After two consecutive new Jethro Tull album releases in 2022 and 2023, a new studio record – ‘Curious Ruminant’ – was recently released in March to much acclaim. Consisting of nine new tracks varying in length from two and half minutes to almost seventeen minutes, this is an album of mostly full band music. Amongst the musicians featured are former keyboardist Andrew Giddings and drummer James Duncan, along with the current band members David Goodier, John O’Hara, Scott Hammond and, making his recording debut with the band, guitarist Jack Clark.
Today they are pleased to release a video for the track ‘Over Jerusalem’, a track they have recently started playing live on tour, animated by Studio Sparks in Portugal.
Ian Anderson comments: “Having visited Jerusalem to perform in concert and in Israel generally many times since 1986 I, like much of the world, have felt growing distress at the political, social and cultural dilemmas facing all in the region. After the first visit or two, I decided to continue to perform there but to donate all proceeds to various local NGOs: mostly to those supporting co-education of Arabs, Jews and Christians and often with a musical bias.
The deep and complex history of Jerusalem – brilliantly chronicled in the book “Jerusalem: The Biography” by Simon Sebag Montifiore – would be best read by many taking the simplistic view and taking polarised sides. Montefiore refers to “Jerusalem Syndrome”, which pretty much sums up my own somewhat tortured views.
I continue to hold a deep reverence and concern for the future of one of the most important cities of all time and its pivotal place in the current world. I say in the final line of the song, “I’m not over Jerusalem.” Like a tragic love affair, it remains a memory which time cannot erase. Don’t get me started about Moscow or Kiev….”
‘Curious Ruminant’ is available on several different formats, including a Ltd Deluxe Ultra Clear 180g 2LP + 2CD + Blu-ray Artbook & Ltd Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook. Both of these feature the main album, alternative stereo mixes & a blu-ray containing Dolby Atmos & 5.1 Surround Sound (once again undertaken by Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief), as well as exclusive interview material. The Ltd Deluxe vinyl artbook also includes 2 exclusive art-prints. The album is also available as a Special Edition CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g LP + LP-booklet & as Digital Album (in both stereo & Dolby Atmos).
Ian Anderson had been saying for months following the release of RökFlöte that he would embark on a new project in late 2023. He waited only a few weeks before the first notions began to solidify into some drafted words of intent and in May 2024, some unfinished music recorded earlier with John O’Hara, David Goodier and James Duncan became the starting point for the new songs as they took shape.
Writing the lyrics and melodies for all the newly written material came very quickly once he began in earnest during June and just seemed to slot right in to the musical feel and styles of the earlier recordings.
Anderson’s writing here is often on a more personal level of lyric content than we are used to hearing. Interspersed with his usual observational descriptions are the slightly more heart-on-sleeve moments of soul-baring – albeit not on the topics more often paraded by the usual I-me lyric merchants of pop and rock.
Some of the songs are developed from unfinished instrumental demos made some years ago although this does not result in a huge stylistic divide to jump out at the listener. Apart from the signature flute solos and melodies, accordion, mandolin, acoustic and tenor guitars feature on several tracks too, so the subtle backdrop of acoustic and folk rock serves to remind of the Tull heritage of the 70s.
