Jethro Tull
Minstrel in the Gallery

Release Date: 1975 | Tracklist

“Minstrel In The Gallery” is the eighth studio album of Jethro Tull and was released in 1975. The line up on the album is Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and Barriemore Barlow. The album had also the participation of David Palmer, Rita Eddowes, Elizabeth Edwards, Patrick Halling, Bridget Procter and Katharine Tullborn.


In 1975, progressive rock was, we now know, with the benefit of hindsight, already on its way to its decline in the end of the 70’s. Pink Floyd was, arguably, hitting their prime stride, releasing possibly their most cohesive and satisfying album “Wish You Were Here”, but many other major acts from the great old days were on the ropes, running out of steam or gone altogether. Yes was on a hiatus, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and The Moody Blues were not dead but shells of their former selves, Rush was just getting into the game, and King Crimson had called it quits. Genesis soldiered on and made a string of respectable albums with Collins at the helm and then made a longer string of increasingly commercial, successful albums. But many of us would agree that things were never the same once Peter Gabriel rolled up his freak flag and went it alone, despite the great quality of the two albums recorded with Hackett be undeniable.

So, aside Pink Floyd, Camel, Gentle Giant and Van Der Graaf Generator, Jethro Tull was one of the kings of the hill, in terms of consistency and quality. The benefit of hindsight makes their proficiency, and the quality of their work, more obvious and more important to acknowledge. Some of the best material produced from progressive rock’s heyday is decidedly of its time, lyrically and musically, as we can see on works like “Aqualung”, “Thick As A Brick” and “A Passion Play”. But “Minstrel In The Gallery”, in particular, needs no defence nor any nostalgia to be fully appreciated.

After “Thick As A Brick” and “A Passion Play”, Jethro Tull’s fans had grown accustomed to side long songs and conceptual albums, something they’d been prepared with “Aqualung”. In 1974 the band released “War Child”, an album made of shorter songs and carrying no real concept. “Minstrel In The Gallery” not only had songs that felt connected but it had also bigger tracks, especially the lengthy and exceptional track “Baker St. Muse”. The dominant theme on this Jethro Tull’s album was an Elizabethan medieval minstrelsy, with electric and acoustic sounds in a rock and folk musical context. The album went back to the classic Jethro Tull’s style that we all know and love, powerful, heavy and complex progressive rock mixed with beautiful, acoustic folk-melodies. The sound had also become richer and more symphonic as the band on a permanent basis now had David Palmer to add tasty string arrangements to the songs.

About the tracks, the title track opens with an acoustic, minstrel-like medieval part before it explodes into the heaviest and most hard-hitting instrumental passage Jethro Tull ever recorded. The main part of the song is a catchy, flute driven rocker that would become a favourite on stage for years to come. “Cold Wind To Valhalla” starts also as a soft, acoustic tune, but becomes more aggressive when the whole band kicks in and plays the excellent melody of the track. “Black Satin Dancer” is maybe Jethro Tull’s most overlooked classic ever. The main melody is one of the most beautiful Anderson ever wrote, and the string arrangement makes it even more majestic. The sinister and heavy instrumental part is a prime example of progressive rock at its absolutely best and most dynamic. “Requiem” is a very nice and cosy acoustic ballad. The melody is maybe not the strongest or best, but what a great atmosphere and feeling. The second side opens with more acoustic beauty in the form of “One White Duck/Nothing At All” before you’re in for the ambitious, 17 minute “Baker Street Muse”. This would be the band’s last really lengthy epic, but i’'s still a very good one, although not so good as “Thick As A Brick”. Overall, this is one of Jethro Tull’s best albums and one of the best prog albums.


Conclusion: “Minstrel In The Gallery” has much going for it. It has all the classic elements of a great Jethro Tull’s album. It has good lyrics, the inimitable Anderson’s voice, wonderful acoustic and electric parts and finally the sophistication and the lush orchestrations by Palmer. “Minstrel In The Gallery” is the most acoustic Jethro Tull’s album and is also one of their most progressive albums too. It’s also, for me, the most beautiful and most peaceful piece released by them, and it’s also undoubtedly one of their best. I can safely say that I placed “Mintrel In The Gallery” in my Jethro Tull’s top five, with “Aqualung”, “Thick As A Brick”, “A Passion Play” and “Songs From The Wood”. I often recommend this work as an essential listening to someone just discovering Jethro Tull, because it has a little bit of everything of their music. It’s especially recommended for people who particularly love progressive music with the predominance of the acoustic guitars and in my opinion, the two best prog groups to do so are Jethro Tull and Strawbs.


Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)

Tweet

Recent reviews by this author
Finch (NL) Glory of the Inner Force	Camel Mirage
Carmen Dancing on a Cold Wind	David Bowie The Man Who Sold the World
Peter Baumann Romance 76	Tangerine Dream Rubycon

user ratings (377)

rate it Awful - 1 Very Poor - 1.5 Poor - 2 Average - 2.5 Good - 3 Great - 3.5 Excellent - 4 Superb - 4.5 Classic - 5

4.1 excellent