After steering Jethro Tull toward a sound that emphasized synthesizers over acoustic guitars and even his trademark flute, Ian Anderson and a stripped-down Tull pumped up the volume on 1987's CREST OF A KNAVE. The howling guitar of longtime axe-man Martin Barre is much more in evidence here than on previous releases from the decade. The band sounds energized, the performances heartfelt.
While the record is an undeniable high point of the band's 1980s work, many people were surprised that CREST won a Grammy in 1987 for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Performance. Despite its metal touches, the music is far too cerebral and its themes far too esoteric to qualify as either hard rock or heavy metal. On "Jump Start," Anderson hearkens back to his glory days with an intricate arrangement centered around furious flute and guitar explosions. "Said She Was a Dancer," built around a refreshingly simple chord sequence, showcases Anderson's expressive singing and Barre's eerie mimicry of Mark Knopfler's guitar sound.
