Jethro Tull

I always thought of it more as Ian's humor. "I don't think they'll like this very much," because it's, like, a medieval audience recieving hard rock.

I prefer it over both TaaB and Aqualung.

fuxi wrote: The Whistler wrote: What do I think of Minstrel? It, uh, how can I phrase this correctly...rocks? Like, hard? Like, super hard?I once made the mistake of putting the album on top of the Yes Album. (sniff) Poor thing was crushed under the HEAVY WOOD that is Minstrel. That song is, like, my favoritest Tull number evah. (The first side of the album is fantastic; Minstrel, "favoritest Tull number evah," the fun and rockin' Cold Wind, Black Satin Dancer, great guitar work. Requiem is quite nice. All drifty and weepy. Side two sags a little. One White Etc. is good, but overlong. Baker Street Muse is a little too much, but the opening and closing sections are great. The finisher, Grace, is just fantastic--currently my favorite album closer, beating out Eclipse) Hi there Whistler, ('I have a fife...') I think we'd make great friends! As I said earlier, in my view the opening and closing tracks of MINSTREL are the weakest of the entire album. Still, I can honestly say that Jethro Tull are one of my favourite bands. They've done some embarrassing things, but which rock band hasn't, and I completely agree that all their seventies recordings are delightful! Although I still don't know TOO OLD...

Minstrel is the bands 2nd weakest moment of the 70s. Some good tunes, but none are outstanding. I prefer all other remasters except Too old to RnR, which is equal with Minstrel remaster.  The sound and the song writing doesn't match TAAB at all. TAAB is excellent, Minstrel is good but Summerday sands is lovely. Minstrel is not as good as SFTW, A or Heavy horses. It is not as good as the bands years 1970, 1971 1974 or 1979. Tull had too many good songs from those 4 years on the Stormwatch, Benefit, Warchild and Aqualung REMASTERS and Living in the past. I think Too old to RnR is a good remaster and I love strip cartoon. 1975 and 1976 are good years for the band, but they are a step below all other 70s years. A passion play is mildly better than 1975 and 1976 too 

Minstrel in the Gallery = excellence

Minstrel in the Gallery is very strong album. Very divertive, in the good old Jethro Tull tradition, with some superb musicianship.

Asyte2c00 wrote: I think Stand Up s the hidden gem regarding Tull albums.    No one really ventures there becasue it was during their blues-folk period before the became prog.    This Was  commendable effort, shoddy production, inconsistent thoguh, definitely shows potential.    Stand Up - solid Blues Folk album, Terrific Record, Consisten throughout.    Benefit - Sadly, i could never listen to this is one sitting.  Surprising, its more accessible than other tull records, like A Passion Play, but yeah, pretty lifeless, A dry run a Aqualung just as many say Obscured by Clouds was a dry run fro Dark Side of the Moon   However, Tull redeems themselves with Nothing is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wright 1970 performing renditions of songs which appear on the three aforementioned albums.  "Dharma for One" is great.  Clive Bunker rules.

Edited by smithers - November 08 2006 at 04:30

Cold wind to valhalla is good but sounds like a broken record, Barlow plays same thing

Edited by smithers - November 05 2006 at 22:26

'75 is, of course, my favorite year for prog 'n roll, because of certain songs from certain bands. Minstrel, favorite Tull tune, Wish You Were Here, favorite Floydster, and 21st Century Schizoid Man, offa the USA live album (my favorite version of that song).

i agree that stormwatch is a cool album and the stormwatch remaster has the best bonus tracks of the bands late 70s remasters. So 1977, 78 and 79 are 3 excellent years for the band. I will also include A as a fine album. Broadsword isn't a great album but it is still good, but 1982 has more than 10 fine songs. How can people forget I'm your gun, Motoreyes, Too many Too, Down at the end of your road and Jackalynn which didnt feature any percussion. The band was on top of the world from 1977-1982. But they were also on top of the world from 1969-1974. The remasters have incredible bonus songs. Minstrel and Too old are a slight drop in form. I even prefer the 90s albums

Edited by smithers - November 06 2006 at 07:24