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Post by tootull on Apr 22, 2010 9:38:02 GMT -5
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Post by Nonfatman on Apr 22, 2010 11:30:09 GMT -5
Thank you for those, JohnN. I liked the review of Stand-Up, which has been, and will always remain at the very top of my Tull pantheon, usually tied with Thick as a Brick for first place! I also notice the article by Lustig regarding Ian being his "angriest interviewee," in launching an "obscenity-laced tirade" against MTV. Jeff
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Post by tootull on Apr 23, 2010 10:21:16 GMT -5
blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-a-passion/I continue to read where the Hare doesn't get any respect. ;D Thank God the talking parts are at the intermission...what is this about..."A main complaint is the talking parts which connect some of the sections. If they were meant as comedic relief they fall flat and for the most part are pointless." The point is Hare did have a spare pair, dammit. - THE END
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Post by tootull on Apr 28, 2010 9:39:59 GMT -5
"War Child may not be among the more creative Jethro Tull releases but it served the purpose of allowing the group to catch its breath before moving on. As such when placed in perspective nearly forty years later it remains frozen in time and is not one of their essential releases." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-war-child/page-2/#ixzz0mPD71AWyI can't tell you how mad I get when WarChild is called non essential Tull. I can't tell you, don't make me tell you. It will be hell, you. ;D truetull
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Post by Nonfatman on Apr 28, 2010 9:47:56 GMT -5
"War Child may not be among the more creative Jethro Tull releases but it served the purpose of allowing the group to catch its breath before moving on. As such when placed in perspective nearly forty years later it remains frozen in time and is not one of their essential releases." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-war-child/page-2/#ixzz0mPD71AWyI can't tell you how mad I get when WarChild is called non essential Tull. I can't tell you, don't make me tell you. It will be hell, you. ;D truetull Don't worry, JohnN, although I took the opposing position, The Jethro Tull Board has already determined, through a fair and democratic process and by a 5-4 vote, that War Child is objectively a better and more essential album than This Was. So, it's record in our Album Wars competition currently stands undefeated at 1 win, 0 losses. Jeff
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2010 10:07:09 GMT -5
"War Child may not be among the more creative Jethro Tull releases but it served the purpose of allowing the group to catch its breath before moving on. As such when placed in perspective nearly forty years later it remains frozen in time and is not one of their essential releases." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-war-child/page-2/#ixzz0mPD71AWyI can't tell you how mad I get when WarChild is called non essential Tull. I can't tell you, don't make me tell you. It will be hell, you. ;D truetull Tootull, Warchild regulally sneaks into my top 5 albums. I remember when it first came out, getting it on the day of release. I actually had it delivered to my house by a friend who was working at One Stop Records in South Molton Street at the time. I thought it was a great album from first listening, my only criticisim at the time was 'It's far too short'. It was as if it was a track or two light. I recall a press interview with Ian, who defended the timing by arguing that there was an optimum time for the length of a vinyl album and that quality should always win over quantity. Still, irrespective of its playing time its a great album in my opinion. I would love to hear if anymore of the orchestral [movie] score existed beyond Warchild waltz and what I think may be as close to the original movie score version of Warchild itself as it appears on the David Palmer album.
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Post by tootull on Apr 29, 2010 14:10:10 GMT -5
Music Review: Jethro Tull - Minstrel In The Gallery Published: Apr 29, 2010 at 10:01 am Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-minstrel-in/#ixzz0mWABixIHMinstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery Minstrel in the Gallery www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=5409436#post5409436
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Post by tootull on May 3, 2010 10:48:20 GMT -5
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Post by Nonfatman on May 3, 2010 12:02:51 GMT -5
I agree with the author that Minstrel is an acquired taste, especially as regard to the lyrics. It's not an easy album to warm up to, and you have to be in the right mood for it. But musically it is superb, the title track is, in my opinion, the greatest hard rock song ever written (lyrics aside), and the acoustic suite on Side 2 is sublime. The author criticizes the BSM lyrics for being "too sexual, crude and [having too much] self-parody." He obviously doesn't fully understand Ian's act if he views those lyrical traits as a a flaw. To me, the humorous vulgarisms found in MITG and TOTRNR, and in many other songs, are what makes Tull so much fun. Ian is satirizing the whole rock-star image. While there are other things I don't particularly like about the Minstrel lyrics, the usage of crude sexual descriptions and self-parody is not one of them. Jeff
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Post by Nonfatman on May 3, 2010 12:11:24 GMT -5
JohnN, this is a great blog you are providing us with. I am enjoying reading the author's current reviews of the Tull catalogue. While I don't agree with everything he says, Mr. Bowling is pretty accurate in his observations. I agree wholeheartedly with the entire review of SFTW, it is tied for third/fourth with Heavy Horses in my Tull pantheon, with Stand Up and Brick tied for first/second. (Benefit would be fifth on my list, just after SFTW and HH.) I agree with Bowling's comment about Martin's guitar not outshining Ian on this album. I think if SFTW has one slight flaw, it is that Martin's electric guitar parts don't seem fully integrated with the rest of the mix. Rather, they seem superimposed onto the music. I think that Martin's electric guitar is put to better use on Heavy Horses, and more fully integrated on that album. Jeff
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Post by TM on May 3, 2010 13:26:29 GMT -5
Yes, thanks TT....i mean tt. It's nice to revisit the reviews again. Sorta like going back to the future. Besides, it doesn't look like we'll be getting anything new to be reviewed for quite some time, if ever again.
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Post by tootull on May 5, 2010 10:09:03 GMT -5
Very good! Nice to be appreciated, eh. Hey now! ;D Music Review: Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses : May 05, 2010 at 5:52 am "Jethro Tull would make a number of very different stops during their career but perhaps none are so satisfying as their folk/rock period. Heavy Horses is a fine example of that style as it is earthy, rustic, and above all enjoyable even three decades after its release. It remains Jethro Tull at their finest." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-heavy-horses/#ixzz0n4FoSyAAKeep your eyes open and prick up your ears rehearse your loudest cry. There's folk out there who would do you harm so I'll sing you no lullaby.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 10:30:31 GMT -5
Very good! Nice to be appreciated, eh. Hey now! ;D Music Review: Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses : May 05, 2010 at 5:52 am "Jethro Tull would make a number of very different stops during their career but perhaps none are so satisfying as their folk/rock period. Heavy Horses is a fine example of that style as it is earthy, rustic, and above all enjoyable even three decades after its release. It remains Jethro Tull at their finest." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-heavy-horses/#ixzz0n4FoSyAAKeep your eyes open and prick up your ears rehearse your loudest cry. There's folk out there who would do you harm so I'll sing you no lullaby.
tootull, thanks for the link, I think I'll be delving into a few more reviews over there. I have to say that I never bought into the 'folk' trilogy thing. I could never see how 'Stormwatch' fitted into the last part of a trilogy. I suppose because of John Glascock's partial involvement and the impending break up of the band, I have always found it to be a bit fragmented, nevertheless, it is an album I do very much enjoy. I'll revist the three over the next week or so, and focus on running through the three albums in sequence and see if I can be swayed towards the folk side.
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Post by Nonfatman on May 5, 2010 10:34:51 GMT -5
Very good! Nice to be appreciated, eh. Hey now! ;D Music Review: Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses : May 05, 2010 at 5:52 am "Jethro Tull would make a number of very different stops during their career but perhaps none are so satisfying as their folk/rock period. Heavy Horses is a fine example of that style as it is earthy, rustic, and above all enjoyable even three decades after its release. It remains Jethro Tull at their finest." Read more: blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-heavy-horses/#ixzz0n4FoSyAAKeep your eyes open and prick up your ears rehearse your loudest cry. There's folk out there who would do you harm so I'll sing you no lullaby.
Once again "the discographer" Mr. Bowling is spot on. Heavy Horses is simply exquisite, in every respect, and one of the finest and most thoroughly satisfying Tull records. I certainly favor the SFTW, HH, SW trilogy (to the extent that you can lump those three together) over the mid-seventies trio of War Child, Minstrel and TOTRNR, although I am extremely fond of the latter. But we'll talk more about that in Album Wars, a little later on (okay, maybe a lot later on ;D.) In that regard, please note that the polls are now open for Round 8 of This Was's travails!HH really is one of the most complete Tull albums, containing as it does every attribute of Tull's greatness, the lilting ballads and acoustic pieces, the heavy rock, the pictaresque imagery and perfect folk-rock lyrics, and very strong singing....I love Ian's earthy, gravelly vocals here because they match the music, and I believe that was intentional. This is the art of Tull at its very finest. (The only thing largely absent is humor.) Mr. Bowling rates HH a notch below SFTW, which is a view I also held until recently. But lately I would give a miniscule edge to HH. Of course, it's like trying to decide between Brick and Passion Play, utterly futile because both are just so magnificent! Jeff
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Post by tootull on May 7, 2010 9:20:59 GMT -5
Music Review: Jethro Tull - Stormwatch May 06, 2010 at 10:26 pm blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-stormwatch/Good morning, My viewpoint - Good old Stormwatch, this album never gets the push to greatness. It's always behind HH and SFtW in reviews. Something haunts me about this album. Some kind of déjà vu even when Tull played Maple Leaf Gardens on this tour. Hell, I could almost pinpoint the déjà vu to the start of Dark Ages every time it spins. Strangely enough my least favourite tracks are North Sea Oil & Orion. The rest is gold to me. www.ministry-of-information.co.uk/setlist/79.htm5/10/79 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Canada Live In Toronto 1979 Dave Pegg's Tull debut.Intro (incl. Warm Sporran (tape))/Dark Ages, Home, Orion, Flying Dutchman, Old Ghosts, Elegy, Dun Ringill, Something's On The Move, Aqualung, King Henry's Madrigal/Drum Solo, Heavy Horses, No Lullaby/Flute Solo (w. flute solo, incl. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Kelpie, Bourée), Keyboard Solo (Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier), Songs From The Wood, Jams O'Donnell's Jigs, Thick As A Brick, Too Old To Rock'N'Roll..., Cross-Eyed Mary, Guitar Solo, Minstrel In The Gallery/Locomotive Breath/Dambusters March/Minstrel In The Gallery (reprise), Orchestral Warchild (prerecorded (from 'A Classic Case'), played as audience left). I believe some of 'A' adds to any trilogy talk about HH, SFtW & Stormwatch. Combine these Stormwatch tracks with tracks from 'A' and this would make one of my favourite moments for Tull. Dark Ages - Home - Something's On the Move - Warm Sporran - Old Ghosts - Dun Ringill - Flying Dutchman - Elegy Crossfire - Working John, Working Joe - Black Sunday - Protect and Survive - The Pine Marten's Jig - And Further On -tootull today ;D Minstrel In the Gallery - WarChild - Stormwatch - could pass as my favourite three for today.
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Post by TM on May 7, 2010 10:10:32 GMT -5
Music Review: Jethro Tull - Stormwatch May 06, 2010 at 10:26 pm blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-jethro-tull-stormwatch/Good morning, My viewpoint - Good old Stormwatch, this album never gets the push to greatness. It's always behind HH and SFtW in reviews. Something haunts me about this album. Some kind of déjà vu even when Tull played Maple Leaf Gardens on this tour. Hell, I could almost pinpoint the déjà vu to the start of Dark Ages every time it spins. Strangely enough my least favourite tracks are North Sea Oil & Orion. The rest is gold to me. www.ministry-of-information.co.uk/setlist/79.htm5/10/79 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Canada Live In Toronto 1979 Dave Pegg's Tull debut.Intro (incl. Warm Sporran (tape))/Dark Ages, Home, Orion, Flying Dutchman, Old Ghosts, Elegy, Dun Ringill, Something's On The Move, Aqualung, King Henry's Madrigal/Drum Solo, Heavy Horses, No Lullaby/Flute Solo (w. flute solo, incl. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Kelpie, Bourée), Keyboard Solo (Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier), Songs From The Wood, Jams O'Donnell's Jigs, Thick As A Brick, Too Old To Rock'N'Roll..., Cross-Eyed Mary, Guitar Solo, Minstrel In The Gallery/Locomotive Breath/Dambusters March/Minstrel In The Gallery (reprise), Orchestral Warchild (prerecorded (from 'A Classic Case'), played as audience left). I believe some of 'A' adds to any trilogy talk about HH, SFtW & Stormwatch. Combine these Stormwatch tracks with tracks from 'A' and this would make one of my favourite moments for Tull. Dark Ages - Home - Something's On the Move - Warm Sporran - Old Ghosts - Dun Ringill - Flying Dutchman - Elegy Crossfire - Working John, Working Joe - Black Sunday - Protect and Survive - The Pine Marten's Jig - And Further On -tootull today ;D Minstrel In the Gallery - WarChild - Stormwatch - could pass as my favourite three for today. Morning tt, I think Jeff mentioned it and I have to agree that never saw Stormwatch as the ending of a trilogy. While I like the album, I think the production is pretty awful. And I'm including the remaster as well. The sound is just so compressed, the tracks do not stand up well when mixed with other music. My favs are: Old Ghosts, Flying Dutchman, Elegy, and Dark Ages.
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Post by Nonfatman on May 7, 2010 11:12:32 GMT -5
I love the whole album. I think it's got some of their most intricate and beautiful material, and as Paul has pointed out, Barriemore Barlow is tremendous on this album
Orion is one of my top five favorite Tull songs, and always will be. I like that it's completely flute-free...not many Tull songs are, and so it's a little unusual in that respect. (Although Tull's most famous song is also fluteless.) I just love the notion of a benign celestial being looking down with love and concern on a troubled city and world. Whenever I play Orion, I have to listen to it three or four times in a row, it's just that moving to me. I love the orchestration in that song, and really everything about it.
Old Ghosts too....what a splendid song, lyrically and musically, I love it so much. In fact, why don't we do that one next on Look into the Song? It's got some lyrics I don't understand, and maybe we can get to the bottom of it, like Paul did with Flying Dutchman, another haunting, magnificent song from the great Stormwatch album. Dun Ringill, Warm Sporran, Dark Ages, Elegy.....need I say more?
Jeff
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Post by tootull on May 14, 2010 8:31:37 GMT -5
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Post by Nonfatman on May 14, 2010 10:27:04 GMT -5
Thanks, JohnN, will check those out a little later and get back to you! Jeff
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Post by tootull on May 17, 2010 9:37:55 GMT -5
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Post by Nonfatman on May 17, 2010 11:10:08 GMT -5
I agree with Bowling's assessment regarding Broadsword, only I would go further and place it at, or near, the very bottom of the Tull hierarchy of greatness. Totally disagree with him about A though. For one thing, he says A sounds very "eighties." Whereas that is certainly true of Broadsword, to me A is strictly seventies progressive rock. Mr. Bowling does not give A enough credit for being extremely effective in setting out what it intended to do, and that is create a dark musical vision of the tense, chilling atmosphere that was part and parcel of the Cold War era. The Soviets were on the move, Reagan was coming into office, and there was a palpable fear of a nuclear war. People were scared. Also, how can Mr. Bowling ignore the magnificent Black Sunday, arguably the greatest post-Stormwatch Tull song? Jeff
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Post by tootull on May 17, 2010 11:48:29 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback, Jeff.
Broadsword is my favourite Tull album from the '80's. The bonus tracks send it through the roof for my enjoyment.
You know, LOL, all Tull is pure joy for me. Except for that small cigar. Hey!
You Jeff have good eye-sight, insight, and foresight. How could an intelligent Nonfatman make such a silly mistake about Broadsword? LOL
Cheers! The strangely always happy tootull - Oh no!
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Post by Nonfatman on May 17, 2010 11:55:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback, Jeff. Broadsword is my favourite Tull album from the '80's. The bonus tracks send it through the roof for my enjoyment. You know, LOL, all Tull is pure joy for me. Except for that small cigar. Hey! You Jeff have good eye-sight, insight, and foresight. How could an intelligent Nonfatman make such a silly mistake about Broadsword? LOL Cheers! The strangely always happy tootull - Oh no! Unlike others, I am a lover of the A album, tootull. I find it absolutely chilling, terrifying really, and the song And Further On profoundly affected me. Ian's dark nightmare came true in NYC twenty one years later. All the World go down to sleep. Broadsword, I like, it's Tull ain't it? Just that I like it less than everything else. A little too commercial, too slick, and the first Tull album ever to have no strings whatsoever. Outtakes are completely another story, though, so we are in agreement there. Jack-A-Lynn, Common's Brawl, Too Many Too, Jack Frost....ahhhh, the list goes on. Jeff
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Post by Nonfatman on May 17, 2010 14:38:24 GMT -5
Dawson's right, at least in my book. Stand Up is five out of five stars for sure, each and every song a classic, no album's got more Tull hits. Rock, classical, folk, jazz, blues, acoustic, electric...it's all there. Not only the greatest Tull album, but one of the four or five greatest rock albums of all time. Stand Up is now, and always has been, #1 for me, but by only a hair over Thick as a Brick. Jeff
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Post by TM on May 17, 2010 16:03:30 GMT -5
Broadsword is an album that I would have loved to have heard with Barrie on the drums. The 'straight forward' plodding drums diminish what could have been a classic Jethro Tull album. I can see Barrie taking this album in a more progressive direction, instead of the main stream rock sound that it has which I attribute to both PSS and Gerry Conway.
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