Rarely does an album with me, cause as many photos as a whole in the head. The best day / year for "Minstrel .." is definitely a cold autumn or winter evening, the (imaginary) fireplace crackles in the wood, I lie curled up in a warm blanket in a bed tray and look into the blazing embers.
In euphony fall to the eyes, the movie in your head starts:
Spätmittalterliche castles. A minstrel (the Minstrel), a court in contemporary clothes, primeval landscapes - probably somewhere in Wales or Scotland - Horse Racing over green mountainsides and fields, old manor houses with magnificent gardens. People who are like Robin Hood and his men dressed, running on narrow forest paths through the picture. Small trolls (with or without gold pot) hide behind trees .... if I now say that I am thinking of doing too little, dancing fairies, keeps me even the last readers for Totally Batty ... ^^
Honestly, a similar atmosphere-ingenious Progressive / Art / Folk rock piñata in "medieval garb" as this concoction from the years '75 to me has not yet come across. Ian Anderson has never sung so well as here, guitarist Martin Barre never played again so complex.
As check out tip I want this time really highlight no single song because the whole album is built conceptually and should be heard in a unified whole. Listen to the nearly 17 minute "Baker St. Muse" nevertheless times sooo exactly .... Jethro Tull were then at the absolute zenith and its creative peak.
Terrific !!
