Reviews (page 4 of 14)
This is the kind of music that Spinal Tap were making fun of. Overly serious, overblown bollocks that is quite tedious to listen to. As much as I enjoy the fact that they do something different by including a flute, it does make it kinda hard to take seriously. Anybody else think of Allison Hannigan in American Pie when they hear a flute?? 'This one time, at band camp.......' No? Just me then.......... Anyway, this kind of prog just bores me to tears, with po-faced lyrics that try to be serious but are kind of ridiculous, and not enough of interest musically.
Love this album.
Didn’t give this album as much time as I should’ve on the lyrical front, but hearing that this album was recorded in the same studio and same time as Led Zeppelin makes some sense. Overall enjoyed this one
I guess i dont like prog rock, pretty good band tho. But haven't caught me.
3,5
9 / 10 - Prog-Rock mit Flöte - Voller genialer Riffs, Motiven, Virtuosität und Vibes Favs: - Aqualung - My God - Locomotive Breath
I think if I listened to this lots more I'd give it a 5. But the less familiar songs beyond Aqualung and Locomotive Breath I think need more time to grow for me. Still, I need to listen to more Tull and this has given me reason.
didn’t know this album before, but this was a nice listen
This is an enjoyable listen, I grew up with this style of music, but for whatever reason my parents weren't into Jethro Tull and we never had this on. But I can hear a lot of similarities with other acts we did have on repeat. I feel like further listens and a familiarity with the tracks would allow me to enjoy it more. Interesting lyrical themes, nice guitar parts, some cool riffs, some interesting instrumentation with the acoustic parts and the flutes and (was it recorders?) recorders. Weird end to the album. Yeah, I liked it.
Flute is rock and roll
Day 223 Highlights Aqualung Hymn 43 Luck your fingers clean (expanded edition)
People overly dunk on this album for the flute. It absolutely is a gimmick, but honestly, it's the only thing that makes Jethro Tull interesting. Without the medieval to colonial vibes thrown in, it's just a generic 70s rock album. I thought the songs got much better when the flutist came in.
Oh I like aqualung.
A really unique album! A fantastic blend of loads of genres. Fav song is ‘Mother Goose’.
I’ll give it a 3. I feel generous.
This is peak. I need to check more of Jethro Tull after this
Classic
I dunno, man I mean, not everyone is into Renaissance fairs.
Pretty middle of the road stuff. Had enough to keep it interesting but there wasn’t any standout tracks.
Such an incredible album. Heavy riffs, old-school rock ‘n’ roll, peaceful folk, Jazz bits, alternately thoughtful and biting lyrics, and of course, Ian’s inimitable flute. Every time I come back to this album it’s better than the last time (the Steven Wilson remix is superb). Just another great album from a band that has a lot of them. 5.0/5.0: Iconic
not many bands can pull off a flute solo
Good album Jethro tull is amazing with the flute Gives off a fantasy setting vibe where a group of cool bards with guiter and drums are playing music :3 Favourite track- Wond’ring loud Date listened- 20th March 2026
Too much flute. Never liked this band much
I’ve heard this before. I don’t own it but my dad does and it’s one that I spun more than a few times going through his record collection for stuff he didn’t listen to very much when i was in middle school and high school, and then later when going through various classic rock phases. First off, more rock bands should use flute. It shouldn’t be relegated to jazz and classical and marching bands and only show up in rock when they bring in some orchestration. You can rock out on any instrument and Jethro Tull rocks the flute. And it’s not just novelty or show-off, even if there are plenty of flute solos, it’s there in the riffs and fills. There are a lot of great riffs and hooks in here, and I always assumed it was a concept album with the repeated motifs throughout all the songs, but apparently the band says it isn’t. Anyway, every song is at least thematically and musically related, and the song order seems to follow a start to end sequence. All in all it’s a great album.
At last something not mainstream pop listening. This album has been a favourite for many years. Interesting lyrically, great musicianship with bonus flute. Aqualung and Locomotive Breath favourite tracks.
I love that flute playing bastard
Fajne. Nawet znana piosenka tytułowa. Na 4.
Enjoyed the opening song. A bit led Zeppelin esk.
Love the blending of styles and variety of sounds. Long album though.
Interesting album
Brilliant album, great musicianship and songwriting
I just don’t connect with it at all. I was waiting for the songs to end. I feel like you have to be into something that I am clearly not into to really enjoy this.
Very fun album! Interesting topics. My favorites were "My God"(and the early version too), "Hymn 43", and all versions of "Wond'ring aloud"
Kinda cool
Struggling between 2 and 3 because it really didn't do much for me, but was quite a bit more pleasant than the past 2 albums. Interesting storytelling and lyricism again. Needed more flute.
generator please give me something newer despite me loving the past few 60s and 70s records ok this gets heavier after the start why is cheap day return so short :c getting more than slightly whimsical in a medieval bard way on Mother Goose my God what is happening in My God Ends on a high note and there are bangers, I guess I was just expecting something harder from the album cover and from an album that existed after King Crimson, The Rolling Stones, and Hendrix
I have been culturally aware of Jethro Tull as the 70s rock band with a flute, but outside of the occasional song on the radio I never gave it much thought. There is some really great stuff on here, but not all of it works the same.
I grew up on this album as my dad is a huge Jethro Tull fan and I was lucky enough to see them live in 2000. The title track on this album is a banger and while I appreciate how futuristic this must have seemed when it came out because of all the artists that copied and elevated this sound I find most of it to be mediocre.
Flute solos go crazy
Quite good
A folky progressive hard rock album that's elevated by Ian Anderson's flute, and elevated even further by being one of the first albums I really got into after my first three music obsessions of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush began to run their course. It's a shame Thick as a Brick by this band isn't on this list, cause that one goes even harder.
I dreaded when Aqualung (the song) came on the radio as a kid. Thought it was going to be many agonizing minutes of something that sounded like the first minute or so of that song. I must have always noped out and left the room when that song was playing because I clearly never heard the rest of it. FANTASTIC solo. Great song. Then they have a whole album after it as well?! “My God” blew me away, maybe even more so on the second listen. Locomotive Breath into Wind-Up was a good way to end it as well. A cool mix of genres. Flute going hard as hell. Some rockin prog jams. Honestly what a pleasant surprise, a really cool album.
I was excited for this one, because 'prog rock with flute' is a simple yet very tantalizing concept on paper. Disappointingly, the flute parts only serve to set a high fantasy vibe and to summon pesky goblins. I was hoping for some real out-of-left-field shit along the lines of Tubular Bells! The rock side of things is equally a let-down, sounding more like conventional folk blues and less like the adventurous prog I expected. On more than one occasion it made me think of Led Zeppelin -- another band I've failed to see the hype for -- so this might simply not be my brand of rock. Standout: Locomotive Breath
Shocked to say this about Jethro Tull, a group I always thought was sufficiently "out there" because of the flute playing, but this was pretty conventional and large swaths of it made no impression on me whatsoever. Wind-Up and Aqualung were standouts, but that's a lot in the middle that didn't impress me much.
What the fuck and why the fuck. 2 stars.
1971. Themes of religion, injustice, society, personal struggles. Was never meant to be a concept album.
I'm ashamed for not listening to this earlier. Up there with 70s prog classics. I love the dynamic of grand hard hitting rock tracks suplemented with short folkesque songs in-between. 8/10
Album #44, Jethro Tull, Aqualung ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m in an awful mood today. I’ve been fighting a bad cold for the last few days and on top of that I have to deal with a colonoscopy tomorrow. I’ve got a full day of prep ahead of me, something I’ve never experienced before, so I’m anxious and I feel like absolute shit. The last thing I needed today was a prog album. I wanted something easygoing, something familiar, something I knew was going to be a guaranteed five stars. Instead I got Aqualung, an album I’d never listened to before. I know it’s a classic, but it’s never been anywhere near the top of the list of albums I’ve been meaning to check out. Still, I said I’d approach everything on this list with an open mind. And you know what? I actually really liked it. I thought it was pretty great. I’ve only listened to it once and it feels like there’s a lot more to get out of it on future listens. First of all, I think it’s desperately uncool music. Whatever “cool” is supposed to mean, this album definitely isn’t it. But it also isn’t really prog rock in the way I expected. It’s much more like folk rock in a lot of places. There’s a fairly uniform sound across the album and the songs have proper structure. It didn’t strike me as nearly as pretentious as I thought it would be. I’m not a huge fan of the title track, Aqualung, but some of the other songs are very, very good. Locomotive Breath in particular is great. The riffs on that track are fantastic. I was expecting loads of flute all over the album because that’s what Jethro Tull are known for, but it’s actually used fairly sparingly. When it does come in it works really well. Ian Anderson’s voice is very good. The lyrics are a bit strange though. I’m not entirely sure what the album is about yet, but it does make me curious enough to go back and listen again to try to figure it out. In a lot of ways it feels like a proper 70s hard rock record with some beautiful guitar playing throughout, which I really didn’t expect going in. So yeah, this one surprised me. I’ve been bowled over a little bit by a prog-adjacent album. Who knew?
Flute rock, hell yeah!
Why aren't there more flute solos in rock songs?
As much as I can appreciate the talent it took to make this record, the instrumentals, the compositions, and all of that, this album didn’t do much for me. There are some good songs but a lot that don’t stick in my mind.
Folk-y alt rock, don’t like. Flute sounds fun. Had to keep adjusting volume bc some tracks softer?
Getting sick of the people that whine about a flute being in rock music. How shortsighted are you??? Was about to give it a 4, but with all those whiners, this classic gets a 5.
Remarkably boring with objectively too much flute Best Song: Cross-Eyed Mary Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3
An absolute gem. Loved seeing them (well, him) live a few years back.
2/3. Really fun album, some really chunky rhythms. Much more of a straightforward rocker than I expected. Ian’s flute is always fun to hear as well, such a great addition.
Not bad
FLUTES FLUTES FLUTES!
First time listening to other songs aside from the two that were overplayed...I enjoyed this album!
Got a bit old
Jethro Tull fyrir mér er annaðhvort frábært eða bara allt í lagi og þessi plata var pínulítið þannig líka. Það góða var gott en hitt bara fínt.
Good flutey prog
Yeah this was really fun, and I will be come back to this I think. The aqualung story does trail off a bit before the end but oh well. Really liked the flute solo on my god 4
Really good, almost a 5
Ren Faire Rock. I've never been a fan of "prog" rock, progressive, whatever and this album hasn't changed my mind, but unlike my younger self that would dismiss this outright, I guess I have softened some. I read many of the reviews for this project complaining about the flute, but I feel that's unwarranted. It was tastefully layered and doesn't offend me. It even slaps a little on a few of the tracks. Overall, though, it's just not to my tastes. Too "cerebral" for me, I guess.. (3/5), just middle of the road. I'm glad I've heard it now but I'm not going back to it. I can now appreciate Will Ferrell's throwaway joke in "Anchorman" better, when he howls "Hey Aqualung!!!" at the end of his ridiculous flute solo. I always knew it was a reference, I just never spent time with the source material.
The first 15-20 minutes of listening to Jethro Tull are pretty great, but then I need to stop listening to Jethro Tull. I came to that conclusion while indulging in a Jethro Tull kick in college, when you're supposed to explore bands like Jethro Tull, and it's held true since. It's not because of the flute, mind you (though occasionally, it can be because of the flute), but because it's going to start to sound like it's repeating itself, even if it isn't. Their great tracks are great, their filler is boring, and their lyrics are so pretentiously British (which is great up to a point). Overall, it's a solid 3/5.
"All music is folk music: I ain't never heard no horse sing a song" Variety: 2 Adequacy: 4 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 2.6 rounded up to a 3 INTRO Man, what I expect to be another rough one. Tull is one of those bands I can definitely see the appeal of. Interesting is not something I could accuse them of. Their approach seemed more rock oriented than some of their progressive peers, but I also remember them being just as self-serious. The title track used to be a radio staple ( or at least an edited version of it maybe?). And while admirable enough to justify it's place in the radio-worthy canon, man did it get overplayed. Even by the time I was listening to the radio a good 1 years after it came out. Enough to overstay its welcome anyway. I braved this album a good 20 plus years ago and do not remember it too kindly, but also don't remember absolutely hating it. Let's see once more if age has tempered my view. THE TRACKS Side one: Aqualung "Aqualung" - Been a hot minute, but it all came rushing back. Undeniablly solid stuff, and one of the all-time memorable riffs. This one definitely has benefitted from some time in the closet. That being said, I'm good for another 10 years or more. "Cross-Eyed Mary" - Electric prog folk? This one hits better than I recall. Lyrical, uh... content aside here, this one has a lot of good stuff going on musically. "Cheap Day Return" - Pretty little acoustic interlude here reminds me of Cat Stevens or something Zeppelin would have in between some harder bits on later albums. "Mother Goose" - I find myself much more amenable to this sort of thing which I might have dismissed as "folky nonsense" 20 years ago. But find myself admiring how damn catchy it is. Since then though I've come to love stuff from acts like Fairport Convention and the like, and this seems of a piece with all of that. Anderson's vocals here are not as overcooked as they are in my memory, though I suspect that "Aqualung" can be blamed for that, looming as large as it does in the memory of this. "Wond'ring Aloud" - Another nice little interlude here. Maybe a bit string heavy. "Up to Me" - And the flute comes back in strong here. Electric prog folk.... funk? There's a LOT going on here, and not sure it all works. Still not awful though, and there's a bit of vibe that keeps interest going along with that repeated flute line. Side two: My God "My God" - Think between the two modes I've heard thus far, the more acoustic, folky ones are my preference. This one spits the difference opening with a dark, sinister bit that would not be out of place in the soundtrack for the old animated Rankin and Bass Hobbit movie. But then the electric guitar kicks in and we get some actual noodling. But maaaaan that flute solo. I just could not help but picture Ron Burgundy going to town during this. This was on track to go on the highlights, but you just had to double down and add some chanting background vocals to the flute. This becomes a bit of a slog after that. I think stuff like this is where Tull gets the reputation as a pompous, over earnest group. "Hymn 43" - This one fades in like a coda to the previous track, and but you've got the piano and guitar chugging along so it's got some good dynamic contrast. As bluesy as anything we've heard on here, but to my ear sounds more like a rejected track from Jesus Christ Superstar. Not necessarily a knock on it, but feels slightly out of place. "Slipstream" - I might want to hear a whole album of these little acoustic interludes. With less strings though. "Locomotive Breath" - Ignoring the night club piano opening, this one comes in strong and feels like Aqualung pt. II. But now I can't shake the Jesus Christ Superstar comparisons out of my mind. This also has strong 70s rock opera vibes. "Wind-Up" - Anderson's voice sit somewhere in the middle and neither greatly offend or amaze me, but seems like they are the focus here. Dig that guitar tone when it comes in though. Dang there's a killer .38 Special deep cut buried under all those vocal gymnastics. Feels like an appropriate final statement for the album. HIGHLIGHTS - "Mother Goose" - The purely acoustic stuff - The general dark vibe - The guitar work on "Wind-Up" LOWLIGHTS - "My God" - Anytime strings pop up FINAL THOUGHTS The flute on this was not nearly as excessive as I recall, and the album feels very cohesive aside from some minor quibbles. While it's not something any but the most hardened ren fair devotee might ever try and dance to, it's got some fine grooves throughout, and could see this being a once a couple of decades listen. The flower children and the hard rockers can meet halfway here, in the magical grove where the bongwater flows and the mushrooms grow. If you can ignore the bleak lyrical content, this could provide some nice background music for your D&D game. I don't think I'll ever be a big Tull fan ( though Thick as a Brick is awesome) this was listenable, and interesting throughout. Just too serious to take seriously, and in need of a remix to remove those damn strings. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - "Mother Goose" and "Cross-eyed Mary" can stick around. I think I've had my fill of the title track for this lifetime, as good as it is. - Find me the isolated guitar track from "Wind-up" that I can play on repeat
"First of all, we'd like to thank Jethro Tull for not putting out an album this year." - Lars Ulrich opening Metallica's 1992 Grammy acceptance speech. So I get Jethro Tull is known as the prog rock band with the flutes, but for most of my life I've known them as that old-not-really-"Metal"-band that beat Metallica for a Grammy back in 1989 for Best Hard Rock/Metal performance. Thus, here I am nearly forty years later about to listen to a Jethro Tull album in full for the first time. I've heard a few songs here and there over the years, just FYI. ...And I enjoyed it. There is much to chew on here. This is one of those pieces of art that I think age has helped me appreciate. I would not and did not have the patience for an album like this in my younger days. Now, I'll sit with those guitar riffs and wait for that flute to drop. Musing about "God and Religion" and throwing you hands to the sky in frustration with the whole affair. Okay, make your argument. I'm listening. This is the type of album you want to have discussions about, good or bad. Whether you enjoyed it or not. Still think Metallica got robbed in 1989.
tiene cosa
I liked it and there were some very good parts. I get why it is a classic album. But I don't think I will listen to it again. Very good record though.
strangely good
A strange but interesting mix of hard rock, folk and prog.
I hope you like flute
Some great sounds, would have liked to hear more of that fabulous for playing.
The skill is undeniable, they are absolutely nailing what they are going for and have earnt their adoring fans. The bits that are great straight up rock or more glam I enjoy. The prog bits are not my kind of prog - the tendency to stick a flourish on top of a flourish, and the generally medieval vibe on some songs, is a genre mismatch for me. Still - it's fun to spend an hour in an unfamiliar part of town.
Love the flutes and this is a type of prog i could get more into if i spent more time with it, high 3
I was not expecting this one to show up. Aqualung is one of my favourite albums of all time, and has been since I was a teenager. I have no objective way of ranking, it's 5 starts all the way down.
Jethro Tull has been on my radar for a while but I never got around to listening to them. Great album.
fav songs: cheap day return up to me folk, quirky, theatrical 50/100
I just wasn't that impressed after the first two songs.
My opinions on classic rock is very mixed, and I honestly don’t know what to feel about this project. Overall, I think it was really good, but I’m not sure if I’m going to return to it any time soon; this type of sound really isn’t my thing. The quality of this album isn’t lacking in the slightest, but it didn’t speak to me the way I wanted it to. One quality of this album that I did enjoy very much was the fact that they weren’t scared to use minimal production, which I am a huge fan of. Sometimes, strong musical themes can be driven better by simple riffs paired with smart breaks rather than overusing cinematic orchestras. This also impacts the consistency of the album in my opinion. Tull is certainly impressive for making such a thematically tight and consistent album, it’s just unfortunate that my taste doesn’t favor it heavily. Anyways, great album, would recommend.
Pretty good. Like the acoustic and flute shart more than the hard rock
Pocas bandas tienen tantos matices en cada canción como Jethro Tull, es que me encanta. Cada disco del grupo es para escucharlo de principio a fin, teniéndolo de fondo o estando atento. Funciona siempre
To me Jethro Tull and Aqualung were more of a punchline than something to be taken seriously. An Anchorman bit. Having listened to this album in full, this thing rocks. Yes there’s the flute, but there’s also some great electric and acoustic guitar riffs, some lovely strings bits, and some solid piano. I wavered between a high 4 and a low 5, but with no stinkers in the album, I ultimately felt that this was surprising enough to warrant the 5/5.
Pretty cool
unmemorable
Given how much of an influence they are on bands I like a lot, I've always felt I should like Jethro Tull way more than I do (which is not at all). I've tried repeatedly, but they just don't click. Although there's so much going on musically, it all just sounds so one-dimensional. I just find them tremendously dull - maybe you had to be there.
This band: cockney rhyming slang, right?
Aqualung and Cross Eyed Mary are great; but it all gets a bit too real ale after a while.
I like 70s music i think
Questionable lyrics aside, I like the rest of this album. It got some great guitar, and flutes are always a great addition. But the lyrics drag it down a bit, down to 3 stars.
I was always curious what Jethro Tull sounded like.
Nothing wrong with this album, really. I just can't get excited about it. I guess we can give it an extra half-star for the unmistakable opening guitar riff of the title track. And then subtract the half-star because Ian Anderson's flute makes me think of that one scene in "Anchorman".
Led Zeppelin Lite
Decent story and sound. Not sure about some of the lyrics but hoping it has some alternative meaning.
Was cool-- 1st time listen and really had only thought of Jethro Tull as "the flute band" among their British hard rock contemporaries, but I appreciated the dynamics beyond just the full throttle stuff, specially "Wind-Up". Also listened to the special edition of the album with the Ian Anderson interview at the end, which was great.
Geen fan van de zang, kudos voor de fluit
Having met Martin Barre, you'd have thought I'd like this but it doesn't touch me. It doesn't speak to me at all.
really enjoyed the story telling and song writing. Kept coming back to the main riff throughout
Not really what I like in music. Not Bad just not for me
I mean this in the absolute best way possible, but this whole album gives me Shrek vibes. The mix of rock with medieval instruments/sounds/production was marvellous and so different. The vocalist's voice started out sounding a bit mismatched to me but somehow put everything together in the end.
Overall Rating - 4.68/5 (9.36/10). Incredible album from start to finish. The perfect mix of rock, prog, and just a dash of British Folk. So many iconic songs, incredible guitar work, great lyrics, over a solid beat. Also, as Ian Anderson was known to say, the flute is a metal instrument.
Feta flöjdsolon. Resten av albumet var dock inte min smak. Längtade tills att det skulle ta slut.
Är tvärflöjtstorsk och uppskattar gnom-progg. Stark 3a, nära 4a.
Mmmm rockflöjt och lika rifftungt som typ en opeth-skiva 🥰 Den roligaste lyssningen på länge. Händer något intressant hela tiden. Tror inte jag hittade en enda tråkig låt? Stark fyra, en till lyssning och jag skulle kanske våga ge det en femma.
otroliga bardvibes
Mindre skruvat än jag trodde. Skulle behöva lyssna några gånger till för att verkligen komma in i det
Adorei as experimentações com sons de animais, piano e guitarra, um baixo marcante e letras interessantes
Surprised me, really enjoyed it
Nobody quite sounds like Jethro Tull. The drama of the singing and the flute, oh the flute! YEAHHHH AQUALUNG.
This record sounds ancient and modern at the same time. I feel that quite a few riffs off this record were spun off to create entire new genres of Rock music. I also love the addition of orchestral instruments.
Pretty decent rock album, wasn't much I didn't like about it
A few song were bangers but some of the other ones were a bit forgettable. Very consistent style throughout the album. Have added some songs on playlists but don't see myself playing the whole album again.
My first time listening to this famous album. I was expecting folk and flutes but got a very nice folk rock album with some great guitar work. Last 2 tracks were my favourites. Apparently though this isn’t Ian Anderson’s favourite Jethro album.
Crazy
It sounds like a famous old rock but I've never heard about this band. Not bad actually
good classic rock. I enjoyed the interview
I quite like this album but it does drag in some areas, I’m not the biggest fan of the opening tracks but then we are greeted with the famous flute and it takes you into the whimsical prog world that is Jethro Tull. This album will not be for everyone especially if you’re not a prog fan, but I like the atmosphere this album creates
I enjoyed it, even the flutes. Feels like something a cider enthusiast would produce.
Solidan rock album s dobrim zvukom ostvarenim prvotno kombinacijom pisama vođenim akustičnom ili električnom gitarom. Nakraju ima intervju sa valjda frontmanom, zanimljiv detalj al nisan poslusa. 7/10 Najbolja pisma: Aqualung
I only knew Cross-Eyed Mary before I listened to this. The some songs are pretty good, with a mix of soft and more rock songs.
More flute, more riffs and less whimsical vocals and lyrics and this would be for me. As it stands, I really struggle with themed, fantasy, proggy meandering fluff like this. It's often bloated, self indulgent and unsatisfying to listen to.
I got the same vibes as with the live Hawkwind album—Spinal Tap. Just too proggy for me. Some cool riffs here and there, but not much else. Besides, I can’t forget they beat Metallica for the metal Grammy!
This album is pretty cool. No bad parts. Not incredible by any means, but just a solid, well done piece of music. 7/10
Very good. Reminds me of a folky King Crimson
awesome stuff - love how much flute there is on this album, definetely haven't heard that before
Nice variety not my cup of tea though
Uh que embole llega un punto que es re repetitivo, ni siquiera busca sorprenderte, se queda queda el molde nomás, QUE NO ESTA MAL, pero podría agarrar y cambiar algo como para que no sea semejante noni tiene muy buenos arreglos de guitarra, capaz por eso le sumo una estrella más, pero en si es un embole, not my cup of tea
Very inconsistent but quite good at its best
good vocals, little bit repetitive highlights: Hymn 43, Wind-Up
Wow, what a journey this album is! Finally some hobbit music! Honestly, I was aware of Jethro Tull's name, but I thought they were prog like Pink Floyd and the like! The instrumental is gorgeous, the piano, the flute, the delicate guitar constrasting with the dark themes is quite medieval. Happy to have discovered this album. I will definitely listen to it more times. 4/5
Great story driven album but I lost interest in the end
Fun listen! The contrast between the Sabbath-esque deep and dark guitars and the flutes (a rare sound in rock music) really worked for me. Not sure that the 'homeless people are evil peados' angle has aged well though. Look forward to listening again. 6/10
Hey this is pretty good. Who knew flute would work so well here.
Decent album
Good but missing something
such good melodies that remind me a bit of CCR and my favourite song was "Slipstream".
This is clearly good, just not my cup of tea
Completely unmoved and took no pleasure in this
Does the flute really have a place in rock? Arguably yes, according to this.
People who call this "Hobbit Rock" are LIARS. This is CLEARLY elf rock.
*1971. *Aqualong is the only song I know. Great way to start off an album, but it doesn't need to be a 6 minute song. *90 minutes is too long. *I really like the ballads and chill songs. It's very Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and sometimes singer-songwriter-y - lots of flute, olde Renaissance-sounding strings, light acoustic guitar, and sweet vocals. *The harder/faster songs sound like Ozzy meets Led Zep. *This is probably a 3.5 for me, but I'm feeling generous and I'll probably take a peek at the 4's and 5's at some point to revisit on this list. RATING - 7.5/10
favorites: my god; wind-up
Hadn't heard this before, was pretty awesome. Reminded me of Tenacious D a little bit.
I just got the joke from Anchorman. Some bangers on here.
kinda overwrought. really wasn’t into this aside from a few moments of songs here or there, typically sections without vocals.
I want this on when I'm dying of the bubonic plague.
I appreciated the tonal shifts throughout the album. It wasn’t all real heavy, and the lyrical content, evocative of a diseased London full of iniquity, matched the shifting mood of the music. I particularly liked “Locomotive Breath.”
I liked it, i love 70s rock and the flute sounds heavinly
3.5
Don’t mind this, and it’s weird that people are so up in arms about the flute. Really? I’ve always liked “Hymn 43,” but never placed it in the larger context of Side 2 of this album. The musings about religion start to get a little tedious after a while. The riffs are great.
In general this was a really great listen and something I might come back to. Those riffs are fuckin tasty.
Already listened to this album before and I don't mind listening to it again. Prog Rock might be my favorite music genre when done really well and I don't think there's a single bad song on this album.
It,s many,many flute,it's good,it's perfect
Might deserve a re-listen
Didn’t know Jethro was so popular!
Great album with a meaning behind it
Overblown flute is like nails down a blackboard to me. Earnest prog is not up my street at all. The occasional moment seemed alright but overall just not my cup of tea
My favorite Jethro Tull album. No surprise I guess.
Somehow have never listened to a Jethro Tull album before. Love the flute bits, very "summoning the fairytale beings"
Top 3 favorites: Mother goose Slipstream Lick your fingers clean
Songs I saved: Cross Eyed Mary
*maybe a 5 after more albums* Absolutely awesome.
The interview at the end was a neat touch! Other than that, this was just okay.
Didn’t listen to the full album, but I don’t think it’s my thing.
I mean, you can't say things like the first line of this record anymore, but, apart from that, it's a prog rock album which I should like, but not having first heard it when I was 15 I only find it mildly appealing. Except for Cross-Eyed Mary, which appeared on a Gel-Sol Prog Rock Companion as part of a superlative mix so I love that one.
Not a vibe
Weird stuff that your parents used to listen to.
This rips. 'FlUtEs ArEnT rOcK aNd RoLl'
Fun album....the flute is great
Pretty solid, do like the flute stuff but the hard rock tracks are a bit less compelling
Thisis at its best when it leans into that heavy rock edge. I felt those riffs have real weight, and when the band snaps from acoustic calm into distortion it genuinely hits. The dynamic shifts are the secret weapon and I songs never sat still long enough to feel safe. There’s something bold about how directly it tackles religion too as it doesn’t feel edgy for the sake of it, it feels pointed. It’s not trying to be smooth or cool or overly smug, it’s jagged, theatrical, and a bit confrontational.This feels like one of those albums that gets better the more you sit with you, and I’m excited for my next listen.
Not my cup of progressive rock. I do appreciate the musicianship but it was hard work listening to the whole thing.
3.5
Some good songs and riffs
Jeez, I forgot they sing the "snot" line twice. Some good riffs on here (like "Locomotive Breath," which rips), but I find most of the songwriting tedious.
Old Charlie stole the handle and the train it won’t stop going. No way to slow down
I liked this a lot. I think I was a little apprehensive due to hearing it get bashed in some forums, but I don't see the reason for the hate. It rocked, it mellowed, it had unique instrumentation that still worked well in the rock context. I'd listen to it again for sure. Side note: I have a distinct memory of watching a movie as a kid (pretty sure it was Jumanji) and there being a scene of a woman reorganizing a house she'd just moved into. It stuck with me because of the montage of song snippets that played over it, and I always wondered what one specific song was because of how interesting it sounded. I now know that the song is Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull. So thanks for solving that childhood mystery, list. Overall: 4.1/5
Pretty good
An acquired taste one feels, but not one I have been able to acquire.
Imagine being a person whose personality was that they are really into Jethro Tull.
Somehow greater than the sum of its already great parts.
More flute!
Really good, the flute is not hokey
Had its moments, mainly the flute ones.
Hmmmm this isnt really my thing at all. I can appreciate the skill and creativity, but it lacks catchy hooks/melodies throughout and is a lil too weird musically for my brain. I didnt save a single song from this album so it's a very low rating for me
I need to go deeper on Jethro Tull. Maybe it’s the flute that’s pulling me in more now because of Gizz, but feels like there’s more I need to uncover. I also enjoyed the interview at the end of the album. Sounds like things were tense with Led Zeppelin. Who knew?!
Sneaky! I did not like Aqualung but things got a little folky-freaky from there
Not really my thang. The only songs I've heard on this album have felt overplayed.
A hour of Jethro Tull is too much Jethro Tull. But there were highs too
https://youtu.be/484A9Ju4F8g?si=P1SOs9x9PODTQ7te
Amazing musicianship and the level of nonsense is juuuust right. Prog Rock flute is a joy to behold.
First several songs were amazing. Didn't like the second half of the album as much. I liked the storytelling in the songs.
The title track for this record is famous, but I knew very little of the rest of the album, which was a shame as I was missing out. This prog-infused hard rock album is a great listen. I know very little about their catalog beyond this album now and will need to investigate more.
The best!
Serious flute action
Who doesn't love some flute in their progressive rock? I've always appreciated Jethro Tull for its creativity and genre blending - progressive, folk, rock, and more. Aqualung in itself is a great album that contains the perfect amount of element from all of these. Top tracks: Aqualung, Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose, Locomotive Breath
I'll be the one to split the hairs between my two other comrades on this journey. Goddamn, that Anderson guy can play the flute.
Was starting to get into the swing of things but My God really reset me. That sort of early 70s British prog stuff that can really hit or miss with me. Unfortunately for ol Tull, more of a miss here. Dig the more blues infused tracks but the more prog it goes, or the more flutes it adds, the less I like it. Favorite Tracks: Up To Me, Locomotive Breath, Mother Goose
Mye fløyte.
3 1/2 Stars: I'm down with a crunchy guitar anchored by a flute solo. I'm not necessarily putting this on a mix tape, but I certainly didn't hate it. In fact, I liked quite a bit of it.
One of the best of its age. As smashing as the heavy rock works of Purple or Sabbath but with a softer, milder approach. Cross-eyed Mary, Aqualung and Locomotive Breath are all time classics that everybody knows and respect. While I was listening to the Steven Wilson mix I was thinking how good this period was for music and how bad the current one is. Listen to these instruments isolated and then thinking about nowadays music. It is offending.
sounds weird in a good way but classical
Its a little creepy, the story and the wandering man. The music is sometimes weird too. Interestingly it is decent to listen to.
This album starts strong with two great songs, and it finishes with two even better songs. My God solidifies in the middle. However, in between there is a lot of weirdness, medievialness, flute and boredom.
A classic that I’ve loved for a while
Rate 6/10
This album has no idea what it wants to be and it's utterly brilliant for it . Is it folk is it prog or is it metal . The sound of the prancing pony if the brandywine flowed through Birmingham and not hobbiton Switching between rift laden guitars , ian Anderson mesmerizing albeit odd singing, folk and flute solos this album is odd . At times it alike listening to Donovon or Fairport and but others it’s Sabbath or Budgie
I see you Aqualung
Super raw. The flute is so unique.
Has some big sounding riffs that really rock mixed with some kind of pastoral hobbit rock energy. Has some mad ambition. Banging percussion. I actually weirdly rate the flute and medieval touches here, which come off as fun and campy and not too self-serious. Fun!!
I like this rock vibe, even the first song in the album was really good. The electric guitar was everything, but just not everything is for me. Some skip songs are there. 7/10
It twas strange.
The kind of music I imagine my roleplaying bard makes after rolling a natural 20
What is this evil music. Why has all the music been devious as fuck recently. Ok Jethro get into it I guess. Like I mean okay but what. Sure why not but also just why. O have just not had much to say about these recent ones like am I hearing a fuckin recorder what are we doing. Sure am get medieval with it why not. Be my guest dog. Like what are we doing. I'm just so confused. And intrigued but mostly just confused. Like that one gif of Jonah Hill. And the other gif of Jonah Hill. Like I just don't really care about this music. Like he's jamming out some of the time other times he's cooking up some straight bullshit. Why is he crying in the town square. I just don't know man. He's just playing around it's fun I suppose. Favourite: Up to Me Least favourite: My God
firmly in a genre i call 'lord of the rings' music and much like the movies i never want to experience this again
ummmmmmm this is boring
Don’t care for this group at all. “Some furious flute solos tho” -M Murphy
Not half bad
Snore
Я б поставив 4.5. Іноді занадто глибоко заходить в фолк і мені це якось просто ок. Окремий лайк за флейту (чи на чому ці магічні звуки робились)
Люблю, але не так як Thick as a Brick. Доволі унікальний гурт, разом з тим у рамках класичного прогу мабуть один з найбільш доступних.
have ignored jethro tull for the longest time, because i associated it with medieval folk rock, by virtue of the band name, the album cover, and the flute. what a big misunderstanding! a lot of fun!
Aqualung and Locomotive Breath fucking rule. Honorable mention to Hymn 43, too
Good one
One of my favorite prog rock albums
Ah, Aqualung! I can't even imagine how many times me and my mates listened to this one in my youth. Songs from the Wood was possibly played even more, but I'm sure these were taped on the same cassette and just kept flipping over... it in the car and where ever we had a deck to play it. This is an excellent album. It has the folkey vibe I actually do like, the virtuosity of their instruments that serves the music (not the musicians ego) and the heavy vibe of a pre-metal rock band being really heavy.
You know what- this wasn’t bad. I had fun, it was catchy, definitely not boring. Better than I expected!
EDP445-says-I-mean-it's-alright-.gif Locomotive Breath notwithstanding, this to me sounds like Ren Faire music. Which is great if that's what you're into but it's not classic prog rock to me like it's advertised to be
Maso
A great opening track with lots of nice moments sprinkled throughout the album, but overall feels lacking. When the band has a chance to play like in Hymn 43 and Locomotive Breath they play very well, but other points in the album feels like music for a medieval town square. That said, every moment the flute came in was cool, especially the very long solo in My God which in itself is a refreshing track to liven up the midsection of the album, and I appreciate they didn't overdo the flute gimmick, but I wish there was more in this record to make it stand out more. The vocals are fine for a rock record but Anderson's prayers and musings aren't something I care about, and the moments that amused me as a listener were far and few inbetween. When half of your album is a guy singing about god with an acoustic guitar, it not compelling to me.
After 1048 albums, I just assumed Aqualung didn’t make the cut. But because my father raised me right, I knew album #1049 was going to be a good listen, especially when I already knew several songs on the album were good. But nothing prepared me for how utterly solid this album is. The chord progression is so satisfying. Their usage of flutes and wind instruments is beautiful. The entire album flows flawlessly. The religion focus isn’t heavy handed, and the vocals add a sardonic tone to the lyrics. The progressive genre typically veers toward too much, but Jethro Tull manages to toe the line between accessible/engaging and outlandish/repetitive. Part of that is the unusual instruments they use, and that they use folk to create a chill, folklore attitude. This makes Jethro Tull a band with a unique sound, something that still holds true in 2026. Whatever the reason it is, I’m locked and engaged. Hats off. I am so impressed with Aqualung. Relistening multiple times was way too easy.
I know a couple of Jethro Tull songs, but I don't think I've ever taken the time to listen to a full album. I am glad this album was on here, because this is actually quite good! I can see where this would largely be considered "progressive rock", but I find it incredibly approachable; the folk rock and even the art rock aspects bring it down to earth quite a bit. Speaking of folk rock, the flute of all things really stands out on this album and is a recurring, prominent sound. The flute's prominence is often reserved for symphonic music, but Ian Anderson, as the lead singer of Jethro Tull, finds many opportunities throughout this album to let the flute do the singing for him. And dare I say, the flute really shreds on this album. And jumping back to what I already knew, "Aqualung" has such a memorable and notable opening; I feel like any classic rock lover, even if they didn't know the entirety of the shifting, evolving "Aqualung", would recognize that simple yet epic opening riff. All in all, this was just an excellent album, and it gave me a newfound appreciation for Jethro Tull, a band I knew of but didn't actually really know.
What we do in the shadows vampire music
Flute goes hard af. Thought it was a little treat when it popped up in Cross-Eyed Mary and then it just kept coming back? Incredible. Highlight of the album.
A friend and I once took a trip up the Pacific coast and played lots of our favorite music. When we got to Led Zeppelin IV, I asked what he thought the worst track was. We reluctantly concluded that it's "Misty Mountain Hop" ... reluctant because we both loved the Middle-Earthy side of LZ, but it just doesn't have the same soul as the other tracks. I had never heard Jethro Tull before this (except maybe "Aqualung" ... I certainly knew that riff). But I kind of had the same feeling I had on that car ride... dang, I want to like this as much as everything else in its category, but I just don't. It sort of feels like the kind of rock and roll you would grow if "Misty Mountain Hop" was your stem cell. Maybe an interesting experiment, but not the one I would perform. Anyway, I'm down with flutes and prog and social commentary, but it just didn't come together for me in a way I relate to. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who have "Misty Mountain Top" as a favorite song and this as a favorite album, and power to them...
Not sure how I feel about this one but I found the flute additions interesting enough.
LOVE an almost-concept album. Kind of shocked I'd never heard of this before- it honestly blew me away a bit. Reminds me of Pink Floyd's The Wall in a lot of ways, thematically and stylistically. Highlights: Aquaman, My God, Locomotive Breath, Wond'ring Aloud, Slipstream
I've heard of Jethro Tull before but never actually listened to them. I went through thinking wtf is this to actually really enjoying it. Definitely need to relisten and go further into their discog. Flutes ABSOLUTELY belong in rock
Classic. Not my favorite though. The introduction of the flute was fun
Glad to finally listen to this. Love that flute.
The more I listen to this album the more I like it. It's funky. It's melodic. Some great riffs. Haven't done a deep dive into the lyrics yet. But this album is just full of some good old “close your eyes and let it be the background sound for everyday life” jams. It started out as a 3 for me, and I kept feeling like this was an album that "could" be a 4 if I took more time and gave it more listens. I was not wrong!!
Quite interesting, specially considering its context. 7/10
Early prog rock. Shades of Journey, and a softer Black Sabbath. Heavy anti-religious (though not atheist) themes lyrically. The flute is random but adds an interesting element Standout is the title track and "Locomotive Breath".
Absolute classic of rock. Great band.
8.59/10 4/5 Aqualung is one of the best songs of all time, and the rest of this album was solid.
Lovely
Peak music. The tempo changes and riffs are amazing. The use of woodwinds really add some atmosphere. Pioneers of Prog rock, and this isn’t even their best album.
Loved this album as a teenager after a friend lend me the cd. Listening again after a long time it was a nice surprise. Such a unique sound, and still impresses me how that flute can rock so hard. Absolute classic.
Definitely good but didn't leave a big impact on me unfortunately
Je One of Steve Harris' (Iron Maiden's bass player & leader) favorite album and yes you can hear the influence of Jethro Tull's cerebral album on Iron Maiden. Riff heavy & intelligent Aqualung is the thinking man's all-purpose all occasions go to - from getting a party started to trying to make sense of Hegel and the like. This is NOT a concept album, but the theme of God & religion (and their differences) is present in several songs- Aqualung often demands your full attention and more often than not fully deserves it.
Very cool
I like the concept
Little bit of everything on this one
Definitely enjoyed it.
Anyone who says anything negative about the flute needs to get an IQ test. You're embarrassing yourselves. "oOoOh there's a non-traditional rock instrument in my rock album oOoOh". Get real.
Maybe it wasn't trying to be a concept album...but it's the best Prog variety this side of Genesis' Lamb.
'Snot running down his nose / Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes.' It isn't the flute, no, it isn't the flute that makes this record a shitty exposition of all that would be wrong w/ rock music until punk revived a sense of the real and the basic. Well, it's not only the flute, which is just a symptom of a genre and an approach that emphasizes ornamentation rather than details. These songs never get going b/c they're conceptual monsters, stuck in the throat of a bloke w/ no regard for the pleasures of music, everything a very plodding adventure into a British realm I have all the reason in the world to eschew. 'My God,' is Ian Anderson ever a self-serious windbag, opting for the flute b/c of the hot air he's full of. Problem: he has an inexhaustible store.
This is a great album that I haven't listened to all the way through in decades. I remember as a teenager getting irritated by the excessive radio play of Aqualung and Locomotive Breath, but after a long hiatus, those songs and the whole album really stand out as special. And yes, even the flute works after all these years. :)
Dun dun dun dun dun dun Thats really the highlight of the album haha
acoustic stuff is neat. hard rock of this era sounds more kitschy every day
Huge album. Obviously familiar with the hits, but never listened to it all the way through. I liked most of it!
Too much flute. Sounds like Led Zeppelin if they weren’t that good at music.
4 out of 5. This album is classic for a reason.
This record is a C- which makes it one of the all-time pinnacles of prog. (I actually listened to it about a week ago as part of my program to make this whole dumb project go faster.) As a know-nothing adolescent I listened to this a lot, knew it backwards and forwards. But I'm sure I haven't heard it at all since sometime between 1986 and 1989, almost 40 years. Reading wikipedia before listening, I barely recognized the titles, and knowing the titles couldn't recall any fragment of tune or lyric. This makes for an interesting experiment that's very tricky to set up deliberately. Of course, when I listened to it, I "recognized" it. What I found fascinating was that having played it exactly once, over the next few days I could get multiple songs from it stuck in my head in full detail, as if I Iistened to it often/never shelved it. One spin was enough to make contact with a high-fidelity memory of it, a memory I wouldn't say I had, and couldn't access by thinking about it. Now I'm annoyed these so-so prog tracks are ear-worming me, but that will pass. The mind and memories are strange things.
3.5/5
I don't know, I kinda like the flute. Whole album feels like a musical performed by knights in a fantasy story or something.
Ном декілька треків, але вініл би не брав
mmh
Sympa
Super ! J’ai eu des vibes de David Bowie et de Elton John et j’adore les 2 donc ça tombe bien
I'm gonna be perfectly honest, i didn't listen to the whole album. I listened to more than the half but well i thought that i had the general idea. The flute's a nice idea but that's not enough to carry the whole album. I don't really like the singer's voice but that's on me and i don't know, it's not really the type of music i enjoy.
Nice listen, very unique. Favorites: Locomotive Breath, Up to me, Aqualung
Fire
there's a lot to appreciate musically about this album. i actually really like the inclusion of the flute in opposition to the complaints that flutes "aren't rock" or whatever. it's utilized well and helps vary the texture across these tracks which all sound pretty good. there's a little elephant in the room though in that despite a.... we'll say good-natured attempt at covering a variety of dark themes, it does not handle them well. it's the kinda thing that if i did not understand english i'd be throwing this on talking about how hard it slaps, but instead i listen to any of the lyrics and tug at my collar a bit. it's of the times, that's for sure.
Well I think this sounds incredible. Yeah I totally get this, its at the cross intersection of Hard and Prog rock and that is absolutely my zone. Its rock music that sounds like it could be played at a renaissance fair, and you are either going to hate that fact or love it. The flute playing is great, the instrumentation is varied enough to hold the album throughout. The singing did take a bit for me to get used to, but I think it really complements the style of music they're going for. Its suprisingly dynamic inbetween the more lush songs and more rock-heavy pieces like Hymn 43. I can very much hear the lineage between this and the bands it would go on to inspire, kinda crazy that this was 1971. Though we need to talk about the lyrics because I do not know how to think about them. The topics here are very dark, underage prostitution, pedophilia, homelessness. Sometimes I do not think it handles these topics very well at all, especially on "cross-Eyed Mary" which feels almost like its trying to make light of an incredibly dark topic that I felt needed to be handled with more care. I hate that I've got to mark this album down for it because everything else is so incredible to me, but It is enough that I get the ick about listening to certain songs again.
A weird case where I think the title track kinda sucks ass, but the rest of it is fine. Were people really upset about the flute stuff? That sounded totally fine.
Another one of my favorites.
Ça marche super bien, du rock progressif aux lyrics étranges (à relire), j'y reviendrais !
Proper prog rock
It's hard to rate this one. I'm supposed to not like these guys because they won the first ever Heavy Metal Grammy over Metallica, a decision that's more baffling than Crash or Green Book winning Best Picture. However, they are doing some interesting prog-rock stuff here for 1971. The title track is a classic rock epic and Locomotive Breath is a banger. But overall? A lot that I didn't really care for or care about.
Heavier than I expected, didn't mind the flute (which I *was* expecting, having found him a slightly scary figure as a child). I didn't exactly enjoy all the lyrics. I think it deserves its place.
Umm not my absolute favorite but i understand. its just a little underwhelming and the vocals are pissing me off a little by way of britishness. I’d listen to it again but maybe not too often.
A interesting fusion of heavy rock rifts and socially aware lyrics
y'all mind if the coldest white boy in the game hits that flute solo
Beautiful album, a classic. Takes me back to a time where all music I dicovered seemed magical and I was eager to get to hear it all. 'Wind Up', what a beautiful track.
Me gustó, es interesante la flauta en una banda de rock la verdad, lo banco.
I must have listened to this before because I recognize a lot of songs, but it has been a WHILE. Aqualung and Cross-Eyed Mary are a solid one-two punch out of the gate. Both rip in their own rights -- always found Cross-Eyed Mary to have a satisfying stomp to it. Cheap Day Return -> Wond'ring Aloud dip into folk territory -- of these, Mother Goose is a rather catchy little ditty. Amplifiers get plugged back in on Up to Me -- solid jam. My God is a cool proggy jam and really enjoy Hymn 43. Locomotive Breath is a strong closer to the original album. Solid through and through. Really ought to dive deeper into Mr. Jethro's repertoire. 4
Definitely proggy at times. Really enjoyed this one through and through. Falls right onto that ever so common 3.5 star line. While this was a good ride, it just didn't feel like a 4.
Just a straight up great rock album with a really unique singer and the baller flute. My favorite parts were where you could really hear him trying to catch his breath while absolutely wailing on that flute
HEY AQUALUNGGGGG - Ron Burgundy I've only heard the title track from this and I've always loved that, especially the guitar riff, so interested to see what else we got here. Drop on My God was sick and caught me off guard, and then the flute solo. My God this song rules. That was a solid listen. Had some super high highs.
笛子真妙
Aqualung Cross-Eyed Mary Up to me My God Locomotive Breath Wind up
Aqualung Cross Eyed Mary Mother Goose Up to Me My God (kickass flute) Locomotive Breath
solid 2
This was ok, quite enjoyed it to be fair. It’ll take another couple of listens to see how much I enjoyed it so I’ll give it a three just now.
I've heard this a few times over the years passively. Few people handle lyrics like Jethro Tull. I imagine like Rush that's something you like or not. I personally enjoy their lyricism and vocals. I don't mind a weird bag of early folk prog nonsense. I liked it.
Not my thing.
Liked most of it. Need to finish
The flute in this album is amazing! Loved the combination between the guitar and the flute!