Jethro Tull
Too Old To Rock 'n Roll; Too Young To Die

LA RECENSIONE

"Too Old To Rock To Rock 'n Roll; Too Young To Die", as Ian Anderson himself has explained multiple times, is not an autobiographical condition but simply a reference to the bands of the time.

The album, compared to the others by the band, is somewhat weak, but in itself it is excellent and contains milestones of their history. The opening track, "Quizz Kid", provides a preview of the title track but then becomes a powerful rock with a solid drum foundation by Barriemore Barlow, future drummer for Malmsteen, among others.
The second piece, "Crazed Institution", is lighter, but not less beautiful for that reason. "Salamander" is a display of Ian Anderson's skill on acoustic guitar, surrounded by a beautiful vocal melody. "Big Dipper" and "Taxi Grab" in my opinion are the best tracks on the album, two energetic blues-rock supported masterfully by the trio Barre, Barlow, Glascock (who unfortunately passed away in 1979).

The rest of the album, however, is not as good as the tracks already mentioned. The title track, although very pleasant, is definitely overrated. In my opinion, it is more important for its lyrics than from a musical standpoint. "Bad Eyed and Loveless" is a good acoustic ballad, but really too short. "The Chequered Flag" and "From A Dead Beat To An Old Greaser" are two mediocre and heavy ballads, further burdened (sorry for the repetition) by the orchestra, which in this case is intrusive. "Pied Piper", on the other hand, is an insipid precursor of "Songs From The Wood", a truly excellent album.

My theoretical rating would be 3.5 but since giving just 3 to this album (consider the first 4 tracks plus "Big Dipper") would have been a crime, I round up and give it a 4.

PS: I hope I don't attract any dislikes with this review!!