Jethro Tull - the last thirty years

BarryGlibb wrote:   It actually isn't IMHO. I bought it when it was released and was sold on it then and still am. 2 songs have ZZ Top-like guitar playing I.e. Steel Monkey and Raising Steam and they really are superb tracks. Farm on the Freeway is an 80s Tull masterpiece. Jump Start - an unbelievable rock track.. She Said She Was a Dancer is brilliant...OK it sounds a bit like Dire Straits but I'm sure Knopfler wouldn't mind writing a song as good as this. Dogs in The Mid Winter - what's not to like? Budapest is probably their greatest track of the past 30 years...if not of their entire career. Mountain Men sends shivers up the spine. The Waking Edge - OK...this is the poorest track....but IMHO it's the only one. Raising Steam - a great closer. It's amazing how people have differing views on songs/albums.

Before Crest Tull released Under Wraps and many people hated that album. I think it's not that bad, at least songs are very catchy. Ok it's not a masterpiece of progressive rock but who said it was designed to be? In 1987 Anderson wanted more rock in Tull again but this was the biggest failure in his whole career. Not only the tracks are weak and not memorable (with the exception of Steel Monkey, Farm and Dancer), this was the first time Anderson didn't want to be original at all.  So we have ZZ Top here and there, Dire Straits in almost all vocal parts, even Martin Barre plays like Knopfler. It's an absolute disgrace. Not to mention that Dogs in the Mid Winter still sounds like something taken from Under Wraps but the quality is below par. You mentioned Budapest as the most epic track on the album. It's not even close to their classic epic tunes from the 70's. It's pretty laughable as they try to pump it up to make it sound big while the lack of good ideas ruins the concept. This is actually nothing, no dynamic changes, no vitality, such a boring crap. This was the point I would say from then on there was no hope, that's what I would think anyway but in the 90's they surprisingly started to play like real Tull again. Roots To Branches is a fine example. As for me the best Tull album since Stormwatch or even Horses.




Edited by LSDisease - January 22 2014 at 03:23

To each his own. But it surprises me a bit cos I know Tull fans who's followed them since the 70's and they absolutely hate the 80's Tull. Still I think A, Broadsword and Wraps are pretty good, not great but good albums. Rock Island is better than Crest but it's still the same direction.

BarryGlibb wrote: LSDisease wrote: To each his own. But it surprises me a bit cos I know Tull fans who's followed them since the 70's and they absolutely hate the 80's Tull. Still I think A, Broadsword and Wraps are pretty good, not great but good albums. Rock Island is better than Crest but it's still the same direction. I know many Tull fans think A is as good as anything they have ever released (me included), then you also have many Tull fans that hate A.  Similar sentiments for Broadsword......except it was on the other foot for me......as far as I am concerned Broadsword is terribly over produced, commercial crapola; however in Germany it was one of their biggest successes...ever! Under Wraps...one of their most maligned albums....I have a real affection for......it's just so different....I know the synthesizer thing aggrevates most Tull fans but to me the songs a very strong ....except for Automotive Engineering, which is so ludicrous that it's funny....I love marching to it.....give it a go! Rock Island is IMHO almost their worst album ever with only the redeeming track being the epic Whaler's Dues. Roots to Branches has 4-5 classic tracks, 2 good tracks and the rest are ordinary. 4 stars and not as good as CoaK....IMHO So yes all of us have different tastes even if we are fans of the same group. Cheers

A isn't as good as Stormwatch imo and it's really much worse than their classic albums. Broadsword it's like 'fifty-fifty' but even the best song on the album pales in comparsion with the 70's Tull. I'd rather listen to A at the end of the day. Under Wraps is a pop album but it's not that bad, anyway 3 last songs on the album are boring and don't move me at all. Remaining 12 it's a good material. Still you can't say it's the real Tull. Crest as I said was the biggest failure in their whole career. Rock Island is a bit better with songs like Kissing Willie, Heavy Water or The Rattlesnake Trail they were more hard rockish at the time although it's pretty fair to say, they still sounded more like Dire Straits than Uriah Heep. Catfish Rising brought some hope, Rocks On The Road is a very strong tune even though I still hear Knopfler singing it and Thinking Round Corners it's good old Ian back on the track, probably their folkiest tune since Horses. This is not Love and Doctor to my Disease are pretty strong hard rock tunes and as I said earlier, this album brought some hope. Roots to Branches is a killer album, this brought some tension to JT music and those anxious flute melodies have been haunting me for a long time. No weak song on this album, it's like 10/10. Another Harry's Bar is one of the best Tull songs ever. Beside Myself is magical. I also like Dot Com album, very good release, maybe not as good as Branches but still very strong. Wicked Windows is one of the most touching Tull songs. I think the best post 70's Tull albums were recorded by the band in the 90's. In the 80's they were just joking;)

Roots to Branches. 

BarryGlibb wrote: LSDisease wrote: 7 votes for Crest? Are you serious? This is the weakest Tull album it's almost like ZZ Top. They remastered it but polishing that turd didn't help at all.  It actually isn't IMHO. I bought it when it was released and was sold on it then and still am. 2 songs have ZZ Top-like guitar playing I.e. Steel Monkey and Raising Steam and they really are superb tracks. Farm on the Freeway is an 80s Tull masterpiece. Jump Start - an unbelievable rock track.. She Said She Was a Dancer is brilliant...OK it sounds a bit like Dire Straits but I'm sure Knopfler wouldn't mind writing a song as good as this. Dogs in The Mid Winter - what's not to like? Budapest is probably their greatest track of the past 30 years...if not of their entire career. Mountain Men sends shivers up the spine. The Waking Edge - OK...this is the poorest track....but IMHO it's the only one. Raising Steam - a great closer. It's amazing how people have differing views on songs/albums.

This assessment is spot on. "Farm on the Freeway," "Dogs in the Midwinter" (originally a CD bonus track!) and "Mountain Men" are worth the price of admission.

Crest of a knave, followed by Rock Island and Roots to branches

Crest Of A Knave easily-Farm on the Freeway an all time fave of mine.

For which one did they win the Grammy award for Best Metal Album? 

Catfish today.

J-Tull Dot Com and Crest of Knave, the rest while are ok are far from great.