Mt Top 20 alus for 1977 no 9

Jethro Tull Songs From The Wood
Songs From The Wood 8½ ( 1977, UK Pos 20 )
Tracklist
Songs From The Wood
Jack In The Green
Cup Of Wonder
Hunting Girl
Ring Out Solstice Bells
Velvet Green
The Whistler
Pibroch
Fire At Midnight
Bonus Track: Beltane
Review
The beginning of the punk-explosion that wiped away many a failing prog-rocker brought out the best in Ian Anderson and his Jethro Tull chums. 'Songs From The Wood' is an album concerning english countryside activity, all played out against a backdrop of Jethro Tull's own unique take on folk music. The end result is far closer to Jethro Tull of 'Stand Up' or 'Aqualung' in terms of endearing melodies than arguably anything they'd done since. Well, the likes of 'Thick As A Brick' are another story altogether, but yes, this is the sound I like from my Jethro Tull. Lots of flute and a lightness of touch combined with a few startlingly good pieces of musicianship. The title track for example manages to combine almost all the styles of music Tull had ever experimented with, and weaves these strands in and out of a five minute piece that holds up as prog, as pop/rock, and importantly as a cohesive piece of actual music. You know, in terms of it being a good old fashioned decent tune! Across the album as a whole, the band seem to have a renewed enthusiasm, marry this to superb arrangements and production and you have one of the most enjoyable Tull albums for a very long while. I'll discuss some of the reasons I like the record so much. Well, i've mentioned the excellent title track, so how about the festive sounding 'Ring Out Solstice Bells', a fine pop tune, no less? Little clapping sections, images of Ian Anderson hopping about on one leg playing his flute, sounds of chiming bells and other excellent percussive embellishments. Marching drums, ah, I love this little tune so much! Some of Mr Anderson's finest ever lyrics are a feature of 'Velvet Green', another high-point of the record. The song starts out all medieval, a sound Tull always did do very well, before proceeding onwards with several impressively well executed and tricksy musical passages.

Flicking through the tunes on this album much as one would the pages in a magazine reveals a cohesion across the albums ten songs but also a decent amount of variety. Poppy songs mix with rockier songs mix with different styles of memorable instrumental introductions. The eight minute 'Pibroch' for example opens with some Hendrix style guitar wankery, pure prog organ theatrics for the opening of 'Hunting Girl', a decent riff played out against a salt-shaker for percussion a feature of the closing track, 'Beltane'. 'Fire At Midnight' is a quiet piece of balladry and story-telling, 'Jack In The Green' another fine lyric this time set to music purely as accompianment, just like the old minstrels used to do centuries ago. Hey, nice attention to detail there, Ian! The excellent 'Hunting Girl' is playing as I wrap up this review. Typical prog in some respects, tricky time signatures and changes, an ominous sounding church organ. All the usual prog things, yet also a sound absolutely unique to Jethro Tull at their finest. When Tull were at their finest, they were absolutely out there on their own, an absolutely uplifting and joyous musical treasure.