Jethro Tull - A (A La Mode edition) - Next boxset in 2021

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

You are massively missing my point.

My point is that to assert such things as "As those who’ve heard it already know, A sounds way, way different from Jethro Tull’s typical material" is to court pointing and laughing from 'those who've heard it'. Especially now in retrospect, when we have a whole Tull career to look back on. I doubt few with even a glancing acquaintance with the genre would NOT peg 'A' as a Jethro Tull album. To do so -- whether it's done by record companies, Ian Anderson, or some liner notes writer -- is a laughable example of the 'narcissism of small differences'.

tl;dr : If it quacks like a duck....

It still sounds to me as though you are going to great lengths trying to justify your very likely decision to purchase this release. As I wrote, it is OK to like it, don't feel guilty about it On the contrary, be thankful that it caught the attention from Steve Wilson and that he dedicated many hours of his precious time to remix it ! Specially considering that he must be in a position to turn down remix projects in competition for his time and attention.
I just pointed to a number of facts that substantiate most of the critique to the album.
I own this album on CD, and I even listened to it recently because there are some tracks I do like.
By far my favorite is Flyingdale Flyer, but I also like Black Sunday. I think the A side is quite listenable and I already mentioned Working John, Working Joe, an OK track to me.
I admit I hate most of the rest, save The Pine Marten's jig, an OK track. Not that the material is that bad (the sarcastic lyrics from 4WD (low ratio) are spot on still today!), but I don't like the arrangements and instrumentation choices, starting with the fretless bass in some of the tracks. Nothing wrong with fretless, but I don't feel it fits with the music.
The aforementioned tracks do make it feel like there is a continuity to 'Jethro Tull proper'. I would even say that the album feels to me way more Jethro Tull than many albums that followed.
I already hesitated buying Stormwatch. I do realize that listening something I hadn't really care for in surround makes me listen more carefully, and sometimes I end up discovering music I previously passed on.
But this year my shopping basket looks very promising with expected or announced surround releases which I am completely sure I will like.

 

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

By far my favorite is Flyingdale Flyer, but I also like Black Sunday. I think the A side is quite listenable and I already mentioned Working John, Working Joe, an OK track to me.

"A side": Pun not intended On second thought, now I understand the title of the album as a hint to which side of the record to listen to

 

[ssully]

It still sounds to me as though you are going to great lengths trying to justify your very likely decision to purchase this release.

LOL. No. You're silly. I need no such justification to purchase this release.

 

[JohnN]

LOL. No. You're silly. I need no such justification to purchase this release.

You're buying this because I told you to buy, buy, buy, eh. Besides that, it's an electronically good 5.1.

 

[ssully]

All your replies were subliminal orders from me.

 

[JohnN]

All your replies were subliminal orders from me.

 

[JohnN]

All your replies were subliminal orders from me.

More... Jethro Tull tape a video in LA (1980) | RVM [Radio.Video.Music]

 

[sjcorne]

Just saw this over at SHF:

Lots of surround content on this one--two(!) live shows mixed to 5.1 by SW in addition to the main album & associated tracks.

 

[GOS]

Just saw this over at SHF:

View attachment 62936 View attachment 62937

Lots of surround content on this one--two(!) live shows mixed to 5.1 by SW in addition to the main album & associated tracks.

Damn. It will be mine.

 

[privateuniverse]

It also mentions that the book set for Benefit will arrive later this year and that work has begun on Broadsword for release in 2022.

 

[JohnN]

I approved. Was fun!

 

[rusinurbe]

Keep mixing and releasing and keep taking my money

 

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

It also mentions that the book set for Benefit will arrive later this year and that work has begun on Broadsword for release in 2022.

I think that Benefit would "benefit" from some still unreleased tracks. Dharma for one from Living in the past for instance, if the multitracks are available. It was totally reworked from the "This was" version, not just "a bit louder" as IA says at the beginning. To me a different song, which I like a lot. From the timeline it would fit as well as it was taken from a live concert in November 1970. If it just the format, I will just pass.

 

[SHB]

I hope the supply chain of A goes a lot more smoothly than Stormwatch. That was a bit of a mess.

 

[marpow]

It also mentions that the book set for Benefit will arrive later this year and that work has begun on Broadsword for release in 2022.

That is good news it will be fun to add these 3 releases to my Jethro Tull collection. I have the prevouis Benefit, but a book edition would be great.

 

[jimfisheye]

I think that Benefit would "benefit" from some still unreleased tracks. Dharma for one from Living in the past for instance, if the multitracks are available. It was totally reworked from the "This was" version, not just "a bit louder" as IA says at the beginning. To me a different song, which I like a lot. From the timeline it would fit as well as it was taken from a live concert in November 1970. If it just the format, I will just pass.

That whole concert was remixed in 5.1 a few years ago now. (Edit: I don't think it was Steve Wilson though.)

I made myself a Living In The Past edition from that and all the bonus tracks. The last of them came out with the Aqualung book edition (the corrected edition). Only 3 tracks from LITP were missing multitracks in the end. (I upmixed those.)

I kind of got stuck on the LITP album and song order so I had to recreate it for myself. I never had that Life's A Long Song EP when it was current or any of the older singles so that collection played more like an original to me.

 

[ssully]

Just saw this over at SHF:

View attachment 62936 View attachment 62937

Lots of surround content on this one--two(!) live shows mixed to 5.1 by SW in addition to the main album & associated tracks.

? It appears to be one complete live show split into two parts on the CDs...and as the concert excerpts on Slipstream are also from a LA Sports arena 1980 show, this suggests it's the same show.

 

[JohnN]

? It appears to be one complete live show split into two parts on the CDs...and as the concert excerpts on Slipstream are also from a LA Sports arena 1980 show, this suggests it's the same show.

All 1980 Nov.12 Los Angeles, CA that I checked.

 

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

Steve Wilson remixed that whole concert in 5.1 a few years ago now.

Really??? But not released yet, right? Am I missing something?

 

[Ranasakawa]

I played my 'A' CD version today for the first time in 10 or so years, the first 4-5 songs are classic Tull but the last few are weak, I will still probably get the box if the price is good.