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Jethro Tull - A Jethro Tull Collection CD (album) cover

A JETHRO TULL COLLECTION

Jethro Tull

 

Prog Folk

2.58 | 27 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer
3 stars It is true that there are some weak points in this compilation effort. It is also a one CD compil so it is rather difficult to provide a broad picture of their inmense catalogue. At least we don't get Aqualung or a three minute excerpts from "Thick" or "APP". It is also weird that one goes from one era to the other without any logic. Since it is a compilation and that I have reviewed each of the Tull's album, I have copied here my opinion of each of the track.

"Dharma for One" from "Stand Up" is another instrumental which will be often celebrated live (the format being seriously expanded to more than ten minutes like in their Isle of Wight show). The drum solo is quite unusual on a studio album to be mentioned (Led Zep will also do that on "Moby Dick" in 1969), but this is a rather average track (not "Moby Dick" but "Dharma").

"Locomotive Breath" from "Aqualung" is renderd live here. There will be several official live versions for this track. At times harder, at times weaker. But very few times superior to the studio one. This one is just another live one. Not better, not poorer.

"Acres Wild" from "Heavy Horses" has a medieval architecture combined with a strong, hard tendancy. This is the good side of this album (as far as I am concerned) : Tull is hard rocking anytime they can.

"Wind Up" ("Aqualung") is the fourth masterpiece of the album. Ian's emotional vocals are very powerful in this song : again a crescendo building. Acoustic intro (guitar and vocals) : very slow tempo. Then, the piano joins after one minute. The drum after another thirty-five seconds. Then, all of a sudden (around minute two), Barre switches from acoustic to electric guitar to offer us one of the most harmonious hard-rocking part of a Tull song. Absolutely brilliant. After 4'15", the listener is brought back again to square one.

"War Child" : the title track is good and provides some hope about the album.

"Budapest" from "Crest" : this one starts a bit like "Baker Street Muse" : acoustic, slow tempo. A quiet Ian on vocals. Some guitar work reminds me of a band I already have mentioned twice in this review. The rythm increases and the melody starts to be really catchy. Short instrumental breaks features some great keys and nice acoustic guitar (gypsy style, of course this is "Budapest" right) ?

Although it is simpler in its structure than "Baker" (less variations and it sounds more like a standard song), I would consider it as another Tull epic (the last one being precisely "Baker" from "Minstrel"). "The Whistler" also has the middle age flavour. Not the Tull I prefer. This type of "rocking gigue" is quite awful and altough some people might think that this is how Tull sounds great, I just cannot cope with this. "We Used to Know" from "Stand Up" : Barre's job here is great. It is a really enjoyable track : it is a true indication of what will come next ("Benefit"). One of the (too) few highlights here.

When you spin it and listen to "Beastie", the opener, you understand immediately that the synth/pop era is (hopefully) gone. This is a good old Tull tune : hard rocking with great guitar from Martin.

"Rare and Precious Chain" from "Roots..." : has nice percussions and hypnotic tempo. I guess that if they would have produced a video clip for this one, we surely have had a belly dancer alongside Ian.

"Quizz Kid" from "Too Old..." : opens the album very nicely. Like in most concept albums, there will a theme will come back later on in the album (in this particular case in the title track). It is one of the best song : a mix of acoustic and electric, hard rocking tune.

Another blues with "Still Loving You Tonight" from "Catfish" with some beautiful guitar breaks, it is a very melodious song and can be considered as a highlight.

"Living in the Past" from "Stand Up" is probably the greatest track on this work : great riff, fantastic rythm and superb flute.

Actually I believe that this compilation is totally useless.

The newcomer to Tull will miss the great numbers.

The fan will have most of those ones already and would not really like to spin it as such frequently. Three stars.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 |

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