I agree with the necessity to listen to Thick As A Brick in its entirety. I was an 11th grade high school prog loving student in 2008. I bought Thick As A Brick as I did an English biography report on an author of my choice (my CA native John Steinbeck). And I INDULGED in Thick As A Brick whilst writing for this report. All that being said, I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE that this album must be heard as 2 tracks. Sooooo perfectly beautiful
I’m currently a high school science teacher. A favorite moment of mine as a high school student was when my history teacher had a test asking who Jethro Tull was. And two different answer choices said: the man who invented the seed drill and a classic rock band from the 70s. I circled both with no incorrect markings
Martin Barre... he's the 'sauce guy'. Truer words were never spoken! Nice ranking of Tull's seminal period. Pretty amazing output in that decade: ten albums, two compilations, a double collection of b-sides plus the awesome live BURSTING OUT. AND they probably were touring consistently throughout those ten years! Making hay, as they say. If forced to rank, it might be something like this: 10. TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N' ROLL... The band's in fine form but the album lacks memorable songs. Certainly an album I need to go back to for re-appraisal. 9. STORMWATCH: I just picked this up in the last year (not sure why it took so long) and liked the muscular energy of the songs. This is definitely an 'end of an era' album, both in the arrangements (this would be the last for the classic line-up) and in the sense of foreboding in the lyrics. 8.PASSION PLAY: I've yet to get into the overall narrative of this piece (recently deceased "Ronnie Pilgrim's" descent through purgatory) though there are some great individual bits, as noted. I was never a fan of "The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" until I recently saw the video for it. Obviously this and the whole album work better on stage. 7. MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY: Love this album when it was released, especially the title track and the acoustic numbers. However, "Baker St. Muse" suffers from most long pieces made up of bits & bites: lots of movement and energy signifying little but a gallery of weird characters. 6. HEAVY HORSES: Arguably their last great album with memorable portraits of rural existence barely remembered. Like the earlier SONG FROM THE WOOD, there are playful portraits and much bucolic humour. However, notes of darkness threaten this idyll ("Journeyman", "No Lullaby", the title track). 5. WARCHILD: Call me crazy but I love the wackiness of this collection. Despite it's flawed origins (cast-offs from the "Chateau Disaster"/PASSION PLAY sessions plus an aborted TV project that ran out of money), the songs are a hoot and the band, now supplemented by Del (Dee) Palmer, is in full flower. The arrangements are intricate but also lean. Lots of classic Tull songs here and the deep cuts are more than decent. 4.THICK AS A BRICK is most people's fave and I certainly played the heck out of my old vinyl copy while pursuing all the jokes in the St. Cleve Chronicle. As a satire of self-important prog writing, it's sharp but although Anderson has lots to say about aging and modern living, it's not too coherent. I find the energy sags a bit around the halfway mark (the beginning of the second side) but the band rallies for a suitably rousing climax. Amazing drumming and keyboard work throughout. 3.BENEFIT: This is the Big Riff album with Barre really hitting his stride. The arrangements are tempered by Anderson's delicate acoustic work and flute as well as 'guest' keyboardist John Evan. I'm a big Glenn Cornick fan so his bass playing is another highlight. The songs are gaining a cynical edge that would become more prominent on later albums but there's a freshness here. Four great songs from these sessions later ended up being added to the expanded CD (first heard on the LIVING IN THE PAST compilation. If LITP was part of the ranking, it might slide in around #5 or 6.) 2. AQUALUNG: My first Tull and still a high-water mark in prog rock (despite Anderson's chagrin). Every song's a banger or deep meditation on the challenges of modern existence in a spiritually bankrupt world. The only flaw here was the original production, thin due to a bad studio. The subsequent CD was even worse but some improvements have been made since, warming up the soundscape. This is Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond's first on appearance on bass and Clive Bunker's final on the drum stool. Tull is one member away from their classic line-up. 1. SONG FROM THE WOOD: Incredible that Tull would reach another peak with their 10th album. The songs are soulful, witty and joyous. The flavour of British folk, always present on Tull albums, is fully realized here, perhaps inspired by Anderson's production work with Steeleye Span a few years earlier. Supplementing the trademark flute/guitar/keyboard arrangements are sounds of bagpipes, lutes, glockenspiels, mandolins, whistles, those solstice bells, perhaps a whip and Palmer's pipe organ. A Top Ten album in the year of the Sex Pistols!
10 Too Old To Rock And Roll 9 A Passion Play 8 Stormwatch 7 Heavy Horses 6 Warchild 5 Benefit 4 Aqualung 3 A Minstrel In The Gallery 2 Songs From The Wood 1 Thick As A Brick
I’ve only listened to some of the 70s albums with one from the 60s, so here’s my ranking: 7. Minstrel in the Gallery 6. War Child 5. Stand Up 4. A Passion Play 3. Aqualung 2. Thick as a Brick 1. Benefit (great atmosphere) Completely agree about Martin and his fantastic playing, if there was another unsung hero of the band I’d throw in Glenn Cornick on those early albums (though I have bias sense he’s the reason I play bass)
I also LOVE the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles. I agree with the annunciation qualities and the Pooh Bear qualities. A lovely deep meaning allegory for the concept of the overall album
Your love of Passion Play has made up for your unjust hate for Their Satanic Majesties’ Request. I recommend Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request from Brian Jonestown Massacre
Songs from the Wood is my absolute favorite! I'd place Thick as a Brick as #2. I agree with you on the rest. I was lucky enough to see them live in the 70s 5 times. My favorite band along with the Beatles!! ❤❤❤❤
I never got the chance to see them until the late 80s and kinda feel like I missed them at their peak….but still saw some great shows throughout the years.
Aside from compilations I haven’t heard too much Tull but my ranking so far is: 6. This Was 5. Stand Up 4. Benefit 3. Aqualung 2. Thick As A Brick 1. A Passion Play
My list is similar to yours but honestly everything from Stand Up through Broadsword is great with just a couple of exceptions. I don't reach for Too Old to Rock and Roll or A often but everything else it top shelf. A Passion Play Aqualung Thick as a Brick Songs from the Woods Benefit Minstrel in the Gallery Heavy Horses Stormwatch War Child Too Old to Rock and Roll
The tone Jeffrey used to narrate The Story Of The Hare,,, is exactly what you'll get if a guy from rural Lancashire makes an awkward attempt to sound upper-middle-class.
1. Minstrel in the Gallery (1975) 5 2. Aqualung (1971) 5 3. A Passion Play (1973) 5 4. Thick as a Brick (1972) 5 5. Heavy Horses (1978) 5 6. Songs From the Wood ( 1977) 5 7. War Child (1974) 5 8. Benefit (1970) 5 9. Stormwatch (1979) 4 10. Stand Up (1969) 4 11. Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die (1976) 3.5 12. Crest of a Knave (1987) 3.5 13. A (1980) 3.5 14. This Was (1968) 3 15. Rock Island (1989) 3 16. Roots To Branches (1995) 3 17. Broadsword and the Beast (1982) 3 18. Rokflote (2023) 3 19. The Zealot Gene (2022) 3 20. J-Tull Dot Com (1999) 2.5 21. Catfish Rising (1991) 2.5 22. Under Wraps (1984) 1.5
I have a hard time ranking live albums with studio albums for most bands because they should be….should be….two entirely different experiences. Bursting Out is great, and easily one of the best live albums of the 70s, and of the rock genre. But there is something truly special about an S tier studio album, as a handful of these are. So if forced to rank Bursting Out, probably around 6 or 7…definitely before Minstrel. Maybe before Horses….??!?! BTW, I do have a review of Bursting Out elsewhere on the channel.
I agree with the necessity to listen to Thick As A Brick in its entirety. I was an 11th grade high school prog loving student in 2008. I bought Thick As A Brick as I did an English biography report on an author of my choice (my CA native John Steinbeck). And I INDULGED in Thick As A Brick whilst writing for this report. All that being said, I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE that this album must be heard as 2 tracks. Sooooo perfectly beautiful
I’m currently a high school science teacher. A favorite moment of mine as a high school student was when my history teacher had a test asking who Jethro Tull was. And two different answer choices said: the man who invented the seed drill and a classic rock band from the 70s. I circled both with no incorrect markings
Martin Barre... he's the 'sauce guy'. Truer words were never spoken!
Nice ranking of Tull's seminal period. Pretty amazing output in that decade: ten albums, two compilations, a double collection of b-sides plus the awesome live BURSTING OUT. AND they probably were touring consistently throughout those ten years! Making hay, as they say.
If forced to rank, it might be something like this:
10. TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N' ROLL... The band's in fine form but the album lacks memorable songs. Certainly an album I need to go back to for re-appraisal.
9. STORMWATCH: I just picked this up in the last year (not sure why it took so long) and liked the muscular energy of the songs. This is definitely an 'end of an era' album, both in the arrangements (this would be the last for the classic line-up) and in the sense of foreboding in the lyrics.
8.PASSION PLAY: I've yet to get into the overall narrative of this piece (recently deceased "Ronnie Pilgrim's" descent through purgatory) though there are some great individual bits, as noted. I was never a fan of "The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" until I recently saw the video for it. Obviously this and the whole album work better on stage.
7. MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY: Love this album when it was released, especially the title track and the acoustic numbers. However, "Baker St. Muse" suffers from most long pieces made up of bits & bites: lots of movement and energy signifying little but a gallery of weird characters.
6. HEAVY HORSES: Arguably their last great album with memorable portraits of rural existence barely remembered. Like the earlier SONG FROM THE WOOD, there are playful portraits and much bucolic humour. However, notes of darkness threaten this idyll ("Journeyman", "No Lullaby", the title track).
5. WARCHILD: Call me crazy but I love the wackiness of this collection. Despite it's flawed origins (cast-offs from the "Chateau Disaster"/PASSION PLAY sessions plus an aborted TV project that ran out of money), the songs are a hoot and the band, now supplemented by Del (Dee) Palmer, is in full flower. The arrangements are intricate but also lean. Lots of classic Tull songs here and the deep cuts are more than decent.
4.THICK AS A BRICK is most people's fave and I certainly played the heck out of my old vinyl copy while pursuing all the jokes in the St. Cleve Chronicle. As a satire of self-important prog writing, it's sharp but although Anderson has lots to say about aging and modern living, it's not too coherent. I find the energy sags a bit around the halfway mark (the beginning of the second side) but the band rallies for a suitably rousing climax. Amazing drumming and keyboard work throughout.
3.BENEFIT: This is the Big Riff album with Barre really hitting his stride. The arrangements are tempered by Anderson's delicate acoustic work and flute as well as 'guest' keyboardist John Evan. I'm a big Glenn Cornick fan so his bass playing is another highlight. The songs are gaining a cynical edge that would become more prominent on later albums but there's a freshness here. Four great songs from these sessions later ended up being added to the expanded CD (first heard on the LIVING IN THE PAST compilation. If LITP was part of the ranking, it might slide in around #5 or 6.)
2. AQUALUNG: My first Tull and still a high-water mark in prog rock (despite Anderson's chagrin). Every song's a banger or deep meditation on the challenges of modern existence in a spiritually bankrupt world. The only flaw here was the original production, thin due to a bad studio. The subsequent CD was even worse but some improvements have been made since, warming up the soundscape. This is Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond's first on appearance on bass and Clive Bunker's final on the drum stool. Tull is one member away from their classic line-up.
1. SONG FROM THE WOOD: Incredible that Tull would reach another peak with their 10th album. The songs are soulful, witty and joyous. The flavour of British folk, always present on Tull albums, is fully realized here, perhaps inspired by Anderson's production work with Steeleye Span a few years earlier. Supplementing the trademark flute/guitar/keyboard arrangements are sounds of bagpipes, lutes, glockenspiels, mandolins, whistles, those solstice bells, perhaps a whip and Palmer's pipe organ. A Top Ten album in the year of the Sex Pistols!
10 Too Old To Rock And Roll
9 A Passion Play
8 Stormwatch
7 Heavy Horses
6 Warchild
5 Benefit
4 Aqualung
3 A Minstrel In The Gallery
2 Songs From The Wood
1 Thick As A Brick
I’ve only listened to some of the 70s albums with one from the 60s, so here’s my ranking:
7. Minstrel in the Gallery
6. War Child
5. Stand Up
4. A Passion Play
3. Aqualung
2. Thick as a Brick
1. Benefit (great atmosphere)
Completely agree about Martin and his fantastic playing, if there was another unsung hero of the band I’d throw in Glenn Cornick on those early albums (though I have bias sense he’s the reason I play bass)
I also LOVE the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles. I agree with the annunciation qualities and the Pooh Bear qualities. A lovely deep meaning allegory for the concept of the overall album
Your love of Passion Play has made up for your unjust hate for Their Satanic Majesties’ Request. I recommend Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request from Brian Jonestown Massacre
Great video. These are all great albums. For me Aqualung - Thick as a brick - Minstrel in the Gallery - Songs from the wood are all perfect albums.
Songs from the Wood is my absolute favorite! I'd place Thick as a Brick as #2. I agree with you on the rest. I was lucky enough to see them live in the 70s 5 times. My favorite band along with the Beatles!! ❤❤❤❤
I never got the chance to see them until the late 80s and kinda feel like I missed them at their peak….but still saw some great shows throughout the years.
@@theopinionatedhippie470 Oh yeah, anytime you see Tull live is great. Though Ians voice was definitely strongest until around the early to mid 80s.
Aside from compilations I haven’t heard too much Tull but my ranking so far is:
6. This Was
5. Stand Up
4. Benefit
3. Aqualung
2. Thick As A Brick
1. A Passion Play
Enjoyed the video and insightful commentary, but Warchid..rsnked number last. Ouch.
I would put it somewhere in the middle.
Yeah, I certainly wouldn't put it under Too Old, but that's just me.
I love those Barre Chords in Hunting Girl
My first Tull album was Bursting Out which I still rank in my too 5 Live Albums
“Barre Chords” for the win….
agree mostly, but Stormwatch deserves some spots higher, and TOTRNR is for me at the last place
My list is similar to yours but honestly everything from Stand Up through Broadsword is great with just a couple of exceptions. I don't reach for Too Old to Rock and Roll or A often but everything else it top shelf.
A Passion Play
Aqualung
Thick as a Brick
Songs from the Woods
Benefit
Minstrel in the Gallery
Heavy Horses
Stormwatch
War Child
Too Old to Rock and Roll
The tone Jeffrey used to narrate The Story Of The Hare,,, is exactly what you'll get if a guy from rural Lancashire makes an awkward attempt to sound upper-middle-class.
Great ranking. I subscribed.
Thank you!
@@theopinionatedhippie470 No bother at all and if you could do likewise it would be greatly appreciated.
Of course!
Subscribed and saw, but not yet watched. Interested for sure and will check out later.
@@theopinionatedhippie470 Thanks so much.
1. Minstrel in the Gallery (1975) 5
2. Aqualung (1971) 5
3. A Passion Play (1973) 5
4. Thick as a Brick (1972) 5
5. Heavy Horses (1978) 5
6. Songs From the Wood ( 1977) 5
7. War Child (1974) 5
8. Benefit (1970) 5
9. Stormwatch (1979) 4
10. Stand Up (1969) 4
11. Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die (1976) 3.5
12. Crest of a Knave (1987) 3.5
13. A (1980) 3.5
14. This Was (1968) 3
15. Rock Island (1989) 3
16. Roots To Branches (1995) 3
17. Broadsword and the Beast (1982) 3
18. Rokflote (2023) 3
19. The Zealot Gene (2022) 3
20. J-Tull Dot Com (1999) 2.5
21. Catfish Rising (1991) 2.5
22. Under Wraps (1984) 1.5
SFTW lower than HH- No way
Passion Play is one of my least liked Tull albums, I don't see why it is so highly rated, Stand up from the 60's is my number 1.
Stand Up just might be a perfect album…..
So where would you put Bursting Out?
I have a hard time ranking live albums with studio albums for most bands because they should be….should be….two entirely different experiences. Bursting Out is great, and easily one of the best live albums of the 70s, and of the rock genre. But there is something truly special about an S tier studio album, as a handful of these are. So if forced to rank Bursting Out, probably around 6 or 7…definitely before Minstrel. Maybe before Horses….??!?! BTW, I do have a review of Bursting Out elsewhere on the channel.
Good although SFTW is my #1
I certainly don't blame anyone for having SFTW at number 1.