Many consider Stormwatch to be the third album of a “folk trilogy”. Ian Anderson has rarely written a song of such power and undeniable truth, and I hope with every fiber of my being that we learn to embrace that truth before it’s too late. especially WHEN ONE OF THE SONGS ON THE ALBUM DOES EXACTLY THAT. 10 words my bum. I would have preferred more clarity on Martin Barre’s rough guitar in the choruses, but that loss is offset by the excellence of Barriemore Barlow’s responsive drum patterns. Jethro Tull: Stormwatch ‎ (LP, Album, RE) Chrysalis: 6307 670: Portugal: Unknown: Sell This Version: Recommendations Reviews Add Review. This was my first Tull album I have always had a soft spot for it despite its weaknesses, but then I also like Rock Island for different reasons. Unlike the first two installments, Songs From The Wood and Heavy Horses, which contained light-hearted, pleasant tunes, Stormwatch is quite dark-in … Ack. Quite recommended! For me, as a whole, the album lay in the shadow of Heavy Horses which in turn lay in the shadow of Songs From The Wood. I’ve studiously avoided it but I’ve decided to go forward thanks to Cliff Richard and the Shadows, of all people. Album Rating: 3.5P/ Jamie. Have a pos'd. Album Rating: 3.5I'm actually talking about a rough period that has started with Glascock's health problems/death (wich have greatly affected both Barlow and Co, and the album's process), and soon has continued after the loss of all Jethro Tull' members except for Anderson and Barre. And Dark Ages used to be a much better song before being committed to record, I like how it was played live during the spring 1979 Stormwatch tour with John Glascock still on board, and with the upcoming 40th release you will get the studio version with John on bass. . But we arrived at the same place at the end—amazing. This massive display of groupthink begs the question, “Did any of those critics actually listen to the fucking record?” I count one folk song on the entire album, with two others somewhere in the ballpark. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Stormwatch is also the album where Ian Anderson began dabbling in current events, with seriously mixed results. And what’s that “Before we all are nuclear—the better way!” crap all about? He had a strong metaphor to work with; there were plenty of signs in the ’70s that potentially destructive “storms” were gathering on the horizon and exerting a destabilizing effect on societies across the globe. He’s been responsible for many gentlemen of a certain age loosening their money belt and, as a … . The windswept nature of this ancient place on a far northern isle is captured in the brief bursts of vocal echoes, like human sounds carried on the wind bouncing between the rockfaces. You could make a much better case placing Stormwatch in the genre of progressive rock, but really, the music is all over the map. Steve Wilson’s remixes, as usual, are outstanding. But hey, I'm a J-Tull newbie so my opinion probably doesn't count as much as much as you guys who have listened to these songs for years. It’s really intense and rocking, and certainly as good or better than most of what wound up on the album. The problem isn’t with the musicians—Ian’s flute fills are spot-on and Martin Barre gets in a few good licks—the problem is with the blah lyrics, very awkward melody and curious chord progression. Almost. Okay. Staring ghostly in the mirror Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite – Get Up! With a catalogue of work as strong as Tull’s, Stormwatch may not rank a favourite amongst many – neither the best nor their worst work but a decent mid table work – so there’s the obvious chance to reassess the album itself. On your supermarket run The fact that Flying Dutchman is very easily the best track on the album and it also mostly ignores the new direct and simplified approach is also quite telling. Undoubtely the darkest Tull era, and the loss of its key members didn't help at all. Jethro Tull - Stormwatch: The 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition Rhino Records has been re-releasing the albums of Jethro Tull for a while now, each in an expanded edition with the original album remixed by prog studio wizard Steven Wilson and with lots of additional music, all of which comes in a book-style package with a detailed booklet bound-in. Album Rating: 3.5woa it's jethro bump time, love Dun Ringill so much, Album Rating: 3.5''woa it's jethro bump time'' All it would take to put first-worlders in the same boat is one crazy bastard doing something to ignite a war, and given the recent ascendance of several crazy authoritarian bastards who are fully committed to fostering hatred between human beings, any of us could find ourselves taking a sail on the Dutchman in pretty short order. The bass line is spot on, and John Glascock would have probably played it exactly that way. Kelpie 3. I love listening to Tull outtakes—great learning experiences for those interested in the recording and composition processes. The line “before we are all nuclear, the better way!” is in my opinion obviously ironical, very typical of Ian: read it in the context of the preceding and following lines. Same as Neil, it was one of my first albums (preceded only by SFTW and Stand up) so while feeling the same way about it being transitional and unfocused, it has several of songs I really like. ManWithGoodTaste May 19, 2020 Report; Where the heck is A Stitch in Time? I’ve always felt that the variability in the quality of Tull albums was driven more by the quality of Ian Anderson’s songwriting than style, instrumentation or vibes in the studio. Sweet Dream Fanfare 5. The second verse describes some of the horrors faced by the boat people during their perilous journey in search of a home: Wee girl in a straw hat: from far east warring Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I didn’t want to mention it because I’ve slammed Tull bass contributions so often (mainly Jeffrey’s) that I think people were getting tired of it. No. 4'd. I get sentimental with Elegy, since is one of the few tracks where John Glascok plays, and he died a couple of months after the release of Stormwatch. It's certainly no slouch in terms of what's on offer - there's some real hard-drivin' tunes, plenty of folk influence, and the standard flute playing we've all come to know and love. The melody in the verses flows very nicely, and the mix of acoustic guitar, strings and piano blends exceptionally well. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2020 Vinyl release of Stormwatch 2... (A Needle On A Spiral In A Groove) on Discogs. . Ian Anderson in particular and the band in general were going through the upheaval of losing longtime bassist Glasscock and still produced solid work here. Their journey is doomed before it begins, as barriers to entry have sprung up in a multitude of countries, ensuring they will “come empty home again.” The music supporting the verse alternates between quiet moments and sudden thrusts, oscillating between quietly expressed hope and the natural fear that would accompany any journey into the unknown. Highly recommended. Stormwatch is the twelfth studio album by Jethro Tull. “North Sea Oil” is one of the weaklings in the litter, and its placement in the pole position immediately lowers listener anticipation. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. I will now move on to the denouement. ( Log Out /  I had no doubt that Tull put on a great show—by all accounts, they were an excellent live band. Thank you! You may have heard of the boat disasters occurring in my neck of the woods: stories of thousands of immigrants crammed into barely seaworthy vessels drowning in the Mediterranean with appalling regularity. The slight lift in energy from “Orion” vanishes pretty quickly, a phenomenon that usually points to a problem with track placement, but trying to resolve that issue uncovers another problem. If you’re hoping that side two is any better, guess what? I did, and you’re right—Wilson was a very good hire, once again. songs wood - spring, heavy horses - autumn and this winter. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. All hands vanished with the captain As much as I love him as a musician and a true songwriting genius, his bass playing sucks. I think Beethoven would like a word. Click or Press Enter to view the items in your shopping bag or Press Tab to interact with the Shopping bag tooltip. I guess you could see that as a straight line thematic progression through all three (?). Might. But the biggest thing is the Associate Recordings on the second disk, which has studios outtakes and early versions of Dark Ages, Orion and Dun Ringil.Not all versions are quite finished and polished, but with an actual bass player it makes many of those songs much better! As the white sea snaps You’re right that such chord progressions and key changes were not at all unusual for Tull, but this one feels awkward to me. Edit Release All Versions of this Release Review Changes . Learn how your comment data is processed. So bad. Jethro Tull: Stormwatch ... CDL 1238: UK: 1979: Sell This Version: Recommendations Reviews Add Review [r2667193] Release. Their musicianship (even though the line-up changed over the years) is never less than stunning, the songs range from gentle ballads to all out heavy rock, via folk, jazz and classical. I feel that this album is a bit more even than Heavy Horses (1978) and altogether darker. Though I think it’s somewhat of a mess as an album, I definitely intend to purchase the deluxe edition when it comes out. A Stitch In Time came out particularly well. As the story morphed over time, the phantom ship came to be seen as a portent of impending doom, making the threat of the horrible consequences of allowing “foreigners” into one’s country a sick form of common wisdom. Are you… are you talking about it having loud parts and quiet parts? Mentioned previously, “Elegy” isn’t worth another word. Given some of Ian Anderson’s remarks when interviewed in the post Stormwatch era, it’s clear that he was deliberately trying to simplify the Tull sound on this album; to bring in a little more directness, to dump some of the “musically complicated” aspects and maybe try to connect with the post-punk audience. And also,the 'Dark Age' of progressive rock had just begun at the time. However, the album lacked diversity and, aside from Ian Anderson’s flute, not much separated Jethro Tull from the multitude of other competent blues ensembles. Cut it out entirely and you wind up with “Dun Ringill” next in line, the perfect complement to “Something on the Move,” a song that presents a different form of intensity while strengthening the storm metaphor. Your comment regarding “Home” is now officially a classic. SHOP STORMWATCH ON BURNING SHED. I like this album much more than it seems from the above, but it’s deservedly overshadowed by everything else Tull made in the 1970s. Elegy rules, as your review does, my friend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKHSBG0hgyY. Jethro Tull’s first album, This Was, was certainly an admirable debut and a very enjoyable listen.It served its purpose and established the band as a strong blues quintet. Add to Collection Add to Wantlist Remove from Wantlist. I think I enjoy Stormwatch a little more than you, but I understand your criticisms. A: We Are Devo! Set a sympathetic flag a-flying So when I listen to Dark Ages I do so while remembering how it used to be. Dun Ringill is the site of an Iron Age fort on the Isle of Skye, a place within walking distance of Ian Anderson’s digs at the time of the recording. Dark Ages (Early Version) Side 2 1. Anyone expecting a fantasy or heavy metal album was due for a disappointment, however, for most of the songs that have any identifiable references are about topical politics more than anything else. No one left, the tale to tell. “Home” is one of those wistful, reflective songs that belongs near or at the end of an album, but unfortunately, there’s already a wistful, reflective number in the closing spot, the uninspired instrumental “Elegy.” The problem isn’t track placement but a shortage of sufficiently diverse, quality material. This time David Palmer overdoes it on the strings, and Martin’s electric guitar fills feel quite out of place with the tender mood expressed in the lyrics. As a huge Tull fan, I remember how disappointed I was when I heard Stormwatch for the first time. Stormwatch is an interesting, if not as powerful, listening experience which closes out Jethro Tull's 'folk' trilogy which gave their career a much needed boost in the arm. The horrors of such a death were also familiar to the boat people: Death grinning like a scarecrow Flying Dutchman Co-produced by Robin Black, the confluence of musical factors makes this a unique Jethro Tull album. Evan now switches to rhythmic support by adopting a style close to barrel roll, allowing Ian to deliver his first message to the first-worlders in the audience: So come all you lovers of the good life Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2016 This 1979 release is a great album that still holds its appeal for me. Jethro Tull – Stormwatch – Classic Music Review By altrockchick on August 22, 2019 My parents, who saw all the shows in Tull’s heyday, claim that the Stormwatch concert was one of their favorites, ranking it third on the list, right after the Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play. Yes I keep an eye on this album. Sweet Dream (Live) Jethro Tull at the end of the seventies is still mixing classic rock, folk rock and progressive. And the harbour-master yells Tull has a long history of bass-related performance problems and the weak bass on Stormwatch really hurts the album. This is one song that could benefit from remastering, and I hope the deluxe version cleans up the mix. Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? I love Orion, and Dark Ages has it's moments. Album Rating: 3.5Not later than the year after, they experienced a pot relapse; Also a lot of jamming and instrumentals which I love Tull for. I’m almost always happy when Martin Barre is prominent on a Tull song, as he seems to feed off the energy of the others while returning the energy in full. 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That is exactly what Jethro Tull has been doing with its copious output and now their twelfth album, Stormwatch, has been polished up by the master of all things remastery, Steven Wilson. The evidence supporting the transitional label is strengthed by the many changes in the band lineup after its release—mainstays John Evan and Barriemore Barlow decided to split, and sadly, bassist John Glascock died of heart problems during the tour. I’ll try to work “unfocused bombast” into a satirical review! No hope of immigration, keep on passing through. And the storm watch brews ( Log Out /  Some extra atmosphere might help this track. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Since I prefer to review original presentations, I decided to get off my beautiful ass and get on with it before the (hopefully) “new and improved” version hits the shelves. As for the follow-up, “Old Ghosts” is a nothingburger of a track, a reminder that even excellent musicianship can’t save a song if the song fucking sucks. ( Log Out /  Because cold bitches are hot, dummies! Stormwatch is the twelfth studio album by the progressive rock group Jethro Tull, released September 1979. Among other subject-matters, the album touches heavily on the problems relating to the environment, oil and money. This is one of the tightest band performances on the album, with Evan displaying superb touch and Barlow masterfully handling the diverse drumming demands. Stormwatch 2 features the tracks from the Stormwatch 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition that were not on the original vinyl album. But please review faster next time, Furby lives for your Tull reviews! Jethro Tull will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1979 LP Stormwatch with a massive reissue featuring unreleased songs, a recording of a 1980 concert and a new remix of the original album. The new box has a live tour where the new bass player actually does a great job and breaths life in many of the songs. I have to admit that I responded to that claim with more than a little skepticism, and may have included an “oh, for fuck’s sake” in my response. ‘Till the force comes through It’s about 100 times more interesting than Dark Ages – I’m baffled as to why it got cut. Album Rating: 3.0Eleventh part of the Tull Discography. I disliked “Home” from the first listen. Your children playing in the sun Edit Release All Versions of this Release New Submission . Ah, Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll . I never liked the impersonal sound of this album - or in fact any of their albums - … I’m posting this a few days after the 40th anniversary showed up on my doorstep, and I’m curious as to what your thoughts are on it? Dutchman you will be Floating slowly Out to sea in a minor through the catchy V/I chord! A misty misery nobody told him at the time members did n't help all... 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