InsideOut Music [Release date 28.01.22]

Some, like me, haven’t quite recovered from Martin Barre’s departure from Tull in 2011/12.  And, more recently, it appears his replacement Florian Ophale has given way to Joe Parrish-James although Ophale appears on the new album. On stage, bizarrely, the German successor even looked a bit like Barre.

Ian Anderson has always had a high turnover of staff since the late 1970s, and it seems now it is no different in terms of guitarists although the core band of David Goodier (bass) and John O’Hara (keyboards)  have been mainstays since the early millennium.

Anderson has now fully reclaimed the Jethro Tull moniker, having billed himself a little more circumspectly  in recent years.  But that’s about it as far as changes go because the music is still very much the same, following 2014′s ‘Homo Erraticus’.

The opening tracks are even a throwback to Classic Tull.   Mrs Tibbets has the spirited bounce of ‘Songs From The Wood’  whilst ‘Jacob’s Tales’  has an acoustic ‘Aqualung’ vibe along with ‘Sad City Sisters’. And ‘Mine Is The Mountain’ has echoes of  ‘My God’.

Perhaps we can’t expect much more than reframed past glories with artists of a certain age?

And if we judge Tull by the usual prog rock benchmarks most of these tracks barely touch the four minute mark.

Lyrically, as with recent ‘solo’ albums -  ‘Homo Erraticas’ and ‘Thick As A Brick 2′ – this is demanding, taking biblical themes as a basis for further observation.  However, given the short track lengths, perhaps not appropriately balanced by enough flamboyant instrumentation with Ophale’s contribution in particular very perfunctory.  You can see why Barre took a view a decade ago.

Oh well, ‘The Zealot Gene’ at least provides a platform for further touring. ***1/2

Review by David Randall

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

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