SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JETHRO TULL – CURIOUS RUMINANT

JETHRO TULL
CURIOUS RUMINANT
SONY MUSIC

Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson have not worked at this pace since the 1970s, and this is Jethro Tull’s third studio album since 2022. It seems that Anderson and company have a great deal of energy and are not wasting time getting new music recorded and out to their fans. This is a good thing as each album is different from the previous and each one is absolutely brilliant. Curious Ruminant is a fantastic album that is a brilliant cross section of older Jethro Tull sounds and their new, heavier sound.

The album opens with the beautiful “Puppet And The Puppet Master”, a melodic song that harkens back to the past Jethro Tull albums from the 1970s. Once the flute hits, it becomes trademark Jethro Tull and Anderson’s voice is perfect for the song. The band heats things up with the second track, “Curious Ruminant”. “Savanah Of Paddington Green” is a cautionary song about climate change, while “Over Jerusalem” offers a very unique perspective regarding the issues of Israel and Gaza. The band also includes the 16-min-plus mammoth “Drink From The Same Well”, which proves that Anderson can revisit prog rock with ease, although it leans towards classical more than prog. But it is an incredible song.

Curious Ruminant‘s last track, “Interim Sleep”, is very much like Paul McCartney’s “The End Of The End”. Here, Anderson recites a poem he wrote to comfort those who are left behind at the passing of a loved one, but it is also an artist staring down their own mortality. It is deeply personal and very moving. It is, quite simply, a work of art. And although Anderson has written many personal songs in the past, on Curious Ruminant he seems very comfortable being open and honest with the listeners.

Jethro Tull has maintained a very steady line-up during the past few years, and as such they have formed a tightness and sound that is quite distinctly their own. Curious Ruminant is a brilliant album, and shows a band who continues to grow and explore music and sound. Anderson’s lyrics are his best ever, and the overall effect is a powerful, moving, and musically fascinating album.

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