Thick as a Brick: Overrated on Progarchives - Progressive Rock Music Forum

76.53% of it is definitely not overrated

Tbh Tull is one of those bands I've never warmed up to, simlar to VdGG, though I like some tracks here and there.

Ratings are ratings - subjective, and maybe not super helpful - might be better to read some reviews by people with similar tastes. Even then sometimes you might feel differently after a listen. Best to just form your own opinion and don't get too worried if some people have a different one. If we all felt the same way about it it wouldn't be that much fun - and that applies to any album.

Edited by Howard the Duck - July 23 2019 at 08:15

MacGyver can do a super guitar solo with a broom and an elastic band. Can you do better?

dr wu23 wrote:

richardh wrote:

76.53% of it is definitely not overrated

Well...50% is ok.....to me side one is enough.....side 2 is basically a repeat in a way.

This

A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)

The Anders wrote:

I personally find it rather boring, and it is not that I necessarily don't like long tracks (I'm a big admirer of f.e. "Tubular Bells", "Atom Heart Mother" and "Echoes"). But I usually lose interest when it comes to very long improvised passages, plus I miss a clear structure, but maybe that's just me.

Whether it's overrated or not, I can't really judge, because it is clearly not my type of music. I guess it should be more interesting for people who grew up with jazz. I like earlier Jethro Tull stuff such as the Stand Up album.

I agree with you but in my opinion there aren't "improvised passages": every step is well-studied, even forced, but the suite in a lot of passages lacks of melody, there is no a clear direction, because they dont find it. You can do beautiful songs without a clear melody, if you play an abstract improvised form where the pleasure of the listeners is listein to the tonal variations of the instruments (King Crimson, Van Der Graaf), or you can do beautiful songs finding a beautiful melody and building around it a good structure and arrangement and so do Jethro Tull at their best, but in TAAB, they are not at their best.

Edited by jamesbaldwin - July 23 2019 at 20:02

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

The Anders wrote:

I personally find it rather boring, and it is not that I necessarily don't like long tracks (I'm a big admirer of f.e. "Tubular Bells", "Atom Heart Mother" and "Echoes"). But I usually lose interest when it comes to very long improvised passages, plus I miss a clear structure, but maybe that's just me.

Whether it's overrated or not, I can't really judge, because it is clearly not my type of music. I guess it should be more interesting for people who grew up with jazz. I like earlier Jethro Tull stuff such as the Stand Up album.

I don't hear any improvisation in either side of the album... But yeah, the flipside needs more remarkable movements... Maybe Anderson concentrated a little too many ideas on side A at the expense of the flipside.

dr wu23 wrote:

richardh wrote:

76.53% of it is definitely not overrated

Well...50% is ok.....to me side one is enough.....side 2 is basically a repeat in a way.

I can't imagine TAAB without the "Do You Believe" passages.

Snicolette wrote:

Sean Trane wrote:

I can't imagine TAAB without the "Do You Believe" passages.

Those are sublime!

absolutely

It may be overrated if you compare to Tulls other remix sets. They’re all deservedly 4.5 stars. The bonus track Kings

All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.

I think the only album better than Thick as a Brick is another Jethro Tull album ,
Passion Play , In my opinion these two albums are at the top of Prog rock , to me only Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound , The Wall Of Pink Floyd , Close to the Edge and Relayer from Yes get the level of the two Jethro Tull albums . In the Court Of the Crimson King is a outstanding album but to me doesn’t get the level of the mentioned above . They are my likes and my technical perception on how the progressive rock music should be performed . Thick as a Brick and Passion Play are technically perfect made , for the persons that have not analyzed in details these albums , I would recommend to hear in details the changes in passages and rhythms , but should be analyzed with open mind and put aside your favoritisms . Then may be you can change your point of view about TAAB. I highly recommend to heard Passion Play.

Ridgeback wrote:

The idea the TAAB is rated higher than a extraordinary, almost flawless album like Wish You Were is nothing short of an utter travesty. The two shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath. It’s like a guy parking his Chevy Malibu (very decent car, btw) next to a Lamborghini and thinking them equals. Jethto Tull was a decent albeit pedestrian band IMO. Whereas PF were gods. There is again IMO no comparison. 30 years from now ppl will still be raving about PF. I doubt JT’s legacy will endure in the same manner.

Taab is way better than wywh. Pretty much blues based music with some sax on wywh. Taab is much more thoughtful in composition and musicianship. Tull blow Floyd away. They’re just a mellow blues band a lot of the time

Edited by dr prog - December 09 2020 at 01:13

All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.

I’d take Taab over basically any album. It’s close to perfection. Tull are second to none. The amount of quality songs they have released on their remix series is unmatchable. Great balance of folk, prog and heavy rock. They don’t smother their albums with mellotron. They rely on great melody

.

All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock.