hello all! this week, our record to check out in Jethro Tull’s discography is Thick As a Brick, released in 1972
Thick As a Brick has a fascinating origin – Ian Anderson, upset that folks interpreted Aqualung as a concept album, wrote a full on, single-song concept album. there is Lore about a fictional child genius who wrote the lyrics, but it largely stands to frame much of the album’s focus on growing up (the section immediately after the intro, See There A Son Is Born, addresses the expectations placed even on newborns and is contrasted with the part 2 opener, See There A Man is Born, and What Do You Do When the Old Man’s Gone addresses that very question) and struggling with those in power.
the album was originally presented as two-ish songs, each occupying one half of the record, with the break between being necessary to flip the vinyl. however, each movement has a title and focus, and here in the Digital Age some presentations will divide the record based on those splits (Spotify has both, for example, depending on which release you look at). either way, the transitions are seamless for the segments on either side of the record.
whats extremely funny about the record is that even if the intention was to parody concept albums or sprawling prog rock records, they play it fairly straight both lyrically and instrumentally and the album ends up being a really phenomenal journey across a huge array of musical styles and focuses. like, legit, this ended up just being a very good concept record, and in looking up some other thoughts on the record this is extremely well regarded as a prog rock piece. i have a difficult time picking out specific favorite moments, but segments like Childhood Heroes, which is the crest that ends part 1, is absolutely phenomenal. i think this is definitely a record im gonna have to dig into more in the future, but i thoroughly enjoyed spending time with it this week!
faves –
dislikes –
Thick As a Brick – 8/10
next week, we’ll take a look at their next record, A Passion Play
first: This Was | previous: Aqualung | next: A Passion Play
all my reviews for Jethro Tull