My Top 20 albums for 1978 no 15

HEAVY HORSES
Year Of Release: 1978
Second time around, the attempt is much more solid: the atmosphere is quite charming.
Best song: HEAVY HORSES
Track listing: 1) And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps; 2) Acres Wild; 3) No Lullaby; 4) Moths; 5) Journeyman; 6) Rover; 7) One Brown Mouse; 8) Heavy Horses; 9) Weathercock.
Well, I feel I have to take back all the bad things I've said about that last album, because somehow Ian managed to correct most of those mistakes on here (you can never tell with that fellow - once he's tricked you into thinking he can't do nothing but half-assed sludge, he throws something REALLY GOOD back at ya! Who does he think he is, Franklin Delano Roosevelt?). This is yet another stab at a 'folk-prog' album, but the 'folk' is clearly prevailing over the 'prog', at long last, in the sense that overcomplicated self-indulgence, ugly guitar noises and puffed-up crooked 'melodies' are on their way out and a fresh, clen air of 'folkish authenticity' and the usual playfulness and humour are on their way in. Songs From The Wood was never cozy or heart-warming, the wretched attempt at an epic pompous canvas that it was; Heavy Horses really draws you in with its soft, silky sound, lulling vocals and a true whiff of British folklore. Cool!
That said, we gotta make some reservations as well. The more complicated, intrinsic material is, as usual, dubious: the lengthy jam session 'No Lullaby', the impenetrable travelogue 'Journeyman' and the self-indulgent anti-establishment epic 'Acres Wild' are all forgettable. 'No Lullaby' actually managed to serve as a pretty impressive live number (shorter, more rockin' and up to the point), but here, at about eight minutes, it just drags most of the time, and I couldn't hum the melody to 'Journeyman' even under threat of immediate decapitation. 'Acres Wild', with its bouncy little jig melody, is slightly better, but is still way too reminiscent of the worst stuff on Songs From The Wood to catch the grand prize.
The rest of the material, strange enough, is quite fine. It is mostly dedicated to praising the virtues of various living creatures (a nod to Pink Floyd's Animals, mayhaps?), with curiously straightforward lyrics that manage to evitate all of Anderson's usual crookedness. Ian is softer here, less serious, more playful, more adequate, whatever; again, hardcore Tull fans might call the resulting atmosphere a bit 'childish' and call on the stern Elizabethan atmosphere of the past, bu I say swell - anything but the generic Tull formula. As long as Ian sings us some funny or gently romantic lyrics about mice and moths, backed by folkish acoustic playing, I accept that. Just don't think of rocking out for five minutes! You couldn't do that anyway. Not any more.
The album opener, 'And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps', kicks in with a funny, but strong flute/drum onslaught, punctuated by even more funny children's lyrics (not to mention the groovy fadeout with a lot of voices that keep on repeating the title of the song until they get completely out of breath). 'Moths' is a charming folk ballad with (finally!) an original, catchy and memorable melody, although the lyrical matter is a trifle sad - it's about suicide, after all. And 'One Brown Mouse' is a direct adaptation from a nursery rhyme ('one brown mouse sitting in a cage...'). It's fun!
However, so as to show everybody that he's not completely off his hobby, Anderson managed to conjure what was left of the old Tull magic and shove it into the title track which might be the band's most stupendous work since Thick As A Brick. Ian's heartfelt ode to the equine race (a lament on its decline and an expression of hope that one day, as the resources of Earth are exhausted, the Heavy Horse will be paid due attention again), it is highlighted by fantastic lead guitar courtesy of Mr Barre (my favourite part is the mighty intro which hits you mightier than the intro to 'Aqualung') and manages not to bore me during all of its eight minutes: maybe this is due to various tricks played on the way, such as the tune's sudden transformation into a fast joyful jig halfway through, before it reverts back to the opening lines. It's slightly similar to 'Aqualung' in structure and sound, even though significantly more lightweight. You just have to hear it, mind you. It's arguably the best thing Anderson ever made since 1972, and inarguably untopped ever since.
So, as you might have guessed, I pretty much enjoy the whole album. Again, it does seem to deviate from the standard Tull formula, what with all the nursery rhyme lyrics and straightforward folkish ditties, but again, that's just the reason why I love it. I need no further proof for the fact that Ian Anderson really could pull a decent tune out of his sleeve at any particular moment in his career if only he had the need or the desire to do it. Unfortunately, such moments were rather rare. Most of the time he just dragged along, bathing in the warmth of his unlimited fantasy and subjugating the unfortunate listener to whatever nonsense he might have transformed into 'songs'. A pity, this. Heavy Horses is real good. B'lieve me.
Wait! I forgot 'The Rover'! It's a great song, too! Especially the refrain! When Ian howls 'cos I'm the ROUUUVER', it really sends shivers down my spine! Buy this album! Especially if you were a fan of 'Hickory Dickory Dock' when you were five years old.
And that's not to denigrate nursery rhymes, mind you. Nursery rhymes are cool! Rather like Mr Ian Anderson when he is in the right mood.
Featured Tracks :
And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps
Heavy Horses