After nearly six decades and 24 studio albums, Ian Anderson is still pushing Jethro Tull into fresh creative territory — and he’s candid about how the band’s latest record, Curious Ruminant, reflects both personal growth and a restless musical spirit.
In a recent interview, Anderson spoke about the album’s inspiration, its sound, and why he’s still making music with the band’s current lineup more than half a century after Jethro Tull first formed. Curious Ruminant — released on March 7, 2025 — is Tull’s 24th studio album and the third in just four years, following The Zealot Gene (2022) and RökFlöte (2023).
Anderson describes Curious Ruminant as a record that’s noticeably personal and introspective compared with much of Tull’s past work. “This is a record where you’ll see the words ‘I’ and ‘me’ more often than is usual in Jethro Tull lyrics,” Anderson explained in the interview, noting that the songs reflect his own observations, feelings, and experiences.
Rather than crafting a traditional concept album — something Tull has explored in the past — Anderson says Curious Ruminant is a collection of songs with dynamic arrangements and emotional range. “It’s just a collection of songs, in the same way that Aqualung was a collection of songs,” he said, underlining his view that the record stands on its own without needing a grand unifying theme.
The album’s title itself speaks to Anderson’s enduring drive: he bills himself as a “curious ruminant,” a thinker always searching, learning, and questioning. He traces that mindset back to his teenage years, when he devoured science fiction, fantasy, and other genres outside formal schooling, shaping his approach to songwriting ever since. “I remain a curious ruminant. These days I have more time to cogitate,” Anderson said.
That curiosity is evident in the music’s blend of progressive rock, folk elements, flutes, mandolin and eclectic instrumentation — a sound rooted in Tull’s 1970s heyday but updated with contemporary production and lyrical depth.
The recording features Anderson (flutes, vocals, guitars, mandolin), along with longtime bassist David Goodier, keyboardist John O’Hara, drummer Scott Hammond, and guitarist Jack Clark, making his recording debut with the band. Former members Andrew Giddings and James Duncan also contributed to the album’s layered textures.
Anderson has also commented on the shifting guitar roles in recent albums — with different players contributing unique styles — but he emphasized that lineup changes haven’t slowed the band’s creative output.
Curious Ruminant blends the earthy folk rock of Tull’s classic era with modern storytelling. Tracks range from the rhythmic title song to expansive pieces like “Drink From the Same Well,” giving the record both immediate hooks and deep lyrical themes. Some songs tackle social and historical topics, while others lean into contemplative moods and instrumental interplay.
The album struck a chord with fans and critics alike — in fact, Curious Ruminant debuted at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Rock & Metal Albums chart, marking the band’s first chart-topping entry on that list despite decades of popularity and numerous Top 10 placements.
For a musician whose career stretches back to Jethro Tull’s origins in 1968, Anderson’s reflections on Curious Ruminant are both grounded and forward-looking. He doesn’t frame the album as a milestone but rather another chapter in a long, exploratory journey of sound and thought.
Whether through dynamic acoustic arrangements, thoughtful lyrics, or inventive instrumentation, Curious Ruminant reaffirms that even at this late stage, Jethro Tull — and especially Ian Anderson — remain committed to creating music that surprises, resonates and invites listeners to think as deeply as the band does.
