Songs From The Wood [Remaster]

Jethro Tull: Ian Anderson (vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, flute, whistles); Martin Barre (electric guitar, lute); John Evans, David Palmer (keyboards); Barriemore Barlow (marimba, glockenspiel, drums, bells, nakers, tabor); John Glascock (bass, background vocals).

In terms of rustic, tights-wearing, elf-loving, flute-heavy, British/Celtic folk-tinged ’70s prog-rock, SONGS FROM THE WOOD is the most Tull of all Jethro Tull albums. By 1977 the band had ventured far enough from its heavy blues-rock beginnings to create a completely unique, idiosyncratic sound, filled with European folk mythology, rural imagery and an endearing combination of art-rock and British folk-rock. Elaborate synthesizer fanfares mix with delicate acoustic guitar tapestries, complex arrangements and odd time signatures. SONGS FROM THE WOOD strikes the perfect balance between the proggie ambition of THICK AS A BRICK, the storytelling style of AQUALUNG and the courtly, medieval air of MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY. What the critics say… Uncut (6/03, p.138) – 4 stars out of 5 – “…There’s no doubting the band’s ability to combine awesomely complex time signatures and effete fife-tabor-mandolin-and-bells effects while rocking out…”