Jethro Tull - Songs From The Wood

Jethro Tull
Songs from the Wood

Mobile Fidelity - 1977

Ian Anderson - vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, whistles
Martin Barre - electric guitar, lute
John Evan - piano, organ, synthesizers
David Palmer - piano, organ, synthesizers
John Glascock - bass guitar, vocals
Barriemore Barlow - drums, percussion, marimba, glockenspiel, flute

1. Songs from the Wood
2. Jack-in-the-Green
3. Cup of Wonder
4. Hunting Girl
5. Ring Out, Solstice Bells
6. Velvet Green
7. The Whistler
8. Pibroch (Cap in Hand)
9. Fire at Midnight

As far as Jethro Tull goes, this was definitely the most talented band they put together. Barlow and Glascock are a powerful rhythm section that can easily take the lead whenever they please. Ian Anderson is as multi-talented as ever, and the dual keyboardists create a lush sound that is never overbearing.

The album gets off to a brilliant start with its title track. Songs from the Wood opens with great vocal harmonies. On the album, Anderson did all the parts himself, but in live versions the rest of the band would get up and move to the mics to sing with him. And they would do a great job, you can barely tell the difference. The song reaches orchestra heights in its middle section, and Barre tears out a riff that would have been right at home in a Led Zeppelin song. Another high point is Cup of Wonder, a great song with no solos that stand out in my mind, but a beautiful and catchy piece of teamwork from the band. Hunting Girl features Anderson's sexually-tinged lyrics and Barre uses his guitar-synth pedal to great effect. The middle section has more Led Zeppelin-esque riffing, doubled up with Anderson's flute. Ring Out, Soltice Bells is a nice song, and earned itself a place on their Christmas album. The Whistler is another catchy song, the chorus gets me into it every time. It's short, but very fun to listen to. Velvet Green and Pibroch (Cap in Hand) are the two "epics" on this album, both are rather keyboard heavy. Anderson's lyrics on Velvet Green are, once again, full of innuendo, and Pibroch features some excellent bluesy work from Barre, bookending the organ-filled and blatantly British melancholy song. The album comes to a close with the balled Fire at Midnight and I enjoy this one very much. It makes a suiting end to the album.

This is one of my favorite Jethro Tull albums. Songs from the Wood is not as excessive, or blatantly progressive as some of their earlier albums, but is a great piece of unique folk-rock played by the best musicians the band ever had. They are truly in their element, and the album shines for it.