Jethro Tull - J-Tull Dot Com

Year of Release: 1999
Label: Fuel 2000
Catalog Number: FLD 1043
Format: CD
Total Time: 54:20:00

Exactly one second. That is really all you need in order to know this concerns the brand-new Jethro Tull album. "Spiral" conjures both the unmistakable flute and voice of Ian Anderson out of your speakers. The new album Dot.com contains no fewer than fourteen new songs that all contain the typical Jethro Tull signature. Together with "old" mate Martin Barre and the new threefold Andrew Giddings, Doane Perry and Jonathan Noyce, Dot.com brings you the "self evident" feeling. The title song "Dot.com" contains a Celtic vibe resulting in more folk than rock. Nice is the extra voice of Najma Akhtar that gives it an extra exotic flavour. Wonderful flute playing (could we expect anything else?) alternating with brilliant keyboard sounds in "AWOL" even if the intro has been listening to Tubular Bells! One of the favourite recipes in the Jethro household is the heavy riff from Martin Barre, on top of which Anderson balances his flute playing, such as during "Hunt By Numbers." The lifelong friendship between Anderson and Barre also gives Ian the opportunity to step aside when necessary so that Barre can "shine" in his own right, such as during "El Niño" where Barre can illustrate his talent on both acoustic and electric guitars.

Even when there are many millions of singers on this planet we can surely call the timbre of Anderson's voice unique and, like the wine, it gets better with age! Whilst the tone of that voice leans heavily towards folk music it is the combination with the omnipresent flute and the professional backing which creates a music as unique as you can get. I'm not a Jethro connoisseur who is able to whistle every tune the band has ever written but I can truly say Dot.com is one of the band's better releases. When you keep the CD playing after you listened to "A Gift Of Roses," you suddenly get to hear Anderson's voice informing us we are one of the few lucky people able to hear a preview of his soon to be released new solo album The Secret Language Of Birds. Mind you, you are not the only "lucky one" as every album has the same message, but it invites you to some "other" work. As long as the flute playing and the voice remain that unique, it remains damn difficult to draw a line between band and solo effort. Both of them are fantastic and prove once again that Jethro Tull is one of the most shining diamonds in the world of progressive rock. Shine on!

Tracklisting:
Spiral (3:50) / Dot Com (4:25) / AWOL (5:19) / Nothing @ All (0:56) / Wicked Windows (4:40) / Hunt By Numbers (4:00) / Hot Mango Flush (3:49) / El Ni?o (4:40) / Black Mamba (5:00) / Mango Surprise (1:14) / Bends Like A Willow (4:53) / Far Alaska (4:06) / The Dog-Ear Years (3:34) / A Gift of Roses (3:54)

Musicians:
Ian Anderson - flutes, bouzouki, acoustic guitar
Martin Barre - guitars
Andrew Giddings - Hammond organ, piano, accordian, keyboards
Doane Perry - drums and percussion
Jonathan Noyce - bass

Discography:
This Was (1968)
Stand Up (1969)
Benefit (1970)
Aqualung (1971)
Thick As A Brick (1972)
Living In The Past (1972)
A Passion Play (1973)
War Child (1974)
Minstrel In The Gallery (1975)
M.U. The Best Of (1976)
Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die (1976)
Songs From The Wood (1977)
Repeat - The Best Of Jethro Tull Vol 2 (1977)
Heavy Horses (1978)
Bursting Out - Live (1978)
Stormwatch (1979/2004)
'A' (1980)
The Broadsword And The Beast (1982/2005)
Under Wraps (1984)
Original Masters (1985)
Crest Of A Knave (1987/2005)
20 Years Of Jethro Tull (1988)
Rock Island (1988)
Catfish Rising (1991)
A Little Light Music (1992)
The Anniversary Collection (1993)
25th Anniversary Box Set (1993)
Nightcap (1995)
Roots To Branches (1995)
J-Tull Dot Com (1999)
The Very Best Of (2001)
Living With The Past (2002)
The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003)
Classic Masters (2003)
Stand Up/This Was (2003)
Essential (2003)
Nothing Is Easy: Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (2004)
Aqualung Live (2005)
Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson (2005)
Extended Versions (2006)
Live At Montreux 2003 (2007)
The Best Of Acoustic Jethro Tull (2007)
Living With The Past/Nothing Is Easy (2008)
This Was (expanded) (2008)
Nothing Is Easy - Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (2004/2008)
The Anniversary Collection/A New Day Yesterday (2008)
Live At Montreux 2003 (2008)
Live At Madison Square Garden (2009)
Christmas Album (2009)
Live In Switzerland 2003 (LP) (2014)
A Passion Play - An Extended Performance (2014)
War Child - 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition (2014)
Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary La Grande Edition (2015)

Living With The Past (DVD) (2002)
A New Day Yesterday: 1969-1994 - The 25th Anniversary Collection (VID/DVD) (1994/2003/4)
Nothing Is Easy - Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (DVD) (2005) Live At Montreux 2003 (DVD) (2008)
Jack In The Green - Live In Germany (DVD) (2008)
Live In Bethlehem, PA, 2003 (DVD) (2008)
Their Full Authorized Story (DVD) (2009)
Live At AVO Session 2008 (DVD) (2009)
Live At Madison Square Garden (DVD) (rec 1978, rel 2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: February 1st 2000
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.jethrotull.com
Hits: 4117
Language: english