THIS WAS

Ok we got flutes on a rock (almost) album for one of the first time, we got nice music and a drums solo, a jazz album covered by a progrock cloud... in 68 even if we can find some nice works I don't thing there is a good choice in prog music (not compared to today), so I'll rate this giving the bonus star to the Tulls style (Jazzy, with a good rock influence) and for the sleeve (nice to see the oldies and their dogs)... so congratulations Ian u got 1 star before the review begins!

It's hard for me to rate a kind of music that I don't listen too much, in fact I've put on This Was only to know something about it before the anniversary live in Rome (good one), but I'll try anyway to explain myself: it's hard to see here the coplex carpet of music of Brick or even Benefit anyway the flute is strong as will be only in songs like Up to me on Aqua, good guitar (I like the Abrahams' contribute) the solos that Abrahams plays are the cloud I was speaking of, so he's giving the rock part in this mostly-jazz album, drums are nothing special, just the proto-solo that we see in Drama for One (good, but if it's really good why the hell Ian wrote lyrics on it for lives?) is really worth, in other words we don't see good percussions, but just some ambience drums saving the main song (for me, that I've used to listen it in Living in the Past), A Song for Jeffrey is the real prog piece in this album, with a stunning sideback of music and excellent flute parts. Bass is good too, but it's used as Jazz instrument, like in Serenate..., anyway good work in Beggar's Farm where the bass make the famous carpet of music.

A special mention to Round, the coda of the album, with slow piano and a shy flute that sing as Ian's voice. 2/5, 1 to the flute that is simply GREAT and the other for guitar, bass & drums that don't make too much without Ian's contribute. 3/5 since I don't see anything special in the album but still good to add to a playlist, even if there are 4 young men or 4 oldies with their dogs.

Before I close the review there is a remastered version of the disc with 3 bonus tracks (2 from Living), I've not given my rating counting on them that's why I don't like bonus... but that's me and the 3 song are good, enjoy them if u want!

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