 Aqualung received mixed to favourable reviews from contemporary music critics . Rolling Stone magazine 's Ben Gerson lauded its " fine musicianship " , calling it " serious and intelligent " , although he felt that the album 's seriousness " undermined " its quality . Sounds said that its " taste and variety " made it the band 's " finest " work . Aqualung was voted the 22nd best album of 1971 in The Village Voice 's annual Pazz & Jop critics ' poll . Robert Christgau , the poll 's creator , was more critical of the album in a 1981 review , and described Anderson 's undeveloped cultural interests and negative views on religion and human behaviour as both boring and pretentious . 
