Jethro Tull – Minstrel in the Gallery
hello all! i’m a bit late (again) this week, but our next album in the eighth Jethro Tull record, Minstrel in the Gallery, released in 1975!
honestly, im kinda mixed on this record. thematically, this is more of a grab-bag of stuff rather than being more tightly concepted like their last few records, though they use the conceit of a performer for royalty to frame the songs as part of his performance. the long opener and title track has more acoustic instrumentation and mixes in heavy and electric sounds as the song develops in a neat way, and introduces the minstrel. theyll nod back to this with a bit of pre- or post- track comments across the album.
Cold Wind to Valhalla has some realy cool guitar work on it, and Anderson’s vocals are really fun on the song. Black Satin Dancer has its moments but absolutely outstays its welcome for me. Requiem is an interesting track because it fills a role we dont frequently see on albums anymore, in that it functions as a closer for the front side of the LP. given that the bulk of the backside is Baker St. Muse, i do appreciate them keeping an eye towards the way the album will be split. and like, Jethro Tull has definitely been aware of that split on previous records, in the ways that Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play were divided, but its still nice here.
Baker St. Muse, the 16 minute song that makes up most of the second side, is itself 5 movements – a bit of a dive into a seedier part of town, culminating in Mother Englad Reverie, which draws a parallel from the early minstrel in the gallery to the modern musician. it’s framed by One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All – a pair of tracks itself, and i really like the second half but not as much the first, and Grace as the closer, a very short and quiet outro.
on the whole, i think this record had an interesting take but im just not as fond of the execution as i have been on their other records.
faves – Minstrel in the Gallery, Cold Wind to Valhalla
dislikes –
Minstrel in the Gallery – 5/10
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all my reviews for Jethro Tull
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