“Aqualung” by Jethro Tull - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1971Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die external-link.png

TJR says

Their fourth long-player “Aqualung” was released in March, 1971. Considering the acclaim, their reputation for being overly rocky, and the fact that it sold over 7,000,000 units I’m surprised that I quite liked some of it. I never had Jethro Tull down as a band that’d chime agreeably with rebel sensibilities, which just goes to show I just can’t trust me. Haha, don’t get me wrong, I’m not head-over-heels, but there are a few decent cuts – “Mother Goose”, “Cheap Day Return” as well as the wonderful “Wond’ring Aloud”. I seem to like them best when they’re more acoustic-folky than fully amped and rocky. The latter is the standout for me – a beautiful bit of feel-good song-writing from the recently married Ian Anderson, with a subtle dash of nudge-nudge wink-wink. It’s all about the simple pleasures – we are our own saviours, it’s all about the giving, breakfast in bed, don’t complicate it: “Wond’ring aloud, Will the years treat us well, As she floats in the kitchen, I’m tasting the smell, Of toast as the butter runs, Then she comes, spilling crumbs on the bed, And I shake my head… And it’s only the giving, That makes you what you are.” Who can resist that?

The Jukebox Rebel
22–Jan–2016

Tracklist
A1 [06:34] 6.1.png Jethro Tull - Aqualung (Ian Anderson, Jennie Anderson) Rock
A2 [04:06] 5.4.png Jethro Tull - Cross-Eyed Mary (Ian Anderson) Rock
A3 [01:21] 6.2.png Jethro Tull - Cheap Day Return (Ian Anderson) Folk
A4 [03:51] 6.7.png Jethro Tull - Mother Goose (Ian Anderson) Folk Rock / Americana
A5 [01:53] 7.9.png Jethro Tull - Wond’ring Aloud (Ian Anderson) Folk
A6 [03:15] 5.8.png Jethro Tull - Up To Me (Ian Anderson) Folk Rock / Americana
B1 [07:08] 5.5.png Jethro Tull - My God (Ian Anderson) Prog
B2 [03:14] 4.7.png Jethro Tull - Hymn 43 (Ian Anderson) Rock
B3 [01:13] 5.8.png Jethro Tull - Slipstream (Ian Anderson) Songwriter
B4 [04:23] 5.1.png Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath (Ian Anderson) Rock
B5 [06:01] 5.3.png Jethro Tull - Wind-Up (Ian Anderson) Prog

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