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Thick as a Brick is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released on 3 March 1972. The album contains one continuous piece of music, split over two sides of an LP record, and is intended as a parody of the concept album genre. The original packaging, designed as a 12-page newspaper, claims the album to be a musical adaptation of an epic poem by fictional eight-year-old genius Gerald Bostock, though the lyrics were actually written by the band's frontman, Ian Anderson.
The album was recorded in late 1971, featuring music composed by Anderson and arranged with the contribution of all band members. The album was the band's first to include drummer Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow, replacing the band's previous drummer Clive Bunker. The live show promoting the album included the playing of the full suite, with various comic interludes. Thick as a Brick is considered by critics to be the first Jethro Tull release to entirely consist of progressive rock music. It received mixed reviews upon its release, but was a commercial success and topped various charts in 1972. Today it is regarded as a classic of progressive rock, and has received several accolades. Anderson produced a follow-up to the album in 2012, focusing on the adult life of the fictional Gerald Bostock, and being released as Anderson's solo album instead of as Jethro Tull's album.
quiet details 20 - Plant43 - The Unfading Spark
(our thanks to alex at quiet details for a copy of this release)
Resident of the legendary Berlin club and cultural institution, Tresor, with nearly twenty years of cutting-edge releases across genres, and untouchable international live performances of pure energy - Plant43 is one of the leaders at bringing authentic electronic music culture to our ears in the most genuine way possible.
He also runs and does the graphic design for his label Plant43 Recordings and is a co-founder of the Bleep43 crew who, originating from techno/electro sessions with regulars such as Surgeon and Convextion/ERP, now regularly put on some of the best and most wide-ranging deep-listening events around.
The Unfading Spark shows this immense and honest experience realised to stunning effect. An instant post-club classic, his innate melodic and textural understanding mixes perfectly with a sense of build and release, the album moving through its own indelible world of space-time to completely immerse the listener in its expanding beauty.
Influenced directly by his experiences at Tresor, with the first half of the album made as he went through the timeline of the experience playing there, here we see the impeccable marriage of widescreen synths, elastic bass and minimal syncopated percussion nodding to classic electro sound-design, with vast and polychromatic atmospheres, sparkling digital synthesis and ever-shifting distant landscapes - emotionally the quiet moments are as important as the loud and he finds the spaces between in a way that everyone who has experienced such moments can relate to.
The album feels like watching your favourite film, each track being a distinct scene with a story to tell, moving seamlessly from moment-to-moment, keeping you fully engaged for the duration and leaving you with an almost indescribable after-glow when it’s over. An example of thoughtful and mesmerising parts somehow creating something even more beautiful when combined so skilfully.
In Plant43’s own words:
Carried on soft strings this unfading spark takes hold. Like wisps of vapour carrying spells on the wind, we move and listen, together. Voices from high above fill the air and cradled by love from afar, we keep the spark alive.
Thanks to Paul Ćinske and all of the caring staff at Tresor, Berlin. To Jo, Alex and Mike for your support and love.
This album is wonderful example of an artist taking the quiet details idea and making it their own - there are no limits to people that can be involved or the styles that can be incorporated, just musicians we love and their unique take on the idea.
Huge thanks to Plant43 for everything, a fantastic and evolutionary addition to the series.
The artwork was made as always influenced by the music and idea behind the album - originating from a photo from Emile which was then captured with analogue photography and processed here at quiet details studios.
As usual, the album is presented on the physical edition, a custom 6-panel digipack with a separate fine art print too.
The CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album, representing the music in its purest form.
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