Jethro Tull
Roots To Branches

THE REVIEW

Wow, what great discoveries one can make while surfing the Internet at night, taking advantage of downtime while working... I stumbled upon a site that seems to capture all my desires as a discussant of the sublime art. I take note and immediately sign up, and after reviewing two albums of another artist, I move on to my absolute favorites.

mmmm... so: scrolling through the already reviewed JT albums, I realize there’s really little left for me to review. But I also see that perhaps their best work in the '90s' is still not there; I seize the opportunity and, bouncing on it, I begin to mentally retrace this album from 1995.
"Roots To Branches," that is, from roots to branches. From the roots in which the magic of Mr. Anderson's art is rooted to the branches soaring high into the ether, spreading that blend of a thousand genres that has been delighting us for 38 years. But the magic is timeless, ageless, and above all, it has few faces, among which is that of the pied-piper and his squires: JETHRO TULL.

After 4 years of absence from the recording scene (in '92, to be honest, there was the release of "A Little Light Music," semi-unplugged live, which, however, adds nothing and takes nothing away from JT’s life), the group of the Scottish showman presents themselves to the millions (yes, millions) of fans who were waiting, tongues hanging out, for a new work for too long. From Ian’s endless hat of ideas comes this work that I feel I can define without a doubt as still a piece of pure art that rises above the previous "Catfish Rising" (by the way, this is also not yet reviewed... I’ll fix that....). Decidedly captivating cover art that, in a sense, continues graphically what Ian musically did with his previous solo work (Divinities).

In my opinion, from the first tracks of the opening song, which is also the title track, a decidedly airier atmosphere can be felt production-wise compared to 'Catfish Rising.' The timbres are bright, and the intro of the piece immediately introduces us to all the members of the group, making an opening similar to an appetizer. On a keyboard carpet by Andrew Giddings, float suspended notes from the flute, the bass by Steve Bailey (a master), and the magical twelve-string by the trusty "Lancelot" Barre. Doane Perry’s drum roll, and we’re in Tullian navigation as Tullian as can be. The melodic line is clearly steeped in an oriental atmosphere, and the song full of little breaks and never bombastic virtuosity unfolds to the end. Well, as a start, it’s not bad.
"Rare and Precious Chain" is the next track, and here we are really in a full oriental mood, at least at the beginning, with Martin Barre’s distorted guitar introducing us to the delicate sung melody. Afterwards, the song develops at rock tempo but always with semi-mystical keyboard and guitar influences. Maybe it's not the top, but what the heck! It’s still very classy.

Almost as a reminder that He is a master and that noise in every sense never belonged to him, old Ian and his introduce us to "Out of the Noise". Here we are really in the presence of something exceptional that rises to the level of the best Tull production. There’s everything: flute and guitar intertwine almost chasing each other in a joyful game, and Doane Perry's drumming is really exciting, refined, full of embroideries, accompanied by keyboards that almost seem not wanting to interfere too much and yet are very precious (I sincerely like Andrew Giddins a lot for his mastery and sense of moderation). "Free Will" is the next piece, a fairly anonymous electric ballad certainly pleasant but nothing special, notable mainly for the prominently featured guitar.

Let us bow instead to the next song: "Wounded Old and Treacherous". Strongly jazzy with Anderson’s voice leading us by the hand through a truly ironic and "nasty" text, in the best sense of the word. Old, bad, and treacherous, this is the translation of the title, and it almost seems like seeing again the diabolical and sweet grin at the same time of old Aqualung (Oh my, the legend....). Beautiful class breaks growing up to the end characterized by a majestic and rhythmically "strong" presence of all members. A jewel.

Another absolute jewel is "Valley" where the beginning is strongly folkish based on skillfully arpeggiated acoustics followed by a hard explosion where Barre's guitar and Perry’s precise and essential drumming offer moments of pure emotion. Giddings also paints well with an old Hammond, and the ending, which develops in an almost pastoral atmosphere, has its strength in the violent and sweet breath of Anderson on the flute. "Dangerous Veils" is perhaps the most incredible instrumental piece by the Tull (together with Bourrée and The Martin pine’s jig). There are a thousand breaks and exceptional tempestuous rhythms played on the drums with absolute vigor, and the rest of the group crowns this piece on the throne of progressive-jazz-rock (it’s always hard to catalog Tull’s music). I can say that the title track, "Out of the Noise", and the three recently named songs justify the purchase of "Roots to Branches" on their own. But it's not over: we continue with "Beside Myself", a very delicate piece about a child prostitute from Bombay (the Tull had recently returned from a triumphant tour in India). Nothing exceptional but still very listenable. A ballad that then develops in an electric manner with the intervention of synthesized violins by Giddings. "At Last Forever" is a very delicate love song sung with great emotion and beautifully executed, but I find it avoidable.

The concluding "Stuck in August Rain" and "Another Harry’s Bar" are nice, light pieces but executed with the usual class that demonstrates how Mr. Anderson & co. can also entertain while far surpassing that consumer-pop syrup that invades the radios worldwide, and unfortunately also many young and not so young people’s minds (I have already instructed my wife that, in case of post-50 senile dementia, she should kill me without notice). The conclusion to this work? Can we always demand absolute masterpieces from someone who has produced them in abundance? NO, we can only demand plenty of good music with very few declines in tension, and that's exactly what "Roots To Branches" is in my opinion.

For all the neophytes of Anderson and company, it’s obvious that there are at least half a dozen albums to buy before this one.... But in the '90s, who could express all this class and artistic rigor from the greats of the past? Only those who have never been past. Jethro Tull.