a bit of God in everything, including bums like the title character. And the phrase "He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays" speaks volumes.
So those of you who want to hear music these days instead of watching it, buy this classic. If you own it, dust it off and make contact with an old friend.
Free Music Review: On my way to Sunday School
Hit: 5 Stars
I enjoy listening to this CD. It has a lot to offer. AQUALUNG and LOCOMOTIVE BREATH are classics from the early seventies which are still mainstays of FM radio. Ian Anderson, who is the song-writer, singer, flautist, heart and soul of JETHRO TULL created a classic rock 'n roll experience with this album. His cleverness is everywhere on this CD. The AQUALUNG vocal effect was employed by Maynard on the Tool AENIMA release. Anderson makes a strong argument that the flute can be used as an effective heavy metal instrument. He matches it against accoustic guitars, heavy riffs, and even a choral arrangement. The place where Anderson's creative brilliance really shines, though, is in his choice of topic. No other artist has achieved such commercial success while at the same time singing such controversial songs. By asserting his views of organized religion forcefully and unadorned, he infuses this collection with a reason for being. The arguments are not new. Basically, Ian Anderson's polemic is that religion institutionalized loses its relevance for the individual. This is essentially the same argument of King Hezekiah when he busted up the Bronze Serpant built by Moses. The novelty of the argument matters less than the fact that it is one which compels the listener. It comforts those who feel disaffected by organized religion and it aggitates its proponents. While neither understands that the point is to develop a personal spirituality regardless of whether you are inside or outside of an English Church. Superb song-writing, competent musicians and an incendiary argument have helped to make this CD a timeless classic. If you are interested in the music of the early seventies or would like to excite the vicar ;D, this CD will be interesting to you.Free Music Review: Masterpiece!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Some may disagree, but I believe "Aqualung" is Jethro Tull's masterpiece. It is hard to believe that a mere year after releasing the classic "Benefit" album, they could follow it up with this brilliant piece of work. Although misconstrued by many at the time as being a concept album, it really isn't, although it does contain a lot of songs with a pro-God, anti-church theme. It was certainly the most cerebral album ever to reach millions of rock fans.
Mixing hard rock with folk melodies with Ian Anderson's dour musings about faith and religion (mostly how organized religion has hampered man's relationship with God) it was quite a profound record at the time.
The album is heavily ladened with riff-heavy classics such as "Aqualung", "Locomotive Breath", "Hymn #43", and "Cross-Eyed Mary". Lead guitarist Martin Barre's solo on the title track is still considered one of the all-time greatest in rock music.
I was 18 when I purchased this album in 1971 and it still remains one of the most treasured albums in my collection and one I never tire of even to this day. Man, 1970 and 1971, may have been the greatest 2 years in rock music history. I cannot recall any other 2 years (before or since) when so many truly "classic" albums came out, including this one.
My only disappointed is that they have never issed a Remastered CD of this album, as they did with their first three albums. I understand it is due to the fact that they have had trouble finding a master tape.
In my opinion, this is the last great album Jethro Tull did. They did some fairly good albums after this, but never anything that approached the greatness of "Aqualung".
This is a must CD for Tull fans. Hopefully, they will eventually issue a Remastered CD.