A PASSION PLAY

A different perspective on PASSION. Although I am in agreement with the many critical perspectives presented about this work I think the work has sufficiently passed the time test to include it as one of the seminal progressive rock endeavors. I first became familiar with JT about three albums in and my perspectives on Passion reflect that entry point, and bias. I caught the live show in Minneapolis and again in retrospect found it to be a life changing experience. I did happen to see Thick a couple years earlier and was anticipating a natural evolution. I did find Passion to be equal to and in many respects greater than Thick as a serious artistic work. I think the work did mark the departure of what we now refer to as progressive rock, but in retrospect, it truly left it on a high note. The dissent it garnered was more a sign of public apathy towards the industry, and the directions it was going as a whole than a critique of the band in particular. What I think is its true virtue is the unsettling conscious state it left the true JT believer. Even today, 25 years later, it still leaves me allienated , searching, grasping for its essence. The music has a haunting, mystical quality that even though overworked, leaves an indelible imprint on your soul. The disjointed, over the topness of the song sequence lingers, but as a whole, credible musical envelope I am left in the way Messien, Bartok, Scriaben, Webern leaves you. I think the work reflects an artist that has personally come to the realisation of the limitations of the art form itself, and is in his own way crucifying the duality in his own artistic persona. Without getting into the minutia about the subtext, music and presentation which is well presented here, I note the radically different perspectives presented offer a glimpse into IAs genius. With all of its strengths and weaknesses, Passion is a jewel in the vast landscape of the progressive rock movement. Quirky but unforgettable.