Ian Anderson casts a reflective eye over "all God's children" on The Tippu House, another new release from the band's upcoming album Curious Ruminant.
Jethro Tull have announced that they will release their 24th studio album, Curious Ruminant, through InsideOut Music on March 7, an album that harks back to the band's classic 1970s sound, with Anderson in an introspective lyrical mode which brings to mind 1975's Minstrel In The Gallery.
"The Tipu House is a song of aspiration in adversity," the Tull mainman muses. "As a city wanderer, camera in hand, I often pass tawdry abodes and luxurious dwellings alike wondering as to the nature of the occupants, their lives and dreams. Our societies are filled with those who have risen from relative poverty to positions of greatness in the world and their successes are a beacon of hope for the rest of us, even if "greatness" is a relative concept at the end of it all."
The new album features nine new tracks which very much hark back to the band's classic 1970s sound, not least the epic near-17-minute Drink From The Same Well, the band's longest song since the 16 minute 39 seconds of Baker St, Muse, also on the aforementioned Minstrel In The Gallery. Unlike 2002's The Zealot Gene and 2023's RökFlöte, Curious Ruminant is not, however, a concept album.
Curious Ruminant features contributions from 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.
Curious Ruminant will be available on several different formats, including a limited deluxe ultra clear 180g 2LP + 2CD + Blu-ray artbook and limited deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray artbook. Both of these feature the main album, alternative stereo mixes and 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 limited deluxe vinyl artbook also includes in two exclusive art-prints. The album will also be available as a special edition CD digipak, gatefold 180g LP + LP-booklet and as a digital album (in both stereo & Dolby Atmos).
