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freyacat 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 17 2004
Location: United States
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Points: 146
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 Posted: May 26 2011 at 10:31 |
"A Passion Play" actually taught me to listen to progressive rock. I listened to this LP over and over, trying to comprehend what I was hearing.
It is composed along the lines of a 4-act play, with an intermission.
It deals with concepts of death, human bondage, God and the devil, and enlightenment, with a rich mix of irony and sincerity.
Musically it is unlike any other Jethro Tull album, making greater use of saxophone and synthesizer. It incorporates medieval and jazz styles in a very unique and compelling blend.
The intermission's theme of blindness, expressed in a ridiculous parody of childrens' literature, is actually a commentary on the rest of the album, and on the difficulty of the spiritual striving described therein.
Ian Anderson cleverly disavows this album for some reason these days, but when you listen to it, you can tell he meant it at the time. And it is so much better than the "Chateau D'saster" sessions which were an initial dead-end attempt at the same thing.
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sad creature nailed upon the coloured door of time
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Hober Mallow
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 26 2011
Location: Everywhere
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Points: 178
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 12:36 |
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Honestly I don't understand why it gets a bad wrap, equally as good as TAAB.
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“When Fortuna spins you downward, go out to a movie and get more out of life.” John Kennedy Toole
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frippism
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 27 2010
Location: Tel Aviv
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Points: 4160
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 13:58 |
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To this day it's my favorite JT album
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There be dragons
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yanch
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 03 2010
Location: Lowell, MA
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Points: 3247
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 14:01 |
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Was just listening to it again yesterday and it is just tremendous. Even The Hare..is not so bad, actually rather funny. Easily as good, and maybe even better than TAAB in some ways. Definitely my favorite Tull album.
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thellama73
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Joined: May 29 2006
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Points: 8368
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 14:42 |
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It is definitely my favorite JT album as well, with Minstrel in the Gallery second. I agree with othersthat Thick as a Brick just doesn't hold up the way it used to, but these albums are still great.
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tamijo
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 06 2009
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 4287
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 14:45 |
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hmm, at page 4, i guess you allready know its worth a listen
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Prog is whatevey you want it to be. So dont diss other peoples prog, and they wont diss yours
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29630
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 15:27 |
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No
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Warthur
Prog Reviewer
Joined: January 06 2008
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 617
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 16:07 |
I think the "Chateau D'isaster" tapes (as presented on Nightcap) are actually better, but A Passion Play is still a decent JT album. Certainly if you love Thick as a Brick it's worth giving it a listen.
That said, I still don't like the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles. But I worked out a way to skip it whilst listening to the album so that clumsy hare doesn't bother me any more. :)
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lucas
Special Collaborator
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Joined: February 06 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 8138
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 16:22 |
 Hober Mallow wrote:
Honestly I don't understand why it gets a bad wrap. |
yes, it's not under wraps 
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"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Slartibartfast
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Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 17:47 |
Warthur wrote:
I think the "Chateau D'isaster" tapes (as presented on Nightcap) are actually better |
Not better, yet I like it, too. It's a really interesting mix of music that made it to other albums and stuff that didn't.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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FunkyM
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 12 2010
Location: Funkytown
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Points: 134
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 20:58 |
It may well be my favourite album of all time. So, probably not, no. 
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Catcher10
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Joined: December 23 2009
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Posted: August 25 2011 at 21:59 |
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I don't believe it is bad at all. It took me awhile to really enjoy it, ya gotta dig deep. I only have it on vinyl and I remember having to force myself to flip to Side B (uuugh). Today I can listen to both sides and like it a lot. The gatefold sleeve, playbill booklet and stuff really helps a lot too.
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awaken77
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 25 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 374
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 02:36 |
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I think APP is great, but quite hard to get into it at first attempt.
Compare it to Yes "Relayer"
If TAAB is a Close To The Edge, so APP is JT's Relayer.
First is melodic, and catch your ear immediately. Second is more challenging at first sight, but if you hear it many times, you'll love it
Edited by awaken77 - September 02 2011 at 02:37
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Slartibartfast
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Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29630
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 08:06 |
Many years ago it was harder for me to find a copy to buy than to get into it once I heard it. Note to self, do not ask stonebeard for music recommendations. 
Edited by Slartibartfast - September 02 2011 at 08:35
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stonebeard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 27 2005
Location: NE Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 28057
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 08:30 |
It's pretty useless.
It's sad when the best part is a monologue about a rabbit.
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A Person
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 10 2008
Location: __
Status: Offline
Points: 65760
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 09:19 |
stonebeard wrote:
It's sad when the best part is a monologue about a rabbit. |
I like the whole album, but that is really the best part.
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
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Points: 23179
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 09:22 |
A Person wrote:
stonebeard wrote:
It's sad when the best part is a monologue about a rabbit. |
I like the whole album, but that is really the best part.
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It´s funny I feel exactly the same as a person.
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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topographicbroadways
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 20 2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5575
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Posted: September 02 2011 at 09:23 |
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Yay another necro-posted thread
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imaginedmind
Forum Newbie
Joined: December 22 2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Points: 4
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Posted: September 03 2011 at 02:19 |
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A Passion Play isn't "bad" by any standards in my opinion. (War Child, on the other hand...maybe that just me.) My friend actually likes it a lot more than Thick as a Brick and it's one of his favorite albums. I think T-a-a-B is a little more well constructed and kept together where as it seems like they ran out of steam towards the end of Passion Play (keep in mind this album was completely rewritten after the infamous Chataeu D'isaster). But the "Forest Dance" 1 and 2 & Overseer Overture are still among my favorites of the band. I'd rate it probably their third best album after T-a-a-B and Minstrel in the Gallery. This is all relative of course. All of Jethro Tull's albums up until 1979 are exceptional (not bad 1979 either).
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Kirillov
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 03 2011
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 700
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Posted: September 05 2011 at 15:59 |
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I think it's a fine album, although it does take a few listens to appreciate. I loved TAAB the first time I heard it, but then found that it palled rather quickly. The opposite seemed to be true for A Passion Play.
Call me morbid, but I think that the 'deceased ballerina' makes for a great cover!
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Is "A Passion Play" as bad as everyone says?
