Jethro Tull: Stormwatch - 1979

 

This will be the last Jethro Tull release that I shall cover (until below!) and it forms the last of what was said to be their "folk rock trilogy". 

Personally, however, I feel it is only Songs From The Wood that stands out as being a real folk rock album, the following two are folk-influenced but often containing heavier rock and sometimes sounding even a bit pop rock-ish. It was also the last Tull album to feature the classic seventies line-up. 

North Sea Oil is typical riffy Tull - a whole decade has passed but the style hasn’t changed very much at all since 1971, to be honest. Ian Anderson and his band simply carried on, seemingly oblivious to musical trends, and, fair play to them. I like bands who steadfastly stick to their guns. Steeleye Span are similar in that respect. 

Orion is chunkier, but is also a familiar merging of acoustic and electric guitars. No matter that this was completely incongruous in 1979, it sounds good in 2022. For all Tull’s bucolic ambience, Anderson’s lyrics often contained references to West London - “darkest Chelsea” here, and the Fulham Road is often mentioned too, going way back to their early albums. Home is a gentle lament that features some lovely, understated backing. Dark Ages is classic, eight minute Tull and could easily have come from 1971’s Aqualung, to be honest. 

The semi-instrumental Warm Sporran has a wonderful bass line and an almost funky groove it. It just has a few backing murmuring vocals on it, as well as the bagpipes. Something’s On The Move returns to flute and riffing, impressively, of course. Old Ghosts is recognisable as Tull, but it uses some winning string orchestration as well as the usual. Dun Ringill is an appealing and mysterious acoustic folk number. 

Flying Dutchman is the album's, and the seventies’ last big Jethro Tull epic, full of all the essential ingredients and the beautiful instrumental Elegy ends this enjoyable and underrated album perfectly.

Once again, the album was completely at odds with much contemporary music. It is certainly no 1979 album in its sound but as with all their stuff, it has travelled well, and sounds vibrant and fresh in 2021. Tull steadfastly stuck to their guns back in the late seventies and they have to gain considerable kudos for that.

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