TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N' ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE!

The 1976 concept album 'Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!' marks the affirmation of what we may consider the recognizable and palpable Jethro Tull style, the bold statement of a band assuring its audience that 'they are here to stay', perhaps in opposition to shifting trends as well as the rising force that is punk rock. The album follows the story of an ageing rock star, a guy going through the motions and looking for a renewed sense of purpose or creative vigor, with Ian Anderson reporting that these themes are not a personal reflection but merely details of the story accompanied by a gorgeous comic depicting the concept, all adding up to that 70s Tull goodness.

Stylistically this album is more of a 'War Child' than a 'Minstrel in the Gallery', with a string of song-oriented tracks with heavy guitars and crunchy rhythms, where the vocals and the lyrics seem to be rather upfront. At times this album reminisces the stylistic variety of those early 70s Bowie records, with occasional instances of a glam sound developing somewhere in the background, while at its core this is a laid-back rock album with fewer folk notes. 'Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll' is a collection of fine songs in a familiar style, and while some of them are rather good (like the title track, 'Quizz Kid', 'Taxi Grab', and 'Big Dipper'), others seem to be average and forgettable. The writing is more streamlined than usual, and the playing is not as dazzling and adventurous as on many of the preceding releases, making this a decent part of the band's back catalog but not an essential studio album.

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