Jethro Tull - Curious Ruminant Review • Strah

It is impossible to tell how anxiously I have been waiting for this date to come to be able to review this new Jethro Tull “Curious Ruminant.” Well, new is a matter of speaking, as “Curious Ruminant” is a kind of compilation because some of the songs were developed from unfinished instrumental demos made some years ago although this does not result in a huge stylistic divide to jump out at the listener. So, Ian Anderson got his guys, old and new, and gave some work to finish the songs. They are former keyboardist Andrew Giddings and drummer James Duncan, along with the current band members David Goodier, John O’Hara, Scott Hammond and, making his recording debut with the band, guitarist Jack Clark. No wonder, maybe, that’s why in tracks as “Stygian Hand” and “Over Jerusalem” I swear I could hear Martin Barre’s guitars.

Yeah, I am pretty aware Jethro Tull are not a Metal band, there are controversies though because in 1989 the band was nominated and won the Grammy for “Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance” for their album “Crest of a Knave” over albums as Metallica’s “…And Justice for All.” On the other hand, the band is famous among the Metal scene due to having no one else as Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi as their guitarist in 1968 for a short period of time. Nonethless, Metal giants as Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson cite the band as one of their major influences. Not to mention the huge influence on pop music in general with albums as “Aqualung” and “Thick As a Brick,“ for quite a long time the longest album of all. Their music is so personal and iconic that Ian Anderson kind of killed the flute as an instrument for rock, because after him every flute might sound as his, being a honorable exception Focus with “Hocus Pocus.” In regard to Metal bands, from where I am standing, every and each Folk Metal band should pay Jethro Tull a tribute. Just saying…

Musicwise, “Curious Ruminant” does sound as a compilation for many reasons. One of them is its déjà vu sonancy that many times lead the fan to European folk with medieval influences. It is a constant about the band’s music, moreover the 1970’s. So, the album does not show anything different. The other is because it does not have a strong signature sound as other Jethro Tull’s albums. In fact, album opener’s initial piano and the strong Metal guitar make the fan strange “Puppet and the Puppet Master” as a Jethro Tull’s song. It’s only when Ian Anderson’s fllute and voice come in the fan will connect the dots. Having second thoughts, maybe this piano that reappears in “Drink from the Same Well,” but with a Latin jazzy mood, is “Curious Ruminant’s” sound signature. By the way, “Drink from the Same Well’s” gluey initial melody reminded me of something I cannot rememeber exactly, but it does have some Brazilian Popular Music roots in it even though the press release says otherwise. “Curious Ruminant” is a Jethro Tull album with all the classic features that made the band famous, but not the more inspired one.

Well, it was such a pleasure to review “Curious Ruminant” mainly because Jethro Tull are also an emotional reference band to me. My dear children of the night might have noticed how many times I have cited their albums and their music. Albums as “Aqualung,” “Thick as a Brick,” “Songs from the Wood,” and “Crest of a Knave” are clear and important musical memories. Reviewing this album was a way of having them back. Not Metal, but essential to Metal.

Jethro Tull “Curious Ruminant” will be released on March 07th via Inside Out.

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