STAGE LEFT

The album' name is a word play with the place Martin occupy in Jethro Tull stage (then for 35 years) and represents a prolific year for Jethro Tull fans (as Anderson also released a solo album and Jethro Tull released the last and ranked #10 in PA JT list "The Christmas Album"). But enough Tull, "Stage Left" is all about Barre.

Impressively using a different gear for each track, "Stage Left" begin with a almost too rocker "Count the chickens" soon to follow in acoustic ventures - tracks that were treated with a almost devoted respect by Barre. "After you, after me" shows a compsoition turning around a well composed and ecletic riff. "D.I.Y" is probably the best acoustic song Barre ever made: its fun, clever, quick and you can never listen only one time - and never get bored of it! "Stage Fright" is the flute song of Martin (each album have one) and its quite good. "Winter Snowscape" is a beautiful folk tune, well aligned with the electric and 1980's songs soon to follow. Maybe the weak track is "Dont say a word", most because of the kind of vocals used. But, as I said before, this album is all about Barre and we can soon forget that.

"Stage Left" probably isnt a masterpiece, a album to put among the pantheon of the Progressive Rock... but maybe a solid and character defining work as this obviously is deserves apreciation.

I'll give 5 stars, and I'am glad of it.