review by thomas

Back to more basic rock on this ’79 release with such Tull-ish rockers as ”North Sea Oil”, ”Orion”, ”Dark Ages” and ”Somethings on the Move” with plenty of flute and electric guitar. The progressive flag is held high – or at least tried to – with the long “Dark Ages”, “Flying Dutchman” and two instrumentals, but these four could easily be called rock instead of progressive rock. “Dun Ringill” and others are representing the more acoustic side of Tull. In other words a formula much like the “Stand Up” to “Aqualung” era but not as convincing or effective. Here are signs of lack of fantasy, ideas heard a thousand times before (and better), repetition, performances that don’t make it, some really bad guitar licks and orchestration that for the first time in Tull’s history is used to make a song like “Home” a real cheesy “sob-song”. Quite a few touching points with the “Too Old to Rock and Roll – Too Young to Die” record from ’76, a record not held high by myself.

“North Sea Oil”, “Dark Ages” and “Dun Ringill” are the only songs that standout from this uninspiring set of songs but “Stormwatch” should be of interest to Tull fans.