Secret Language of Birds

If you want to close your eyes and be at peace this cd is for you. The instruments used are quite various and beautiful. This cd is different from most of Tull's music, I would call if soft rock, classical and folk all mixed in one. Quite beautiful

Finally the album fans have always demanded of Anderson -- and he delivers with aplomb, wit, finesse, and endless inventiveness. It's a wonder Birds hasn't become a classic among Tullites, since it easily surpasses Tull's outings from the nineties onwards. While it may not have the flying sparks of "The Witch's Promise" or the cheeky melodies of "LIfe's A Long Song", this acoustic dish satisfies more with each listening. Perhaps its near cult status owes to the fact that it steers away from rock and a heavy band sound, focusing on that folk playfulness Ian masters so charmingly.The acoustic backdrop brings many treasures to the fore. Anderson's voice, for one. It feels effortless and nimble without the strain of a rock setting. While his enunciation in such a context allows him to bring out more shades of personality, it also evokes both a range of moods and genuine intimacy. Second, the songwriting is freer, jauntier, and often delicate and subtle. And in every song it's top notch. Further, there's a beguiling light touch, carefree yet wise and wryly amused attitude to both the music and Anderson's observations.My only quibble is with the seemingly digital engineering. The sound is shallow and a tad flat, highlighting how much more depth and roundedness acoustic instrumentation gains from analog recording. Well, one more quibble comes to mind. That's Gidding's orchestration. It veers dangerously towards the 'lite' side and robs the instrumentation of gravitas. Matter of taste, really.Still, this is Anderson's best solo work (Rupi's Dance has nothing on Birds). Here's hoping a Part II is in the offing.

Luckily the CD played fine, but the case was cracked as it was packed in a box next to a mantel clock without anything to protect it. I enjoyed the CD, but care should be taken to ensure that the product you pay for arrives without damage.

I bought this CD sometime in 2000 and it has hardly left my CD player since. This is some of the best stuff Ian Anderson has ever written.I won't bother commenting on the content because so many other reviews have already done so. I would like to add one thing, though, for the benefit of potential buyers who may not know what to make of some of the other reviewers' comments on Anderson's voice.As most Tull fans know, Anderson suffered some serious throat problems in the early 1980s, and there were grave medical concerns that he would never be able to sing again. Well, he came back strong on _Crest of a Knave_, but the timbre of his voice had permanently changed.So he's adapted. The material on this CD is well-suited to his "new" voice -- but he doesn't quite growl and roar the way he used to, and occasionally he sounds almost as though he's whispering. On these songs, IT WORKS. But he doesn't sound the way he did on _Minstrel in the Gallery_, _Songs from the Wood_ and _Heavy Horses_ (my own favorite Tull period). About the closest he comes to really cutting loose is on _Panama Freighter_ (also the tune that, to my mind, is the most "Tull-like").The songs themselves are just marvelous, and this CD is the acoustic Ian Anderson album lots of us have been waiting a long time for. Andrew Giddings does a nice job of musical support all around. Highly recommended.

Ever since 1977, I've looked back with great nostalgia at a time when Jethro Tull, ELP, Pink Floyd, and Yes were at their creative peaks, not so much beacuse of good times, but because of good music, and even pure magic. SONGS FROM THE WOOD and HEAVY HORSES were the standards by which all subsequent Tull works became measured. I thought those days were gone for good. Sure there were good albums, ROCK ISLAND, CREST OF A KNAVE, and most recently DOT.COM, all classics. But this CD strikes me as more conceptual in nature, impeccably performed and intricately arranged. BUY THIS CD AND REALLY ACTIVELY LISTEN TO IT. In a few years, you and I will both listen back with great fondness to good music and pure magic. The bonus tracks are just that, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. THIS ENTIRE CD IS A BONUS, since I had given up on the progressive masters as being "vintage and classic and just plain Jurassic". This is no Bungle In the Jungle, but rather a "quick crossword puzzle, with monkeys in hiding". Ironically, I think "Set-Aside" is the gem here, beautiful and flawless, no more a "pointless and undignified prevarication" than "Songs From the Wood" was merely "kitchen prose and gutter rhymes". Every song here has its own flavor, its own personality. Fresh and exciting, SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS is nothing short of a masterpiece.

This excellent disc is full to the brim with beautiful melodies. Each song is a treasure trove that bears repeated listenings, but I found them all immediately rewarding as well. Ian's voice suits the songs well, his flute playing is absolutely beautiful and accomplished and his acoustic guitar work is, as always, a joy to hear. One complaint: I wish some of the songs were a bit more sparse. The orchestrations occasionally overwhelm, feeling more intrusive than supportive. In other words, sometimes the meal is a bit too rich for my palate. But overall, I would call the album a masterpiece, and one that's difficult to categorize. As a recent (positive) review in the British music magazine Mojo said regarding Ian Anderson: there's no one quite like him. And I would add that there's nothing quite like this beautiful music either.

Is this the best thing out of the Jethro Tull camp in 20 years? - Maybe not, that's up to the individual listener. If, like me, you give the pre-Broadsword half of your Tull collection more 'airetime' than the other, then you will most certainly like this offering. You too will be comforted by the familiar riffs and passages from the dim and distant past, combined in this, at the same time, fresh sounding acoustic set. Check out the intro to The Water Carrier for example. Blimey, this could have been 'Another' Fat Man! With the more acoustic side of Jethro Tull taking my preference, this CD really has been a treat for me. It's always nice too, to hear a couple of 'folky' instrumentals - you may remember Boris Dancing from last years tour. Buy this CD - you'll like it a lot. ......I can't get out!

As a long time Jethro Tull fan, I have always loved Ian Anderson's inventiveness and lyrics but for some strange reason I have never listened to any of his solo albums before now. I bought this following a recent gig where he performed TAAB and TAAB2 and overheard someone raving about some of solo albums. So glad I listened in.This album is superb and wish I had bought it sooner - very jazz/ folk sound , very acoustic and flute driven and rapidly becoming a favourite album after 2 days!Buy it , you won't regret it.

I like the acoustic sounds of Jethro Tull particularly from their earlier albums and am glad I stumbled on this solo album of Ian's and his later one "Rupi's Dance". His two solo albums are more acoustic than Jethro Tull's later albums.

Ian Anderson is a gifted writer, musician and covers a wide range of different topics. This 1998 production offers some interesting and likeable tunes. If you are an I.A. fan, don't miss out.

I really like this album, but if you expect this solo album to be a departure from the usual Tull style you will be disappointed. However, that said, I really like Jethro Tull so Ian Anderson can't do any wrong in my eyes.