SONGS FROM THE WOOD

The tenth studio album by Jethro Tull saw the band refining their craft and after a short period of less evocative releases in the mid-70s, 'Songs From the Wood' offered a very intriguing return to the folkier sounds of earlier albums, with Ian Anderson drawing inspiration from British folklore and country life, reflecting in a somewhat medieval-esque manner various themes related to the myths of pagan Britain, among others. With such a clear musical and conceptual direction, this first album of the supposed "folk trilogy" represents a fantastic return to form for one of Britain's major rock acts, replete with memorable hooks, enchanting whispers and chivalric riffs. The music and the soundscapes of 'Songs From the Wood' are what many would necessarily associate with the cerebral Jethro Tull sound, complex to a degree yet playful and whimsical when necessary, journeying between passages of pure virtuosity and layers of sly humor and folky grandeur.

This album also see Tull recording as a six-piece, with the addition of Dee Palmer as an official band member and covering additional pianos and synths. Barriemore Barlow takes up on a variety of percussive instruments, apparently befitting the stylistic features of the album, while we might often hear Ian Anderson's acoustic guitar and mandolin, or even Martin Barre's masterful lute playing, since the album meanders between semi-acoustic passages rather often, much to the listener's surprise, reminiscent of earlier efforts like 'Benefit' and 'Aqualung', but with a much more pronounced taste for the ethereal here. The atmosphere of 'Songs From the Wood' is pastoral, uplifting and dreamy, folklore intertwined with nature provides a gorgeous background for the music of Jethro Tull, here incredibly well-conceived. What makes this album so fine is the poignant combination of English folklore and whimsy, the staggering complexity of the band's progressive inclinations and the unmistakable swagger of a brilliant rock album. Furthermore, this album offers classics like 'Jack-in-the-Green', 'Hunting Girl', 'The Whistler', 'Pibroch (Cap in Hand)', together with the fantastic title track, so what more could one ask for from Jethro Tull?

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