THICK AS A BRICK 2 (AKA: TAAB2)

Oh well, Ian took on himself a hard task when he'd decided to give his last album the TAAB2 name. More to it - without his long years Jethro Tull musician - Mr. "Lancelot" Barre and thus also not under the JT name on this release.

I should say it seems to me strange decision even after some thoughts about it. TAAB is one of the most beloved classic (especially here but not only) from JT and to release the sequel to this classic under Ian's name is IMHO not appropriate. Maybe it has something to do with this the miss of Barre's guitar but nevertheless it left me a trace of dissapointment in the mouth...

So - you should step to this release with open mind and ears to be not biased... I've tried and I should say I ain't dissapointed after all. In fact I expected this record both with expectations and fears... The result is more than only good. It's very fine!

I don't want to comment every songs. Some better writers here did it exceptionally well so if you want to know take a look at their ratings. I want to say for me it's the best Ian (and JT) did from, say, A record... Funny thing is I hear in this influences from the whole Anderson's/JT music, not only from TAAB or last JT records. Somebody told it here and it's really true. And it's refreshing you could hear some music from which there'll stay something in your mind. Music in these days has the one big problem - you listen to any new record, appreciate the musicianships of the musicians but after that you'll find only a little stays in your mind. JT records from last 20 years usually falls to this category too. But not this one fortunately. It's almost like a miracle...

If I want to name some of the songs it would be From A Pebble Thrown; Banker Bets, Banker Wins; Old Schools Song; A Change Of Horses and Kismet in Suburbia. Funny how the Cosy Corner thing resembles me the infamous "Hare and the spectacles" part from APP... but in fact it's better and it's more "on the place" here.

All in all, this one is a big surprise for me. A new sparkling record from Ian Anderson is something I didn't expect to be true. It'd be in the better half of the JT records for me and it's a shame it wasn't released with Mr. Barre and under JT mark. These are the biggest problems of the TAAB2. But I'll give 4 stars anyway! More of such records...