Customer Reviews

Roots to Branches

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There's always that occasion when a group goes through a periodic dry spell, and then they surprisingly releases one of their finest albums in a long time. Jethro Tull happened to be that one group. They had a comeback in 1987 with Crest of a Knave, mainly because people were happy to see the band return to guitar after spending the early '80s emphasizing too much on modern, synthetic-sounding synthesizers. It earned them a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, beating Metallica, which obviously angered the metalheads and puzzled Tull fans as well. Rock Island pretty much treaded the same ground as Crest of a Knave, while Catfish Rising found them bringing back their folk and blues roots, but the problem was that album could have been a lot better than it actually was (for example, I could live without "Doctor to my Disease" and "Still Loving You Tonight"). Then there was the 1992 live album A Little Light Music, which was more or less the Tull version of Unplugged, released around the same time Eric Clapton released his Unplugged, but of course, the Tull album was not recorded anywhere near MTV or its Unplugged program, so the album couldn't be called Unplugged. The album was largely acoustic (even Dave Pegg used an acoustic bass guitar), half them instrumental versions (demonstrating that Ian Anderson didn't have the voice he used to prior to Crest of a Knave).

But I was really surprised with Roots to Branches, the 1995 studio followup to Catfish Rising, I really think this is their best album since the late '70s! The music really took a giant step over its predecessor, many cuts harkening to their earlier sound, but of course there's still that mellow sound that permeates the more recent Tull. Some Middle Eastern influences are starting to pop up, but it's not in huge amounts, the best example being "Rare and Precious Chain". I never imagining Tull exploring Middle Eastern styles before, but they did it quite well here. I really also enjoy "Valley" and "Beside Myself". Many of the other songs have some rather progressive arrangements, like "At Last, Forever", and "Wounded, Old and Treacherous", meaning the progheads who might have given up on Tull by the 1980s might want to consider Roots to Branches. "Stuck in the August Rain" doesn't sound too far from something off Minstrel in the Gallery. Many of the songs also have orchestrations that sound like something David Palmer would do, unfortunately no mention of who conducted the orchestra, and for all I know, it was simply digital facsimiles from a synthesizer from Andrew Giddings.

I notice Dave Pegg only played on three cuts (I guess he was also busy with Fairport Convention, which, if I'm not mistakened, also had a new CD out around the same time), Steve Bailey handled the rest. Also, Pegg left for good after this album, replaced by Jonathan Noyce (who was born in 1971, which meant he was born the same year as Aqualung, and also meaning the group now had band members that were a generation apart in age difference).

Roots to Branches is certainly a breath of fresh air for me, the drums are real, real instruments, plenty of great flute playing (even more so, when Ian Anderson decided it would be better to emphasize his flute playing after he developed throat problams back in the mid '80s), and synthesizers that don't take over. This is certainly the finest Tull album they done in recent times, I was totally amazed. Tull fans will need this CD, even those who gave up on them long ago.

Well, I suppose that quite a few hard-core Tull fans may have heard this, but by 1995, they weren't such a huge commercial force to be a reckoned with. Not since 1980's A had Tull released such a uniformly strong album, and one that would have fit in snugly with their 70's masterpieces.

Everything is here: Ian Anderson's lyrics are at their very best, as are his compositional and flute-playing skills. Martin Barre sounds positively rejuvenated, as his playing is even more supple than usual. The rhythm section is good, with Doane Perry's creative and dynamic drumming, and Dave Pegg and Steve Bailey both providing credible bass.

There isn't a weak song here. Roots to Branches is a majestic piece, and one with beautiful lyrics. Rare and Precious Chain, This Free Will and Out Of The Noise are all vintage Tull, with Tull's mixture of progressive rock and world music. A word here about Tull's progressive tendencies. Personally, I think that the reason why Tull has aged so much more gracefully than their 70's progressive-rock cohorts is that Anderson always ensured that there was an organic, folk base to their music. This basis gave Tull's music a timeless quality that eludes most of their contemporaries.

At Last Forever is a gorgeous song that evokes Autumn; a lot of Jethro Tull's music does this for me. Dangerous Veils is one of the all-time great Tull songs, and Valley is a work of genius.

It's simply a travesty that this came and went commercially in the States. Not only is it one of Jethro Tull's greatest albums, it's one of the greatest albums of the Nineties.

Two aspects of this dark and important Tull album are striking: The palpable eastern influences in rhythm, melody and lyric and the stunning improvement Ian Anderson's flute playing. The flute (particularly the bamboo flute) is more prominent on this album than in perhaps any previous Tull album -- a remarkable statement when you think about it. Mr. Anderson has been, through the years, a capable and even strong flautist -- he has done more than any other musician in the "rock" era to give this instrument a foremost place in his work. However, on this album his flute work is extraordinary, well beyond anything he previously accomplished. From the very introduction of the opening track this is readily apparent.

The eastern influences, from the near east (Arabian), through Indian sub-continent all the way to China in the Far East, are primarily (but not solely) responsible for the somber, fatalistic tenor of this album.

This is an album of melancholy reflection on vexing and persistent life issues. If you are looking for something to liven up a Friday night after a few beers, this is most definitely not what you are looking for. If you want something that "Rocks!" go elsewhere. While there are up-tempo pieces contained here, especially early in the album, none of them can even remotely be considered a "rock song." The risqué, and often even raunchy, Tull humor (as in Catfish Rising) is nowhere evident. To be sure, there is plenty of wit in the lyrics but it tends more toward the cynical or fatalist viewpoint.

Religion, a recurrent theme in Tull music, plays a larger role here than in any album since Aqualung. But in this album the treatment is more thoughtful and far less bombastic. Youthful, intemperate certainty of opinion has yielded to a more cautious and careful examination of the influence and impact of religious thought on human actions. The title track is a dichotomy of gentle praise and equally gentle rebuke: "True disciples carrying that message to color just a little with their personal touch." The eastern influences in the music also provide a useful launching-point to treat us, lyrically, to more familiar, prickly barbs and witticisms about sectarian differences. There are carefully measured criticisms of intolerance and violence in "Dangerous Veils" and "Rare and Precious Chain" as well as a more overt condemnation of the conflict in Palestine/Israel ("Valley"). Overtly eastern-influenced rhythms and melodies dominate two standout up-tempo tracks early in the album, "Rare and Precious Chain" and "This Free Will". The first is the most pronounced example of Arabian influence, while the second is much more difficult to classify precisely -- seemingly touched by both Arabian and Indian influences. "This Free Will", because of its beat and powerful bass-line, is sometimes erroneously referred to as a "rocker". Both tracks are stunning, with barely hinted at religious overtones, demonstrating the incredible versatility of songwriter and band.

"Out of the Noise" is the most unusual offering on the album. It boasts an extremely fast tempo, with the music charging forward to mimic peak-hour traffic in a major Chinese city (Hong Kong?). The song appears to be a combination of jazz and rock, with a story-line revolving around the frantic life of an experienced and apparently successful dog-of-the-streets. For a little added encouragement in his nocturnal races through the streets between cabs and rickshaws our hero-mutt has the rather unsavory Chinese practice of eating anything that moves (or moves too slowly, in this case). This unorthodox song is one that takes some getting used to -- the frantic pace and jazz-like lyrical presentation do not immediately attract the ear. But the patient listener is in for a treat. Once the music is learned and becomes familiar this odd offering may well evolve into a favorite.

While the eastern sound is muted (but by no means gone) in the final four songs on this album, the melancholy tone is, if anything, enhanced. All four are true standout tracks, and together comprise one of the truly great accomplishments in the band's long history. All four are generally down-tempo, although the first, "Wounded, Old and Treacherous", has a brisk ending section that must rank as one of Tull's finest and tightest instrumental passages. "At Last, Forever", a song about dying (I told you this was no Friday night party album), has significant stretches where it ranks with "Requiem" as having the slowest tempo in the entire Tull repertoire. Like that mid-70's work, the sheer beauty of the music is transcendent. But in all honesty, it is difficult to get around the lyrical subject matter. As beautiful as it is, the tempo and lyrics combine to have a depressing effect. It isn't a song that will entice you to regular hearings.

The most positive song in the set, the equally beautiful "Stuck in the August Rain", breaks the mood. Not that the gloomy shades have receded entirely, but they are relegated, lyrically, to the mind of the protagonist in this love song. The happy, liquid dripping of the keyboard, carrying the main melody with that astounding flute, is the perfect counterpoint to the stormy guitars, musically setting the stage for this story of how our depressed Mr. Anderson is gently lifted from his (somewhat irrational) gloom by the perfect woman.

It's still raining in "Another Harry's Bar", a song that appears to be lifted in whole cloth from the jazzy-blues middle bridge of "Rocks on the Road". This time we're treated to the cold, dark English rain (indeed, "the mother of all rains") in this deeply melancholy and almost surreal reflection of life passed-by. There are no hints of the hot, parched eastern melodies, lyrics or rhythms that dominated the early part of this album. Nevertheless, it is perfectly fitting conclusion to this somber yet powerful album. It is an album destined to hold an important place in the Tull canon.

ROOTS TO BRANCHES is a welcome addition to the album collections of diehard Tull fans like me. The previous recording, CATFISH RISING, while it contained a number of radio-friendly songs a la BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST (an early 80s Tull album that quite unfairly stiffed in a disco, punk, and techno-crazed America) was a bit pop for me. I had not expected the powerful, World Music-influenced majesty and maturity of ROOTS. This is a very fine rock album, incorporating heavy rock riffs, Moroccan and Indian scales, wooden flutes, and tabla-like layers of subdued percussion (along with Doane Perry's thunderous trap kit.) Favorites are "Rare and Precious Chain" and the (unusual for Tull!) guitar-funky "Out of the Noise",a showcase for Martin Barre's fuzzed-out, switchblade-quick fretwork. Powerful drumming by American Doane (far and away the longest-sitting Tull percussionist), nimble and heavy bottom by newcomer Jonathon Noyce, and atmospheric keyboards by Andrew Giddings. Ian's quicksilver flute is everywhere: he seems to have retained the Roland Kirk-like overblowing and vocalizing of his early style, and wedded it to a newly disciplined sound that is almost classical in its purity. Ian: have you been practicing? Add to this his use of wooden and bamboo flutes and you get the most famous flute player on the planet, bar none (James Galway who? Jean-Pierre Rampal who? Herbie Mann who? Hubert Laws who?)actually GETTING EVEN BETTER. Outstanding, Ian. Tull is in fine form. Get ROOTS TO BRANCHES. It is a classic rock album from an indefatigable, and truly classic, band.

It had been four years between albums, during which Tull toured the world several times and Ian Anderson recorded an instrumental solo album. Apparently, the extensive travelling and foray into orchestral music rejuvenated Anderson, who not only wrote some of his strongest, most mature music for this album, but took his flute playing to new heights after over 25 years as a professional musician.

Ian's incorporation of the Indian bamboo flute into several tracks adds a different flavor, but it is far more than just a gimmick because his playing is, by turns, haunting, moving, and passionate. The rest of the band is in excellent form; most of the members being long-time stalwarts by the time of the recording - a fact that leaves behind the days of Ian and Martin forming the core around which rotated an ever-changing line-up of musicians.

Speaking of Martin Barre, his electric guitar is subtle and understated on many tracks, but comes through with taste and energy at times (particularly during the closing moments of "Dangerous Veils."). Doane Perry offers his most compelling and complex drumming yet, and keyboardist Andrew Giddings shines not only with orchestral flourishes, but with his delightful, flowing piano work on tracks such as "Beside Myself."

Each of the band members come together under Anderson to form a cohesive whole, and the title track is more than just an excellent song in and of itself - in terms of summing up the band's identity and how much it has grown over the years, "Roots To Branches" may just be the best Jethro Tull song ever.

This album is a masterpiece, coming at a time in their career when most musicians have gone stale or resorted to coasting on their past glories. Ian Anderson and the rest of Jethro Tull keep forging ahead, and the results can be absolute magic such as this wonderful, wonderful album.

Most bands that have been around as long as the Tull have just can't seem to make music that approaches anything akin to that of their long gone "better days." Like other fans I always greet a new release from them with much trepidation--usually hoping that it's at least not going to be completely awful. That isn't the case with Jethro Tull. In fact, since I started buying Tull albums as they were released, starting with WarChild, I have only been disappointed twice: Underwraps and Catfish Rising. Not only ISN'T Roots to Branches a disappointment, it is in fact one of the best releases this group has ever put out. Think Songs from the Wood, but unlike that records' more upbeat, optimistic moods, this one is steeped in rich, dark tones--like the shadows of some deep, dark forest. The songs are filled with an interesting array of musical influences--part jazz, part rock, park folk, and part middle eastern. The lyrics fit the mood of the songs perfectly, and the voice has the rich texture of old wood that has been polished smooth by the elements. There isn't a bad song on the record. In fact, they are, each of them, a work of art. Simply put, it's a must have Tull album to add to your collection.

To all those Tull fans that scream for "Aqualung!" thru the entire concert - knowing full well it comes at the encore - don't buy this. You couldn't appreciate the other 98% of Tull's beautiful and intelligent music, especially this fine piece of musical mastery. The most progressive Tull ever - these eclectic arrangements will positively affect your soul. The title track, Dangerous Veils and Out of the Noise more than rock, they grab you and vigorously shake you! Out of the Noise features excellent fills from Barre's which epitomizes the way an ensemble contributes... to make the "whole > the sum of its parts." Album energy peaks at track 8 and lets the listener down gently with the final 3 tracks that reflect upon moods and mortality. Track 7, Beside Myself, about a child prostitute in Bombay - and the singer's feelings of reflected guilt and hopelessness - is the most emotionally moving Tull song I've heard. And I have heard them all. Just a note ... Johnathan Noyce does not play on this album. The majority of the bass work was done by brilliant sessionist Steve Bailey. Not to compare him with the personalities and playing styles of other Tull bassists - but he is almost in a league with Stanley Clarke or Les Claypool. Just listen. Buckle up before you crank it up!

I apologize to all of you Jethro Tull fans out there who may take offense at my lavish praise of this album. Jethro Tull is my favorite band of all time, so I'm not just a random music fan. My favorite album is "Stormwatch," but this is a definite second place. While at first I wasn't crazy about the first half of this album, I've grown to really appreciate it. The second half, however, contains some of the greatest tracks ever written. "Another Harry's Bar" is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. To those of you who hate "Wounded, Old, and Treacherous," I don't know how you can. I mean, sure, it's a big deviation from typical Tull style, but it's a great song. The flute playing throughout this album is the best on any release, mostly because of the influence of "Divinities." This is a great album, whether or not you like Tull - I highly recommend it.

This is the best CD Jethro Tull has released since Crest of a Knave. I bought this CD reluctantly because I have been less than satisfied with their three previous CDs, but I bought it anyway. I was a big fan of Tull in the late 70's, and the albums from that era (Songs from the Wood and Heavy Horses in particular) remain my favorites still. However, everything that Tull has ever done has led up to Roots to Branches. There are some Middle Eastern and Indian influences on this album, undoubtedly a result of Ian Anderson's travels (or perhaps his penchant for Indian food). All in all, this is Tull at their best and I am eagerly awaiting the new album in the fall. If you have ever liked anything by Jethro Tull, buy this CD, but don't expect to hear what you've always heard.

Root to Branches is an excellent CD. To me it sort of sounds like a cross between "Aqualung" and "Minstel in the Gallery". It's had rocking, but it still retains that signiture mid-evil sound. And the song "Wounded, Old and Treacherous" sounds like it has some Frank Zappa influence in it! It's a fun song. If you like Jethero Tull and Ian Anderson, buy this CD. You'll love it!