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Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick and a Passion Play: Inside Two Long Songs

by Tim Smolko

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A close study of Jethro Tull’s two continuous-song albums

$82.04 USD
$82.04 USD $82.04 USD

Hardcover New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A close study of Jethro Tull’s two continuous-song albums

Tim Smolko examines the musical construction of Thick as a Brick (1972) and A Passion Play (1973), two Jethro Tull albums each built as a single continuous composition. The book focuses on their large-scale forms, wide-ranging instrumentation, and intricate arrangements, placing them within the band’s blend of rock with classical, folk, jazz, and world-music traditions. Insights from Ian Anderson accompany the analysis, while the discussion also considers the albums’ place in popular culture and in the history of the concept album. It is an album-centered exploration of progressive rock’s compositional ambitions during the early 1970s.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Listeners interested in Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play
  • Fans of progressive rock and concept albums
  • Readers seeking musical analysis of rock arrangements and form

Themes

Progressive rockConcept albumsMusical form and arrangementJethro Tull1970s rock

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Book overview

Since the 1960s, British progressive rock band Jethro Tull has pushed the technical and compositional boundaries of rock music by infusing its musical output with traditions drawn from classical, folk, jazz, and world music. The release of Thick as a Brick (1972) and A Passion Play (1973) won the group legions of new followers and topped the Billboard charts in the United States, among the most unusual albums ever to do so. Tim Smolko explores the large-scale form, expansive instrumentation, and complex arrangements that characterize these two albums, each composed of one continuous song. Featuring insights from Ian Anderson and in-depth musical analysis, Smolko discusses the band's influence on popular culture and why many consider Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play to be two of the greatest concept albums in rock history.

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