Record Reviews
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  | JETHRO TULL ~ A PASSION PLAY (AN EXTENDED PERFORMANCE)
CHRYSALIS 825646305674 (Barcode: 825646305674) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2014
This is a reissue of the sixth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title".
The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album. The second CD contains a new stereo mix of the abandoned / "lost" Chateau dīHerouville sessions, recorded shortly before the group recorded the "A Passion PlayFind albums with this title" album, which have been partly reissued over the years on different albums, but appear here in their entirety for the first time. The first DVD contains some video material and the high definition transfers and new mixes of the original album. The second DVD contains the high definition transfers and new mixes of the Chateau dīHerouville sessions.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
"A Passion Play" has been the most controversial Jethro Tull album in the bandīs history, recorded by a great lineup, which in addition to the leader / flautist / vocalist Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist includes also guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Slammed by the critics at the time of its release for being boring, over complex and self indulgent, it still sold well and the hordes of the bandīs fans supported it without reservations. It aged well and is to this very day a minor masterpiece as are all early albums by the group. Of course weīre unable to hear this music without making allowances for the historic background, the nostalgia and the personal sympathies surrounding the band and its music. The Chateau dīHerouville sessions turn out to be quite excellent, in spite of the initial judgment made at the time they actually happened. They are as good as the album itself and we should be thankful for bringing them back to life.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: | 2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ AQUALUNG (40TH ANNIVERSARY ADAPTED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 825646487080 (Barcode: 825646487080) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2016
This is a 40th Anniversary Edition (actually a 45th Anniversary Edition as it is almost identical to the "Deluxe Edition" of the album from 2011, in repackaged form) reissue of the fourth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases.
The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (eleven tracks). The second CD contains the new stereo remix of "Associated 1970 And 1971 Recordings" (ten tracks) and a flat transfer of the "Life Is A Long Song" EP (five tracks) and a radio advert. The first DVD contains the album and seven of the "associated recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the ten "associated recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the flat transfer of the original stereo master of the album in 96/24 LPCM stereo and the quad mix as 4.1 on AC3 Dolby Digital Surround, and finally the EP in 96/24 LPCM stereo. Also included is a "Life Is A Long Song" promotional video. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form or any previously unreleased material, but you get remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The groupīs lineup on this album is similar to the one on its predecessor "BenefitFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist (now listed as a full member of the group), the bass by Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist, who replaced Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist, and the drums by Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, except "Aqualung" lyrics being credited to Jennie AndersonFind albums by this artist.
This album transformed the group and their leader from the status of underground heroes to the status of modern heralds and leaders of what was exploding and emerging as the Art Rock / Progressive Rock phenomenon. Combining incredible talents with complete disregard towards commercialism and slaughtering "holy cows" by the herd, Anderson and his crew of minstrels created a masterpiece, which has never been surpassed by any other Prog outfit and with very few selected albums achieving perhaps the same level of perfection and potency.
A "concept" album, as appropriate for the times, this is a musical journey, which when taken once changes the traveler forever. If it was up to me, this would have been a compulsory listening to any human being at least once during their lifetime (preferably at a young age) and perhaps this world would be a better place to live? Beyond essential!
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 17/06/2018Posted: 17/06/2018 | 2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ AQUALUNG (EXPANDED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 495401 (Barcode: 724349540125) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 1998
Any serious approach towards this legendary and momentous album requires a scope far beyond what is possible and practical here and indeed much has been written about it, which any serious Prog enthusiast already must have come across during his wonderings. Therefore Iīll simply state that this was the 4th album by the illustrious Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, which transformed them and their leader / composer / flautist Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist from the status of underground heroes to the status of modern heralds and leaders of what was exploding and emerging as the Art Rock / Progressive Rock phenomenon. Combining incredible talents with complete disregard towards commercialism and slaughtering "holy cows" by the herd, Anderson and his crew of minstrels (guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist) created a masterpiece, which has never bees surpassed by any other Prog outfit and with very few selected albums achieving perhaps the same level of perfection and potency. A "concept" album, as appropriate for the times, this is a musical journey, which when taken once changes the traveler forever. If it was up to me, this would have been a compulsory listening to any human being at least once during their lifetime (preferably at a young age) and perhaps this world would be a better place to live? This edition offers a greatly improved remastered sound and some hyper-rare extra tracks, including BBC sessions. Beyond essential!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ BENEFIT (THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY ENHANCED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 190295201616 (Barcode: 190295201616) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 2021
This is a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue of the third album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases.
The reissue consists of four CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo remix of the original album (ten tracks) and seven associated recordings", also newly remixed. The second CD contains another twenty-one associated recordings", original mono and stereo singles mixes and new remixes of four tracks later included on the Living In The PastFind albums with this title compilation album and finally two radio spots. The third CD contains the Live At Tanglewood concert from 1970. The fourth CD contains the Live In Chicago concert, also from 1970. The first DVD contains the album and eight of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the Live At Tanglewood video with audio tracks in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. It arrives ten years too late, as it should have been done already in sequence with the other reissues, but better late than never? Its worth to mention that Wilson already produced a remix of this album in 2013, released as Collectors Edition, which includes almost all the audio material included here, but not the concert audio and video material, and was released in normal digipak format and not in the new digibook format.
The groupīs lineup on this album adds a keyboardist for the first time, namely John EvanFind albums by this artist, although he is not yet considered formally as a member of the group, and is the last one to include bassist Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, with drummer Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist steadily in charge of the rhythmic pulse.
Musically the album offers a natural development of the groups style, moving even more away from the early Blues influences into Rock riffs and Prog complexity, with a somewhat darker sound, and remains a classic of the early period of the group.
For many Jethro Tull fans this album marks the end of the early phase of the group standing on the verge of becoming a Prog icon. I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard!
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 24/01/2022Posted: 24/01/2022 | 4CD+2DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ HEAVY HORSES (NEW SHOES EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 190295757915 (Barcode: 190295757915) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1977 - 1978 Released: 2018
This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the eleventh album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases.
The reissue consists of three CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (nine tracks) and nine "associate recordings", seven of which are previously unreleased. The second and third CDs include live performances recorded in Berne, Switzerland in May 1978 (twenty two tracks), some of which were used for the "Bursting OutFind albums with this title" double LP released in September 1978. These tracks were remixed to stereo by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist. The first DVD contains the album and eight of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album and four additional "associate recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the tracks of the live Berne concert remixed by Jakko Jakszyk in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM) and promotional short videos. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on DVD, remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The groupīs lineup on this album is the same as on its predecessor "Songs From The WoodFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, but Palmer and Barre get credit for contributing some of the instrumental themes.
Musically the album continues the new stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered as the second album in the trinity of albums formed by "Songs From The Wood" this album and the forthcoming album "StormwatchFind albums with this title". Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with.
For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the groupīs long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard!
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 25/05/2018 | 3CD+2DVD 5 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ LIVE - BURSTING OUT (THE INFLATED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 5054197723971 (Barcode: 5054197723971) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1978 Released: 2024
This is a reissue of the 1st live album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, recorded during the 1978 European tour supporting the Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title album, and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of three CDs and three DVDs.
CD1 and CD2 contain the new stereo remix of the original album: eleven tracks, three of which are restored to their full version and five bonus tracks (soundcheck recordings, which are previously unreleased) on CD1 and ten tracks and three bonus tracks (soundcheck recordings, which are previously unreleased). The third CD contains new stereo remix of the audio tracks of the Live At Madison Square GardenFind albums with this title broadcast / video, captured later that year, edited to CD (sixteen tracks).
DVD1 and DVD2 contain the same material as CD1 and CD2, remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). They also include the flat transfer 96/24 PCM stereo of the original Live - Bursting OutFind albums with this title double LP. The third DVD includes the full 93 minutes Madison Square Garden broadcast and some original TV adverts. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the original album in a CD form, but you get a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. A classic rip-off playing on the sentiments of aging fans and collectors.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The groupīs lineup on this album consists of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards are handled by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist and rhythm section features bassist John GlascockFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. On the Madison Square Garden broadcast Glascock is replaced by Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist.
Musically, the album presents the group as brilliant live performers, superb instrumentalists and extraordinary entertainers, with very few equals. With the end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 24/07/2024Posted: 24/07/2024 | 3CD+3DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY (40TH ANNIVERSARY: LA GRANDE EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 825646157204 (Barcode: 825646157204) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of the eighth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title".
The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album and seven bonus tracks. The second CD contains a new stereo mix by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist of the groupīs live performance at the Palais Des Sports, 5th July 1975. The first DVD contains the original album and two bonus tracks remixed in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and 5.1 surround sound in High-Resolution DTS 96/24 format and AC3 Dolby Digital format, a flat transfer of the original mix with one bonus track in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version with one bonus track in two High-Resolution formats. The second DVD contains the live performance at the Palais Des Sports in two surround sound and one stereo High-Resolution formats and a promotional video clip of the album, filmed at this concert, again remixed into two surround sound and one stereo format. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment, but you get seven bonus tracks and a whole live concert.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
This album carries the orchestration aspect of its predecessor, scaled down to a string quartet. It returns to the earlier format of mixing English Folk motifs and almost acoustic instrumentation with heavier parts dominated by the guitar. As usually this album was savagely criticized by the critics at the time of its release. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums and perhaps even one of their most coherent, elegant and aesthetically pleasing ventures. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist.
Incidentally the Paris concert has almost nothing to do with this album, as it was at the time still in the recording stage. Only the title song is performed during the concert and the rest is the usual "best off" collection of the bandīs favorites. But of course, Jethro Tull always was a superb live band, so this is a great addition to their recording legacy. Jakszykīs mix is perfect.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 16/01/2016 | 2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ SONGS FROM THE WOOD (THE COUNTRY SET)
CHRYSALIS 190295847876 (Barcode: 190295847876) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 2017
This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the tenth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases.
The reissue consists of three CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (nine tracks) and seven "associate recordings", two of which are previously unreleased. Also included is a stereo version of the A side of a US single, which is left untouched. The second and third CDs include live performances recorded in the US, with four tracks originating from the Boston concert in December 1977 and the rest (eighteen tracks) from the Landover, MD concert in November 1977. These tracks were reconstructed and remixed to stereo by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist. The first DVD contains the album and five of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the two additional "associate recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM and quad mixes of four tracks in DTS 4.0 and Dolby Digital AC3 4.0 surround sound. The second DVD includes the audio and video of the Landover, MD concert. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on DVD, remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The groupīs lineup on this album is expanded with the addition of the second keyboardist David PalmerFind albums by this artist, which turns Jethro Tull into a sextet. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, but Palmer and Barre get credit for contributing some of the instrumental themes.
Musically the album marks a significant change in the overall stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered the first album in the trinity of albums formed by this and the two forthcoming albums: "Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title" and "StormwatchFind albums with this title". Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with.
For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the groupīs long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard!
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 25/05/2018 | 3CD+2DVD 5 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ STORMWATCH (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY FORCE 10 EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 190295471804 (Barcode: 190295471804) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1978 - 1980 Released: 2019
This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the twelfth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. This leaves only "BenefitFind albums with this title", which was already reissued in a Wilson remix form in 2013, to be released in the matching digibook format to complete the series. Hopefully this will happen in 2020 to mark the 50th Anniversary of that album.
The reissue consists of four CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (ten tracks). The second CD contains fifteen "associate recordings", seven of which are previously unreleased, all in new stereo mix by Wilson. The third and fourth CDs include live performances recorded in Haag, Netherlands in March 1980 (twenty five tracks all together), all previously unreleased, restored and mixed by Nick Watson. The first DVD contains the album remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes thirteen "associate recordings" in 5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound, fifteen "associate recordings" in stereo format 96/24 LPCM and finally five original mixes of "associate recordings" in stereo format 96/24 LPCM. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The groupīs lineup on this album is the same as on its predecessors: "Songs From The WoodFind albums with this title" and "Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, except one track credited to Palmer.
Musically the album continues the new stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered as the third album in the trinity of albums formed by "Songs From The Wood", "Heavy Horses" and this album. Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with.
With the approaching end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different plant, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own.
For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the groupīs long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard!
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 15/03/2020 | 4CD+2DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ THICK AS A BRICK (40TH ANNIVERSARY SET)
CHRYSALIS 5099970461923 (Barcode: 5099970461923) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2012
This is a reissue of the fifth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title".
The reissue consists of a CD and a DVD. The CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album with no bonus tracks. The DVD contains the album in 5.1 DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound formats, the new stereo mix in High-Resolution 96/24 PCM format and a flat transfer of the original stereo mix with one bonus track in High-Resolution 96/24 PCM format. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment and the only bonus track is a radio ad.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
Of course the album itself is a timeless masterpiece and in many respects is the epitome of the Progressive Rock genre, both musically and conceptually. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist takes the concept album idiom to its furthermost boundaries, creating an album which contains just one piece of music, spread over the two sides of the LP, which was at the time only familiar on albums with Classical Music recordings. The boldest Rock and Prog creations before "Thick As A BrickFind albums with this title" proposed extended songs stretching to one side of an LP, but both sides was definitely a new summit.
In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian Anderson and his abilities as a songwriter. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist, a lineup that was about to produce a series of albums, which in retrospect are amongst the most cherished and astute albums in Prog history. This stable lineup lasted for four years, between 1972 and 1975, and produced four albums, starting with this album and ending with "Minstrel In The GalleryFind albums with this title". The string arrangements, which are very modest on this album but which were to become increasingly more significant on the forthcoming albums, were arranged by David PalmerFind albums by this artist, who was the bandīs loyal collaborator for years.
As usually this album was savagely criticized by music critics at the time of its release, using terms that are still affronting today. But the hordes of Jethro Tull fans loved the idea, the music and the unique novel packaging. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely one of their most coherent, elegant and aesthetically pleasing ventures.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 08/04/2016 | CD+DVD 2 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ TOO OLD TO ROCK`N`ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE! (THE TV SPECIAL EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 825646035519 (Barcode: 825646035519) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of the ninth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title".
The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the previously unreleased version of the album that was re-recorded for a TV special and a bunch of outtakes and alternate versions. The second CD contains a new stereo mix of a bunch of "associated recordings" and the flat transfer of the original album mix. The first DVD contains the video of the TV special with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Digital stereo. The TV special audio is also present in High-Resolution 96/24 stereo PCM in addition to the outtakes also in High Resolution formats. The second DVD contains the "associated recordings" in two High-Resolution formats, a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version and the stereo version of the album, both in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you get the original album, a remixed version of a second version of the album, a video of a TV appearance and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
This album marks the first lineup change for Jethro Tull in four years, which for many other bands was more than a lifetime. It features the new bassist John GlascockFind albums by this artist, who replaced Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist, and who already earned quite a reputation on the Prog scene before joining the group. It was also the groupīs last concept album, although the very "concept" behind it was pretty vague. The album was quite savagely criticized at the time of its release, but in retrospect is defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist.
As to Andersonīs concept of music travelling on the time scale in circles, with fashions and fads returning after a while, sadly his prophesy turned out to be a false one, since music has been constantly going down the drain since this album was recorded.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 15/01/2016 | 2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ WAR CHILD (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY THEATRE EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 825646216277 (Barcode: 825646216277) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1974 Released: 2014
This is a reissue of the seventh album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title".
The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album. The second CD contains a bunch of "associated recordings", i.e. outtakes, alternate versions and orchestral "War ChildFind albums with this title" recordings, partly in new stereo mix and partly in original version. The first DVD contains the original album remixed in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and 5.1 surround sound in High-Resolution DTS 96/24 format and AC3 Dolby Digital format, a flat transfer of the original mix in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version in two High-Resolution formats. Also a few video clips are present. The second DVD contains the "associated recordings" in three High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, donīt be it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you donīt even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment and you do get a bunch of bonus tracks which add very little value to the original album and a bunch of video clips, which are completely worthless.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
This album marks the return to the song format after extended concept album releases. It also introduces orchestral arrangements by David PalmerFind albums by this artist, for which this album was savagely criticized by the critics at the time of its release. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist.
Although, as already mentioned, not a concept album per se, this album definitely has a central theme of War and violence. Some of the music on this album was actually written and even recorded during earlier recording sessions and included here. The whole story about this album and its relation to the film of the same name, which Anderson intended to produce, is described in detail in the splendid book accompanying the music.
Side Note
As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, Iīm perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect.
Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me itīs unbearable and sacrilegious.
In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and canīt tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperorīs new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.
| | Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 15/01/2016 | 2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
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