THICK AS A BRICK

Many albums that were great in their day do not stand the test of time. This one has much to do with the most evocative classical music in that it is so rich, deep and compelling that it remains as a touchstone throughout one's life. I first heard Tull in concert when they toured the US in support of Brick's release. It was my first real encounter with prog music; while Tull has had its ups and downs, this album stands out as its defining work, much as "Tommy" is to the Who. The complexity of the arrangements demand that one spend time with it to appreciate, just as classical music does. This is well rewarded by the group's delicate interplay, with special attention to dynamic changes in volume and speed, heavy and light; something we now take for granted, but still hasn't been done much better.

Excerpts of this epic are still features of Tull's concerts; they were just here in Japan and I admit that hearing the simple opening on acoustic guitar, one of the most anticipated both for itself and for what follows, produced very powerful emotions that force us all to "look back on our youth" and take stock of what we have become. If you want to know where folk and classical meet rock, it doesn't get better than Jethro Tull, and Thick as a Brick does stand the time test as a masterpiece.