Customer Reviews

Aqualung Live

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Aqualung is one of the all-time Rock Classics. Ian Anderson now 35 years later has decided to do a live version.
This recording will never replace the original. Andersons' voice has aged. Anderson continues to fight the battle with his voice. But the vocals all considered are not bad.
This is not a note for note live copy of the original, this is a close imitation with a few updated arrangements.
The most noticeable would be his version of Mother Goose with an accordian. He adds a solo in the middle of the song, that gives it a whole new flavor. Up To Me is another song where he plays with the arrangement. They both are arranged as he says, the way they should have been in the first place.
The acoustic songs such as, Cheap Day Return, Wondering Aloud, and My God have a very chrisp sound. His acoustic guitar is among the finest of Tulls' career.
At the end Ian Anderson does a nice interview and recalls the recording of the original album.
Martin Barre as usual is playing very good electric guitar and Ian Andersons' flute sounds fantastic as always.
This is not some throw away album, it is a very good album with alternate versions and arrangements of the original.
If you are a Tull collector you need to have this........

I was lucky enough to see Jethro Tull live again recently in Washington, D.C. and received a copy of this disc free at the concert. It is an interesting live take of all the material on Aqualung, which, according to Ian Anderson, was recorded earlier in 2005 at the XM Radio studio in D.C. As any long-time fan will know, most of the players on this album are different than the band members one hears on the original studio recording. That, combined with the passage of time and slightly different arrangements on some songs, gives this album a slightly different feel than the original, but it's pleasant enough and skillfully done. Although it's no replacement for the original, fans should find this CD interesting and fun. Some of the comments and discussion recorded during the session appear on this CD, thankfully placed together at the end so as not to interrupt the music (unlike the Jethro Tull Live At Isle of Wight DVD). Proceeds from this CD go to charity. Any Tull fan looking for some "new" Tull material will enjoy this. Recommended.

My mom took me to see Tull tonight at the Kodak. I am 17, a senior in CA. My mom saw Tull when she was 17, in Ohio in 1977. It's kinda trippy that we both saw them at this age! Jethro Tull's music is one of my favorites & this was a special night for both of us, thank you Ian and band! Please come back again & again! We listen to this music every day, have every album or CD. There is no other band that covers this much ground. All of you who want to be critical about Ian's singing are wrong - he makes it work and these guys did it all tonight in Hollywood - take it from a 45-year old fan & a 17-year old fan, both who have already cracked open this CD before bed at 2 am! :-D

AQUALUNG LIVE; well sort of. This album was recorded before a small audience at the XM Radio studio in Washington D.C. When I heard there was a new "live" album coming out I was hoping it would be more in the line of BURSTING OUT, where thousands of rabid Tull fans could be heard cheering, clapping and singing along on the quite bits. Instead we are privy to a very intimate setting in which the band performed this landmark album in arrangements familiar to most concert goers of the last few years.

So, while the musicians were undoubtedly ALIVE, and the songs they played were the current concert versions, there is a certain lack of excitement one associates with a concert recording. This is especially true of the quintessential show stopping tune, LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, which usually draws deafening applause and shouts in a concert, yet here only garners the praise of a very small group of people. Don't get me wrong, I would have given my right arm to be among the two score of fans who were lucky enough to attend this performance. As you would expect, the track list is exactly that of the original album.

Many of the songs are nearly indistinguishable from versions available on other live albums. The title track is perhaps the weakest on the album; I much prefer the recent live version on IAN ANDERSON PLAYS THE ORCHESTRAL JETHRO TULL. (Check that one out if you can, it's worth the money!) The real departure on this album is a Celtic gigue version of HYMN 43 that moves along at a brisk pace and includes some very creative flute improvisation. Some bonus chatter is included at the end of the disc.

This is a nice, but not necessary addition to any Tull collection. If you're on the fence as to buying it or not, note that all the band's proceeds are being donated to various charities for the homeless - a fitting homage to a character forever associated with this band and this album.

If you are like me (haven't been able to get enough Jethro Tull since I was about 15...Aqualung era) this album is a must to add to your Tull collection. I was not so fortunate as to attend the recent concert where this was given away...however I got MINE right here at good ole amazon.com! I've hardly stopped listening to it!

Some folks are overly conservative when it comes to their favorite tunes having to conform to the original sound...if you fall into that category you may have a little difficulty with a few of the songs...like our friend whose review you see a few posts back. Quite honestly...I thought the little folksy twist added to the beginning of Hymn 43 was very delightful and quite Tullish. I will not do a review of each song because I don't wish to taint your own first impressions...but I will say this is certainly worth having.

And for those of you who seem to have a great knack for being critical of IA's singing...you can only hope that you, too, would be able to continue to rock and roll when everyone else thinks you are too old! GO IAN!

LC

I just saw this concert last night. Much more intimate than the concerts of the 70's (no, really?) and the minstrel in the gallery is 58 and straining his vocal cords, but we love him anyway! The first set was mostly acoustic with many interesting song choices (Weathercock, Nothing is Easy, Skating Away, Mother Goose & Cheap Day Return, etc.) and played with a cool, upfront "remember these?" charm (Ian started the night pissed at the auditorium management so he boiled up some piss & vinegar for the show, which is a good thing I think). The second set also rocked but more in the Aqualung style we all know and love. Martin, ever the pro, let loose the Marshall stack (with Soldano tube heads) attack on extremely receptive TULL fan eardrums, treating the crowd to all the rockers on Aqualung as well as Budapest, Thick as a Brick (excerpt), Beggar's Farm and others. In the shuffling madness of the locomotive breath - Ian is full-steam ahead with his flute (Ian's voice was painfully strained much of the time but he made up for it with some aggressive flute chops and playful energy) and his tiny little parlor guitar sounds really cool. This cd (the real review here), that was given as concert favors with proceeds still going to homeless charities, is a VERY NICE REDO OF AQUALUNG...IT ROCKS! The original suffers from some lousy not so high-fidelity, this doesn't. With only 40 people in the audience it is like sitting down for drinks at a local pub with TULL as the cover band - but IT IS THE REAL TULL slammin' out the classics very convincingly! They know and love these songs and treat them to a holiday occasion, nicely dressed to present their best attributes. My God & Hymn 43 have the aggression, Mother goose, taken on a long walk, dances with charm and medieval timbre (and she's SCREAMIN'). The usual hard-rockers rock hard (and that guitar tone IS thick as a brick) including Wind Up. Wondering Aloud is the best I've ever heard it. You get the point...this is a great new addition to the TULL collection. Ian's voice may not be what it used to be, but YOU WON"T BE DISSAPPOINTED IF YOU ARE A BIG TULL FAN. Just pay for it (and don't copy) so the spirit of giving intended here can be fulfilled (Another Christmas Song). Here's a chance to show appreciation (that will register as $ for these worthy charities) for all we have enjoyed from Ian & TULL all of these years. Thanks for the great concert & cd guys! Great idea redoing great classic albums XM. MARY....................?!?!?!?

I saw Jethro Tull in concert in October of 2005. They played every song on "Aqualung" and they sounded exactly like this CD. Some of the hard edge isn't there like it was on the original. An example that comes to mind is the beginning of "Hymn 43" with the accordian on the new version. I think that some people have a problem with the live CD because they have been listening to the original for 35 years and any slight differences need some "getting used to" after all those years. The "Aqualung" CD has a combination of acoustic and electric music and serious and lighthearted lyrics. I won't say that I like this CD more than the original but it's very, very close. If you are a die-hard Tull fan you have to get this CD.

I bought this in the middle of a cross country trip with my daughter and only got to give it one cursory listen in between Ashanti and whatever the other stuff was she was listening to. When I got home it sat on my shelf for several weeks until I finally got it out last week. Verdict-surprisingly good if you can forget the original.

The sound is much more like Thick As A Brick than the original disc. Martin Barre still plays excellent electric guitar, but several of the songs are much more acoustic driven. This is most notable on Hymn 43 which was always a personal favorite. This adds depth to songs like the title track. Locommotive Breath is excellent and Wind Up finishes it beautifully.

The additional stories and discussion have been moved to the end of the disc and cast some light on the discussions we had about Tull and religion 35 years ago as well as the making of the record itself.

Highly recommend this disc, if you think you can accept it for what it is

Aqualung is considered a "classic rock" album, but nearly two thirds of the album contains acoustic song. By far, this is one of my favorite Tull albums and contains some of my most cherished songs. Mother Goose. Wond'ring Aloud. Cross-Eyed Mary. My God. Cheap Day Return. Wind Up. Did Tull ever get any better? I think I have always preferred the band's acoustic songs to their "harder" rock tunes.

The renditions on this CD are simply beautiful. You're right, Ian's voice is not what it was in 1972, and neither is the band's lineup. But then again, the clarity (as another reviewer has written) of Ian Anderson's voice is not what it was in 1972 either. That, in itself, is a joy to listen to. Ian Anderson shines on this album.

I have particular fondness for this album because it was a recent gift from a beautiful friend of mine who had back stage passes (the lousy buggar) at a Tull show, got to meet the band and shake hands with all, and who also thought of me and had the album cover signed by all the band members and Ian too. I will cherish this album for many years to come. Not only for its signatures, but for the beauty of the music contained.

Jethro Tull has been my favorite band since I was 14 years old, and I'm 47 years old today. I hope that qualifies me to make a few paltry comments about this gem and tell you that you won't be disappointed if you buy it. Besides, just think how it will affect your karma: all the proceeds from the album's sale go to charities for homeless persons. You can't lose with this one. Cheers!

The best thing about this new update of the legendary Aqualung album is that it shows Ian's dramatic improvement in vocal ability over the last 20 years. This return to form is something Tull fans have been waiting a long time for. I think most people will agree that his singing in the late 80's and early/mid 90's was rather cringe-inducing. However, those days are clearly at an end and, ironically, Ian is singing better than he has in a very long time. As far as the flute goes, the man does not disappoint. Although more restrained than his maniacal youthful self, he now has a much more confident and subtle command of the instrument. Martin Barre is, of course, excellent, although this does not contain any career defining moments for him. The rest of the band is great, surely the best Tull lineup since the A album. Another thing I noticed is how nice it is to hear a real grand piano with these songs, since they normally tour with electric keyboards.

Although the versions on this recording are largely true to the originals, some of the songs have been done up in wonderful new arrangements, notably Mother Goose and Hymn 43. Mother Goose is particulary lovely, and actually surpasses the original quite easily in my opinion. Overall, this little collection is definitely the most exciting live Tull release since Bursting Out, and collectors won't want to miss it.