Aqualung

A few good songs that I saved. Most songs felt pretty dated.

True rating: 7/10. An okay Jethro Tull sampler. Warrants more listening, since the well-known songs still felt like the standout tracks to me. I prefer the frequencies of their War Child album.

Entertaining. Silly.

The storytelling can be a little too much…

2 good songs. But not a great album

I didn't expect the flute to be so prominent. Definitely recognized a few songs.

I'd rate this a 3.5 if i could. the flute really brought this down lol

A completely unknown band for me. Not a bad sound at all.

A decent Prog Rock record. It's hard to hate a good rock flute. Favorite track: Wind-Up

A quirky classic. Feels like basements, literature and medieval feasts.

Good album, weird sounding start though odd lyrics

7.5/10 Hard rock/folk rock/progressive rock. Rock met een dwarsfluit. 1971 Locomotive Breath

Pretty good, kinda reminds me of King Crimson and Pink Floyd a little. I liked a lot of the songs on the album especially Locomotive Breath.

cat stevens if he was hard core

Has all the makings of a great rock album, but it misses the mark

didnt catch me

Album was fine, generic 70s British rock

Pretty good, enjoyed the rock flute.

Had bever heard any Jethro tull before. Surprisingly enjoyable warlock rock. Maybe more folky than the prog rock we get on here normally.

Really good! Some odd & rather “testy” lyrics but an otherwise masterful, creative work of music. Stands up over the years.

Huh very eclectic sounds goin on. Britsy blues, electric guitar riffs, and a Celtic sounding flute influence. Interesting stuff but prob won’t revisit

I quite like the flute but the material is a bit patchy, ranging from inspired to insipid.

I liked this more than I'd expected to.

SITTING ON A PARKBENCH

stop flute hate

Flute madness….

That's baby making music, that's what that is. Jazz flute is for little fairy boys. - Veronica Corningstone ⚓️👨‍🦰

It's ok. I love flute music!

Start of the album wasn't great, but it got so much better in the middle. A generous 3 because although the vocals and lyrics were grating, the instruments were lovely. Standout tracks: - Up to me 3.5/5 - My god - 4/5

Some classics, never really listened to them before... hardcore rock flute/pipe on one track was killer.

Solid album! The titular song is the best by far though.

solid

Led Zeppelin except slightly less interesting.

Weird-ish concept (?) album but a worthy listen.

more 70s prog rock BUT there's flute. which is admittedly cool.

Coollll

Not my vibe but well played

Concept prog-rock for 1970's Uni students. Not absolutely terrible and the flute isnt as bad as other reviewers might think. Lindisfarne meets Pink Floyd maybe? Not an "important" album and probably deserves its place

Hell yea! I know these guys. Never really heard a lot of their tunes, just the stuff on the radio. A little too folk/rock for me. Aqualung the only song I attach to.

Not familiar with this band. Nice folksy rock. I can appreciate it. ‘Wind-Up’ is a nice, stand out track.

Good stuff

It's perfectly okay. I like parts of Jethro Tull's sound, but there's usually too much going on, and the lyrics are usually kinda middle-of-the-road.

It’s a good album and I do approve that hobbit comment

Reminiscent of “JCS” to me.

It progs, it progs in a way I find marginally better than most of the other prog we’ve heard so far. A 3 here is generous, but it represents that marginal betterness, because I think most of the other prog has been a 2.

A staple of the prog community.

OK but too long.

A flute in a rock and roll album? Sure, why not.

Solid 70s flute rock. 3.5

I never really gave this album a chance in the past. Now that I’ve listened to it, there is a small part of me that feels like I was missing out, just a small part though. The album rocks. There’s amazing sabbath-like riffs through the tracks (My God is a great example), the flute is incredible throughout, and the whole thing flows really well. Not meant to be a concept album from what I understand, but it’s close. I don’t love the vocal stylings, Ian Anderson’s vocals are a bit too exaggerated for my liking, but it does fit the music. I’ve heard it called Hobbit rock many times and I think that’s a fair assessment. Will likely revisit some tracks, but doubtful I’ll listen to the full album much.

I was already familiar with a few tracks from Aqualung just from hearing them on the radio growing up, but I never really paid attention to who they were by. It’s funny because, over the past year, as I’ve been diving deep into progressive rock, Jethro Tull is a name that wasn’t really on my radar until recently. Listening to Aqualung now, I’m hearing those songs in a completely new light. The tracks I used to think of as classic hard rock now stand out as part of a pioneering progressive rock artist’s work. I’ve sampled a good number of Jethro Tull’s albums so far, and I’d say this one is probably his most commercial-sounding. He’s had albums that didn’t quite click with me and others that I really enjoyed, and Aqualung falls somewhere in the middle for me. I’m still getting more familiar with Jethro Tull’s music before I can decide if he’s really my thing or just not one of my favorites in the prog rock scene.

Það er Iron Man riff fílingur í Aqualung, og það meina ég ekki sem hrós. Cross-eyed Mary og Locomotive breath eru heldur ekki skemmtileg. Þetta þunga progg sound gerir lítið fyrir mg, en minna spiluð folk lögin eru oft ágæt, og flautan góð viðbót í rokkið, án hennar væri þetta dullville. Ekki leiðinlegt, en maður þarf þetta ekki.

Serviu para lembrar que Aqualung, a música, é um grande hit de rádio, mesmo assim, toda vez que a escuto, fico surpreendido por ela ser um hit de rádio.

3.5 stars. I wasn’t a huge fan of the beginning songs but the end of the album was really good. Instrumentally it was a great album just didn’t always vibe with it lyrically

Do I like goofy Jethro Tull? Sure. A lunatic playing a flute fronting a rock band. What's not to like. Is this an essential album? Probably not.

Aqualung and that’s it

Not good, not bad.

Pleasant background listening but probably won't listen again. Nice guitar.

Not bad actually

A pretty cool album. Definitely would listen to them again, but probably wouldn’t have this full album in the cd changer. Be a sloot for the flute, and listen to Jethro Tull

With only knowing Aqualung from this album I had all kinds of assumptions coming in but I was pleasantly surprised to find a good variety and a great sound. Really good instrumentation and a solid listen if not a little lengthy. I also found out this is an album my dad listened to a lot when it was more popular, so that’s pretty cool, but he doesn’t know where his copy on vinyl went, so not as cool as it could be.

https://youtu.be/_ZI-lCsdiXw?si=XJ1aJUaMMqdULkqR

01) Aqualung - 7,0 02) Cross-Eyed Mary - 6,5 03) Cheap Day Return - 7,0 04) Mother Goose - 7,0 05) Wond'ring Aloud - 7,0 06) Up to Me - 7,0 07) My God - 7,0 08) Hymn 43 - 7,0 09) Slipstream - 6,5 10) Locomotive Breath - 7,5 11) Wind-Up - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,95 (70/100) Current ranking: 200/292

Man, this is wild. I can’t say that I hate it. It’s very well made, and definitely unique. But it is a trip to hear this sort of rockin’ Ren fair style. Chunky prog flute. It’s not terrible and that’s surprising. Certainly difficult to pull this off. I can see why people respond to this. Probably sounds amazing, played loud in a pickup truck, tearing down the highway. Not my thing, at all, and I probably won’t ever listen to this again. But I can’t say it’s bad. It is a lot, though.

Pretty good but doesn't really flute my boat. 3/5

A Tune that seems strongly influenced by drug abuse and incorporates its time of production. really liked some parts of some songs and i think that cheap day Returns is overwhelmingly good. All in all i think its to messy for me but i liked parts

Great music and I love the flute, but what the fuck were the lyrics. Didn’t listen to the entire thing

Well, they go hard after their sound, ya gotta appreciate. There’s a lot of inventiveness here, and a lot of artistry, and occasionally it really rocks! Maybe not quite often enough for my taste. Not sure the lyrics are quite as clever as they would like you to think they are. Flute’s better integrated than I expected, though. Anyhow, while I don’t think I’m any more a fan of folk-rock after this listen, it’s still an enjoyable album overall.

I don't know why this reminds me of Godspell / Jesus Christ Superstar?? Piano, flute, electric guitar, early '70s vibes, religious content...

I was already familiar with a few tracks from Aqualung just from hearing them on the radio growing up, but I never really paid attention to who they were by. It’s funny because, over the past year, as I’ve been diving deep into progressive rock, Jethro Tull is a name that wasn’t really on my radar until recently. Listening to Aqualung now, I’m hearing those songs in a completely new light. The tracks I used to think of as classic hard rock now stand out as part of a pioneering progressive rock artist’s work. I’ve sampled a good number of Jethro Tull’s albums so far, and I’d say this one is probably his most commercial-sounding. He’s had albums that didn’t quite click with me and others that I really enjoyed, and Aqualung falls somewhere in the middle for me. I’m still getting more familiar with Jethro Tull’s music before I can decide if he’s really my thing or just not one of my favorites in the prog rock scene.

E Gitarre mit Flöte. Ganz gut.

No doubt a classic, but overall just not the perfect style for my taste. High 3.

Never heard the album before. I think Jethro Tull is high risk / high reward. There distinctive sound due to the vocals, flute, and rock/folk arrangements has created some all-time classic songs. But when it doesn't work it seems a bit pointless. This album has a couple of classics, but the rest of it I didn't need to hear before I die. "Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea"

I just didn't really enjoy this album. And it's a pity, because clearly others did...

Never listened to Jethro Tull but pretty sure my parents were keen. Very inventive classic rock but the old English themes are very close to spinal tap in places, and the flute brings it even more into parody. They are clearly talented but I'm not sure I can take it seriously.

I'll level with you, this possibly deserves a better mark but I listened while commuting and I'm not sure I gave it the level of attention it deserves. Sounds good, missed some nuance

I thought I hated jethro till but it’s really just the song ‘aqualung’ that sucks. Hymn 43 rocks and I was surprised that I liked some of the other deep cuts. They remind me of an English folkloric version of Rush. Very technically skilled and musically eclectic but also kind of soulless and overly cerebral, with dumb/ pretentious lyrics.

I actually liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. I probably wouldn't want to listen to it again though

You know what? Not bad.

A very mid one for me. It’s kinda cool yet not very captivating.

I’ll give it props for being one of the more interesting and creative prog rock albums, as the prominent usage of the flute stood out to me. As is the case with a lot of other albums though, one track overshadows the rest of the album. The self-titled major rock hit “Aqualung” being the obvious case here. Otherwise very folksy and mostly tolerable.

I liked this more than I thought I would, I’ll give it that. This one may grow on me.

WOOO FIRST ALBUM ! wish i discovered this site sooner long list of slightly biased comments because i read some reviews (which were all very spot on lol): • definitely confused by the flute (but i kinda like it) • love a folksy rock blend • i think a remaster would do this album justice • cringe lord of the rings reddit mod vibes but im gonna embrace it • the solos / riffs are beautiful and satisfying • don't think i would listen to this again except for a few songs unless i was in a very specific mood • i definitely understand the appeal, i wish they did a pink floyd thing and made these songs twice as long with more instrumental *(edit while listening: ok there are definitely long-ish moments of some Kewl instrumentals, still wish it was longer!!!!) • im so bad at listening to lyrics. need to start.

Slightly overrated. One time listening its enough 3

Flautas, yum!

Love the flute. Was okay overall

6/10

3.5

Interesting

Main thought is that I absolutely love the flute on this. I mostly really enjoyed the instrumentation on this record but didn't care so much for the vocals.

I got this album early on in the project, so this is a repeat. Here is my original review: Super fun. The flute was really cool, and the lyrics + music is all really stellar. Not a huge prog fan, but I get the hype after listening to this.

I'm honestly surprised I liked this as much as I did. There are some great guitar solos. Ab abundance of flute , but some great songs. The lyrics, however, are fucking maudlin. Aqualung. Fark. Makes grunge sound cheerful. I'm spitting out three broken stars for this one.

Flaunt that Flautist

Pretty fun and creative. The speak singing will always be a bit funny to me. Hymn 43 is my fave so far, but I liked Wind Up quite a lot! 3.5

The opening track is a masterclass of the ominous, with that riff just grabbing your attention straight away. Unfortunately the few tracks that follow are kind of generic prog rock and it only picks up with Up to Me and My God when Anderson really leans into the band’s USP and busts out that gnarly flute playing

Tasteful blend of blues/folk/psychedelia/hard rock

This one was good, outside of the title track I didn't recognize most of these songs but I liked them.

Ok. Didn’t love or hate it

sItTiNg On A pArK bEnCh *DUN, DUN-DUN* I haven't listened to the title track, or any Jethro Tull, in quite some time, so I'm interested in seeing what an album by them is like 👌 not bad, some really pretty moments flit by like “Wond’rin” and “Slipstream”, but too much of it kinda blends together in my ears to be a classic. Though much of the title track sounds condescending to its subject matter, it’s still a pretty great hard rock tune HL: title track, “Mother Goose”, “Wond’ring Aloud”, “Locomotive Breath” July 14, 2024

not very impressive

I like: Wond'ring Aloud, My God, Locomotive Breath. Aqualung (the first track) is ok. I'm thinking 3/5

Interesting. Sounds like an early heavy metal meets opera sound. I like the flute.

Very nice

It was fine

Pretty decent stuff

Some cool songs might check it out again.

Of the bands from the "classic" rock era that I've felt indifferent towards, Jethro Tull is near the top of the list. I've always felt they were a tad overrated and never got into their music beyond the songs that were on the radio. Aqualung (both the album and the song) is Jethro Tull's masterpiece. I don't know anyone of a certain age that hasn't heard the song, with it's weird lyrics (how many songs mention snot?), but apart from the title track, it's fairly generic English folk-rock with flutes and flutes and flutes. I don't mind flutes, the music is beautiful at times and it works well with the mood and atmosphere of the songs, but...yeah.

Eilen levy ei oikein toiminut, mutta tänään toimi jo ihan kohtuullisesti. Jos usein tulee valiteltua kuinka poukkoileva yksi levy voi olla, niin tässä se sama vedetään jo biisin sisällä. Välillä turhankin progea omaan makuun, vaikkakin välillä vekkulia tasapainoilua raskaamman soundin ja poikkihuilun soittelun kesken.

enjoyed it much more than i thought i would!

Cool, want to listen again

Of course I've heard the song Aqualung before but not the album. I didn't expect a lot out of this but it wasn't what I expected and I enjoyed it

Didnt know this band so much, but this album absolutely has its cool moments, I Will definately listen to some more from this band

It’s like Crosby Stills and Nash meets Led Zepplin. I feel middle earth in the lyrics and delivery. As expected the flute is amazing in this. I especially loved “Up to Me”. It’s also clear that they influenced Metal artists like Metallica, or at the very least helped in kicking off that genre.

I hate concept albums with samey tracks. It's supposed to be a ride of different sounds imo. I love the flutes tho. It does have a place in rock.

Saved by Aqualung. It's okay, but way too much flute. I find that odd and distracting.

A+ concept album Jethro Tull you must admit is the greatest band to mix rock with flute.

One thing I'm realizing about all of these progressive albums is that they'd be much better if they didn't overstay their welcome. Here we're introduced to two unusual characters and then they're never mentioned again. Then we get a few songs rambling about religion. Musically, it is better than I expected, but lyrically it left me wanting, and no matter how you look at it it had too much filler material.

I liked the flute and guitar, though some songs sounded very similar. There is nothing that blew me away on this album but it is nice background music.

Did I agree with his lyrics all the time? -no Was I impressed with the flute? -yes Was I blown away from the album due to its amazingness? -no, not really because it was just average

on the positive side-overall I enjoyed the guitar and bass. not a fan of overall vocals, nor of psych rock. it's a meh

i see why people like it, but not the album i needed on a suddenly cold June morning

This just doesn’t do it for me. It might deserve a three because objectively it isn’t bad, but personally I’m at 2.5 at best.

just because you can play the flute doesn't mean you have to on your album aqualung cheap day return up to me slipstream wind up

Highlight: Hymn 43 In a nutshell: making the flute cool again. THIS is how you use a distinctive sounding instrument (in this case, a flute) on an album: sprinkle throughout like you were garnishing a meal with salt or pepper. Prog rock and folk rock with electric guitar, a little blues rock thrown in. Tracks like Mother Goose has a little baroque touch (or was that just me?). Without looking at Wikipedia et al. Jethro Tull seemed to be a band who were confident in their sound. This conviction doesn’t come off as arrogant to me. Some listeners will think this is pretentious shit, which I can understand, but you gotta give the band points ingenuity. Overall: 6/10

What a strange album, I'm not sure what to make of this exactly. It has moments of classic hard rock, and then they bust out a flute and the vibe totally shifts. It's a bit hard rock and bit folk rock at the same time. This might also get classified as a prog rock album, there seems to be some debate but it seems to tick the boxes. Naturally, I like the "folk-y" songs quite a bit more than the harder rock songs. "Wond'ring Aloud" is this incredible little love song (honestly one of my favorite songs I've heard in awhile), and "Mother Goose" is a bit odd but sounds like it could be a Simon & Garfunkel song or something. Some of the rock songs work pretty well too though, even if it's less of my thing overall. "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath" seem like they've become classic rock station mainstays. Lyrically, a lot of the songs are religious in nature (anti-religious I guess), "My God" is 7 minutes of him talking about God and religion. The singer claims it is definitely not a concept album, but you can see how some might disagree. I'm really on the fence between a 3 and a 4, it probably falls somewhere in between for me. I do really get the appeal, but the guitar-heavy hard rock is a good chunk of this and it's not my favorite thing, and the flute is unique but a bit jarring still. But there's some really great stuff in here too, and it definitely has a distinct sound. Favorite song: Wond'ring Aloud Other: Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary, Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose, Up to Me, Hymn 43, Slipstream, Locomotive Breath, Wind-Up 6/16/24

Iconic psychedelic flute

I was more impressed with this than I thought I would be. I figured it would have a bunch of non-hut songs that were not very good. I'm not jumping to buy it, but I'll voluntarily listen to more in the future.

I only recognized the title track, which I kind of like. Mixed feelings on this one - not totally mundane, and the flute was actually a pretty cool feature - but nothing really moves me to rate it higher than a 3. I think it’s that pseudo-concept album cheesiness that holds me back.

Honestly thought it would be worse

Not bad, Aqualung is a solid track. A bit rambling and proggy in parts. The record isn't too long which means it doesn't overstay its welcome

Better than I expected.

I enjoyed it for the most part. But I probably won't be coming back to it in the future.

Very much of it’s time. My dad always referenced Jethro Tull when I played flirt in middle school. Not my favorite as I refer The Who and Lead Zeppelin. Aqualung is a classic though!

Aqualung pleasantly surprised me with its seamless blend of progressive rock and folk elements, elevated by Ian Anderson's distinctive and expressive voice. The album's rich mix of acoustic and electric sounds, coupled with thought-provoking lyrics on themes like society and personal reflection, showcases the band's versatility and musical prowess. High production quality allows each instrument to shine, creating a balanced and engaging listening experience. Overall, Aqualung is a well-crafted and dynamic album that underscores Jethro Tull's talent and Anderson's vocal strength, making it a compelling listen. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - Hymn 43

yet another album id like to give a 3.5 but here we are.

The name always made me laugh - clever - but made me think they were heavier than they are. I chose not to listen to them - a few misconceptions but they’re definitely better than I realised.

Quite enjoyable but went on a bit at times. I liked hearing him go mmmyeah! Whilst playing flute

Cant really say this is my thing, but its pretty solid

Solid album.

This album is way longer than I thought. Some hits, some dudes.

Catchy

Actually not bad I just don't mix well with prog rock prolly cuz am not merican

Had heard of Jethro Tull but never listened to them. Sounded a bit more folksy than I was expecting. They really weren’t bad and I very much enjoyed the guitar on Cheap Day Return.

A painfully O.K. prog album. There are some songs that stick out, but most don't do much for me. 2.5/5 -> 3/5.

Tons of fun. Not totally familiar with Herbies library, so this was a mostly new adventure.

Good concept album. Songs were enjoyable.

The beginning if the album was a little bit strange. The end was quite nice.

A classic. A great album. 3

Liked songs: Cheap Day Return, Up to Me, Slipstream, Locomotive Breath

Enjoyed this listen! Starts strong, then fades and the songs get similar. Definitely liked Disc 1 better. We listened on my b-day so there were a few (phone call) interruptions which may have enhanced the experience. In the shuffling madness this rates (3.3*s)

I haven't listened to Jethro Tull in a very long time and hearing them again made me realize how good they are. This album showcases all of their talents and is rock solid. They have such a unique thing going, I was impressed with how well this one held up. Even the songs in between the hits are good.

One instrument I would not think to put in a rock song is a flute but Anderson makes it work. Some major hits on here with some other decent ones. Tull gives a minstrelly song a solid rock and roll backbone by adding in heavy guitars and drums. What is an aqualung though?

Smooth

Pretty good classic British rock. I like it but I don't think I would go out of my way to listen to it. If I had been born in that era I would probably be a fan.

multiple flute solos!

cool flute!! usually hate woodwind but this was nice

It's a concept album about a frog? Decent progressive rock that jams. And flute.

I love this album when I was 15. And those songs I loved so much back then are still great today. But the few songs in between are quite tedious. I'm giving this album 3 stars based on how much I enjoyed it at one point in my life. But if I was hearing it for the first time today, it might get 2 stars. The way this album sounds a lot like some music made in a shire with smurfs or Hobbits or the like; along with the repetitive themes that come up throughout the album (although the band says it's not a concept album?) just bore me somehow.

progr og

Cool sound. I liked the rock music with flute and piano. I don't know if I'm totally on the same wavelength, but it was fun to listen to and I will probably listen again at some point

It was fine. Fun at times, and now I finally know what my step dad was talking about with Jethro Tull's flute when I was a flute player in high school.

I haven't listened to much rock lately and this folk/rock album was refreshing. The lyrics seemed complex and I didn't expect the flute to work so well.

God I hate the flute

Jethro Tull to me is one of those bands that took themselves too seriously, like they were doing some heroic work putting a homeless man on the cover of an album, exposing the dark side of humanity and religion. Songs like Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary and Locomotive Breath have all become staples of classic rock radio. Hearing them all together in the context of this album, they are decent, but the acoustic snoozers in between differ greatly from those rockers and really aren’t very good or they’re songs too stuck in their convictions to be any good (as on My God).

The songs were fine and I really liked the flute, but I guess I’m not a huge fan of prog rock. I think the songs just get kinda boring after a while 6/10

Some fun spots

Never really listened to a ton of jethro Tull but it’s really not too bad. I mean they would probably have been an all time classic rock band if they didn’t have the flute and just had a stronger guitar presence but maybe that’s why people like jethro. It clearly makes unique and original. Luckily they also make the flute as enjoyable as possible which is tough. This was a pretty good album with some songs worth revisiting. 6.6/10

The title track and Locomotive Breath are absolute bangers. Hymn 43 is an underrated gem. But there's too much that sounds like minstrel wandering through the forest that Monty Python spoofed in Holy Grail. Decent but could have been great.

Decent. The title track and Locomotive Breath are flautist epic-sauce (as (the) kids (used to) say (10 or 20 years ago)), but nothing else really stood out to me.

Surprisingly the first time I’ve heard this (aside from the title track), and my gut reaction is perfectly passable prog rock. Didn’t dig it as much as Yes. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing that spurs me to explore further.

I recently have a new setup for my record player and have really been enjoying listening to records and how good they sound. Since then, this is the first album to come up that I’ve had on vinyl, it being one of my father’s old records that doesn’t get any play from me. So, I threw it on the record player. And I was a little disappointed.

Its ok.

This album gives me a rock renaissance fair, pretentious Spinal Tap Stonehenge vibe. The flute thing works for me. My enjoyment level runs between a 1.5 and a 3.5 depending on the song. I also got the feeling that this one might grow on me if I cared enough to give it more listens. Given that I'll round up the mathematical average of 2.5 to a 3.

It was forgettable but I didn't hate it. The perfect 3.

I've never listened to this album before except for the title song. There were some cool moments, I liked a lot of the psych folk interludes. It didn't grab me today but I may revisit with headphones sometime.

Not the worst rock flute

LOVE that flute, Ian Anderson’s voice sometimes reminds me of Bowie, and if you told me “My God” was in Jesus Christ Superstar I’d believe you. Super cool listening to the interview at the end and his love for cozy studio spaces and how he doesn’t like to play simple songs. If we could do partial stars I’d rate it a 3.8, I’m a harsh critic.

Experimentelles Album: Vielseitig und Kleinteilig. Lokomotive Breath: nimm noch einen Zug - lehne Dich zurück - genieße die (Laser)Show.

I was unexpectedly pleased listening to this album. Still a little weird, but I still enjoyed it, even with the addition of the flute. Early 70s prog-rock for the win, I guess? However, I don't see this album ever crossing my path ever again.

OK rock album, but I don't understand why it's so highly regarded by some.

Solid album throughout. Some of the flute solos dragged on a bit long, mind.

Love that the special edition album comes with an interview with Ian Anderson being like “this is not my best work.”

Seems a little dated by now. Aqualung is a total classic though, but over time maybe it feels a little plodding. I had to struggle to make it through the album. It gets an extra star just because it is a classic of an era.

Esperaba más, linda la flautita con el rock, si alquien lee esto me asesina :)

Love this album. Such a great period sound. Saw them live during their 50th anniversary show. What a letdown. Ian's voice was shot. Ill stick to the albums. Thanks.

A lot more depth and interest in this album than I was expecting. I only knew Aqualung going into it. While I enjoyed it, it started to feel a little similar by the end. Overall, good classic rock knocking at the prog door.

Meh, I didn't really listen to the whole thing. Hommie has some good flute skills for sure, no doubt about that. It's cool to hear someone jam out on the flute like he does. It was alright. Nothin I would put on of my own will again. The first track is the only one I can remember hearing before. I know some people really like him. It def has that 70 rock sound to it though so there's that..3 stars.

It was fine

Fun. Jaunty. Always a fan of some extra flute.

Got that Jesus Christ Superstar vibe going on. Which ain’t a bad thing. The lyrics are weak but the arrangements are interesting. It meanders. It isn’t for me but I can recognise why people like it.

Interesante progrock. Si no se enojan, me atrevo a decir que incluso escucho un poco de Opeth en algunas canciones

Close to 4 stars but not quite there... 72/100

Another decently enjoyable album

Sounds really modern. Quite interesting, but not my cup of tea.

Sounds pre-metal with flute. I couldn't get into it, but did find it *interesting*.

Fine

This album took me back to my childhood. My brother used to play this album. I enjoyed the musical arrangement more than the singing. I loved it, if only for the nostalgia.

Not for me

Loved the instrumental. Everything else felt like I wasn't "getting" it.

I can see some modern influence from this. Tenacious D definitely has some vocal similarities to this.

started strong, got weaker

Gef greyinu 2.5. Frekar mikið prump.

helt avg gammelmannsrock

I like the different instruments used and unique feeling of each song. Easy to listen to and find yourself bouncing to the beat.

Lots of religious overtones on this classic rock album

Pretty good

Muy bueno

Pretty good tho the dude seems pretty creepy

Aqualung Hey Aqualung! I’m not much familiar with prog rock, not because I don’t like but because I never know where to start. I think I quite like it, which is probably a consequence of approaching 50. Anyhow, I really liked this. The first 2 songs are great, particular Aqualung. Liked Mother Goose a lot too. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I liked the folky/pastoral elements, as well as the heavier riffing. I can see why stuff like this gets parodied, but I kind of think that makes it more enjoyable. I’m not sure where to rate it. Tempted to give it 4 as I really enjoyed it. But I think I need to give it a few more listens, it’s quite dense and will probably be a real grower. I’ll give it 3 for now and revise when we look back and change all our reviews in a year ⭐️⭐️⭐️

it was decent, consistently good

Ihan menevä, hyvä skitta 3,5/5 Ei kummosempi 3.5/5

Much better than I was expecting! Everything in between "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath" sounded like it was coming from Fairport Convention.

Het begin vind ik maar een 2/5 waard. Maar de tweede helft vind ik wat gedurfder.

overall, Aqualung’s rich musical textures, thought-provoking lyrics, and masterful performances continue to inspire and resonate with people, now including me, and i’ll be giving this album a 7.5/10. full review on ig @musicwithnessa

really nice mellow rock sound feels kinda like a mix of 70s metal and psychedelic rock, guitar and drums at some parts feels black sabbath-ish some bits felt a little out of place, flute stuff mostly, nice variety between songs though really love a few tracks, stuff like wind up and hymn 43 are really great but it feels a little bit inconsistent in quality

Classic rock with a piccolo I guess?

Aqualung - Great track. Feels like a journey from start to finish. Really great guitar intermissions in between parts. Cross-Eyed Mary - The flute was really offputting to me at first but I actually don't mind it. The flute and guitar and piano passing the melodies between them at the very end is a cool touch. I didn't like the weird tappy percussion during the verses but overall a good song. Cheap Day Return - Short and pretty acoustic song. No complaints. Mother Goose - Not sure how I feel about the flute on this song. Gives off medieval bard music feelings lol. The electric guitars that come in for the first time at the 2:30 mark pull it together a bit more for me. I don't hate it but it's not as good as the previous songs. Wond'ring Aloud - Another shorter and pretty acoustic song with some piano and strings along with the guitar. I actually love this one a lot, it's very peaceful. Up to Me - Man I really don't feel like the flute adds anything to this at all. It just adds another layer that doesn't really need to be there. Makes the song sound kinda mushy. I think it would be much better without it. Other than that I think the song is nice. The bassline that comes in around 2:10 hits perfectly. My God - It's fine. I think it handles the flute better than some of the other earlier songs but I still don't really like it and it for sure outstays its welcome here. Doesn't keep my attention nearly as well as some of the earlier "journey" songs on the album, namely Aqualung. Hymn 43 - A much more "typical" song and I definitely do like it a lot more. It's catchy and sounds great. It's also short enough that I'd listen to it on its own, unlike Aqualung which is great but too intense to listen to casually for me. Slipstream - Yet another short acoustic song. I really like these, they're a breath of fresh air in between the heavier and longer ones. This one is very beautiful. Locomotive Breath - I like this one in the same way I like Hymn 43. The two guitars panned to different ears of my headphones was strange at first but I actually quite like it. It has a unique sound to it. This is the only one besides Cross-Eyed Mary where the flute part actually fits in so far. Wind-Up - This song is fantastic. Might actually be my favorite on the album. The second half of this record hits so much harder than the first. Lick Your Fingers Clean - Not a bad closer by any means. Again, the flute sounds gimmicky to me but it sounds much better than most of the other songs on the record so I don't mind. Overall this is an album where the high points make up for the low points. Some of the flutier songs like Up to Me are genuinely hard to listen to but songs like Aqualung, Hymn 43, and Wind-Up are all great. I'm going to go with 3/5. Would've been a lot better without the flute lol.

the interview bit is a weird thing to do

Classic tull

Lots of jazz flute. Fun album that didn’t really land for me

Never really gave Jethro a good listen before. Surprised at how good it was. 3 1/2 stars.

Not bad, would listen again.

Nogle sange giver lidt Robin Hood stemning, især Mother Goose, tror det fløjten. Der er en der er meget fan af fløjten. 5,8/10

Plinky plonky folky flutey rocky rock. Very enjoyable

Listened thru a few times, enjoyed it - the flute is an unusual tool, but the grooves on some of these tracks are undeniable. Not sure I'll drop into rotation, but interesting stuff

Not really my cup of tea, but I can tell it’s technically impressive. The mix of jazz and rock is uncomfortable though.

May need to give this another listen. I honestly can’t say I hated this. It does feel like a bunch of theatre kids made a rock band replete with jazz flute. I can see why some would absolutely loathe this. To be honest I should love this but was only slightly amused by it. It’s possible it’ll grow on me over time. 3/5

I'm drawn to this, but I don't know why. Why do I like this? I'm perplexed. 3 stars for now.

Thought I would love this because of the song Aqualung, but the album as a hole is nothing particularly special and I won't be returning to it.

I like the ‘folk’ aspects.

Need to revisit

It’s hard to imagine this album being over 50 years old given its somewhat timeless storytelling feel. With obvious religious imagery woven throughout along with odd time signatures, unique song structure, and melodic folk rock stylings, it’s strange to think just how impactful this cerebral concept album was. And yet no matter how many times he presented himself as the codpiece wearing wild eyed court jester, Ian Anderson made the flute cool. Or did he? Hard to say. The guitar work by Martin Barre is very progressive for the time and the flute solo alone on Locomotive Breath gives the song the banger merit it deserves. But when Ron Burgundy whips out a flute in Anchorman and plays Aqualung in an impromptu moment, is that just good music direction…or further evidence that Tull were never taken seriously? Probably the latter. I actually now prefer their follow-up album Thick As a Brick more, but this album deserves its place due to influence alone.

Props for making the flute an integral piece of the album/band. I don’t mind the occasional Tull making its way on the playlist of the local classic rock station, but can’t really get into a full album. Maybe too put off by the lyrics, because obviously some good musical moments on this.

Pretty good album. Some really good parts and memorable guitar riffs. Gotta respect how wildly Aqualung is known. And of course making the flute work in rock is quite admirable. I’m between a 2-3 and decided to round up.

Lots of different genres blending and a ton of experimentation on this album. The experimentation goes too far most of the time though, it feels like a studio session that ran long and they just cut the entire thing as an album. I think it would've benefited from tightening up across the board.

I thought I would like this album a lot more than I did. It wasn't bad per se, but had a really hard time maintaining interest

Ok

3 stars because the instruments were decent. lyrics were out and overall sound, i wouldnt want to pull my hair out listening to, but i wouldnt never actively search out this album again

For always knowing who Jethro Tull were but never hearing their music before, this album was a pleasant surprise. It felt like an album I could listen to while camping or out on a dock somewhere in the summer. Not bad, but wont be a favourite of mine.

this was kinda fun, wouldn't necessarily listen to it in my free time

Sounded a lot like The Who.

Good!!

Interesting super fluty music! Very talented musicians and songwriting. Heard some of songs influencing Tenacious D is style and form. I had heard Aqualung but that’s the only Tull song I am familiar with. I’d say it’s a 3ish album.

Paar vette nummers, maar ook wel een beetje een rommel

Expected this to not be for me, but enjoyed it more than expected. Still not my favorite but I get the appeal

Hey Nonny Nonny prog and I’m here for it. At times it all feels a bit Flight of the Conchords, but I like it.

There were some solid songs on the album. The first song was very good; as were some others. I found the lyric writing to be decent, not amazing, not bad. Didn’t particularly resonate with me, but I didn’t mind it

Super fun. The flute was really cool, and the lyrics + music is all really stellar. Not a huge prog fan, but I get the hype after listening to this.

I really liked it. I just couldn't love it. Aqualung as a single is perfect though.

Rock simple

Thoughts before listening: I own this on vinyl although I haven't listened all that much. "Aqualung" is probably Jethro Tull's best known song and its a great example of 70s proggy hard rock. "Cross-Eyed Mary" and "Locomotive Breath" are also classics that have lived on through cover versions by the jambands I love. Review: I like the combo of hard rock songs with more folky tracks that is at the core of everything Jethro Tull does. The fact that Ian Anderson is known for his flute playing means that Jethro Tull was always going to be a standout from the typical 70s hard rock bands. I also appreciate that while there are some elements of prog rock here the band tends to shy away from the over the top excesses typically associated with those bands. The anti-religion themes of the lyrics aren't something I can identify with and typically would be a turn off for me. That being said, a deeper read shows more of a questioning of the organized religion of 1960s Britain that Ian Anderson grew up in than a true attack on Christianity.

Favorite tracks: Aqualung, Up to Me Rating: 3/5

A healthy mix of rock and renaissance music

I’ve heard a lot about Jethro Tull from some YouTubers I watch, but never actually took the time to listen. This album wasn’t too bad. Easy to listen to, but not much stood out as particularly special. Also, I felt like a few of the songs (and album in general) went on a bit too long. Notable tracks: Aqualung, Mother Goose

The delightful....JAZZ FLUTE

Jethro Tull is a bit of a blind spot for me and im not sure why. I absolutely loved this album! I love a bit of Prog Rock and it reminded me a bit of early genesis. Who would have thought a flute would be center stage in a rock band lol!

example listening note... 3

It's quite a cool album, especially if you don't listen to the lyrics (the two characters they introduce in the first two songs are a homeless guy who hangs around school playgrounds and a child prostitute). The music is better in that first half, but the mood of the songs gets more thoughtful and reflective as you work through the album. Probably not one I'll revisit (aside from the title track), but worth a listen. 3/5.

Another decent album, few good songs and the rest average to me. Enjoyed it but wasn’t amazing.

Any time I’m doing something that can be described in six syllables I like to announce it to the tune of “Aqualung.” “Going to the Starbucks.” “Picking up the groceries.” People really love it. Proto-metal here. I’ve listened to this album enough to know it’s not my thing. But I couldn’t help moving my head along to songs like “Cross-Eyed Mary.” In spite of its renaissance-faire stylings, still enough to like here.

Playing Catch Up on the Weekend #3 The best rock band to use a flute? I knew of Aqualung, but never knew it was by Jethro Tull. I enjoyed Wondr'n Aloud, which I had never heard. Great album but gets a little preachy at times.

Not bad but will not purchase.

Prog really doesn't do it for me so most of this was boring. Loved the flute, though.

I never am quite sure if Jethro Tull is a band or a dude who blows flutes. Perplexed

An old classic, I know, but something I've never really wished to explore, I put it in the Stairway to Heaven hobbit music category. Anyway it was good enough, my Mum heard it in the car and said it was an album she bought when it was released.

Just not my jam, entertaining though.

a classic of my youth. not as great as I thought it was when i was 13.

I recognized the opening guitar riff, but after that I was taken on an unexpected amazing adventure! A mix of rock and folk music, there is any a boring event on this musical theatre experience. High 3

Iconic Jethro, great dad music

Definitely felt like a very cohesive concept album. This is both a plus and a minus - there were a couple parts that gave me "Tommy" PTSD. Unlike that album though, the occasional monotony isn't suffocating, and I could definitely see returning to this. Unfortunately, I feel like the cohesion took precedence over making an album with a varied palette.

Sounds very 70's art-prog-folk-rock. Quite dated and not very interesting vocal melodies. The flute solos on a couple songs are fun, and squeezing everything out of a flute that exists. But idk, use a sax or a clarinet. Suffers from weak 70's production.

Jethro rocks. There are lots of corollaries to pull from this band and this album, but I don't want to type them all.

Not my style

Very interesting album

Weird folk rock 😂

#29. I think there's a reason nobody knows any more than two Jethro Tull songs. The flute solo shtick wears thin about one or two songs in. The music is alright I guess, but the vocals are less than ideal. This one slots in on the low end of 3 I think. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Locomotive Breath I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Blast from the past. Nice to hear the non-greatest hits tracks. Nice prog rock.

3.5/5 I'll have to relisten

3.5/5

Muito o que falar não, álbum legal mas não me apeteceu como eu gostaria

"Then the chicken-fancier came to play, with his long red beard." I knew "Aqualung" was for me when I read this line. And I found looking up terms like "Dog-end" and "Chicken-fancier" was less fun than self-interpreting. After a few songs, I guessed it must be a concept album or rock opera. Cool, I'm in... But no, this is just a normal album. The first four songs feel like Tim and Eric created music for a renaissance fair in their most serious voice. So many quotable lines. I think it could grow on me. 2.9

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Aqualung

Jethro Tull is cooler than I give them credit for. It's a little bit like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tenacious D, Black Sabbath, and some other stuff all stirred together. Definitely a unique sound. Also, both songs I knew by them were on this album, so I'll assume it was their best one.

This was quite fun, I love a concept album. Never really listened to Jethro Tull before and didn't know much about them before, did a little bit of reading because I enjoyed this album... colour me interested!

I have found this hard to place, and feel I know very little of Jethro Tull, despite knowing that they're one of the classics. Some of the songs resonated with me more than others and overall I found it enjoyable. I think I need to listen again to form a stronger opinion

Jethro has a place in my life but I kind of get lost in the album and I don't know if I love main dude's voice enough to listen to the entire thing back if it weren't assigned. Can't always have consecutive ballads for my personal taste. Still I'm glad they made the album. Wind-Up and Locomotive Breath are new ones for me and I really enjoy them. Also I appreciate the flute. But altogether

Sure, it's a little pretentious, which loads of flute, but I can see this being someone's bag.

Heel goed album, ook sentiment omdat mijn ouders hier ook naar luisteren. Ook omdat vaak op de radio kwam.

7/10

Die Querflöten-Elemente gefallen mir besser als gedacht.

Sick flute solos

3.5

Pretty good. Not super memorable, but I liked it.

Pretty good, loved the flute Favorite songs: Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary, My God, Wind-Up

Momenteel krijgt alles een 3 en zo ook dit album. Best aardig, ik kon me er niet aan storen maar tegelijkertijd ook wel vergeetbaar.

Like the music, solid 3 stars...no standouts for my taste

Aqualung is a great song! Everything else was pretty samesy, but I’ll give 3 stars just for Aqualung.

Ok

I never really got this album. I'm a huge prog rock/metal fan so I should like this nu I don't.

Almost like a musical. Very repetitive but very fun and progressive classic rock concept album