JETHRO TULL: Minstrel In The Gallery (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

After "A Passion Play", which was critically panned for reasons more related to the situation than to the album itself, and then "War Child", which returned to simplicity but was not very convincing, Jethro Tull came back in 1975 with "Minstrel In The Gallery", maintaining the hellish rhythm of one record per year that they had imposed on themselves since their creation. As if hesitating on the artistic direction to follow, the band, without totally reviving the sophistication of "Thick As a Brick" or "A Passion Play", delivered an album less immediate than its predecessor, finally getting closer to what they had done with "Aqualung".

As a result, the critics are mixed. If the return to a simpler hard-rock had been welcomed, the lack of inspiration of the tracks on "War Child" couldn't allow Jethro Tull to improve their reputation. And just when we thought the band was definitively out of the progressive rock rut, they did it again with convoluted compositions, long tracks and even a suite of almost seventeen minutes, a real heresy in the middle of the 70s!

Yes, but the facts are stubborn, and it doesn't matter what his musical allegiance is. It's obvious that Ian Anderson has found his muse on "Minstrel In The Gallery" and that the collection of tracks he offers us is probably the most coherent album in terms of musical quality since the band's origin. If it has been so poorly received, it is undoubtedly due to the fact that some of the tracks break away from traditional song structures to present more ambitious melodies ('Minstrel In The Gallery', 'Black Satin Dancer', 'Baker St Muse'). The album has also often been criticized for being more Ian Anderson's than the band's, hence the abundance of folk tracks from which only the acoustic guitar and the voice of the Jethro Tull leader emerge ('Requiem', 'One White Duck / 010 = Nothing At All', 'Grace') and it's true that at times the songs almost sound like what Cat Stevens was doing at the same time.

And yet, how can one remain insensitive to the delicacy, to the poetry delivered one after the other by these inspired, tender and sentimental melodies, to the diffuse sadness that the author, in the grip of marital problems, knows so well how to communicate to us? You shouldn't listen to this record looking for one or two potential hits, but as a whole, conceptual not by the themes but by the atmosphere that the record gives off. If the acoustic guitar is indeed very present, it is also a strong return of the flute, for our greatest pleasure. Martin Barre's guitar is heard more than ever, delivering invigorating and electrifying solos. The use of violins and cello is much more mastered than on "War Child", they blend harmoniously with the other instruments. The bass and drums are metronomically rigorous and reinforce the dynamics without ever stifling the other instruments. Only the keyboards are slightly behind, the poor relation of this record. Finally, Ian Anderson sings admirably well. His warm voice has shed its ironic accents to give off an emotion that is rarely reached.

From medieval ballads to almost metal flights of fancy, there's not a weak track on this album. Icing on the cake, the bonus tracks are for once at the level of the original edition and only prolong our pleasure. "Minstrel In The Gallery" has the same elegance as Procol Harum's "Grand Hotel": a racy, aristocratic, intelligent, deep, sensitive album with a timeless charm. - Official website

JETHRO TULL

MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY

CHRYSALIS

ROCK