{"id":5146,"date":"2025-04-19T04:40:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T04:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joe-rainey.com\/?p=5146"},"modified":"2025-04-20T13:21:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T13:21:58","slug":"jethro-tull-curious-ruminant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joe-rainey.com\/es\/jethro-tull-curious-ruminant\/","title":{"rendered":"Rese\u00f1a: Jethro Tull \u2013 Curious Ruminant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jethro Tull, the band led by Ian Anderson, has released their new album, \u201cCurious Ruminant\u201d<\/strong>. It\u2019s the 24th record in a career that\u2019s anything but brief. No big surprise here: the lineup consists of relatively recent additions, with Anderson [vocals and flute] as the sole original member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the band was officially on hiatus for a decade, and it wasn\u2019t until 2022 that Anderson decided to bring it back, pulling in members from his own solo band. That\u2019s when they dropped their first album of entirely new music in 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, what does this new release sound like? First off, it\u2019s worth remembering that Jethro Tull\u2019s music, with its blend of rock, folk, and heavy emphasis on the flute, has never been for everyone. But for those who vibe with the band\u2019s sound, you\u2019ll find some seriously well-crafted songs here, echoing the classic Tull albums, especially those leaning more toward the folk side while dialing back the rock edge, much like \u201cSongs From the Wood.\u201d This amps up an almost surreal, almost pastoral feeling throughout the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flute is everywhere. And, well, it\u2019s pretty clear that no matter how the years have treated old Ian (77), his ability to play the flute is absolutely untouched. I\u2019d say that instrument is basically an extension of his very being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His voice is unmistakable. It still sounds pretty solid, though it lacks the ferocity and gritty edge of his prime. Maybe the fact that the album\u2019s music leans softer on the rock front is a reflection of this. Could it be that he\u2019s now \u201ctoo old to rock \u2018n\u2019 roll\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anyway, critics describe \u201cCurious Ruminant\u201d as a reflective and poetic album, with Ian Anderson\u2019s lyrics diving into manipulation, mortality, and a touch of social commentary, all wrapped in that wild, fantastical madness that defines Jethro Tull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracks like \u201cPuppet and the Puppet Master\u201d<\/strong> and the near-17-minute epic \u201cDrink from the Same Well\u201d<\/strong> blend medieval and mythic imagery with intimate reflections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s the thing, “Curious Ruminant” feels like an introspective journey. While Anderson often hides behind characters, it\u2019s fascinating to see him here with lyrics that feel deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In \u201cPuppet and the Puppet Master,\u201d he describes himself as: \u201cI, the willing puppet, puppet master also.\u201d <\/em>Someone who “lives to serve others and make them happy, starting with himself.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of my other favorite lines, deeply contemplative, come from the title track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsking \u2018Why am I here?\u2019
Answering \u2018Why am I anywhere?\u2019
Orbiting construct of Jung and Freud.
Psycho dreaming asteroid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the musings of a 77-year-old man reflecting on life.<\/p>\n\n\n