Jethro Tull: J-Tull Dot Com: Another Cast Of The Net

What does it sound like?:

It sounds completely new to me – I’d never heard this album despite being big fan of their earlier work, so i approached this review with trepidation. A bit of history. After Tull won the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Grammy in 1989, to the understandable outrage of Metallica and surprise of the band who had been told they wouldn’t win and hadn’t bothered to attend, Ian Anderson’s writing took on a much more direct guitar rock feel. Great for Martin Barre but less so for those of us who liked the more epic, constantly shifting proggy tracks of their earlier work. In fact Ian had always experimented and shifted his focus, an attribute I find entirely admirable even if I don’t always like the result – the synthesiser and drum machine albums for example. “Rock Island”, Catfish Rising” and “Roots to Branches” are very much rock focussed with a real drummer but rarely trouble my CD player even though I bought them at the time. So when “J -Tull” landed I had pretty much lost interest in new material though the live album “A little night music” was great, a semi acoustic affair.

So how does it sound? Well, pretty good actually. The remix sounds great in a variety of listening environments with the layers of detail you’d expect from the Tull popping out nicely. In some respects it continues the post – Grammy simpler rock songs approach though there’s plenty of variety. Martin Barre is playing superbly throughout – on the opening track “Spiral” the minor key riffing switches to a major key and MB plays a lovely soaring melodic solo which calls for immediate air guitar. The title track “Dot com” has that rare thing for Tull, a second singer. Najma Akhtar, better known in world music circles, provides harmonies and counter melodies which transform the song. Ian had been experimenting with classical and eastern influences in his solo work and it all comes together in this track, An absolute delight. “AWOL” is the nearest we get to the traditional Tull sound and it’s great, with Hammond organ soloing from Andrew Giddings like it’s 1975. Splendid. At this point it’s worth mentioning that Ian’s voice is in great shape. MB and IA duel on lead guitar and flute along with the organ in fine style. There is a cyclical repeating piano lick which (I hate lazy comparisons but here goes…) the opening section of Tubular Bells. Well, amateurs borrow, pro’s steal. “Nothing” is a piano based instrumental from Andrew Giddings which is short and sweet, and in a way an intro to the very dark “Wicked Windows” which sounds unusually reflective though I’m sure it’s not autobiographical – nonetheless it sounds very personal which is unusual for IA. “Hunt by numbers” casts his beloved cats as marauding relentless hunters over a guitar riff which could have come from “Stand Up”, offset with more slightly Eastern flavoured flute and funky Hammond. “Bends like a willow” repeats the “not autobiographical but sounds personal” trick which I find very attractive in Ian’s writing – he’s a great lyricist and often angry, sarcastic or taking the piss. When he drops the guard slightly it’s a nice surprise though if you asked him I’m sure he’d say “it’s just a song”. “Hot Mambo Flush” is one where Ian semi raps the lyrics – Eastern modes appear again and lots of different switches of mood and tempo but it doesn’t work for me. Topically, as we bake in a serial heatwave, “El Nino” positions the weather as a capricious and vindictive child lashing out at our poor treatment of the world.

You get the idea. The songs are varied in feel and vibe and the performances are outstanding throughout. The remix by Bruce Soord of the Pineapple Tree is great and there are 3 CD+ Blu-ray, 5.1 surround sound, 24 bit versions etc etc options and temptingly a double vinyl edition – this album had previously only been available on CD.

The Tull do good extras – the second disk has 11 tracks which are either completely new or acoustic versions of the albums tracks. There’s a lovely solo acoustic version of “Dot Com” for example, and a splendid Hammond driven “Recollection No. 5” which sounds like it might have been a song idea worked up then not finished. Frankly most bands would be very happy if this bonus disk was their new album.

What does it all *mean*?

It probably means the vast majority of people won’t be tempted by this album, excellent as it is, either because they don’t like the Tull, do like them but have enough, or perhaps just ran out of enthusiasm (guilty m’lud). After this Ian effectively mothballed Jethro Tull as a working act though eventually revived the name for live retrospectives without Martin Barre. This remained the state of play until 2022 when “The Zealot Game” appeared. Neither Ian nor Martin have explicitly said why they fell out but it is inconceivable to me that Ian listened to MB playing on this album and thought ”you’re toast pal”. So I guess it means for many it is the last gasp of a band who had a remarkable run and maintained an incredibly high standard over decades of work. Which is quite sad really but a good farewell. And, yes, I’m going to buy it.

Goes well with…

Anything really – when you’re in the mood for air keyboards and air flute so driving probably not advised.

Release Date:

14/08/26

Might suit people who like…

TMT, prog, Pineapple Tree, Steven Wilson, Pet Shop Boys*

* joking…

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