After Thick as a Brick made a monumental statement, J-Tull fol owed it up with a second album long song in 1973's A Passion Play. With the Anderson/Barre/Hammond/Barlow/Evan lineup firmly in place, the group was at the height of their musical power. Another concept album, A Passion Play chronicles the journey of a man who is taken first to heaven, and then to hell, only to ultimately decide that the best place to live is the material earth.
Jethro Tull's medieval sounding chops are in full swing here, with abundant harpsichord, flute, and guitar sounds to give the album a true feeling of fantasy. Part one deals with the trip to heaven, while part two deals with hell. Neither really sounds that different, heaven at times menaces, and hell can show serenity. Like any good tale, there's lots of room to interpret the lyrics, and every prog fan will have an opinion. The real hero of the proceedings is John Evan, who's keyboard patterns (mostly ARP synths and grand piano) provide the main musical leitmotifs throughout the work.
There's a little catch, the work is cut in two by a little fairy-tale like turd called "The Hare who Lost his Spectacles". It breaks up the flow and is ridiculous beyond belief. Avoid it at all costs.
Fit for a minstrel, fit for a Prog Head. Grade: A
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