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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant return to form for the great Ian Anderson,
This review is from: Divinities: 12 Dances With God (Audio CD)
It seems absurd that no-one has felt motivated to review this on Amazon.co.uk before, so let me be the first. Released in 1995, this was the album that showed us that Anderson was back on creative turf, after the disappointments of Catfish Rising and Rock Island. A purely instrumental album, it nonetheless has strong echoes of Jethro Tull's most inspired period from 1968 to 1975. This is most evident in the quality of the melodies, which are strong and memorable throughout the album, but also in Andrew Gidding's keyboard arrangements, which complement Anderson's flute playing perfectly and bear the influence of David Palmer's inspired orchestral string arrangements of the 1970s. Anderson also deliberately expanded his range of musical influences for this album - you'll hear a lot of eastern influences, particularly in the flute parts, but also hints of African folk music in many places. As always, however, he weaves the various influences into a seamless web that doesn't sound remotely like anyone else - just Ian Anderson. No-one can do this as well as him, with the possible exception of Steve Howe who has released a string of quality instrumental albums since the break up of Yes.
This is definitely music that transcends categories. You need to listen to it in the same way that you would listen to great jazz or classical music. It didn't sell well when it was released, but if it had been played on Classic FM, for example, I'm sure it would have been a huge success as several of the tracks have a classical (baroque) flavour. But as so often, Anderson was let down by his marketing people, who seem to have decided around 1984 that Jethro Tull were a lost cause in marketing terms. A pity, because Anderson remains without question one of Britain's greatest composer / songwriters and yet he is not the household name he clearly deserves to be. Ian and Jethro Tull are currently going through another fallow period, but you can never write them off - after Divinities, Anderson went on to make Roots to Branches, Secret Language of Birds and Rupi's Dance, all strong albums in different ways.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A moment of sanity,
This review is from: Divinities: 12 Dances With God (Audio CD)
The first time I listened to this, I was reminded of Emerson Lake and Palmer and their take on Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky. We have all experienced it one way or another. The Megastar Rock God, so filled with the blandishments of their entourage, they believe they can branch out into what some would call "serious music".
This is different. Yes, Ian Anderson does paint a series of rich emotive scenes with his flute (no vocals). Yes, the obligatory full orchestral support is there, adding further layers of mood to already evocative scenes. Yes, inspiration for the most part has come from "country music" of one form or another from different parts of the world. This really did take me to the Olive Garden, I could see the Minaret and feel the waves of heat En Afrique. The opening track In a Stone Circle is redolent with power, reflecting off the stones and back in counterpoint. The album mood changes in tempo, style and technique. This is a very clever body of work indeed and will reward repeat listenings.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Divinities, 12 Dances With God: Ian Anderson - Divine!,
By
This review is from: Divinities: 12 Dances With God (Audio CD)
This 1995 recording is the second solo album from Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson. Though he is the main creative driving force behind Tull, this being a solo album allowed him to move away from the constraints of the band and do something very original.
We are presented with 12 instrumental pieces, with Anderson on his trademark flute and Andrew Giddings providing a sympathetic keyboard. There is a mixture of musical influences - blues here, African there, Middle Eastern rhythms elsewhere. The music is simply delightful, you get drawn into Anderson's world and before you know it the record is finished and you are punching play again. The use of disparate influences and motifs does not impair the record, everything is merged skilfully into one rather delightful and elegant whole. 5 Stars, no hesitation.
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