Record Reviews

JETHRO TULL ~ THE ZEALOT GENE INSIDEOUT 609 (Barcode: 1943993447292) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2017 - 2022 Released: 2022 This is the 22nd studio album by iconic British Prog band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, following a dramatic nineteen years pause since their previous album “The Jethro Tull Christmas AlbumFind albums with this title” from 2003 and twenty-three years since their last new material album “J-Tull Dot ComFind albums with this title” since 1999. The album was recorded over a period of several years by a lineup that includes alongside Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who sings and plays flute, guitar and other tidbits, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, guitarist Florian OpahleFind albums by this artist, bassist David GoodierFind albums by this artist and drummer Scott HammondFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Joe Parrish-JamesFind albums by this artist plays on one track. The album presents twelve original songs, all by Anderson. The music is very much the “good old Tull”, with a strong Folkish tinge and as good as anything Anderson wrote in the last five decades, which means there are no surprises or innovations, for good and for bad. He still very much plays the first fiddle in the band and the musicians, although playing along amicably, have very little space to show their chops, apart from an occasional guitar solo here and there. The formula is kept intact and the big question here is the relevance. How long can we listen to the same music time after time. For some, the answer probably is: “forever”, which is fine by me. Personally I would have loved and appreciated Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson even if their book was closed twenty years ago. Overall, this is a fine album, better than most in the stale Progressive Rock universe, but it adds nothing to the group’s splendid legacy and as such is simply less relevant today. That chapter of music history is definitely closed by now. Of course it is still better than most of the horrible music that surrounds us these days, but there is very little solace in that. Tull / Anderson fans will undoubtedly love this album, especially since it manages to hide the problems Anderson’s vocals suffered from during live performances in the last two decades. Have a ball!

Updated: 23/05/2022Posted: 23/05/2022

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JETHRO TULL ~ ROKFLOTE INSIDEOUT 662 (Barcode: 196587859725) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the 23nd studio album by iconic British Prog band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, following very quickly the previous album “The Zealot GeneFind albums with this title” released just a year earlier. The album was recorded over a period of several months by a lineup that includes alongside Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who sings and plays flutes, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, guitarist Joe Parrish-JamesFind albums by this artist, bassist David GoodierFind albums by this artist and drummer Scott HammondFind albums by this artist. Icelandic vocalist / actress Unnur BirnaFind albums by this artist guests on two (opening and closing) tracks. The album presents twelve original songs, all by Anderson, except for the lyrics of the a.m. two tracks, which originate in the Icelandic Codex Regius. In the booklet accompanying the album Anderson explains at length (and with obvious passion) his interest in Nordic mythology, which underlays the thematic layers, as well as his interest in returning to / focusing on his flute playing. As a result, the flute is definitely featured more prominently on this album than on the later period Jethro Tull albums. Anderson’s vocals are somewhat underplayed, as those appear to be strained for some time now. In most respects the music is very much the “good old Tull”, with a strong Folkish tinge and as good as anything Anderson wrote in the last five decades, which means there are no surprises or innovations, for good and for bad. He still very much plays the first fiddle in the band and the musicians, although playing along amicably, have very little space to show their chops, apart from an occasional guitar solo here and there. The formula is kept intact and the big question here is the relevance. How long can we listen to the same music time after time. For some, the answer probably is: “forever”, which is fine by me. Personally I would have loved and appreciated Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson even if their book was closed twenty years ago. Overall, this is a fine album, better than most in the stale Progressive Rock universe, but it adds nothing to the group’s splendid legacy and as such is simply less relevant today. That chapter of music history is definitely closed by now. Of course it is still better than most of the horrible music that surrounds us these days, but there is very little solace in that. Tull / Anderson fans will undoubtedly love this album, especially since it manages to hide the problems Anderson’s vocals suffered from during live performances in the last two decades. Have a ball!

Updated: 16/05/2023Posted: 16/05/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend