Warchild in the Gallery, Too Young to Die

[QUOTE=Sean Trane]MMMhhh!!!...

We recently reassessed Tull's later 70's (and beyond) on another prog site...

TBH, After TAAB, there is nothing I'd classify above three stars (yup, even SFTW and Heavy Whores Says .

micky wrote: yeah...  I agree wholeheartedly with that assessment.. and the great John Mcferrin

I'll add something to the "overview" assessment of Tull that's been absent from the discussion so far: the early albums were better because Tull were still a legit band, composed of musos from the scene, who were led by Ian Anderson. Rather than the Ian Anderson orchestra ft. schoolboy chums and session players that Ian could boss around.

Like, in a weird way, Tull's fate was sealed the day Mick Abrahams left, because the entire rest of the history of the band can be read along the narrative of Ian consolidating his power.

It's no big surprise TAAB was the smashing success PP was not, because it was the last album Ian solicited significant assistance from his bandmates to stitch together the kernels of his song ideas into a coherent whole. The band dynamic is strong, with lots of fluid playing and spontaneity especially in the interlinking instrumental passages. John Evan in particular doesn't get his due in Tull-land: the interviews with the band (other than Ian) make clear that Evan was a driving force during much of the TAAB sessions.

From PP onward, you get the sense that Ian is increasingly dictating the arrangement rather than deferring to the talents of his colleagues. And Tull's descent into mediocrity correlates directly with a band whose playing becomes progressively more mannered, eventually predictable, and individually less distinctive.

Edited by hegelec - September 06 2017 at 20:06

respectfully disagree. it's the best album in a dark patch (post-TAAB pre-SFTW) but half the album bores the pants off me. Cold Wind to Valhalla was rewritten as the superior Salamander on the next album, Black Satin Dancer is a particularly embarrassing entry in the continuing Ian Anderson-as-leering-creep series, the acoustic tracks show admirable restraint and good taste but lack much of the sparkle and memorability of Aqualung-era equivalents, and Baker Street is an respectable last-stab at an extended suite with some excellent moments -- but my interest always wanes about 2/3 of the way through.

So that essentially leaves the title track, which totally slays, and part of Baker Street Muse, and maybe Requiem, that I'd take to the vault.

Edited by hegelec - September 07 2017 at 16:39

lostrom wrote: ... then change pants, it's their best album.

you're right. now that I've changed into some linen hose and a cod piece, Minstrel sounds much better.

lostrom wrote: Minstrel in the gallery is their best album.

Also, the transition from triple to common meter at 1:10-1:30 here is one of the most graceful linking passages I have ever heard ever on any album by anyone. There's just *nothing* as fluid and inspired on Minstrel. It's sheer genius.

https://mixcloud.com/christianhegele/taab-single-edit/

Edited by hegelec - September 08 2017 at 17:28

dr prog wrote: A rejigged warchild and too old is similar quality to songs from the wood

You're not wrong. Emphasis on the rejigging, though.

There's a legitimately great album lurking in tracklists of this dark patch. I tried my best to pan for the gold in my original post above and sequence what I would have considered to be a 5 star followup to TAAB.

I'll mention that it was my friend who lobbied hard for Crazed Institution in there. It's the only selection we made that I'm on the fence about, given that it's basically the same song as Skating Away (and Life is a Long Song, and One Brown Mouse, and ... and).

In retrospect, I would probably have chosen Paradise Steakhouse or Small Cigar to finish off the imaginary Side A. But I'm still happy with the sequence as it stands.

Edited by hegelec - September 10 2017 at 16:49

I'm surprised the title track from Too Old didn't make the cut. The "orchestral" opening motifs are a great trick Tull would use again on "Heavy Horses". And the female backups in the later verses are superb ... "tears in his eyeeeeees" etc.

I never liked the Jerry Lee Lewis breakdown at the end, though. Because it's slimy and manipulative and totally insincere. It's mercifully only a few seconds long tho.