Secret Language of Birds [Extra tracks]

Ian Anderson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 7, 2000)
• Original Release Date: March 7, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00004RCTD
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,457 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Secret Language of Birds

2. The Little Flower Girl

3. Montserrat

4. Postcard Day

5. The Water Carrier

6. Set-Aside

7. A Better Moon

8. Sanctuary

9. The Jasmine Corridor

10. The Habanero Reel

11. Panama Freighter

12. The Secret Language of Birds, Pt. 2

13. Boris Dancing

14. Circular Breathing

15. The Stormont Shuffle

16. Untitled

17. Bonus Track 1

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IAN ANDERSON'S BEST WORK--AFTER 32 YEARS!, March 9, 2000

By 

Scott A. Nollen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret Language of Birds (Audio CD)

This is adapted from a draft of my forthcoming book JETHRO TULL: A MUSICAL GUIDE, with the participation of Ian Anderson, Dave Pegg and Doane Perry [copyright 2000 Scott Allen Nollen]:

Simply put, THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS is arguably the most consistently superb album Ian Anderson has released in a 32-year recording career. All 15 tracks are equally impressive, blending his ethnic influences-English, Celtic, Indian/Middle Eastern, Spanish, Russian (no African-American blues this time)-with lush acoustic arrangements incorporating folk, jazz and laid-back, primarily non-electric rock. (Two tracks feature subtle electric contributions from Martin Barre.) Reaching back to the days of MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY, SONGS FROM THE WOOD, HEAVY HORSES and STORMWATCH, he offers exactly what he does best, at times (beautifully accompanied by Andrew Giddings on accordion) sounding like the greatest of all traditional Scottish folk groups-Silly Wizard, the Tannahill Weavers and the Old Blind Dogs-yet maintaining a style that is totally unique. The only classification that can be placed upon this music is that it falls within the genre of "Ian Anderson."

The entire album is testament to the fact that Ian Anderson's roots in ethnic music always have given him the potential to create an organic, utterly non-commercial masterwork such as THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. For admirers of traditional music, particularly Celtic, and fans of Jethro Tull, this project, even moreso than SONGS FROM THE WOOD and HEAVY HORSES, reveals Anderson's genius for merging past musical styles with wholly modern ones. On this album, he takes the musical fusion process he honed with Jethro Tull for three decades and moves it to a higher, more refined plane. THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS, containing 15 equally fine tracks, staggering musical diversity and virtuoso playing by both Anderson and Giddings, is a bona fide masterpiece and a gift to fans of Jethro Tull.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mea Culpa, March 29, 2000

By 

Bellagio "Bellagio" (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secret Language of Birds (Audio CD)

Although I am a dedicated fan of Jethro Tull I was lackadaisical about purchasing the new Ian Anderson solo album. Perhaps it's the chequered history of Mr. Anderson's solo efforts (I enjoyed "Divinities," but it isn't something that would make you rush out to get it). Perhaps it was having heard the title track as an extra track on Dot Com (a very nice piece, but not really as impressive as the ending songs on the Tull album). So after accidentally hearing a track on the radio one day (it was "Postcard Day"), I cruised onto this site and was astounded by what I saw here.

Now we Tull fans are a dedicated cult, no doubt. But never had I seen such unanimity of opinion about one of their albums. Even the fans of "early Tull" (the hard-rockers) have never heaped such effusive praise on "Stand Up" as I found here. So I devotedly submitted my order for this CD, thinking that someone (or many someones must be nuts). I mean, how else can you explain the hyperbole of one reviewer describing Mr. Anderson as the late-20th century Mozart? (I'm sure he cringes at that one).

Now I've listened to the CD a half-dozen times. (Don't you love those reviewers who claim to listen to part of a CD once and swear never to listen again, and then write a review about music they never bothered to learn? They should be sentenced to three-chords and a cloud of noise for the rest of their natural lives).

Mea Culpa.

Maybe the aforementioned reviewer was guilty of some hyperbole, but then how else can you explain the profusion of vibrant melodies that spill off of this CD? That such variation of texture and depth of sound can be produced from such modest means can leave me only to conclude that true genius was at work: Mr. Anderson's is apparent by this time, however, Mr. Giddings must be similarly commended for his remarkable contributions. Has their ever been another member brought to Tull by Mr. Anderson, in all the band's long history, who has shown such versatility as we hear in Andrew Giddings?

It is difficult to pick out high points in this CD only because there really isn't much that doesn't qualify as a high point. "The Little Flower Girl" with its Spanish melodies and story-line about a favorite watercolour painting and "Montserrat," the wry and biting story of the island that literally blew up ("toast tomorrow, if not, today") and containing snippets of military marches buried in the melodies, are standouts early in the CD. I certainly hope you like "Postcard Day" because its primary melody (carried by the flute) is so catching that you'll find it in your head at various odd moments of the day. It won't leave you be. But do I detect in this song that Mr. Anderson's vocal is just a tad out of key?

Never have I seen, even in the best of Tull albums, a run of magnificent songs like is found in the middle part of this CD. There is the slow, sweltering "A Better Moon" in which the refrain line works to both gently relieve the building tension in the melody and act as a powerful hook at the same time (a gentle form of what occurs in "Come Together"). Then we come to "Sanctuary", which according to the liner notes was a difficult song for Mr. Anderson ("made me cry"). He earned the tears. It is as fine and beautiful a song as he's ever written. More poignantly sad than "Flying Dutchman." More ethereal beauty than is found in even "And Further On" or "Stuck in the August Rain". Simply the brightest star in a vivid constellation.

If "The Jasmine Corridor," which follows, radiates any less beauty than the previous song, it is by a margin far too narrow to measure. I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to get "Panama Freighter" out of your head. Andrew Giddings just shines in this wonderfully melodious, offbeat story of Caribbean travel.

The end of the album includes a couple of fanciful instrumental tracks which, especially in the case of "The Stormont Shuffle," are very much in the spirit of "Warm Sporran." It's a nice touch - something we haven't heard in nearly twenty years.

To say I am stunned by this CD might be a little stretch - there is no logical reason why great musicians should lose their ability with age (a stupid youth culture notion that has gone on way too long). And Tull has produced some of their best works in recent years. But for whatever dumb reason, I can certainly say that I was never expecting anything as astounding as this. But then when a true classic comes along, it always takes you by surprise.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ian Triumphs Again, March 7, 2000

By 

Matthew Ballou - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Secret Language of Birds (Audio CD)

Brilliant. It's simple - the man is brilliant. What can I say? Ian Anderson is a modern legend and an underappreciated innovator. He's eloquent, intelligent and worthy of praise. BUY THIS CD! The definite hook for me on this one is Boris Dancing; wonderful time work, interesting moves... an amazing track. The two Secret Language of Birds tracks also work well. Subtle sonic textures, mellow motifs hark back to Ian's Divinities offering. Quaint, intelligent, subversive, questioning, inspirational lyrics are a continuing mark of Ian's songwriting. While I can't say that I have always loved every single song he has had a part in making, I can tell you that many times the lyrics have endeared the songs to me whereas I had been initially put off by other factors. But this CD is all Ian - all beauty and artistic sensibility. If there was any fear that Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull had lost their fire, this CD and the J-Tull dot Com CD must be final proof that they are better than ever. Kudos goes out to Andrew Giddings as well, a wonderful asset to all that is Tull. Great work on Divinities, dot Com and TSLOB, Andy! And here's to many more years for Ian and the boys!