Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Jethro Tull - Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary: La Grande Edition CD (album) cover

MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY - 40TH ANNIVERSARY: LA GRANDE EDITION

Jethro Tull

Prog Folk

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Bookmark and Share
GKR
5 stars Much alike the "A Passion Play: an extended performance" this edition of "Minstrel in the Gallery" is almost superior to the original album. Besides the valuable information that the box contains (which, again, much alike the "A Passion Play..." we cannot even go further without spoilers), the tracks are remastered in a beautiful manner by Steven Wilson. The original album have something of a cold and stark sound (which I always though I liked), but this new version gain in a sweet echoey feeling in the acoustic songs. In the most electric parts, however, the sound is clear and without any kind of interference.

The live album is too something quite surprising: with more material from "Aqualung" and "WarChild", its a great show (that was recorded in video, but sadly only the "Minstrel in the Gallery" survived) with a strong performance that contains a bit of everything from the Hammond-Hammond era.

A must have to all prog-heads, not only Tull fans.

Report this review (#1407550)
Posted Saturday, May 2, 2015 | Review Permalink
Warthur
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars The La Grande Edition boxed set of Minstrel In the Gallery offers up a perfectly reasonable Steven Wilson sprucing-up of the original album, various odds and ends from the era, plus - perhaps best of all - Jakko Jakszyk's painstaking reconstruction of a July 1975 concert in Paris, in which he has skilfully covered over gaps in the existing tapes using recordings from the rehearsal in the venue that preceded the concert. Can you spot the gaps? Ian Anderson apparently couldn't and that's good enough for me.

This live show came in the window between much of the actual recording of the album being done and the final product being released, so it isn't as heavy on Minstrel-era material as you might think - though the title track does get an airing. In fact, the set list is quite heavy on material from Aqualung - 6 of its songs are offered up here. (By comparison, War Child - the then most-recently released album - only has 3 songs here).

The Paris show reveals just how ferocious a live unit Jethro Tull was in 1975, offering a firey interpretation of most of Aqualung plus selected other pieces here and there, and so is another apt choice for a show to include on this boxed set series.

Report this review (#2535758)
Posted Friday, April 16, 2021 | Review Permalink

JETHRO TULL Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary: La Grande Edition ratings only

chronological order | showing rating only

Post a review of JETHRO TULL Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary: La Grande Edition

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.