Customer Reviews

Under Wraps

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

 

 

Many Tull fans unjustly shun this work as an aberration in the Tull catalog, a divergent work not really worthy of "Tulldom". I have a different view. First, I will tell you that this is the last album the band made before Ian's voice literally collapsed in the mid 80's, leaving his fans in serious doubt for many years to come as to the veracity of it's ever returning. So, when I think back on that concert tour, I recall with fond memories the final time I saw Ian sing with that wonderful full vocal range so prevalent in the highs of "Songs From The Woods" and the sonorous lows of "Baker Street Muse." It was also really the end of an era of 'big shows' where staging and drama came as part of the Jethro Tull package. Ballooning budgetary concerns mandated a less ostentatious approach to putting on a show. Gone forever were arena venues featuring string quartets and the elaborate Viking ship stage sets.

Be it known, however, that this is really quite an amazing album that harkens back to a concept album format. Apparently at the time, Ian had read a lot of John Le Carre and Martin Cruz novels; the album absolutely drips with cold war rhetoric, international espionage and intrigue. The progression of the songs reads like chapters in 'Gorky Park'. All the characters are there, from the saboteur, the sexy seductress, the double agent, and the turncoat general selling out his country to the other side. We, the listener play the role of the guileless common man helplessly swept along with the story.

The music is rich and complex. Electronic in places - yes, largely due to the keyboard influences of Peter Vettese, but also full of the signature sounds distinctive to Jethro Tull. Present are Martin Barre's soaring guitar solos, Ian's flute work, and the bass lines distinctive to our old friend, Dave Pegg. The album also serves as our introduction to the man who has played percussion for the band longer than any other, the amazing Doane Perry.

My favorite songs include European Legacy, Later That Same Evening, and Under Wraps #2. The CD contains four songs not originally included on the vinyl, and they break up the flow a bit. Unfortunatly, they dropped 'Automotive Engineering' and 'General Crossing' at the end of the disc, rather than before the song 'Apogee' which worked perfectly as a closing chapter to the novel on the record.

Martin Barre has referred to this as the Tull album he listens to when he wants to listen to a Tull album. He absolutely smokes on 'Heat', a song which I think could sit comfortably on any 'best of Jethro Tull' disc. While not a perfect album, in my opinion it is still a great album.

I'm fifty something, and grew up listening to classic rock. Oh, I had Aqualung, and thick as a brick, but never really appreciated Tull. Now that i'm older and the music scene basically stinks. I've been reverting back to the older albumns that i passed over in my speedy youth. I now have every Tull albumn that's available. What I've discovered is a chameleon genius in Ian Anderson. He can and is what ever he chooses to be musically.
Under wraps is the perfect example. He is all over that eighties sound with no problem. His vocals,harmonies,and music are perfect for that period of musical history.
With a large body of work you will have people comparing different albumns. Some say, "Well It's no Aqualung, or TAAB," but I say if you look at the big picture, You see an artist growing, and maybe find yourself saying, "Aqualung is no Broadsword and the beast, or " Crest of the knave". This guy along with Martin Barre have created some very interesting music with great conviction and heart.Under wraps is a different kind of albumn, but the quality is still there. It's a good albumn, from a great band, with an ever-changing leader.

First, let me clarify my 3 star rating, compared to other Tull albums Under Wraps rates a 3, but compared to any music put out in the last decade even the weakest Tull album is a five star gem. When Under Wraps first came out I was so disgusted with the synth, keyboard dominant disk that after only one listen I shelved it for years. I then went to see Tull in concert in the mid 90's and they played acoustic versions of Later, That Same Evening and Under Wraps #2. Like most great Tull songs I couldn't get Later, That Same Evening out of my head, I had almost forgotten about the Under Wraps album, so I went home and pulled it out again, and now 20 years after it's release I have to say Under Wraps is a very good, but different Tull album. I have a new respect for what Ian Anderson was trying to do here, and there are some really good songs here besides Under Wraps and Later, That Same Evening. Heat has really grown on me, as has Lap of Luxury. Dave Pegg's bass work here is amazing and is worth the price of the disk alone. Pegg's bass drives most of the songs, and there are some really catchy rhythms on Under Wraps. Ian's flute does take a backseat to the keyboards on most of the songs presented here, but it's still a key part to the album. Like another reviewer said, if you are a Tull fan, pick this up just to hear what the band was up to in the early 80's.

If one approaches this album subjectively, and by subjectively I mean judging Jethro Tull solely by their work during the 1970s, then of course they're not going to like it. That was how I first approached "Under Wraps", so the first time I listened to this album, it disgusted me to the point where I came very close to sticking the CD under my car's rear tire, and then backing over it. I was outraged with the thought that Ian Anderson sold out like everyone else in the 80s.

It was not until I examined the career of Jethro Tull as a whole (60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s) that I was finally able to appreciate the album more. If one thinks about it, Ian Anderson just might be one of the few Renaissance Men of the music world. Even at the height of Tull's popularity, their sound ran the gamut from quasi-blues ("Stand Up"), symphonic hard rock ("Minstrel In the Gallery"), ambiguously progressive music in the same vein as bands like Yes, complete with meandering instrumentals ("Thick As a Brick," "A Passion Play"), fancifully baroque folk-rock ("Songs From the Wood"), and progressive hybrid jazz-rock ("Warchild"). Tull continued this throughout the 80s and 90s. Ian Anderson followed the winds of change while at the same time, crafting a sound that stood apart.

One of the things that most amuses me about this album is that despite the synthetic arrangements of electronic keyboard synthesizers, drum programming, and over-amped guitars, Anderson is still playing Tull's trademark instrument: his flute. Listening to the first song, "Lap of Luxury," a second time, I now find it amusing that after the groundwork laid down by the synthesizers, Anderson launches into a flute melody that actually fits the mechanical undertones of the song well. He uses the flute many times on this album, but it is always in an organized rythym, almost an attempt to deliberately make an organic instrument sound synthetic. As he has done many times throughout his career, Anderson takes whatever music is popular at the time, and does his own thing with it, making it stand out (but the true Tull fan in me still enjoys the one acoustic song, Under Wraps #2; I always get the feeling Anderson stuck that one on there just for the hardcore fans).

Then there are the lyrics to his songs. Anderson has said that "Under Wraps" was inspired by spy novels, which he usually reads to pass the time while the band is on the road. However, as with every other Tull album, his lyrics are still simultaneously visual and metaphorical. Songs like Saboteur ("By now you must be worried wondering/ Who is me and what lies behind my art?/ I'm only removing broken seashells from the beach"), Astronomy ("And now you stand assisting me/ I can touch what I can see, see, see/ I look in wonder, feel no shame/ See the consequences of the game/ Expand my universe, head for the Big Bang/ Reach for my switch and shout/ Gonna turn the big sky out"), and Nobody's Car ("Are you on routine assignment?/ Plastic shades on black-brown eyeholes/ I've read this book before, I even saw the film/ How did the ending go?/ In tourist city") can either mean one thing, or several. For me, this has always been a key ingredient in what makes Tull such a joy to listen to.

Also, Anderson's creative muse seemed to have taken a more cynical direction in the 1980s. Maybe he was fed up with the Cold War, and how the Arms Race seemed to make the threat of nuclear war all the more imminent; or perhaps he was fed up with England's economy, and the shift from agriculture to industry that was ruining the English countryside; or maybe he was fed up with Prime Minister Thatcher's politics. Whatever it was, the music of Jethro Tull in the 80s seemed to become an outlet for Anderson to vent his frustrations. Here, it was set against the backdrop of the Cold War, in the knife-in-a-dark-alley style. Looking at it from that light, the direction that the band took musically actually serves as the perfect compliment to the dark tales spun through Anderson's lyrics.

It really all depends on what type of Tull fan you are. If you look at their career as ending in 1979 with "Stormwatch," then chances are you won't like this. But if you look at Jethro Tull's career as spanning 30+ years, then you might want to give this a try. The cold, electronic sound might put you off at first, but if you're like me, you'll appreciate it more the second time you listen to it.

The theme of this album seems to be espionage with tracks like "Saboteur," "Radio Free Moscow," "Paparazzi," "Later That Same Evening," etc. The subject of most of the songs and the 1984 release date with the Cold War still going strong make the more electronic sound of this album very appropriate even if it's not the typical Tull sound. Ian Anderson pens all of songs, with his usual creativity. On most of the songs he teams with keyboardist Peter Vettese, especially on some of the more electronic numbers.

"Lap of Luxury" was the single (even sporting a music video) and it is the highlight of the record. "Radio Free Moscow" has a very accessible sound but may get a little too commercial at the end. "Heat" is quite good in places. The verses are very catchy. "Under Wraps #2" is a beautiful acoustical version of #1 and is superior to the more jumpy techno earlier version. #2 will probably be the one you'll find yourself humming to yourself. Unfortunately, the song is very short. "Paparazzi" is one of my favorites on the album. Unlike some of the other songs, this one has excellent, very catchy guitar work. "Astronomy" is probably the most early '80s retro song on the album. The intro reminds me a little of "Doctor, Doctor" by the Thompson Twins. "Apogee" is also very retro-sounding. In fact, it would fit well on an Ultravox or Gary Numan album. It is one of my favorites. "Automatic Engineering" is the most experimental number. As the title indicates, it is very electronically driven; almost industrial. The only songs I do not like are "Saboteur" and "Nobody's Car" because they can be annoying albeit there are good parts to each. I tolerate "European Legacy" although it sounds like an English mambo.

The album as a whole sounds more early 80s rather than late 1984. This CD includes the two extra tracks that were only available on cassette when the album was first released as well as two other tracks, "Tundra" and "General Crossing." If you are like me and like Jethro Tull and early 80s music, give this album a try. It is no Thick As A Brick or Songs From the Wood, but it goes in a more experimental direction and, at times, does so very well. For purists, it's not all keyboards; there is still plenty of flute and guitar.

Over the last 35 years, Ian Anderson and his band Jethro Tull have proven time and again to be masters of a variety of different music styles. Whether it be blues, heavy metal, hard rock, folk music or art-rock, the Tull can tackle any musical style with greatness.
Their 1984 album "Under Wraps" finds the band dabbling in the popular New Wave styles of the time. Over the years, this album has become somewhat undeservingly underrated. Fans and critics alike either love this album or hate it (ie: 1973's "Passion Play"). Personally, I love it. Jethro Tull has never made an album that sounds quite like this before or since. The overall sound of the album relies heavily on sequenced drum rhythms and heavy doses of keyboards. Ian Anderson's flute and Martin Barre's guitar are still very much in tact throughout. Anderson's voice is extremely powerful and dynamic as well. The opening track "Lap Of Luxury" was a minor hit from this album and its video was played on MTV back in '84, an extremely rare feat for J-Tull. Another great thing about this CD is the inclusion of four additional songs which brings the track listing up to 15 tracks (as opposed to 11 on the LP) and the running time to nearly an hour of music.
This album is not for everyone. People expecting to hear something that sounds like "Aqualung" or "Thick As A Brick" will be disappointed by the synthetic sounds of "Under Wraps". However, if one can appreciate the band no matter what style they do, then "Under Wraps" is a excellent addition to your music collection. It's a very unique album for Jethro Tull and it's one of their best of the early '80s even if it is a little forgotten.

First of all, let me say that I love this album. I was a bit surprised that only one review below made serious reference to the most entertaining aspect of this record; specifically, the allusion in almost every song to espionage and international intrigue. I was watching the Bourne Identity on DVD the other night, and it got me thinking about this album, so I pulled it out and listened to it for the first time in, maybe, 7 or 8 years.

The most memorable songs, for me, are Nobody's Car ("...is that my limousine... NO! It's Nobody's Car!" You gotta love that!) and Apogee (I just love the part where Ian weaves that famous Wordsworth poem into the song; a "verklempt" moment, to be sure).

For those that are annoyed by the overtly electronic feel of the album, well, is it really so different from "A"?

Lyrically, Ian Anderson has always been rich in innuendo and suggestion - Under Wraps continues that habit/talent/tendency.

Other reviews and many "traditional" Tull fans from the music they did in the 70's are fixated upon a certain "violation" of musical style. In reality, Ian takes the band willingly into an opportunity to stretch out in a different direction and try something (for them) that's altogether new. Traditional fans object.

Around the same time, Ian cut his first solo album - "Walk Into Light" and the liner notes of that refer to a trial of the latest sequencer technology which has a way of enhancing or even exaggerating rhythm. Martin's guitar work on U-W provides the needed punctuation to that rhythmic confluence. The flute is present, but takes more of a backseat role.

Under Wraps belongs in your Tull collection, but consider it unique and experimental. It's unlikely that you will ever hear an Under Wraps tune played live in concert because this style represents a clear minority position in the Tull repetoire.

HF

I understand why Ian Anderson wanted to experiment with the new sounds of the 1980s. But, why did he have to include many of the annoying features of that musical period? Melody is sacrificed in favor of passionless keyboards and other gadgets.

On the bright side: "European Legacy" is an excellent song. So, monster Jethro Tull fans might want the CD for that reason alone. "Later, That Same Evening" is almost as good. The rest of the songs have marginal entertainment value and are a bit hard on the ears. If you're new to Tull, don't buy this album first. Otherwise you might be scared away before you discover their good music.

This is the bottom of the barrel for the great Jethro Tull!!!! The preceding recording BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST and the following album CREST OF A KNAVE were light years better than this electronic techno crap. Ian must have been on some good weed and alcohol during this time in his career!!! The only songs I like a lot are "Underwraps", "UnderwrapsII", and "Later that same evening". That's it period!!!! Anderson has always been the only writer for the band that I know of, and here he is just plain awful. PASSION PLAY isn't a cd that I like to listen to very often but this is much worse, believe me. This piece of crap was relegated to the discount bins for a reason. You fans who give this a five star rating will like any kind of crap that comes down the pike! I have a friend that's going to give this a one star rating so it will be really good to bring this down to about to about a 3 star average, from the 3.5 that it is now. JETHRO TULL IS AN AMAZING GROUP BUT THIS CD IS FOR THE BIRDS!!!

P.S I forgot "European Legacy" and "Lap of Luxury" . They are as good as "Underwraps" happens to be. The other ten tracks are ridiculous, and "Automotive Engineering" is kind of stupid!!! If you want to collect everything that Jethro Tull has recorded, this should be your last purchase, and you like to hear drum machine techno stuff, then, by all means purchase this cd, but most people won't warm up to this kind of stuff.