STORMWATCH

Stormwatch ? 1979 (3/5) 10 ? Best Song: Home? When I first listened to Stormwatch, I had a tiny twist in my stomach warning me. I probably should've listened to it, but I was feeling sick, and thought maybe if I try hard enough I can really dig what Ian is trying to say with this one. Turns out that he wasn't saying anything special (some tripe about the destruction of the environment, which means Ian Anderson's talking about the weather ? his first true step into middle age). Lyrics aside, my greatest fear was the turn the music was taking, which consisted of a papier-mâché mish-mash of Yes-style hard rock and random smatterings of indiscernible folk elements. While all this is true and more, the blow that struck me hardest was how the band had seemed to have forgotten what a melody is and how important it is to the music. It would've been enough to write Stormwatch off like that, then continue on with my day, listening to King Crimson or something, but there was something about 'Orion' that made me want to listen to it again. True enough, when I pressed my ears for it, I heard a faint, subtle tune stuck beneath the hard mush. Which brings me to this ? boy does this album feed your ears terribly. It's possibly the worst measured album of their career. It's not an album to listen to while intending to release frustrations. It ain't even pretty like Heavy Horses was. It's hit or miss. 'Home' is neatly cute, but 'Dark Ages' is a real slip, sir. Haven't they done better jams in their sleep? Nine minutes? Balderdash! If you're hard up for Tull AND you've reached the sad point of having exhausted Too Old to Rock and Roll, then maybe this is for you. And ya know what? It's STILL better than Blackmore's Night (usually).