UNDER WRAPS

Unfortunately, 'Under Wraps' has become an easy target for rampant criticism but this bold 1984 album by Jethro Tull offers a pretty daring and well-exercised amalgamation of electronic sounds, new wave pomp and prog pedigree, a surprising but interesting combination that very few bands could have even imagined doing; not to mention the occasional flute vignettes, the excellent vocal performance of Anderson and the gritty, groovy patches spread across the album. The careful listener might as well be asked to consult some of the remastered editions or even the CD-version of the album, containing a tracklist of fifteen songs, eventually representing the entirety of this work. With the predominant arrangements of Peter Vettese, Jethro Tull pull off an interesting and well-done performance, with many staggering synth-pop numbers, replete with memorable hooks and ballsy passages of electronic menace, of course with the undue presence of several really disappointing entries.

While 'A' and 'Broadsword' had achieved a better balance between acoustic and electronic sounds, 'Under Wraps' generally lacks this asset; However, this album bolsters some fine songwriting, interesting hooks and a fascinating underlying theme of espionage fiction. Where the album is undeniably lackluster is in the predictability of many songs, focusing more on delivering hooks rather than a substantial, adventurous sound, as well as the unfavourable choice of having programmed drums all throughout - perhaps befitting the stylistic ventures of 'Under Wraps, not having a real drummer is a shame for a band bolstering ex-alumni like Clive Bunker and Barriemore Barlow. Still, I find the sound of at least half of 'Under Wraps' quite a successful attempt at capturing that AOR-tinted new wave influence over prog rock, with Tull delivering several really well-done quirky synth-pop anthems, like 'Lap of Luxury', 'European Legacy' and 'Nobody's Car', while other underrated but really great numbers include 'Later, That Same Evening', 'Tundra' and 'Automotive Engineering'. This is a good album that suffers from the often-annoying production values of 80s pop and rock music as well as the unhinged use of electronic instruments, which takes away some of that charm and animation, pertinent to classic J-Tull.

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