LIVING IN THE PAST

Although essentially a compilation album featuring non-album singles and B-sides, EPs, and previously unreleased tracks from their earlier days, along with a few selected album and live tracks, released to capitalize on the newfound success of the band (post-Aqualung and TAAB), this album still deserves to be included among the top tier of Tull albums due to the abundance of great songs that are not included on any other album. And most of the singles, etc. had never been released in the US (only the UK), so it did contain mostly 'new' songs at that time. Not coincidentally, it also contains some of the band's greatest songs ever. In particular, all the songs from the EP Life's a Long Song (1971) are stellar (Life's a Long Song is one of my all-time favorite songs), and had not been heard in US previously. Those plus the addition of previously unreleased songs from earlier sessions make this an essential part of any Tull collection, and a stellar album. Best tracks: Life's a Long Song, Wond'ring Again, Living in the Past, Nursie, Witch's Promise, Teacher, Love Story, Just Trying to Be. Rating: 4.5