Artist: Jethro TullAlbum: A Passion Play
Worth buying? Yes. The whole album:
You might be interested in this music if you are a fan of: Progressive Rock, Art rock, Blues, Folk, Baroque, and Hard Rock.
Tell me more: When you mention the words Jethro Tull and Concept album, most people think of "Thick As A Brick". But for me the real jewel is "A Passion Play". WARNING: This is not easy listening. This is put on your headphones and close your eyes (or read the lyrics book if you have one) listening.
Now a concept album is supposed to be about something and I think I will quote the band's official website since I feel that they are best qualified to describe this masterwork: "Thematically, the concept album chronicles, as the title implies, a story of life and death, beginning with a recently deceased man viewing his own funeral, descending into purgatory and Hell, then reincarnated"........How'z that for a concept ?
The album begins with the sound of a beating heart. musical themes from the album that you are about to hear shift in and out and build into a dark and maniacal organ driven instrumental. Upon it's crescendo this short instrumental falls back into the heart beat which begins to slow down further and further until....it stops. Finally lead singer Ian Anderson's voice comes into play and the musical journey begins. What follows runs the gamut from folk, baroque, classic, hard rock, and pop. After 20 minutes it leads to the album's very strange midsection. A short interlude (An intermission so to speak) entitled the "The story of the hare who lost his spectacles". Suddenly the band is now backing up a narrator who recites a peculiar non sensical children's story. At the end of the story the band seamlessly picks up right where it left off and the 2nd half of the Passion play begins. This humorous and childlike mid section is in stark contrast to the rest of the albums dark and serious themes, but I enjoy it as much as the rest. Even among Tull fans this album draws sharp opinions. Like the Beatles White Album, some feel it is their best and some feel it is their worst. Personally, I think that at it's best great art generates only passionate feelings, you either love it or hate it. The original vinyl album was of course divided into two sides. On CD or your mp3 player, the album also works as one continuous 45 minute piece of music.
In a world where we are all trying to multi task "Passion Play" asks you to stop and truly listen.....and then listen again. I was richly rewarded for doing so and continue to be richly rewarded each time.
What about the packaging: The new remasterd version comes as an enhanced CD with CD rom features, An extended booklet with lyrics, new liner notes, and the original theater program. It is packaged in a standard jewel case
Buy in CD format
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