MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY

1975 brings in a folkier, more Ian Anderson oriented album, Mistrel in the gallery. This album is extremely different than Thick as a Brick and many of the songs are mainly acoustic. Overall, this album is very good, with One White Duck and Baker St. Muse being the highlights.

The first and titlle track is quite good and begins the album in a good mood. I think that many of the themes are very good and overall the song is quite good, but is lyrically repetitive which makes the song seem like it could be shorter. I'd give it 4/5.

Cold wind to valhalla shows a folkier side to the album and almost reminds me of a nordic folk song. The acoustic guitar work is nice, but a bit too folky for my taste. The band oriented section is nice and the strings are a nice addition. Overall it's not my favorite track and it deserves about 3 stars.

Black Satin Dancer follows the acoustic into electric full band format again. The beginning is a little slow and almost waltz-like and the piano tone is a little too honky-tonky for my taste. The band section is good though. 3 stars.

Requiem makes good use of acoustic guitar and strings and quirky yet nice lyrics. There are some nice themes in this song and it is not too folky. The quiky lyrics are a good thing adding to the laid- back mood of this song. Overall a 4 star song and very good.

One WhiteDduck/ 0 (to the 10th power)= nothing at all is easily one of the best tracks on this album. From the first guitar chords this song gives off a melodic and quiky feeling. The lyrics are silly, which I think makes this song fun. The ending section guitar work is especially great. 5 stars.

Baker street muse is the epic on this album and is easily one of the best. The beginning with Ian messing up and starting again gives this song a not so serious mood. The melodies and band sections are very nice, especially the themes used from 6:37 to 7:43 and about 5:10. This song ends on Ian anderson packing up and leaving the studio but yelling that he can't get out. This is a great song 5 stars.

The album closes on an odd note with Grace, a very shory silly and folky song that I like quite a lot, but is not to be taken seriously. 4 stars for the closer.

The lyrics and acoustic guitar work make this an excellent one and I would recommend this to a person who has had at least some expose to Tull in the past. The only flaws in this album are its over-folkiness at times but otherwise this is a very good album. 4 stars- excellent.