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Post by TM on Apr 17, 2013 15:42:05 GMT -5
TAAB2 was released. So now having lived with for over a year and having seen the show/s, what is your opinion of the album?
I'll gives my thoughts on it later this same evening....
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Post by TM on Apr 17, 2013 20:39:38 GMT -5
Ah, a very interesting topic I started.  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2013 21:39:52 GMT -5
Ah, a very interesting topic I started. Well it is and it isn't.....;-) Since seeing the show in October of last year I have listened to it approximately.... twice. There was an earlier thread last week asking about "Music or lyrics?" and I probably fall into the music category whereas in the past, a long time ago, I was attracted to the sounds and I would ring every bit of listening out of it and when I knew it, then I would investigate the lyrics, not always but most of the time. Then I would get a whole new take on the songs. With TAAB 2 I find the music to be fairly simple, theres no complexity, no little tricky passages that "ring the bell" so I have to rely on the "meaning" of the lyrics for the interest. Arguably thats the point but I miss the drive and intricate stuff that has always sparked my interest. Notice I'm not making a distinction between Tull and Ian Anderson's music, that doesnt matter. The same formula applies, for me, to most of the things I like. Overall not bad at all, I enjoy it. It just doesnt make me .....salivate. How was that Paul? Darin Cody |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2013 6:33:55 GMT -5
Ah, a very interesting topic I started. Well it is and it isn't.....;-) Since seeing the show in October of last year I have listened to it approximately.... twice. There was an earlier thread last week asking about "Music or lyrics?" and I probably fall into the music category whereas in the past, a long time ago, I was attracted to the sounds and I would ring every bit of listening out of it and when I knew it, then I would investigate the lyrics, not always but most of the time. Then I would get a whole new take on the songs. With TAAB 2 I find the music to be fairly simple, theres no complexity, no little tricky passages that "ring the bell" so I have to rely on the "meaning" of the lyrics for the interest. Arguably thats the point but I miss the drive and intricate stuff that has always sparked my interest. Notice I'm not making a distinction between Tull and Ian Anderson's music, that doesnt matter. The same formula applies, for me, to most of the things I like. Overall not bad at all, I enjoy it. It just doesnt make me .....salivate. How was that Paul? Darin Cody I have to agree here with Darin, I have listened to this maybe 2 times since October when I saw IA preform it live. What was great at first was that it was new music by Ian. That in it self made it a must listen immediately, which I did. After many listens like Darin there was nothing to grab you in musically. So it sort of fell flat on that end and lyrically I thought that Ian forced them, although there are some great songs..Kismet comes to mind. But to me that is all I remember from the entire disk that caught my attention for more then a few listens. If I was to give it a rating I would give it a three out of five. Not bad, not fantastic. ....and yes I will go see Ian preform this again when he comes my way in October. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2013 7:32:45 GMT -5
I think the album would have been more memorable for me if the instruments were played more passionately. Itss good music, but it is very much in the head. The overall sound is a little pale, and thus I dont think it has too much replay value.
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Post by TM on Apr 18, 2013 9:23:21 GMT -5
Ah, a very interesting topic I started. Well it is and it isn't.....;-) Since seeing the show in October of last year I have listened to it approximately.... twice. There was an earlier thread last week asking about "Music or lyrics?" and I probably fall into the music category whereas in the past, a long time ago, I was attracted to the sounds and I would ring every bit of listening out of it and when I knew it, then I would investigate the lyrics, not always but most of the time. Then I would get a whole new take on the songs. With TAAB 2 I find the music to be fairly simple, theres no complexity, no little tricky passages that "ring the bell" so I have to rely on the "meaning" of the lyrics for the interest. Arguably thats the point but I miss the drive and intricate stuff that has always sparked my interest. Notice I'm not making a distinction between Tull and Ian Anderson's music, that doesnt matter. The same formula applies, for me, to most of the things I like. Overall not bad at all, I enjoy it. It just doesnt make me .....salivate. How was that Paul? Darin Cody You did good Darin.  Repeated listenings years ago would always lead to the uncovering of all these different instrumental or vocal layers. It's what separated Tull from everyone else. But for some reason Ian decided to take his music in a much simpler direction. Interesting to read the 3 comments and find that we are all in agreement. TAAB2 sounds very much like an Ian Anderson solo album to me. I enjoy it lyrically but musically and vocally it hasn't held up well. Like you guys I hadn't listened to it in months until recently. I found myself skipping through most of it. While Kismet is a very good song and a couple of others are okay, I have no desire to listen to most of it. Admittedly I am a picky bastard, but I just find certain aspects distracting. I mean why go through the trouble of using the same instrumental palette of TAAB only to then bring the accordion, the synth strings, and even the shakers to the forefront of songs? I don't get it, and it detracts from the listening experience. The album sounds a bit thin to me and is little too simple. I think Ian should have called it Thick As A Brick - Light.  |
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Post by Mothfairy on Apr 18, 2013 9:38:04 GMT -5
I have it, listened to it, saw it in concert but I barely remember any of it. Which isn't a good sign. I'll have to dig it out, drop it like it's hot a few times so it can match my other CDs and then give it another listen.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2013 10:22:00 GMT -5
I don't listen to it regularly, but I can't say I have dropped it from my current play list just yet.
I do agree that it doesn't seem to have the same layered qualities of some past albums, where you could go back and find something new at almost every listen despite its age or how many times I may have listened to it; and there does seem to be a TaaB-lite feel to it as time passes, but I wonder how much of that is due to the use of computer scoring packages used and the synthasised sounds rather than constructing it more organically as a band.
I also think constructing it for live performance detracts from the recorded performance. Kismet is still up there for me. The instrumental pebbles is spoilt by the whispered and repeated 'thick as a brick', as is Give 'til it hurts by the feigned American accent.
and the 'right up yours' and that last 'too/two'....unnecessary.
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Post by Mothfairy on Apr 18, 2013 10:49:30 GMT -5
I'll give it another listen then put a better review when I do.
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Post by My God on Apr 18, 2013 10:49:46 GMT -5
...we need a new Tull album....time to change the horses.....  |
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Post by TM on Apr 18, 2013 13:21:11 GMT -5
I have it, listened to it, saw it in concert but I barely remember any of it. Which isn't a good sign. I'll have to dig it out, drop it like it's hot a few times so it can match my other CDs and then give it another listen. Don't forget to jam it upside down into your cd player and then complain to us that it's broken. ;D |
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Post by TM on Apr 18, 2013 13:34:42 GMT -5
I don't listen to it regularly, but I can't say I have dropped it from my current play list just yet. I do agree that it doesn't seem to have the same layered qualities of some past albums, where you could go back and find something new at almost every listen despite its age or how many times I may have listened to it; and there does seem to be a TaaB-lite feel to it as time passes, but I wonder how much of that is due to the use of computer scoring packages used and the synthasised sounds rather than constructing it more organically as a band. I also think constructing it for live performance detracts from the recorded performance. Kismet is still up there for me. The instrumental pebbles is spoilt by the whispered and repeated 'thick as a brick', as is Give 'til it hurts by the feigned American accent. and the 'right up yours' and that last 'too/two'....unnecessary. It's those types of little things that seem to "get in the way" of Ian's most recent albums. They're all good, but could have been better. |
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Post by TM on Apr 18, 2013 13:35:39 GMT -5
...we need a new Tull album....time to change the horses..... Hello William, Nice to see you. You being serious or facetious? |
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Post by Tommiebaby on Apr 18, 2013 14:40:14 GMT -5
Not exciting, like another "Rupi's Dance" , passion-wise . But I'm see him twice in Oct, regardless.
Compared to Ian's greater works, this is "elevator music" or MUZAK
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Post by Mothfairy on Apr 18, 2013 15:03:19 GMT -5
I have it, listened to it, saw it in concert but I barely remember any of it. Which isn't a good sign. I'll have to dig it out, drop it like it's hot a few times so it can match my other CDs and then give it another listen. Don't forget to jam it upside down into your cd player and then complain to us that it's broken. ;D Oh you're cheeky. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2013 16:33:41 GMT -5
Not exciting, like another "Rupi's Dance" , passion-wise . But I'm see him twice in Oct, regardless. Compared to Ian's greater works, this is "elevator music" or MUZAK He is at his best in the context of a contributing band! ( Jethro Tull) IMO. When most of the band was "let go" in 1980 it became closer to an Ian solo project with Martin keeping it from becoming just that. I think it was Martin and Peggy's chemistry that eventually led to Tull becoming a real band again a few years later. While of course Ian has done amazing stuff on his own he has many working preferences that restrict much of the music from reaching it's full potential. The more control he has over his musicians the less of an impact it has. IMO.. TAAB was a Tull album (for a review on what Tull is, see the last video posted by Darin) TAAB 2 Sounds like and is an Ian Anderson solo album. And it's as good as the others but not as good as Divinities or Walk into Light. IMO. If TAAB2 were a Tull album with contributions from other musicians including Martin I believe I would be up there with Crest and others which I still love to listen to. I do appreciate Ian's effort and do enjoy at least half of the songs very much, It has it's moments and it had potential to be more than it was but it kind of proves the case that there is a difference between Ian and "Tull". IMO.. |
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Post by Tommiebaby on Apr 18, 2013 17:28:06 GMT -5
to me, the "Roots" and "DC" lineups were very strong live and on disc
Ian, Martin, Noyce, Giddings, Perry
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Post by Preston Platform on Apr 21, 2013 7:36:25 GMT -5
I enjoyed this very much in concert ...but as a recording it leaves me a bit cold. I think it is to do with the production. The spoken word parts are an annoyance ..but when I listen to tracks such as Kismet I usuallly enjoy them.
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Post by housebrick on Apr 21, 2013 8:09:31 GMT -5
It has couple of good songs but generally it is very 'Sterile sounding'.
I havent re-listened to it for about 6 months.
Personally the guitar doesnt work for me,lacking 'soul' 'melody' 'feel' .
To be honest The concerts were hard work to sit through.
Give me Dot Com (one of Tulls supposedly weaker albums ) anyday.
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Post by Tommiebaby on Apr 21, 2013 11:34:27 GMT -5
"the concerts were hard work to sit through" ............why? the vocals? reasons?
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Post by Mothfairy on Apr 21, 2013 12:03:16 GMT -5
Ok, gave it another listen so I could come back and respond. It's nice I guess? I like it within the same realm I would like Dot Com. But I like Dot Com better. Someone just said something similar but that's all I could think while listening. And one of the biggest reasons is probably the vocals. But it is what it is these days. I think I too would enjoy it more live.
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Post by Tommiebaby on Apr 21, 2013 21:38:17 GMT -5
You said "the CONCERTS were hard to sit thru". Thought you meant you already saw TAAB2 live. My mistake?
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Post by housebrick on Apr 28, 2013 13:35:30 GMT -5
You said "the CONCERTS were hard to sit thru". Thought you meant you already saw TAAB2 live. My mistake? My thoughts are TAAB 1 is a masterpiece,but i personally feel the edited version of 9 minutes was the best for a live concert. Sitting through a 45 minute piece without really a break = hard work to me. Still not overly keen on TAAB2 im afraid. |
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Oldghost
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Post by Oldghost on Apr 28, 2013 18:07:56 GMT -5
From the initial enthusiasm on listening to TAAB2, not much has left after one year. I think the test of time speaks here and I'm pretty sure that vast hunger for new Tull material made this album much tastier at the time of release than it actualy is (yet still much tastier than Dot.Com), so unfortunately I pretty much agree with all the above.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2013 15:13:16 GMT -5
Of course some of us will probably revisit this album later and discover a newfound appreciation for it.
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