Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Many Tull fans unjustly shun this work as an aberration in the Tull catalog, a divergent work not really worthy of "Tulldom". I have a different view. First, I will tell you that this is the last album the band made before Ian's voice literally collapsed in the mid 80's, leaving his fans in serious doubt for many years to come as to the veracity of it's ever returning. So, when I think back on that concert tour, I recall with fond memories the final time I saw Ian sing with that wonderful full vocal range so prevalent in the highs of SONGS FROM THE WOODS and the sonorous lows of BAKER STREET MUSE. It was also really the end of an era of 'big shows' where staging and drama came as part of the Jethro Tull package. Ballooning budgetary concerns mandated a less ostentatious approach to putting on a show. Gone forever were arena venues featuring string quartets and the elaborate Viking ship stage sets.
Be it known, however, that this is really quite an amazing album that harkens back to a concept album format. Apparently at the time, Ian had read a lot of John Le Carre and Martin Cruz novels; the album absolutely drips with cold war rhetoric, international espionage and intrigue. The progression of the songs reads like chapters in book GORKY PARK. All the characters are there, from the saboteur, the sexy seductress, the double agent, and the turncoat general selling out his country to the other side. We, the listener play the role of the guileless common man helplessly swept along with the story.
The music is rich and complex. Electronic in places - yes, largely due to the keyboard influences of Peter Vettese, but also full of the signature sounds distinctive to Jethro Tull. Present are Martin Barre's soaring guitar solos, Ian's flute work, and the bass lines distinctive to our old friend, Dave Pegg. The album also serves as our introduction to the man who has played percussion for the band longer than any other, the amazing Doane Perry.
My favorite songs include EUROPEAN LEGACY, LATER THAT SAME EVENING, and UNDER WRAPS #2. The CD contains four songs not originally included on the vinyl, and they break up the flow a bit. Unfortunatly, they dropped AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING and GENERAL CROSSING at the end of the disc, rather than before the song APOGEE which worked perfectly as a closing chapter to the novel on the record. I was hoping that with this new remaster, the order of songs would be rectified, but alas...no. This new release really offers nothing new musically, though the sound may be slightly cleaner if you are fortunate to own a really amazing stereo system, but for most of us, the difference is negligable. The LAP OF LUXURY video is a nice inclusion, but probably not worth the $$ if you already own this CD.
Martin Barre has referred to this as the Tull album he listens to when he wants to listen to a Tull album. He absolutely smokes on HEAT, a song which I think could sit comfortably on any 'Best of Jethro Tull' disc. While not a perfect album, in my opinion it is still a great album.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Under Wraps
0 comments:
Post a Comment