Jethro Tull: The Zealot Gene

Yes, after a near 20 year lay-off, the Jethro Tull name has been dusted off and put front and centre on a brand new album, The Zealot Gene. For those who lamented that Thick As A Brick 2 arrived more as an Ian Anderson solo release back n 2012, this is not just a welcome return, but a surprising one, even if there’s still no room for Anderson’s long-time sparring partner, guitarist Martin Barre. That said, there is quite a lot of continuity in the line-up, with Florian Opahie (guitars - but listed as an ‘album only’ member of the band), John O'Hara (orchestral conductor/piano/keyboards/accordion), Scott Hammond (drums/percussion) and David Goodier (bass/double bass) all retained from the …Brick 2 band, while guitarist Joe Parrish-James also appears to be part of the team. All do the Tull name proud and there’s not a hole to be picked performance wise anywhere you care look.

The album itself, while not conceptual does follow the Tull ethos of finding a theme and then basing all of the songs around that central idea. Here that is the modern world viewed through the prism of ‘the good book’, with each of the songs having chapter and verse references in the accompanying lyrics. However, these songs aren’t Christian, or even overtly religious, but instead this idea is used to open debate as to what modern society has become - and how polarising both timeframes can undoubtedly be. The theme of ‘black and white / my view is better than your opinion’ is constantly running through all of the songs, with questions of what is right or wrong, moral or immoral, asked but never answered. Anderson, as ever, inviting the listener to draw their own conclusions as a topic such as devastation on an international scale for the greater good is viewed from the perspective of hindsight. But then smaller themes, such as the loss of dignity to be found by the countless drunkards dragging themselves homeward after a Saturday night on the lash, are also explored.

Musically, we are in wonderfully familiar territory, a feeling of being welcomed home into the Tull household unavoidable as flute swirls against a mix of folk infused progressive rock. Opener “Mrs Tibbets� immediately playing a spritely flute melody against gently driving drums, restrained guitar incursions and some, admittedly high in the mix, keyboards. In many ways, this memorable opening reminds me of mid-era Fish, but then considering how much that big Scotsman borrowed from the likes of Tull in the first place, really, that feeling should be the other way round.

Most of us will already be familiar with the two lead tracks that teased the album prior to release, the wonderfully poised and paced “Shoshana Sleeping� illustrating the tension that can be built by clever instrumental arrangement and vocal phrasing. The latter aspect has long been a theme from Anderson, and considering this chap is now some 74 years old, it really is quite amazing how much of his vocal gymnastics remain in place, even if the voice itself shows the warmth of age in a way it maybe never quite has before. The album’s title track was the second pre-album release and it’s jaunty but pensive atmosphere sits perfectly with its album mates, “Mine Is The Mountain� a truly enigmatic piece where the spiritual lyrical base is maybe most blatant. But again, it’s the patience in building the song from the ground up that truly draws you into its darkness. Full of folk-filled-fun, “Where Did Saturday Go?� skits by with a wicked grin, while “Three Loves Three� provides a slightly lighter touch that proves difficult to resist.

In all honesty, while the production is maybe just a little too bright and obvious for my own personal taste, there’s very little to grumble about here. So far, The Zealot Gene has grown in my estimation from being an album that allayed fears of it not living up to an impressive legacy, into being an album that is remarkably engaging in its own right. It’ll be interesting to discover how further weeks, months and maybe even years, find the album maturing, because I can’t help but wonder if at some point down the line we might all be lauding it as a classic. As it is now, I’m not quite brave enough to bestow that honour on The Zealot Gene, but it is hugely entertaining and thought provoking nonetheless. So, in essence, it’s a Jethro Tull album then isn’t it? And who could ask for more?

Track Listing
1. Mrs. Tibbets

2. Jacob’s Tales 

3. Mine Is The Mountain 

4. The Zealot Gene 

5. Shoshana Sleeping 

6. Sad City Sisters 

7. Barren Beth, Wild Desert John 

8. The Betrayal Of Joshua Kynde 

9. Where Did Saturday Go? 

10. Three Loves, Three 

11. In Brief Visitation

12. The Fisherman Of Ephesus

Added: January 30th 2022
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: The Zealot Gene @ Jethro Tull
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Language: english

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