New to Jethro Tull - recommendations

They've gone through various phases, and the list you've got (with the exception of Heavy Horses) fall into what I call 'the early days'

I'd suggest:

Aqualung (their masterpiece imo)
Minstrel in the Gallery (similar to Passion Play though in some ways)
Burstin Out (live set)
Stormwatch
Broadsword & the Beast

Provide a good spread...others will have much different lists I'm sure though.

Tull are like an old teddy you carry through life.

Trying to span a few era's of their development and mixing in my favourites I'd plump for:

Aqualung
Minstrel in the Gallery
Songs from the Wood
Stormwatch
Broadsword

Burstin Out is a great live set though.

Hard to go wrong really, I even like Crest of a Knave and A, which seem to divide opinion.

Thank you, Mat.

I'm with mat, I've enjoyed (at least in part) every JT album I've heard. I think the list of Mats, with what you already have, should cover the maximum Tull.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Luxen,
This is a very good collection.
Has a bit of everything on it.

Stu

Seconded.

Chris N

I have a limited knowledge of Tull but I recommend...


Aqualung
Songs From The Woods.

You cannot beat a bit of ProgFluteTasticTull.



Dean..

spooky, as I've just got round to replacing my JT on casette (OK leave me alone, I am an 80s child!) with cd versions.

Obviously started with Aqualung.

Strongly recommend the Original Masters too!

@all

GRACIAS!!!!

Will see where to get what....

Just listening to the DCC-version of "Aqualung"...

Awesome...very sweet music...innovative...cool vocals...flute.

Very nice.

Thanx!!!!

'Thick as a Brick' is also worth hearing if you want to try their big 'prog', or prog spoof, album.

Other than that the ones already suggested are good.

My favourites are:

'Minstrel in the Gallery'
(I used to drive down Baker Street on my from work, and often played 'Baker Street Muse', as well as this album being the soundtrack, together with an Underworld album, to one of the loveliest country holiday's I ever had).
'Stand Up'
'Benefit'
'Aqualung'
'Heavy Horses'
'Thick as a Brick'
'Stormwatch' (such a sad album, every song is an elegy, describing some passing, except 'Warm Sporran')

I like 'Songs from the Wood, and 'Living in the Past' too, but I have never got into 'Passion Play', 'Warchild' or 'Too Old to Rock and Roll...', they don't quite seem to gel for me.

A lot of people like 'Broadsword and the Beast', but it has always felt thin to me, great songs, but does not feel like a band, the rhythm section is just session guys, and after Barrmore Barlow and (the late) John Glascock, and before them Clive Bunker and Glen Cornick, they had a lot to follow.

There are some great live recordings, 'Bursting Out', 'Nothing is Easy - Isle of White 1969' (do not bother with the DVD, too much talking, too little playing). The 25 years box set has a great live performance from New York, but is probably not worth justifying the cost just for that.

They are also well worth seeing live, Ian Anderson is a great entertainer, and Martin Barre a very underrated guitarist. I have seen them five times now, about once every five years, sadly only after the Barrymore Barlow days, but the 90's band was pretty good on stage.

I really dug Tull way back in the day, and still do but hadn't listened in quite awhile until recently, when I was asked to play a concert with a great local band called Tributosaurus, which, every month, "becomes" a different artist/band, the selection of which leaning mostly on "dinosaurs" as the band name would imply. Great musicians, and they really do their homework, getting all the little parts and sounds just right. It's a total blast playing with them, and so far I've joined them for Earth Wind and Fire, James Taylor, and Jethro Tull. (I'll be with them again on July 4th as they "become" Elvis.)

Anyway, immersing myself in Tull for the recent gig was wonderful, reconnecting with that music. I'm especially fond of their earlier albums ... some of the later prog stuff is cool although it can get a bit fussy for my taste. But the earlier stuff is more blues-rock based, with an English madrigal bent, of course ... tuneful, inventive and swinging with great verve and joy.

My suggestions would be:

This Was
Stand Up
Benefit
Aqualung

If forced to choose just one, it would definitely be Stand Up.

Enjoy!

Fred

If Jethro Tull is something you like then it might be worth of checking out also Ian Anderson solo projects.

I really like the following piece:

quote:

Originally posted by Mat Cork:

Aqualung (their masterpiece imo)

Couldn't agree more and if you're lucky enough to get your hands on a DCC you're in music heaven.

Living In The Past is a good compilation of the early to mid years but contains some striking omissions which could have replaced the two live numbers on the second Cd (side 3 of the double LP). You can pretty much dip in anywhere and score a bulls eye. Benefit, Aqualung, Warchild, Songs From The Wood and Stormwatch would be my first picks. As said, Bursting Out is an excellent live album with a good spread of songs. I also like Under Wraps very much because it is different. I expect this puts me in a pretty small minority. There are some Jananese paper sleeve issues still knocking about for some titles which sound prety god to me. Have fun.

quote:

Just listening to the DCC-version of "Aqualung"...

Has anyone recommended Warchild - it is partly made from Passion Play out takes. Good though

I think "Crest of knave" is also a nice album.
Particularly the song "Budapest" is a late highlight.

quote:

Originally posted by ft-o8:
I think "Crest of knave" is also a nice album.
Particularly the song "Budapest" is a late highlight.

One of my favourite Tull tracks...a cheeky little lyric that Anderson is great at.

quote:

Originally posted by stephenjohn:
Has anyone recommended Warchild - it is partly made from Passion Play out takes. Good though

Yes

Jethro Tull was my first ever live concert - with opening acts of Rory Gallagher and Robin Trover. At Shea Stadium in NYC. (If I could go back in time to that day I would want to see RG again more than the other 2,,,I was too young to appreciate what I was seeing at the time.)

Aqualung is thir masterpiece. No one has mentioned "Too Old to Rock and Roll Too Young to Die" - it's got some good cuts on it too, although not in the class of the other albums already mentioned here.

Jethro Tull made lots of great records - Aqualung is superb, but any of their records is worth giving a spin. It's sometimes good to forget modern life and just stand up and enjoy the benefits of living in the past because on the inside, outside's so far away.

ATB Rotf

Start with "Thick as a Brick".

If you "get" that - you will get the rest of their work.

"Minstrel in the Gallery" is good too

I was a teenager in the early 70s and adored all JT albums until Too Old To Rock and Roll - but never did get Thick as a Brick, so don't be put off if you don't. I also like Passion Play, which many Tull fans hate - so again don't be put off. Minstrel in the Gallery is brilliant

Well, you seem to have been recommended every album that JT have made which I think shows that although their style has changed a few times over the decades their quality has been remarkably consistent. The album that got me hooked was "Benefit" so that is where I would recommend starting. The hardest one to get into was "Thick As A Brick", but worthwhile. The ones I listen to most now are:

Minstrel In The Gallery
Warchild
Aqualung

Although I have not heard every album they have released (i.e. Stormwatch and Broadsword) the only one I do not really enjoy is "Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll".

Pete L.

I own every JT album. many as remasters (which are generally excellent)

I think 'Best Of' compilations are not the way to go. The albums are often quite thematically and musically different, although individual tracks are fine you do lose the context with a compilation.

My own picks would be;

Early period. Stand Up and Aqualung

Mid period. Thick As A Brick or Minstrel plus Songs from The Wood or Heavy Horses.

Late period. Stormwatch and Broadsword

(Terminal period-Crest Of A Knave. Badly downhill after that IMHO.)

Bruce