The tune they NEVER played live...Amazing Record and Barre flat out shines on the title track....Any Fans....
The tune they NEVER played live...
Lots of fans!
On many days this is my favorite JT album of all time, beating out the mighty TaaB and APP. Not every day, but a lot of them. It's far and away my favorite from a production standpoint.
This was my 1st Tull album purchased springtime '76. I knew of them through the song "Living in the Past" which got massive US radio play and a friend was really into them so I decided to give them a try. I loved this one so much I started saving my pennies and soon after bought Benefit, Passion Play, and TaaB (the cool version with the full foldout newspaper which I still have today), etc... By August '76 I hitched a ride with a friend to see them play the Oakland arena. They were fantastic! Saw them every year up through the Stormwatch tour in '79.
And here it is 38 yrs later and I'm pumped about hearing Ian's newest "Homo Erraticus"...the more things change
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The last of theirs I acquired at the time of release, and one I don't reach for all that often, being a fan of the early albums. It's ambitious and well-played, but this period of JT music never really rocked my world. I dig side one, side two not so much....Originally Posted by progman1975
Last edited by mogrooves; 04-17-2014 at 02:02 PM.
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
Love it. Probably my #2 or #3 Tull album.
Definitely in the Top 5 of their albums for me (with TAAB, APP, SFtW, and HH), though the ranking of any of those could probably shift from day to day. "Baker St. Muse" may be my favorite single Tull song, however.
Black Satin Dancer was one of the worst songs they did in the 70s.I like the rest.
"Said the pygmy to the whore, desperate for more..."
One of their best
Love it. "Cold Wind from Valhalla" and the absolutely amazing Baker St. Muse
I echo all the positive comments so far. Top five JT album for me. "Black Satin Dancer", "Baker Street Muse", "Cold Wind.." and the title track are all 10/10 Tull tracks.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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Jethro Tull was probably for me the band that stayed steady throughout the 70's. Each release I went out and bought right away. Stringing together great albums. This one stands out for me as the dark album. Very raw production and I too feel as though Martin played a heavier part on this album. I may not consider this their best album but I can't explain why this one I think I reach for more often than all the rest.
I agree, this is right up there with my very favorite Tull albums (and they are largely the ones you mention). One of my best musical memories is playing the title track of this album with a band in the 80s. We played it from where the electric guitar came in after the "madrigal" bit. That opening section is about as fun to play as any piece of music I've ever learned!
Black Satin Dancer is perhaps the only down spot for me on Minstrel. I don't hate it, but I find it sort of drags a bit. Other than this, I really love this album from start to finish.
Bill
My favorite Tull album by a wide margin. Ian's vocals were at an all time peak, and he may be the most underrated (acoustic) guitarist in prog. All of the great elements of classic Tull are on full display here!
For many years it was my favorite Jethro Tull album. Not sure where I'd rank it now but definetley a top 5 album.
Probably my favorite IA / Tull album at the moment. Pure perfection and brilliance, stem to stern.
Ian Beabout
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Definitely my favorite JT album, by a considerable margin. No one seems to be mentioning my favorite tracks, the atmospheric (and remarkably touching) "Requiem" and "One White Duck." I'll never forget the day, many years ago, when I was walking through the cobblestone streets of the old section of Luxembourg City and the latter tune spontaneously started playing through my head. To me, even if the rest of the album were mediocre, those tracks would probably still make it my favorite--but I find the other tracks anything but mediocre. As others have pointed out, Ian's voice was possibly at its peak here, the production was remarkably organic for the time, and the songwriting is inventive without seeming overly indulgent (IMO).
Can't wait for Steven Wilson to remix this baby. And add some live gems from this era of Jethro Tull.
Black Satin Dancer is one of Tull's best songs, in my opinion..And the album is great. The only ordinary song on it is Nothing At All. Surprized that some people here rate it higher than BSD..
From "Cold Wind from Valhalla"
"Frozen flaking fish raw nerve...In a cup of silver liquid fire"...WTF?? One of the best lines ever! Jon Anderson...eat your heart out...LOL!
Yes, "One White Duck" is a fantastic song. Love it to bits!
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
*** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***
This album remains an enigma for me. I was a huge Tull nut at the time after the 1-2-3 punch of Aqualung/TAAB/Passion Play. The title track was previewed before the album release and it blew my doors off. Absolutely loved the flamenco-styled intro.
Yet to this day I still can't pinpoint why the rest of the album doesn't bowl me over. What's not to like? Good melodies. Ian's voice in top form. Lots of acoustic bits (maybe too much?). The keyboards. That punchy bass locked in with the drums. Clever wordplay. Yet somehow the songs seem... formless. The arrangements don't lock into my mind in a solid way. I can't describe it.
I still like it miles better than the disappointing "Too Old to R&R..." that followed.
You say Mega Ultra Deluxe Special Limited Edition Extended Autographed 5-LP, 3-CD, 4-DVD, 2-BlueRay, 4-Cassette, five 8-Track, MP4 Download plus Demos, Outtakes, Booklet, T-Shirt and Guitar Pick Gold-Leafed Box Set Version like it's a bad thing...
See, Passion Play is the one that never worked for me. Too obtuse and I've never latched on to the riffs and melodies. Minstrel was the return to form for me. Not a bad song on it as far as I'm concerned and I still play it often.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
Great album!
Probably my favorite Tull album after "A Passion Play." Side 2 especially is fantastic.
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