Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, "Thick as a Brick 2" (Chrysalis)
OK, it won me over. After several listenings, some alongside Jethro Tull's original, famous/notorious 1972 smash "Thick as a Brick" (40 years old this year), I gotta tell ya and no kiddin': This is a fine album, more than worthy of its namesake.
"TAAB2" revisits Gerald Bostock, the little boy who supposedly wrote the impenetrable lyrics for the original "TAAB." The sequel is a direct, coherent, sustained meditation on a worthwhile theme: fate, and possible lives taken or not. The tracks are uniformly interesting and moving, with (or despite?) Anderson's trademark neck-breaking segues among folk, heavy rock, ballad, and Asian modalism.
None of the other old Tulls are here, but Anderson has assembled a team of blindingly talented players. The music is tight, biting, live-in-studio (as the original was!), and Anderson is a better flutist than ever. And lyricist.
Wait for the package, coming later this year, of "TAAB2" with "TAAB" — but know this is one of Anderson/Tull's better albums, all sneering energy and humane concern. Highpoint: the exquisite, unearthly "Changing Horses," among his best single tracks ever. GRADE: B+
Joined: Aug 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 4,657 Location: By Scotch Corner
Re: TAAB2 Reviews! « Reply #41 on May 17, 2012, 8:46am »
Here's one from my local paper who gives it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars, but then messes up the name of the song that he professes to be amongst Ian's greatest ever. Go figure....
Joined: Dec 2011 Gender: Male Posts: 0 Location: Canada
Re: TAAB2 Reviews! « Reply #42 on May 17, 2012, 5:16pm »
Anderson continues "Thick as a Brick" storyline Thursday, May 17, 2012 By Kevin Dillard http://my.hsj.org/Schools/Newspaper/tabi...._storyline.aspx “Jethro Tull” frontman Ian Anderson kept waiting since 1972 for the followup album to “Thick as a Brick”, “Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?” (TAAB2).
The original concept album, “Thick as a Brick”, follows the life of Gerald Bostock, a young man whose parents lied to him about his age. “Jethro Tull” released the album March 10, 1972 originally, with a 2009 remastered release. The album held a single 43-minute song with a pause in the middle where the listener flipped the vinyl to the other side. America instantly fell in love with “Thick as a Brick” at its debut.
Anderson recorded TAAB2 only after Derek Shulman's urging in early 2010. Shulman motivated Anderson to modify a number of his current, unreleased songs to form the basis of TAAB2.
Shulman's poking and prodding finally warmed Anderson to the idea of a new album, and he began writing pieces such as “From A Pebble Thrown” and “Give 'Till it Hurts”. Lyrics such as “Ripples from a pebble thrown make tsunami on a foreign shore” force the listeners to think about their actions and how they affect other people and entities.
The cheery tone, yet slightly dark content created a conflicting theme throughout the album. In “Give 'Till it Hurts”, Anderson sang about religious corruption. Reverend Bostock told the congregation that the coffer contained nearly no money, but the faithful flock stood by, as he prepared to shave the needy and bereft.
Anderson continued the album through the mind and life of Bostock, which went through the events proceeding the defrocking of the Reverend. An unknown firm employed Bostock as a banker, during which he embezzled millions. The government found out, and Bostock, who owned no home after serving prison time, dredged out a living as a homeless man, found love, and sought a civil union with his male partner.
Anderson brought up the issue of homosexuality several times throughout the album in “Swing it Far”, “Confessional” and “Old School Song”. Bostock confessed his homosexuality to his disapproving parents in “Swing it Far”, in which Anderson implied criticism for the intolerance for homosexuals in society today. Bostock's bitter words about his father displayed how such intolerance tore families apart and created hate and havoc between people who normally love each other.
The audio reminded the listener of the preceding album but refused to directly copy it. Anderson took the light flute and heavy rock organ sound straight from his earlier days in “Thick as a Brick” and “Aqualung”, which provided the older listeners with a reminiscent smile.
The dark insanity that bored deep into the human soul, and the lighthearted tone of the album provided an insight into the truth of human life and death; the frailty of the mind, with insanity and depravity that loomed overhead and waited to devour the mind and soul. The sorrow, love, hate and happiness in this album provided the listener a short ride into another person's life, earning Anderson, and TAAB2, 5-out-of-5 stars.
Anderson continues "Thick as a Brick" storyline Thursday, May 17, 2012 By Kevin Dillard http://my.hsj.org/Schools/Newspaper/tabi...._storyline.aspx “Jethro Tull” frontman Ian Anderson kept waiting since 1972 for the followup album to “Thick as a Brick”, “Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?” (TAAB2).
The original concept album, “Thick as a Brick”, follows the life of Gerald Bostock, a young man whose parents lied to him about his age. “Jethro Tull” released the album March 10, 1972 originally, with a 2009 remastered release. The album held a single 43-minute song with a pause in the middle where the listener flipped the vinyl to the other side. America instantly fell in love with “Thick as a Brick” at its debut.
Anderson recorded TAAB2 only after Derek Shulman's urging in early 2010. Shulman motivated Anderson to modify a number of his current, unreleased songs to form the basis of TAAB2.
Shulman's poking and prodding finally warmed Anderson to the idea of a new album, and he began writing pieces such as “From A Pebble Thrown” and “Give 'Till it Hurts”. Lyrics such as “Ripples from a pebble thrown make tsunami on a foreign shore” force the listeners to think about their actions and how they affect other people and entities.
The cheery tone, yet slightly dark content created a conflicting theme throughout the album. In “Give 'Till it Hurts”, Anderson sang about religious corruption. Reverend Bostock told the congregation that the coffer contained nearly no money, but the faithful flock stood by, as he prepared to shave the needy and bereft.
Anderson continued the album through the mind and life of Bostock, which went through the events proceeding the defrocking of the Reverend. An unknown firm employed Bostock as a banker, during which he embezzled millions. The government found out, and Bostock, who owned no home after serving prison time, dredged out a living as a homeless man, found love, and sought a civil union with his male partner.
Anderson brought up the issue of homosexuality several times throughout the album in “Swing it Far”, “Confessional” and “Old School Song”. Bostock confessed his homosexuality to his disapproving parents in “Swing it Far”, in which Anderson implied criticism for the intolerance for homosexuals in society today. Bostock's bitter words about his father displayed how such intolerance tore families apart and created hate and havoc between people who normally love each other.
The audio reminded the listener of the preceding album but refused to directly copy it. Anderson took the light flute and heavy rock organ sound straight from his earlier days in “Thick as a Brick” and “Aqualung”, which provided the older listeners with a reminiscent smile.
The dark insanity that bored deep into the human soul, and the lighthearted tone of the album provided an insight into the truth of human life and death; the frailty of the mind, with insanity and depravity that loomed overhead and waited to devour the mind and soul. The sorrow, love, hate and happiness in this album provided the listener a short ride into another person's life, earning Anderson, and TAAB2, 5-out-of-5 stars.
Joined: Dec 2011 Gender: Male Posts: 0 Location: Canada
Re: TAAB2 Reviews! « Reply #44 on May 18, 2012, 4:40pm »
Thick as a brick 2 Ian Anderson Rating: 1/2 http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainm....le1-857947.aspx GOD, it’s jethro dull! There was a time when a particular kind of human would revel in the music of Jethro Tull, the 70s Brit prog rock band that was (supposedly) a parody of a 70s Brit prog rock band. With Ian Anderson and his lip-o-suction flute, this hairy lot appealed to a university crowd familiar with the fact that Jethro Tull was a 17th century English agriculturalist. It turns out that Anderson (and his blasting flute) has crossed over to the 21st century. His latest project: a ‘sequel’ to Tull’s much ‘respected’ 1972 album, Thick As A Brick (TAAB).
If TAAB now is seen as a handicraft curio from the Proterozoic era, TAAB2 (which has Anderson alone doing the cooking) is a no-holds-barred boredom-inducing personal extravagance. Tracks such as ‘Power and spirit/ Give till it hurts’, ‘Upper sixth loan shark/Banker bets, banker wins’ and ‘A change of horses’ (that should be on a Robin Hood soundtrack and nowhere else) are supposed to be clever. But with all its huffing and puffing and classic rock poses, I’d rather go with Mama Mia: The Musical. It’s official then: Anderson on this album is my personal Anglo-Saxon Cacofonix. And the worst album cover award goes to...
Thick as a brick 2 Ian Anderson Rating: 1/2 http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainm....le1-857947.aspx GOD, it’s jethro dull! There was a time when a particular kind of human would revel in the music of Jethro Tull, the 70s Brit prog rock band that was (supposedly) a parody of a 70s Brit prog rock band. With Ian Anderson and his lip-o-suction flute, this hairy lot appealed to a university crowd familiar with the fact that Jethro Tull was a 17th century English agriculturalist. It turns out that Anderson (and his blasting flute) has crossed over to the 21st century. His latest project: a ‘sequel’ to Tull’s much ‘respected’ 1972 album, Thick As A Brick (TAAB).
If TAAB now is seen as a handicraft curio from the Proterozoic era, TAAB2 (which has Anderson alone doing the cooking) is a no-holds-barred boredom-inducing personal extravagance. Tracks such as ‘Power and spirit/ Give till it hurts’, ‘Upper sixth loan shark/Banker bets, banker wins’ and ‘A change of horses’ (that should be on a Robin Hood soundtrack and nowhere else) are supposed to be clever. But with all its huffing and puffing and classic rock poses, I’d rather go with Mama Mia: The Musical. It’s official then: Anderson on this album is my personal Anglo-Saxon Cacofonix. And the worst album cover award goes to...
Thick as a brick 2 Ian Anderson Rating: 1/2 http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainm....le1-857947.aspx GOD, it’s jethro dull! There was a time when a particular kind of human would revel in the music of Jethro Tull, the 70s Brit prog rock band that was (supposedly) a parody of a 70s Brit prog rock band. With Ian Anderson and his lip-o-suction flute, this hairy lot appealed to a university crowd familiar with the fact that Jethro Tull was a 17th century English agriculturalist. It turns out that Anderson (and his blasting flute) has crossed over to the 21st century. His latest project: a ‘sequel’ to Tull’s much ‘respected’ 1972 album, Thick As A Brick (TAAB).
If TAAB now is seen as a handicraft curio from the Proterozoic era, TAAB2 (which has Anderson alone doing the cooking) is a no-holds-barred boredom-inducing personal extravagance. Tracks such as ‘Power and spirit/ Give till it hurts’, ‘Upper sixth loan shark/Banker bets, banker wins’ and ‘A change of horses’ (that should be on a Robin Hood soundtrack and nowhere else) are supposed to be clever. But with all its huffing and puffing and classic rock poses, I’d rather go with Mama Mia: The Musical. It’s official then: Anderson on this album is my personal Anglo-Saxon Cacofonix. And the worst album cover award goes to...
It must be hard to lose your appreciation for good music. This individual sounds like he lost his wife, kids, dog, and cat all in one day before doing this review. His credentials are irrelevant since he has yet to grasp the meaning what of good music is. If music can create excitement and tell stories that are compelling, then it deserves some respect. This guy never had the imagination or desire to do anything but complain. (Jethro Dull) That must have taken a whole month to come up with. (Mama Mia) He needs his Mama.
Re: TAAB2 Reviews! « Reply #47 on May 21, 2012, 10:18am »
Very refreshing to see this coming from a high school student, even if Gerald's contemporaneous life trajectories are somewhat sequentially garbled. Good for my old soul to know such young blood is coursing through the veins of Tull fandom.
Anderson continues "Thick as a Brick" storyline Thursday, May 17, 2012 By Kevin Dillard http://my.hsj.org/Schools/Newspaper/tabi...._storyline.aspx “Jethro Tull” frontman Ian Anderson kept waiting since 1972 for the followup album to “Thick as a Brick”, “Thick as a Brick 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?” (TAAB2).
The original concept album, “Thick as a Brick”, follows the life of Gerald Bostock, a young man whose parents lied to him about his age. “Jethro Tull” released the album March 10, 1972 originally, with a 2009 remastered release. The album held a single 43-minute song with a pause in the middle where the listener flipped the vinyl to the other side. America instantly fell in love with “Thick as a Brick” at its debut.
Anderson recorded TAAB2 only after Derek Shulman's urging in early 2010. Shulman motivated Anderson to modify a number of his current, unreleased songs to form the basis of TAAB2.
Shulman's poking and prodding finally warmed Anderson to the idea of a new album, and he began writing pieces such as “From A Pebble Thrown” and “Give 'Till it Hurts”. Lyrics such as “Ripples from a pebble thrown make tsunami on a foreign shore” force the listeners to think about their actions and how they affect other people and entities.
The cheery tone, yet slightly dark content created a conflicting theme throughout the album. In “Give 'Till it Hurts”, Anderson sang about religious corruption. Reverend Bostock told the congregation that the coffer contained nearly no money, but the faithful flock stood by, as he prepared to shave the needy and bereft.
Anderson continued the album through the mind and life of Bostock, which went through the events proceeding the defrocking of the Reverend. An unknown firm employed Bostock as a banker, during which he embezzled millions. The government found out, and Bostock, who owned no home after serving prison time, dredged out a living as a homeless man, found love, and sought a civil union with his male partner.
Anderson brought up the issue of homosexuality several times throughout the album in “Swing it Far”, “Confessional” and “Old School Song”. Bostock confessed his homosexuality to his disapproving parents in “Swing it Far”, in which Anderson implied criticism for the intolerance for homosexuals in society today. Bostock's bitter words about his father displayed how such intolerance tore families apart and created hate and havoc between people who normally love each other.
The audio reminded the listener of the preceding album but refused to directly copy it. Anderson took the light flute and heavy rock organ sound straight from his earlier days in “Thick as a Brick” and “Aqualung”, which provided the older listeners with a reminiscent smile.
The dark insanity that bored deep into the human soul, and the lighthearted tone of the album provided an insight into the truth of human life and death; the frailty of the mind, with insanity and depravity that loomed overhead and waited to devour the mind and soul. The sorrow, love, hate and happiness in this album provided the listener a short ride into another person's life, earning Anderson, and TAAB2, 5-out-of-5 stars.
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