Moss

Album Title: Heavy horses
Artist: Jethro Tull
Nationality: British
Year: 1978
Subgenre: Folk/Prog
Player(s): Ian Anderson (Vocals, flute etc), Martin Barre (Guitar) Barriemore Barlow (Drums), John Evan (Organ, Piano), David Palmer (Keyboards) John Glascock (Bass)
Familiarity: With Jethro? Tons. With this album? Nothing.
Favourite track(s): And the mouse police never sleep
Why? Because it has a great driving feel and it's about cats! I have 2 cats and they are the best. Although I played them this song and they seemed unimpressed. Great lyrics though.
Least favourite track(s): Acres wild
Why? A little too much of that Jethro Celtic jig thing going on. Plus it seems to be about all the places this guy banged his woman which I don't need to know about.
Any preconceptions prior to listening, whether good or bad? Not really. I have a bit of a love/hate thing with Tull. His voice can weary me but there are flashes of brilliance. This was back in the good years so I expected it to be good and it was. Just not great.
Factoids you'd like to share? Amazed Ian picked up flute just prior to starting Tull because he knew he would never be able to play guitar like Clapton. That always amazes me. Like Phil Lesh with the dead or Paul Simonon with the Clash. People that pick up instruments so late in the game but still do an amazing job.
End impression: Really liked it but not my favorite Tull by any stretch.
Comments: Some beautiful acoustic guitar all over this album. Both the playing and just the pure tone. I think this album is good but not something I would revisit often. Many of the songs sound very similar although I listened several times and the songs really started to distinguish themselves. 4 years later they would put out one of my favorites by them, Broadsword and the beast. I saw them open for the who in 1982 with the stage looking like a big viking ship and all that and I thought it was great. If you have not heard the broadsword album I would highly recommend it. If nothing else Ian writes some really amazing lyrics and this album is no exception:
Standing like tanks on the brow of the hill
Up into the cold wind facing
In stiff battle harness, chained to the world
Against the low sun racing
Bring me a wheel of oaken wood
A rein of polished leather
A Heavy Horse and a tumbling sky
Brewing heavy weather.
Also, it takes guts to write a song called "weathercock".
Rating: I will go 3.8 although with continued listening that could go up.