JETHRO TULL: AQUALUNG (1971)
After
the release of their first 2 albums (Stand Up & This Was) which seemed to
be influenced mostly by the Blues, the band tried to change their sound with
the release of Benefit in 1970; and with the release of Aqualung the transformation
was completed.
Aqualung
was Jethro Tull's 4rth studio album and most successful one by far. It is considered
as a concept album, featuring a central theme of ‘the distinction between
religion and God’. Aqualung was
a turning point in the band's career, that went on to become a major radio and
touring act.
After
the release of their first 2 albums (Stand Up & This Was) which seemed to
be influenced mostly by the Blues, the band tried to change their sound with
the release of Benefit in 1970; and with the release of Aqualung the transformation
was completed.
Aqualung was the first album including John Evan as a full-time member,
and also Jeffrey Hammond as the band’s new bass player. It was also the last album
including Clive Bunker on drums.
The
painting on the cover was inspired from pictures of homeless people that were
living around Thames, and were taken by Ian Anderson's wife. Aqualung, the main
character, is one of those people, and on the first side of the album we listen to his
story.
The music style is Rock (in Jethro
Tull's point of view), which on many occasions is "flirting" with
Progressive Rock. Also, influences from
Blues and Folk can be found here.
It is Jethro Tull's best selling album with more than
7.000.000 copies sold worldwide. In the years to come it would inspire many
artists and bands, such as Iron Maiden for example, who recorded a cover
version of Cross-Eyed Mary in 1993 and released it as a B-side on the
single Trooper.
Upon it's release, it received
very good critics, climbed at the charts both in USA and UK, but failed to
reach at the top. (Best chart position was No.4 in UK). The first single that was came
out from this album, was Hymn 43, but it failed to reach to the high positions of the charts. With the passing years two songs that became the trademarks of
Jethro Tull, both included in this album: Aqualung and Locomotive Breath.
Aqualung was re-released on 2011
at the album's 40th anniversary. This release contains a new stereo and a
surround 5.1 mix, made by Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree. Definitely a 'must have' for any Rock music collection.
Other Jethro Tull albums I
recommend: Thick as a Brick, Minstrell in the Gallery, Songs from the Wood.
In the following YT links you can listen to a couple of songs from this album if you want.
I would vote thick as a brick or songs from the wood as the best of jethro tull's work but aqualong was their best selling album. If i remember well on 1989 with rock island album they got voted as the best heavy metal band of the year (sorry for my english I am Greek too)
ReplyDeleteI aggree totaly! If you see the albums i recommend, they are both in there... :)
ReplyDeleteThick as a brick's problem is the b-side in my opinion. Songs from the wood is an excellent album. But Aqualung was the one that made them famous worldwide. It was the turning point for Jethro...