A start for Tull?
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Topic: A start for Tull?
Posted By: ____VdGG____
Subject: A start for Tull?
Date Posted: April 10 2006 at 23:35
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I have never heard a single Jethro Tull album (not a single song, for that matter) and would love to get some suggestions for a good starter. I would also like to say that although I've never heard Tull, I am NOT new to prog and have for some reason just have thus far missed this supposedly great band. So no one sends me too many non-Tull suggestions, my favorite bands are: VdGG, Magma, KC, GY!BE, Camel, Gentle Giant, Genesis, KLaus Schulze, Yes, Opeth, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Tool, Rush, and Voivod to name a few. Thank-You  ------------- Iron throated monsters are forcing the screams; Mind and machinery box-press our dreams |
Replies:
Posted By: TOD KREMER
Date Posted: April 10 2006 at 23:39
| Songs From The Wood and then go in reverse order. |
Posted By: Cheesecakemouse
Date Posted: April 10 2006 at 23:42
| Thick as a brick is a masterpiece of Prog. Get it you won't be disappointed. It heavily influenced Gentle Giants music for one, its just such a great album, i'm not that into JTull but this album is one incredible exception for me. |
Posted By: ____VdGG____
Date Posted: April 10 2006 at 23:49
Yeah, TAAB was what I was eyeing last time I was at the store. I'm going to go buy it then...  ------------- Iron throated monsters are forcing the screams; Mind and machinery box-press our dreams |
Posted By: Ultaigh
Date Posted: April 10 2006 at 23:57
You won't be dissapointed one bit! ------------- 
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____VdGG____ wrote:Posted By: Rorro
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 02:00
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awesome album, one trully masterpiece, but maybe if you listen to this album first, you will expect the others to be that good, and i don't think their other albums are that good, but they are all great. |
Posted By: razifa
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 02:55
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"Songs From The Wood", a good point to start. Believe me.... I like similar music from yours and I started with it and now I love this band. ------------- ********** **razifa** ********** |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 04:01
| Aqualung is also a good place to start. |
Posted By: Dragon Phoenix
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 04:30
Don't know. I was. A solid normal album, but nothing special to my ears. Aqualung might be a better place to start, as it has more variation. ------------- Blog this: http://artrock2006.blogspot.com |
Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 04:39
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Thick as a Brick - a prog masterpiece ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">  |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 05:12
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Go to my site and get all the best possible songs belong to each album session. Alot of these songs are bonus songs and some are not even available on the remasters. You will love the new sound of the last four 80s albums. New improved sound engineered songs ;) http://www.raylomus.com/Jethro_Tull.html - http://www.raylomus.com/Jethro_Tull.html |
Posted By: eddietrooper
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 05:44
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Same opinion here.
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Posted By: BiGi
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 05:49
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Jethro Tull went through several periods during their career...there may well be more than one "starting point". Let's see... Blues-influenced (1968-1970) Stand Up and Benefit are both strong and good (I prefer the latter personally)...I would take a little more care with This Was, since it's slightly more difficult to assimilate. The singles released in this period are also worth more than one listen (especially Love Story, Sweet Dream, Living in the Past): you can find them altogether in the compilation Living in the Past (which is another good starting point) Hard rock/prog rock (1971-1976? I'm a little dubious about TOTRR:TOTD) Aqualung is one of their most convincing outputs, and definitely should represent the perfect starting point in exploring the second phase of their career! Thick as a brick and A Passion Play are definitely beautiful efforts, but IMHO they require to be listened to after you have gotten into their sound by means of shorter songs... Folk prog (1975-1979) The most peculiar "Tull sound" comes from this phase (the one I love most). I recommend Songs from the Wood straight from the heart! It contains some of the finest compositions by the band (The Whistler, Velvet Green and naturally the title track). Then go for Heavy horses with its majestic title track and then Stormwatch. (the second and third phase IMHO overlap...in Minstrel in the Gallery you can find several folkish elements - for instance in the title track) Electronic-influenced (1980-1984) Come the eighties, the sound of Tull becomes heavily different from the one they used to deliver in the previous decade, using synthesizers galore (courtesy of Eddie Jobson and Peter-John Vettese) and electronically treated rhythm sections (cum grano salis, luckily!) The Broadsword and the Beast is their most consistent output from this phase, containing valuable melodies and arrangements. A is not bad at all, while I think Under wraps is a lesser effort, containing way too much filler and exceeding electronic devices contamination. Hard rock II (1987-1991) Tull returns to the conventional standards of rock (a high quality one, however!) with the release of Crest of a Knave, where most of the heavy layers of synth that characterized the previous albums have disappeared, bringing Martin Barre's precious guitar work to the fore! The electronic treatments tend to become rarer and rarer with the following Rock Island and Catfish Rising...all of them are outstanding, however I slightly prefer the middle one. The only thing that lets me down in this phase is that at times they tend to sound too much like Dire Straits!!! New influences (1995-now) With Roots to branches, Tull becomes closer to asian influences, and with Dot.com they approach also southamerican flavours, resulting in two very good albums! I would rather suggest Roots to branches, in which the songwriting is definitely stronger than in the following effort. To summarize, I would suggest you go for the following releases:
Other valuable sources are the compilations Living in the Past and 20 Years of Jethro Tull Enjoy the ride! ------------- A flower? 
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 05:54
| Broadsword has some very good songs, but it could do without 3 or 4 songs. Beastie, Cheerio, Broadsword and Slow Marching band are album fillers. It surely could have done with a few of the 16 bonus tracks, especially Too many Too, Jackalynn(the non drum version), Down at the end of your road, I'm your gun. A is a better album, with some of Tulls best prog songs. I'd pick Dotcom before Roots also. Roots is solid and consistent, but it doesn't have songs that match Awol, Wicked windows, Far Alaska imo. The songs from Roots sound lesss intersesting and not as well written, but they have good passages |
Posted By: BiGi
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 06:21
Well, RtB struck me like lightning the first time I heard it When I first listenend to Dot.com, instead, it was a bit of a letdown: it surely took more time to grow on me! ------------- A flower?
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 06:29
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From each of the periods I would recommend:
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10"> |
Posted By: bundy
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 07:54
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Pretty much agree with BIGi's post. The first three eras are the most interesting IMO. I would recommend Benefit, Thick as A Brick or Aqualung and either Songs from the Wood or Stormwatch, from each of these eras. There's no such thing as a "bad" JT album as far as I'm concerned; they're all good, it's just some are better than others. ------------- They who know do not speak! They who talk do not know! |
Posted By: Rising Force
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 08:05
| Only Tull album I have is Aqualung. |
Posted By: Firepuck
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 08:21
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VdGG, I can't believe you have so much 70's prog and have never heard any Jethro Tull! All suggestions so far are good but I would get 'Aqualung' and 'Thick As A Brick' as a starting point - you will enjoy the journey. 'Songs From The Wood' and 'Minstrel In The Gallery' are also excellent introductions, there is a reason why all four are in the top 100.
------------- Kryten : "'Pub'? Ah yes, A meeting place where humans attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks." |
Posted By: lmollea
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 08:42
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All praise BiGi's deep JT analisys.... I'll suggest my picks.
I agree with most, but I feel you should take a look (take an ear  ) also to Heavy Horses and A. After a good introduction, don't miss Thick as a Brick. It will be quite a rollercoaster experience, but be assured it's worth it... And if - by chance - you like Dire Straits, go straight for Crest Of A Knave, if you don't like them, stay away from it (i like it, though). JT had the good idea of never doing anything the same, there's always something new. Some ideas are great, some less (for example Under Wraps), so all album are more or less a unique experience. And, as long as JT discography is quite vast, you'll have a long and winding road to go! ------------- Semm che, semm che settà giò in del bar / a cercà l'universo nel bucèer del Cynar cosmonauti al tavolino cun la sigareta in bùca / che vemm a cambià el mund apena finissum la sambuca |
Posted By: blazno
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 08:44
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Posted By: Jools
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 08:57
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I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the live one from '78 "Bursting Out". Serves as a very good best of to that time. I'd recommend anyone start with this. ------------- Ridicule is the burden of genius. |
Posted By: Lazy
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 13:01
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First I would recommend you to listen in this order.....
------------- ...And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone... |
Posted By: KeysToAscension
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 13:54
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Other recommended order: 1) Stand Up &nbs p; 1969 2) Benefit ; 1970 3) Aqualung &nbs p; 1971 4) Thick as a Brick 1972 + J-Tull.com Roots to Branches Or Live albums |
Posted By: Fritha
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 16:44
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I was introduced with Aqualung myself about a year ago, but I can't say that it impressed me all that greatly... I then got Thick As A Brick and was pretty much immediately sold on the band! A while after that even Aqualung started to sound like a fine album in my ears... One just never knows what may take a person's fancy, but TAAB surely must be regarded as one of those must-have prog albums for somebody as into prog as you seem to be, VdGG! (Then again, who am I to preach about must-have albums, while still lacking 'In The Court' in my own collection, lol)
------------- I was made to love magic |
Posted By: Flip_Stone
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 19:07
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That's good that one of your liked bands is Gentle Giant. I'd say that there are some similarities in sound between Gentle Giant and Tull around the Thick as a Brick / Passion Play / War Child years. Thick as a Brick is of course great, but it might be hard to get into with it essentially being one LONG song. My recommendation then is: War Child, then Songs From the Wood, then Thick, then Passion Play, then the rest.... P.S. Aqualung is very overrated IMHO.
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Posted By: zappaholic
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 21:37
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Alternately, any number of compilations are available. I have the 2-disc "25th Anniversary Collection", which provides a pretty solid overview from "This Was" all the way through to "Rock Island".
------------- "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken |
Posted By: Ty1020
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 21:38
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Thick As A Brick was my first exposure to the band and I fell in love
right away. It's one of my favourite albums of all time now.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Ty1020/"> 
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Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: April 11 2006 at 22:08
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my suggestion is: Songs from the wood, Ministrel in the gallery and then with Thick as a brick and A passion play
------------- 
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Posted By: White Duck
Date Posted: April 12 2006 at 10:29
| All are great but the essential is maybe in Aqualung,Brick,Minstrel,Songs and Heavy Horses. You have to get too the live bootlegs to know one of the most original bands in music history. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: April 12 2006 at 11:56
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Since you have a lot of 70's prog album the safest thing (and most enjoyable too
Start chronologically << there is no way you will not like them , and soon or later you will have lots of their albums, >> so you are in the enviable position where you can discover them as they evolved. I wish I had that opportunity when I first approched them Start chronologically from This Was until Passion Play Once you get to War Child >> find the Chateau D'Ysater album aznd listento both. Do listen to Living In The past>>> integral part of Tull >> never has a compilation album has been so essential Skip the awful TOTRNR:TYTD but keep tto the other albums until the very average Stormwatch. The next albums (early 80's) are a diffferent group >> only Anderson and Barre remains from the 70's Tull and it sure sounds like it!!! I would say avoid the whole period but especially Under Wraps All three hard blues-rock albums between 87 and 91 are expandable also, but not bad either. RtB is a fine return to form ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: sm sm
Date Posted: April 12 2006 at 15:31
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Try to get the live "Bursting Out", specifically the single cd version as the double priced/double cd contains only a couple more tracks and no extras not included on the lp. Else try buying the lp, but don't pay an extravagant price for it like some do on EBAY resulting such records being bought for profit, to sell on EBAY because certain suckers will pay such prices. Avoid Too Old to rock and roll (bad songwriting) and Under Wraps (Miami Vice synth production) Broadsword is not bad - it is much like King Crimson's Islands in varied tunes. |
Posted By: ____VdGG____
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 01:18
Your idea sounds like a good one Mr. Trane, and I happen to be in strong belief as well that chronologically is the way to go whenever possible, but the only Tull albums I've ever even seen in my music-deprived city of Winnipeg (I know you know where that is...) are TAAB and the Too old to rock and roll one  But thank-you everyone for being so wonderfully helpful in my search for Tull. I appreciate it, being able to talk with people who actually like GOOD music ------------- Iron throated monsters are forcing the screams; Mind and machinery box-press our dreams |
Posted By: reality
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 02:38
| I am just amazed you have never heard Tull, have you ever turned on the radio up there in canada? Tull gets played three times a day where I am now. Anyway Thick as a Brick! |
Posted By: Zepology101
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 10:38
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Thick as a brick! Thats how i started in not only jethro tull, but in Prog in general ------------- 
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Posted By: Gianthogweed
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 11:24
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Honestly, everything they released in the 70's was great. My favorites are Thick as a Brick, A Passion Play, Minstrel in the Gallery and Songs from the Wood. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 18:59
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Go out and buy yourself the following remastered albums. Aqualung(1971)-also download the super remix version of Life is a long song from my site from 1971. If you pick up Living in the past(1972), you will find even more Aqualung bonus songs. I'll provide the cooler version of Locomotive breath on my site soon Living in the past(1972) Thick as a brick(1972) Warchild(1974)-many strong bonus tracks Songs from the wood(1977) Heavy horses(1978)-several strong bonus tracks. Also download Blues instrumental from my site from 1978 Bursting out(1978)-live Stormwatch(1979)-several strong bonus tracks A(1980) Broadsword(1982)-several strong bonus tracks. Also download the much better version of Jackalynn from my site as well as Motoreyes from 1981. If you pick up Nightcap(1992), you will find even more Broadsword bonus songs. Roots to branches(1995)-hopefully the future remaster includes the 5 unreleased bonus tracks Dotcom(1999)-also download It all trickles down from my site from 1999 If this isn't a brilliant appertiser, you need to see a doctor ;) |
Posted By: Richardw
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 19:20
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I totally agree. Bursting Out is a great sampler for Jethro Tull's music. It's a great album. |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 19:27
those are the 4 I'd recommend... in that order...  ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: TFTO
Date Posted: April 16 2006 at 16:16
| You should start with Aqualung and then e.g. Heavy Horses (my favourite), or you should try excellent live double album Bursting Out. |
Posted By: smithers
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:32
| Only get remastered albums. You will find almost 2 albums worth of material on the Warchild remaster. It has the original album of commercial songs from the Warchild movie soundtrack and almost an album worth of bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are the real Tull songs which are typically heavy prog folk songs. Try listening to the remaster starting from the last song in reverse order. I listen to it in this order because I consider most of the original songs to be the actual album rejects. I think this would have been the case if the band weren't recording this album as a soundtrack. Some of those original songs may not have even been written or recorded either. But there are some pretty cool original songs like Warchild, Queen and country, Only solitaire and Skating away. These 4 songs and the 7 bonus tracks make a great album worth of prog |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:40
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Well, so far, the best suggestion I've heard is "Bursting Out." But no one has mentioned (I believe) LIVING IN THE PAST! I am convinced it is THE place to start. I'm gonna test that theory...one of these days... ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:47
| I got The Best Of Jethro Tull, a 2001 release I think. It was a really good compilation of songs but Ian cut some songs like Heavy Horses down. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:51
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I would say Brick but since you're gonna get it anyway, get 'Heavy Horses' while you're at it. If you like those two, it's a candy store of greats: Benefit, Passion Play, Minstrel in the Gallery, and the rest mentioned here. I like Whistler's suggestion of 'Living in the Past', it is a great starter (and you can't beat that faux leather cover on the original LP). |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:52
I once thought as you did... Based on this album, I thought that:
1) Broadsword was a bad song (it's really okay)
2) Heavy Horses was a boring song (it's really FREAKIN' AWESOME)
3) Minstrel was nothing to write home about (it's the best Tull song ever)
4) Too Olde was decent but slow (...not gonna disagree)
5) Thick as a Brick was three minutes long (although that made hearing the full album all the sweeter).
IN SHORT: not really recommended. I hate compilations. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 03:55
Yes, truly the Whistler is a god-like Tull-related genius. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:01
Well, sometimes you do have your moments... |
Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:02
No, no, you got it all wrong. He is a Genius-related Tull god. |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:03
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YES! MOMENTS!
...YES! POINTLESSLY DRAGGING THIS OUT, THUS SCARING OFF POTENTIAL POSTERS!!! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:03
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YES! NOT QUOTING THE POST! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:04
| HAHA NOT SCARING OFF POTENTIAL POSTERS LIKE ME! |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:04
YES! NOT DESCRIBING MYSELF RIGHT!
Ian would be so proud, if only he were here...I think I'll email him again! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:09
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This was Stand up Aqualung Living in the past TAAB    |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:12
Love those pics 
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Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:15
Can't see those pics. 
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:20
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YES! THIS (and maybe the Noobies) EQUALS THE NEW VR!!! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:26
| No that wouldn't be right, not fair to VdGG-- just walk away, Whist, just walk away... |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:27
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1969    |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 04:35
But I finally had my dream thread!
...Oh, alright. Just for you. But I'm saving some of those pictures! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: smithers
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 16:51
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LIVING IN THE PAST, BURSTING OUT and THICK AS A BRICK are the first Tull cd's to get for sure. But after those you have alot of great remasters to get. There is enough quality songs on the following remasters:
HEAVY HORSES
STORMWATCH
WARCHILD
SONGS FROM THE WOOD
BENEFIT
STAND UP
A
AQUALUNG
BROADSWORD
A PASSION PLAY
DOTCOM
ROOTS TO BRANCHES
CATFISH RISING
CREST OF A KNAVE
NIGHTCAP
A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC
So much great music. I'd leave Minstrel, Too old to RnR, This Was to last. They are pretty good, but the other remasters above have more cool stuff. I'm amazed how many people rate Minstrel so highly. It can drag on a bit and I think Ian was a bit flat with the song writing
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Posted By: Fassbinder
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 19:08
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...meanwhile back to the initial question...
Personally, I would suggest to start with Bursting Out, Heavy Horses, and Aqualung (it worked beautifully for me, so why not for anyone else?).
But, in fact, it does not really matter what to start from. Just start, with anything, and you, probably, will be caught. Forever...
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Posted By: smithers
Date Posted: December 09 2006 at 22:33
The gap between TAAB and most of the other albums has really narrowed down since all of the remasters include great bonus tracks. There is not a weak Tull remaster from the periods 1968-1982 and 1990-2000 and the year 1987. Plenty of great stuff. This page will be very helpful for you
http://raylomus.com/tull.doc - http://raylomus.com/tull.doc
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Posted By: Scapler
Date Posted: December 10 2006 at 20:22
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TAAB! TAAB! TAAB!
------------- Bassists are deadly 
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