Jethro Tull's 'Curious Ruminant' - Album Review

It is always great when bands which had long seemed creatively spent suddenly find themselves in the middle of something of a late career renaissance. Both Deep Purple and Uriah Heep have spent the last decade-plus producing some of their best work since the 1970s following periods where new material was not forthcoming, for example, but the British progressive/folk rock band Jethro Tull currently also find themselves in particularly rude health. In some ways, too, Jethro Tull's comeback is perhaps more remarkable. When the band split up in 2012, they had not released a full album of original material since 1999's J-Tull Dot Com. The band's 1990s output was not exactly stellar, so they spend their last decade before splitting just touring - with main man Ian Anderson instead releasing some pretty adventurous solo albums rather than writing anything new for Jethro Tull. Funnily enough, though, when Jethro Tull broke up and Anderson embarked on a full-time solo career, he started writing music which sounded more like Jethro Tull. His solo albums from the 1990s and the 2000s are more world music-influenced, with some being fully instrumental, which really allowed him to focus on his flute playing rather than being a frontman. Those who have followed Jethro Tull throughout the years know that Anderson's voice is not what it was, and perhaps these experimental albums allowed him to remain creative whilst not having to push himself vocally. His two post-Jethro Tull solo albums, though, 2012's Thick as a Brick 2 and 2014's Homo Erraticus, sounded more like Anderson's writing from the past. The former was, of course, a sequel to Jethro Tull's classic 1972 release - but there were Jethro Tullisms throughout both albums, and slowly Anderson's solo band morphed into being a new era of Jethro Tull. I am not exactly sure when one become the other, but touring as Jethro Tull clearly shifts more tickets - and following the two well-received solo albums perhaps Anderson thought his writing was once again worthy of the Jethro Tull name. It took the band a little while to get something new out, but in 2022 they released The Zealot Gene (which I reviewed here) - their first full new album since 1999. Despite this, though, it very much felt like the natural successor to Homo Erraticus. The same musicians made both after all, and RökFlöte (which I reviewed here) followed hot on its heels the following year. Anderson was clearly feeling fired up and both albums impressed - particularly the former. When RökFlöte was released he hinted that he was still not done - and earlier this month Curious Ruminant dropped, the third Jethro Tull album in four years. Reading the liner notes, though, it seems that much of the music on this album has been floating around for a while - and started out life as a solo project. Current Jethro Tull members bassist David Goodier and keyboard player John O'Hara, alongside drummer James Duncan who featured on some of Anderson's 1990s/2000s solo albums, worked with Anderson on these songs originally - so feature as the core musicians here alongside new Jethro Tull guitarist Jack Clark (Albion). Current Jethro Tull drummer Scott Hammond is also featured here on a couple of tracks - whilst former keyboard player Andrew Giddings also features on one song.

Line-up-wise, the album is a little more varied than usual - although all of the current Jethro Tull members feature. Clark makes his debut with the band in the studio throughout the album's nine songs - but the age of some of the material and the personnel tweaks have not really impacted the band's sound. Curious Ruminant feels like the natural successor to RökFlöte in tone - but there is a bit of a folkier edge throughout, which reminds me a lot of the band's late 1970s era. This does mean that Clark does not get to really put his stamp on the material all that much - but the late 1970s era of Jethro Tull contains some of my favourite songs by the band, so this similarity is not a bad thing overall. Despite this, though, I do not think it is as strong as the last two - but there is a bit more variety here, and there remains plenty to enjoy. The opening two tracks are two of the best, though, with Puppet and the Puppet Master getting things underway. Opening with O'Hara's sombre piano, the song soon morphs into a pretty upbeat folky track. Busy acoustic guitars and playful flute melodies dominate following the opening piano chords - and the folky vibe described before is prominent throughout. Clark's big electric guitar chords add depth, alongside Goodier's busy bass playing, but the main hooks here come from the flute interludes and a subtle accordion backing from O'Hara. The drumming keeps the song moving, though, and it feels pretty jaunty throughout - with Anderson's vocal delivery snappy and bright. His vocals throughout this album are similar to those on other recent albums. They lack power but they remain melodic - and the delivery overall suits the tone being set. There is no real chorus here, with the flute interludes acting as such, but the vocal hooks are still snappy in that classic Jethro Tull approach - whilst a busy instrumental section sees a guitar solo, a flute solo, and an organ solo following each other in quick succession. Perhaps my favourite piece here is the title track which follows, though. Again, there are some piano melodies to open things up - before distant acoustic guitars and flute melodies start to filter in. The song gets going proper, though, when a crunchy guitar riff kicks in - with the rest of the band laying down a tougher groove and Anderson adding some renaissance-esque flute melodies over the top. This is probably the most overtly rock track here - and it is the one which Clark gets to shine on the most. His guitar crunch adds plenty of depth throughout, and there are a few times where he gets to take over and deliver some soaring leads. An early solo really cuts through the speakers, his bluesy phrasing bringing the song to life, whilst other instrumental sections see Anderson delivering similar feelings with his flute. Musically, the song is quite varied. Heavier sections sit nicely side-by-side with acoustic and piano-led pieces - but some big guitar playing from Clark is never too far away, and there is another later solo which is much longer. The hooks here really stick in the brain, too. Anderson's vocal melodies are typical of his quirky delivery - whilst the regular flute and guitar breaks keep things interesting.

Dunsinane Hill is a slower piece, which opens with gentle acoustic guitar chords and some plaintive flute melodies. More than ever, Anderson has focused on his flute playing on this album. This is fitting given the more acoustic nature of much of the material here - and it is clear that he has lost none of his talent for the instrument over the years. The opening to this track features lots of lilting and slow-burning melodies - before Anderson starts to sing in a semi-spoken manner against a similar backing. Arrangement-wise, the song is a bit of a strange one. It does grow in stature as it moves along, with percussive drumming from Duncan soon giving the song some depth, but the guitars and keyboards rarely feel all that important. The groove of the rhythm section instead provides the song's propulsion - whilst the ever-present flute melodies provide a main hook, even behind Anderson's vocals at times. He mixes a semi-spoken word delivery with more traditional singing elsewhere - but the main focus here really is on the flute playing. The vocal hooks are not that memorable this time, and the song is one overall that has not really grabbed me. The Tipu House, however, is very hooky. The upbeat track is another which feels a bit more rocky overall. It is perhaps not as crunchy as the title track, but Clark's guitar riffing is a bit more prominent this time - whilst the ever-present accordion from O'Hara during the verses adds a surprising darkness. Despite this, though, the song bounces along nicely. Anderson's vocal melodies are playful and really stick in the brain - whilst his flute playing is, again, plentiful. Some of the flute hooks are full of those breathy trills which has characterised his playing throughout the years, adding a heaviness to the instrument, whilst other sections are cleaner and more soaring. Occasional guitar leads double the flute and accordion melodies, too, which help to add depth - whilst the mixture of crunchy electric guitars and warm acoustic guitar chords keeps the song moving along at pace. Savannah of Paddington Green is another acoustic-based piece. Clark is not featured here at all, and it is one of only two songs to feature Hammond's drumming. Acoustic guitar chords and a full-bodied bass performance given the song its depth, whilst accordion again is utilised quite liberally during the verses. Unlike some of the other folky pieces here, though, this one feels a bit plodding. Jethro Tull tend to excel at this sound when they inject some energy into a song - but this one lacks real purpose. Anderson's semi-spoken vocals do not really work for me this time - and I feel that by this point I already heard enough accordion and would have preferred O'Hara to use his keyboards more. Stygian Hand on the other hand, though, is much better. There is more accordion, which could have been replaced by organ for a better sound, but the song is full of energy and it utilises lots of classic Jethro Tull tropes to bring the folky track to life. Clark is featured this time, which means that occasional crunchy chords and melodic leads are added, whilst the acoustic guitars and mandolin are just much busier - which allows Hammond to add some busier drumming. It is certainly no hard rocker, but it is an enjoyable and up-tempo track which ticks a lot of classic folk rock boxes - including some of the album's best flute hooks.

Over Jerusalem feels a bit more involved following the last couple of folky numbers - and it feels a bit more like something which could have sat on either of the two previous albums. There remains a folky vibe at times, with ever-present acoustic guitars and plenty of flute melodies - but the flute is not as much of a constant force this time with the guitars instead taking over a bit more. Clark's tougher backing adds depth throughout - and there is also more of a focus on his lead playing here. Bluesy interludes are occasionally thrown in - whilst some of the flute solos are backed with crunchier riffing to help set the track apart from some of the others. Busy guitar melodies also back some of the vocal-led sections - and the track overall is just much more progressive and muscular than many of the others here. It is one that has grown me quite a lot since first hearing the album - and it is the only song here apart from the title track where Clark really gets to let rip. He gets a screaming solo part-way through, and his playing just generally elevates the song as mentioned - with the flute, whilst still important, taking a step to the side a little. It is Clark's last contribution to the album, though, as the epic length Drink from the Same Well which followed features no electric guitar at all. The 16 minute-plus piece features Giddings in place of O'Hara, too, and it really focuses on Anderson's flute playing. Those wanting a sequel to Baker St. Muse or similar will be disappointed - as this is not so much a prog epic but a classical flute workout. The first half of the song is instrumental, and features Anderson's flute playing against various different Giddings backings. The latter's keyboard playing is varied, whilst the rhythm section add a gentle groove, but this is all about Anderson's different flutes and playing styles - harking back to those aforementioned solo albums. This will not be a song for everyone, but I actually quite like it. I am not sure I need around eight minutes of constant flute playing - but it is varied enough to keep things interesting, and there are moments which are more piano-focused to shake things up. The song later transitions into vocal-led piece with a sparkling keyboard flourish - and the rest of the track is more typical of the rest of the album. The song's chorus is perhaps the album's hookiest individual vocal segment - but there is still a lot of flute to link back to the opening segment. Some of those earlier flute melodies are repurposed here to act as interludes - and there are further lengthy flute-led sections even during this second half. If someone had described this song to me before I heard it I think I would have assumed that I would not like it - but it is a surprising overall highlight for me. I really like the flute explorations throughout and the vocal melodies and lyrics are some of the album's most interesting. It feels folky and expansive without really being 'prog' - and many of the individual moments are very memorable, vocal and instrumental alike. The album then comes to a close with the short and gentle Interim Sleep - which essentially consists of Anderson reading a poem against a subtle musical backing. He is responsible for all the instruments here, with sparse acoustic guitars and flute the only backing for his poetic delivery. It is a slow-burning way to close the album, but it is not all that different from some of the band's acoustic closers of the past - and it feels like a poignant full stop following the grander previous track. Overall, there are some weaker moments here as described - but the strong songs keep the album interesting. It might not be as good as the last two, but the best material here is on a level with those albums - and there is enough here to keep me coming back. It is always great to hear more from Anderson and this album does some different things which should be applauded.

The album was released on 7th March 2025 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Curious Ruminant.