28/01/2026
My latest Jethro Tull related drawing, Dec. 2025. The photo I used as a model is certainly from the Broadsword tour. As I post this, Stormwatch (1979) is on the speakers. I'd argue, just for fun, that Stormwatch is the first in the "underrated trilogy". I mean, Stormwatch is Jethro Tull perfection, with amazing bonus tracks too, no less strong an album than Heavy Horses, its superb predecessor. "A" (1980) too, no matter the "solo album" stories, the personnel changes etc, "A" is excellent. Broadsword & The Beast (1982) has a few more "renovating" touches, first heard on "A", and it's a good thing. It would never be "Aqualung Pt.2", it's the 80s now and guess what: Each and every song here is strong and the bonus material, oh my gosh – the “Broadsword” bonus tracks is really a sum that could be a great Jethro Tull album on its own. Looking back: the 80s was a period for strong singles, Jethro Tull is mostly an album-oriented band. All progressive bands suffered -saleswise- in that period, as we all know. So: all those rubbish-critics that rate those albums low, all they see is "sales" and maybe "cultural impact". "Cultural impact", you morons, it’s already there: Jethro Tull was established, still big and strong back then, still filling arenas and all. So, if all you are about is cold sales numbers of the original releases: don't listen to those non-megaseller albums, (go and praise any Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, Style Counsil et al, as you do anyway). But if you are about the actual music, those three underrated albums not only stood their ground but they took a kind of “revenge”: all the extra material eventually sold the collections – from “20 Years of Jethro Tull” (1988) and onwards. (“20 Years…” is a treasure-trove by the way, and the current deluxe album editions improve further on that format). And finally, simply: no other band sounds like Jethro Tull, this is a mini-universe on itself. If your ears and your mind break through and “get it”, you’re in. (Spoilers: “Under Wraps” may be a troubling issue -they’re finally working on it- and maybe the “Kissing Willie” accident…, but let’s leave that for my next diatribe (laughing mischievously)). Enough with the stupid critics. I feel pretty relaxed defending every album of the “underrated trilogy”: they are filled with prime material. Every band’s catalogue has “peaks” and “valleys” of all sorts. Sales/numbers are important for some people. Artistry is what counts after all is said and done. If this is a valley for someone, well, it’s a valley you can love as much as a peak. It’s a plateau really, a beautiful and intriguing landscape: a valley upon the beautiful mountain.
