❤I saw this album performed in its entirety in 1973 at the bayfront center in Saint Petersburg florida, and I would say if you never saw it performed live,You would have difficulty with the album , but having seen it live, the album takes you back to the concert
This is like a musical collage where they recorded snippets, tossed them in the air, then assembled them in random order. And, with Tull, there's always that wit and humor, both lyrically AND musically.
Tull were more than medieval. They were masters of fusing different musical genres together; it didn't matter what they were. Blues, jazz, improvisations, pageantry, classical, grungy, gothic, middle eastern, hard rock, folk, you name it; they did it all.
Ian Anderson, the band's composer, breaks with his usual style on this opus, which is a far cry from the tracks on 'Aqualung' and 'Thick as a Brick'. "A Passion Play" is an ambitious album, and one that may leave fans of the band's early years feeling deeply dismayed. For many, the album is considered a failure in the career of Jethro Tull, for others, including myself, it is at the top of the band's list. Admittedly, it's not an easy album to get to grips with - you have to take your time to assimilate, discover and appreciate the dazzling instrumental passages and the motley mix of Folk, Jazz and Rock influences. But Jethro Tull's music manages to successfully captivate you, transcending this dazzling mix for over 45 minutes. A Passion Play" remains on the fringes of the band's discography. Love this album!!!🔥
there are sections even I find tedious and will skip through but the good parts are AMAZING and like my comment said, was the very first rock album I ever heard having grown up in a strict classical household.
@@Zennofobic I'm listening to a lot of classical music again, I think I've managed to detach them from my childhood, well from a certain part of my childhood...
no no no, I wanted to commend you on the excellence of your breakdown of the album in fact your knowledge of so much music I was thinking you should have a blog or review column haha@@lepetitoiseau
A great moment for Tull that was loved by the fans and hated by a few professional critics . The work itself demolishes the self important types , who were only on board for basic Tull . But the whole point of Tull is to get on board for the whole ride .
The very best concept album of all time. As great today as when it was issued. Five superb musicians at the peak of their art. These guys had a lot of guts even daring composing and playing such difficult and complex music parts one after the other.
By far my favourite Tull album!! This shit is next level!!❤❤❤It was a concept album which is listened to as 1 continuous track, but within the album, it is subdivided in 15 seperate songs. Ian Anderson put that together in a span of 2 weeks while on tour, some of the material had already been written as individual tracks for an album that was never released, but meshing everything together for recording was done really quickly. He is with Zappa, a musical genius
With this album they took the concept album too far, and consequently the uneven nature of the musical arrangement suffers. They just sound like they're stumbling with the natural flow, which is something that was anathema to them up to this point and after. It's worth noting that it's far from a band favourite, with every member having nothing but negative memories of its creation!
Saw this when it toured. Amazing show. It opened with the apparently dead ballerina, who at the end of the initial heartbeat leapt up to dance. The album performance took up the first half of the concert. The second half ran to familiar favorites. As if that wasn't enough, the openig act was Robin Trower, Ian Anderson's Divine Comedy. Unforgettable.
Me too... Wembley Empire Pool (as it was) they toured this prior to the album's release and the music critics lambasted it. I thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard and bought the album the day it hit the shops. I could never understand, and cannot to this day, why the music press hated it... or did they just hate Anderson?
Andersons line "are we here for the Glory, for the Story, or the Gory Satisfaction of telling you how absolutely awful you really are" sums up Anderson's relationship with the music press.
Not really all of the first side of the original LP. It's missing the first half of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles. I wonder if the whole thing will be included in the side 2 video, or eliminated altogether.
I wish I had known you were going to do the Passion Play album. At the end of side one and then you flip the album in the beginning of side two is a short little narrative story which while performed there was a movie that went with it I would have gotten you a copy
Memories are strange animals. You can't realy trust them. But. As I remember it, 50 years ago (and a few months), when this album was released. It was almost 1½ year after Thick as a brick - which was a deep love! And I had already heard that the papers were disappointed. I must have listened to it 3-4 times without being able to grasp it. Swedish is my first language, and my English was not good back then. The lyrics was no clue. (I have later read an analysis but it is still a mystery). Rory, your reaction is very close to as I remember it! Strange and overwhelming. From Stand up to Heavy horses (except War child and To old which not reach the same level) the albums was getting better and better. More ripe! Songs from the wood and Heavy horses was the peak.
It took me a long time to get into this album. I think it's one of the most complex albums I've ever heard, I can't imagine how hard it was for the band to play it every night on this tour.
I'm going to wait til you put up side 2 and then hear it again for the 1st time in years. Was my first western rock album, I was raised on classical music there was no radio in the house... my brother had an old toy robot called 2XL that played educational 8-track cartridges. At 12 I picked up a box of 8 tracks at a garage sale, was this album, Rush 2112, Led Zeppelin II and Pat Benetar LOL!!! I love Clone Sleeps Alone check it out.
Pat Benatar? Lol... I was surprised by your choice, you are always there where we don't expect you!! I’d love to know what classical music you like! My brother didn't have a robot but the gave me a few albums when I was 9 years old, Zeppelin, King Krimson, Zappa, Tull... and Serge Gainsbourg
Jethro Tull: Albums Ranked: Worst to Best: #1 - A Passion Play "the quintessential best Jethro Tull album ever" - Classic Album Review 5-stars - Sea of Tranquility
This 1973 album is excellent , very experimental. The best album is Aqualung, my father has got this record and is a true gem. My father is a great fan of this band also Frank Zappa. You should listen the Aqualung album is a masterpiece. He's still touring and singing. Wonderful👏👍👌🪈
This is my favorite Tull album, if you're allowed one. Zappa was the best. 1971 got into 3 groups. Zappa, Tull and Gentle Giant. Only added one more about 20 years ago. Neal Morse. My four favorite groups. Trini Lopez an honorable mention. (long story)
BLASPHAME! It was a sin the way they cut the end of the side to abrupt silence like that. On the album (and at the concert), side 1 fades into "The story of the hare who lost his spectales" (video ay the concert) and completes said story at the beginning of side 2. here's the link to the missing video: th-cam.com/video/H_toN5VfWBo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=2WkydZdx2d0p0aDk
Im the same with complex tunes...lyrics come second or third forth or fifth even. With Tull the highs and lows are what lost me to be a true blue fan. But there progressive driving parts are fantastic. Love many of his songs in his all time catalog but not all. Tull himself is a talented dude through and through.
I adore Jethro Tull, but i'm afraid this album didn't work for me. I'm aware that a lot of people rate it highly, but Ian Anderson and band are not a part of that number. He even joked that those who rated it so highly were short of a few marbles. Thankfully they returned to form with the more concise and melodic 'Warchild'!
I'm with ya - love and respect Ian and Tull, but don't love this. I remember getting it when it was new, looking forward to it. Tried hard, listened to it a lot, but it found its way to the back of the collection
I'm a huge Tull fan. I've tried to enjoy this album. But it's not for me. It seems to drag on, and it's lacking the melodies that have drawn me to Tull. TAAB is much better and I never tire of hearing it.
❤I saw this album performed in its entirety in 1973 at the bayfront center in Saint Petersburg florida, and I would say if you never saw it performed live,You would have difficulty with the album , but having seen it live, the album takes you back to the concert
This is like a musical collage where they recorded snippets, tossed them in the air, then assembled them in random order. And, with Tull, there's always that wit and humor, both lyrically AND musically.
I'm glad you recognize the brilliance of Barriemore Barlow who rarely is.
medieval avant-garde folk-rock. Ian plays soprano sax here
Tull were more than medieval. They were masters of fusing different musical genres together; it didn't matter what they were. Blues, jazz, improvisations, pageantry, classical, grungy, gothic, middle eastern, hard rock, folk, you name it; they did it all.
Side 2 is my favourite 20 mins of music ever. Seriously its out of this world
Ian Anderson, the band's composer, breaks with his usual style on this opus, which is a far cry from the tracks on 'Aqualung' and 'Thick as a Brick'. "A Passion Play" is an ambitious album, and one that may leave fans of the band's early years feeling deeply dismayed. For many, the album is considered a failure in the career of Jethro Tull, for others, including myself, it is at the top of the band's list.
Admittedly, it's not an easy album to get to grips with - you have to take your time to assimilate, discover and appreciate the dazzling instrumental passages and the motley mix of Folk, Jazz and Rock influences. But Jethro Tull's music manages to successfully captivate you, transcending this dazzling mix for over 45 minutes.
A Passion Play" remains on the fringes of the band's discography.
Love this album!!!🔥
of course YOU know this album :) read my comment
there are sections even I find tedious and will skip through but the good parts are AMAZING and like my comment said, was the very first rock album I ever heard having grown up in a strict classical household.
@@Zennofobic I'm listening to a lot of classical music again, I think I've managed to detach them from my childhood, well from a certain part of my childhood...
@@Zennofobic ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The next one of your suggestions I won't say anything, you'll see :)
no no no, I wanted to commend you on the excellence of your breakdown of the album in fact your knowledge of so much music I was thinking you should have a blog or review column haha@@lepetitoiseau
A great moment for Tull that was loved by the fans and hated by a few professional critics . The work itself demolishes the self important types , who were only on board for basic Tull . But the whole point of Tull is to get on board for the whole ride .
The very best concept album of all time. As great today as when it was issued. Five superb musicians at the peak of their art. These guys had a lot of guts even daring composing and playing such difficult and complex music parts one after the other.
ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON
Wow diving into Passion Play before the full Thick as a brick or Aqualung albums? This will be a fun ride.
By far my favourite Tull album!! This shit is next level!!❤❤❤It was a concept album which is listened to as 1 continuous track, but within the album, it is subdivided in 15 seperate songs. Ian Anderson put that together in a span of 2 weeks while on tour, some of the material had already been written as individual tracks for an album that was never released, but meshing everything together for recording was done really quickly. He is with Zappa, a musical genius
With this album they took the concept album too far, and consequently the uneven nature of the musical arrangement suffers. They just sound like they're stumbling with the natural flow, which is something that was anathema to them up to this point and after. It's worth noting that it's far from a band favourite, with every member having nothing but negative memories of its creation!
My 2nd concert. MSG. Awesome.
Saw this when it toured. Amazing show. It opened with the apparently dead ballerina, who at the end of the initial heartbeat leapt up to dance. The album performance took up the first half of the concert. The second half ran to familiar favorites. As if that wasn't enough, the openig act was Robin Trower, Ian Anderson's Divine Comedy. Unforgettable.
Me too... Wembley Empire Pool (as it was) they toured this prior to the album's release and the music critics lambasted it. I thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard and bought the album the day it hit the shops. I could never understand, and cannot to this day, why the music press hated it... or did they just hate Anderson?
Andersons line "are we here for the Glory, for the Story, or the Gory Satisfaction of telling you how absolutely awful you really are" sums up Anderson's relationship with the music press.
Not really all of the first side of the original LP. It's missing the first half of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles. I wonder if the whole thing will be included in the side 2 video, or eliminated altogether.
I wish I had known you were going to do the Passion Play album. At the end of side one and then you flip the album in the beginning of side two is a short little narrative story which while performed there was a movie that went with it I would have gotten you a copy
Memories are strange animals. You can't realy trust them. But. As I remember it, 50 years ago (and a few months), when this album was released. It was almost 1½ year after Thick as a brick - which was a deep love! And I had already heard that the papers were disappointed. I must have listened to it 3-4 times without being able to grasp it. Swedish is my first language, and my English was not good back then. The lyrics was no clue. (I have later read an analysis but it is still a mystery). Rory, your reaction is very close to as I remember it! Strange and overwhelming. From Stand up to Heavy horses (except War child and To old which not reach the same level) the albums was getting better and better. More ripe! Songs from the wood and Heavy horses was the peak.
Back in the day we had actual musicians!…quite a concept!
Love Jethro Tull ❤❤❤❤
It took me a long time to get into this album. I think it's one of the most complex albums I've ever heard, I can't imagine how hard it was for the band to play it every night on this tour.
One of the best live bands of all time.
I'm going to wait til you put up side 2 and then hear it again for the 1st time in years. Was my first western rock album, I was raised on classical music there was no radio in the house... my brother had an old toy robot called 2XL that played educational 8-track cartridges. At 12 I picked up a box of 8 tracks at a garage sale, was this album, Rush 2112, Led Zeppelin II and Pat Benetar LOL!!! I love Clone Sleeps Alone check it out.
Pat Benatar? Lol... I was surprised by your choice, you are always there where we don't expect you!! I’d love to know what classical music you like! My brother didn't have a robot but the gave me a few albums when I was 9 years old, Zeppelin, King Krimson, Zappa, Tull... and Serge Gainsbourg
Zappa head though I am, this may be my favorite album of all time.
Jethro Tull: Albums Ranked: Worst to Best:
#1 - A Passion Play
"the quintessential best Jethro Tull album ever" - Classic Album Review
5-stars - Sea of Tranquility
Ian Anderson was the GREATEST ROCK PERFORMER OF ALL TIME!
If you want to do a live Jethro Tull grow, there is one from tampa stadium 1976 that's really good.
This 1973 album is excellent , very experimental. The best album is Aqualung, my father has got this record and is a true gem. My father is a great fan of this band also Frank Zappa. You should listen the Aqualung album is a masterpiece. He's still touring and singing. Wonderful👏👍👌🪈
This is my favorite Tull album, if you're allowed one. Zappa was the best. 1971 got into 3 groups. Zappa, Tull and Gentle Giant. Only added one more about 20 years ago. Neal Morse. My four favorite groups. Trini Lopez an honorable mention. (long story)
I was more of a Thick fan but lately Passion has been right at the top too. Amazing album and more ideas through it than Brick.
This is like olde english Zappa
BLASPHAME! It was a sin the way they cut the end of the side to abrupt silence like that. On the album (and at the concert), side 1 fades into "The story of the hare who lost his spectales" (video ay the concert) and completes said story at the beginning of side 2. here's the link to the missing video:
th-cam.com/video/H_toN5VfWBo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=2WkydZdx2d0p0aDk
oh no!!! that is blasphemy, man I should have sent Rory the mp3
Progressive Renaissance. Try Zappa's Lumpy Gravy.
You need to listen to thick as a brick
Im the same with complex tunes...lyrics come second or third forth or fifth even. With Tull the highs and lows are what lost me to be a true blue fan. But there progressive driving parts are fantastic. Love many of his songs in his all time catalog but not all. Tull himself is a talented dude through and through.
Listen to KANSAS/ Monolith...YES /Tormato
I adore Jethro Tull, but i'm afraid this album didn't work for me. I'm aware that a lot of people rate it highly, but Ian Anderson and band are not a part of that number. He even joked that those who rated it so highly were short of a few marbles. Thankfully they returned to form with the more concise and melodic 'Warchild'!
I'm with ya - love and respect Ian and Tull, but don't love this. I remember getting it when it was new, looking forward to it. Tried hard, listened to it a lot, but it found its way to the back of the collection
@jefferytheis4157 Precisely the same with me, although i gave it a lot of time. A case of overreaching was it's ultimate failure! ✌️
I'm a huge Tull fan. I've tried to enjoy this album. But it's not for me. It seems to drag on, and it's lacking the melodies that have drawn me to Tull. TAAB is much better and I never tire of hearing it.
@@corawheeler9355 That's precisely how i've always felt! 👍
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