25TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET

Now this is what a boxed set should be. There is a disk of remixed hits (mostly, a few are a bit obscure), a great concert from 1970, another great concert from 1992 (with an unreleased studio track from the same time strangely stuck in the middle), and disk of live odds and ends from all different periods from this long lived band. And each disk showcases Ian Anderson's genius, and provides many thrills for the prog fan.

Disk 1: Remixed Classic Songs - While a couple of track I would have considered essential (like Aqualung are missing from this disk, the remixes are incredible. The clarity is perfect throughout, and there are sounds that come through that I never heard on the original albums and CDs. And there is very little that doesn't emphasize the band's prog side. This disk alone would be a great introduction to Tull.

Disk 2: Carnegie Hall N.Y., Recorded Live 1970 - From a benefit concert (appropriate, since they were touring for the album Benefit, this concert mostly features that album (although I would have liked to have heard Teacher included) and a band that was much more raucous than later editions of the group. The highlight to me is an early recording of My God.

Disk 3: The Beacon's Bottoms Tapes - A fantastic concert from 1992, the band shows a lot more polish than in earlier years. And Dave Pegg (from Fairport Convention) is my favorite of all of Tull's bassists. While this entire show is amazing, the highlights are the nine minute edited edition of Thick As A Brick (usually, they played a much shorter version), and a contrasting version of My God. If you can get past Anderson's voice (since his medical problems that caused him to retire for a while, he sound a bit like Popeye), this is a great concert.

Disk 4: Live Across The World & Through The Years - Mostly rarely heard live tracks spanning the history of the band up to 1993. This is where you finally hear Aqualung.

There are three versions of A Song For Jeffery on this set of disks. I think that is used to show the changes in the group's approach over time.

This is just a perfect set of disks to show the history of a fantastic band. The best boxed set I have seen and heard.