THIS WAS

Quote website : This Was got it's name from Ian Anderson who wanted to make a statement that the record's blues sound reflected a temporary nature of the band's sound.- End quote. So right off we know where they ( JT ) stand. Another nice bit of info is that advicers around the band failed Ian to give up the flute and let Mick Abrahams do all the singing. Luckily Ian did not give in to that. So now the music.

The first two songs are blues songs, the first a nice shuffle with the second one Ian playing his mouth organ. Beggars's Farm suspenceful beginning goes into a flute and guitar solo and then returning to the beginning. Later the song picks up speed and we also hear the trademark flute and voice sound. In Move on Alone we hear some horns, therefore that song has a kind of Chicago/Blood, Sweat and Tears feel in it. Nice track. While listening to the instrumental Serenade to a Cuckoo you will tap your feet automatically. It is an easy and good going jazz-like song. Dharma for One ( instr.) has more of a rock feel to it, some good sounding organ coming in. And a drum solo, a good sounding one as well. As a comparison Gentle Giant also have a drum solo in their debut album. It's Breaking me Up is again a bluesy song with a bit off Cream creeping in. The next song, Cat's Squirrel is an old blues/rock song performed by many, Cream recorded that one in 1966. The guitar playing by Mick Abrahams is really firery here. The vocal effect used in A Song for Jeffrey makes this track sounding like an old blues track, good song. The instrumental song Round finishes off a good sounding album. Not a lot traces of the unique JT sound coming on later albums, but This Was offers a good and worthy listen . 4 stars is too much, so it is 3!