Customer Reviews

Bursting Out

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't have all that many regrets in my life (in part because I don't regret as many things as I probably should). One of the regrets I _do_ have is that I never got to see this particular Tull lineup in concert.

It wasn't because I didn't know who they were. I had all of their albums and they were one of my favorite bands. It's just that when the great Anderson-Barre-Glascock-Evan-Palmer-Barlow lineup went kerplooey, I was fifteen years old and hadn't really started attending concerts yet.

I've seen Tull several times since then, and the shows have all been good; as long as Anderson and Barre are there, Tull will be worth hearing. But the particular magic of this particular assemblage isn't going to be recaptured.

This album (now CD) is about as close as it's now possible to come. And what a marvelous time capsule it is. Even aside from its value as a distant second to the concert experience I never had, it's surely up there with Frank Zappa's _Roxy and Elsewhere_ as one of the great live albums of all time. It's even better now that it's been remastered.

Enough from me. If you've read this far, you don't need me to sell it to you; just buy it.

It's not so ironic as it may seem that the intelligent, flabbergasting music of Jethro Tull became the center of one of the 70s' leading arena attractions. A Jethro Tull concert could be seen as a sanctuary for hard rock fans, especially in that decade, a time when prog-rock (and most of rock/metal labels) was widely dismissed as overblown, empty showiness. This was the band that proved a concert hall full of cheering teenagers were also capable of handling the mind-challenging music and lyrics of Ian Anderson with open-mindedness and maturity. That's why this definitive remaster of "Bursting Out" is such an important piece of rock history.
Culled from a captivating European tour, this double disc set defined both this era of rock in general, and this era of Jethro Tull specifically. There are some interesting improvisational moments, such as Anderson's antics on a flute improv including 'God Rest Ye Merry Men' and 'Bouree' (the image of a manic flute player at a rock concert is deliciously intriguing). But while many other places don't sound radically different from their studio versions (music-wise, not time-wise), it's the power and passion of the performance that counts. If you don't plan on buying the entire "Thick As a Brick" album, this is an ideal buy, as it features a 12-minute performance of that record's title song, but you'll also be getting several other Tull classics ('Aqualung,' 'Cross-Eyed Mary,' 'Locomotive Breath,' 'Too Old To Rock and Roll...'), as well as some pieces demonstrating the band's folk influences, ('Songs From the Wood,' 'Jack in the Green').
Hopefully with this great remaster, "Bursting Out" will get some more of the attention that it deserves. It is the remnant of a time when rock was striving to gain its respect, but the end of this era for Tull, as several members would soon depart, leaving Ian Anderson to re-craft the band's music.

Merging folk and rock, Britain's Jethro Tull emerged on the music scene in the late sixties along with such progressive rock acts as The Yes & King Crimson (to name a few) and became known worldwide for their 1971 album "Aqualung" which propelled them to superstar status alongside the The Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. "Bursting Out" was recorded during various European concerts in 1978 and they cover early classics such as "A New Day Yesterday", "Sweet Dream", "Bouree", "Aqualung", "Locomotive Breath", "Cross-Eyed Mary", "Thick As A Brick" to later songs such as "Jack In The Green", "Songs From The Wood", "Too Old To Rock N' Roll, Too Young To Die","Minstral In The Gallery" and "No Lullaby" to name a few. Headed by the always colorful and never at a loss for words, flutist and lead singer Ian Anderson, does a superb job interracting with the audience. The interplay between his flute playing and guitarist Martin Barre's solos are outstanding and can best be heard on "Thick As A Brick". And enough can't be said of Barriemore Barlow who's drum solo at the end of "Conundrum" is nothing short of jaw dropping. This newly remastered version of "Bursting Out" is excellent with increased bass, midrange and crisp highs. If you enjoy classic rock from the seventies then you'll love this cd as it is one of the best "live" recorded concerts this reviewer has ever heard!

As many times and as long as I've seen this title in stores everywhere,this is my first copy of 'Bursting Out' I've ever had.Originally released in 1978,'Bursting...' covers classic Tull material from their second lp,which was put out in 1969 through 1977.'Bursting...' appears to be the band's 12th actual release.The sound is great as the disc here gives all true Tull fans a chance to re-live or experience maybe for the first time a live Jethro Tull concert.Seems like EVERY music fan you run across usually likes at least one or two Tull albums.As for the tunes,I found myself keeping a sharp ear open for "Breaking Away...","A New Day Yesterday","Bouree","Songs From The Woods",the unforgetable "Thick As A Brick","Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath".Line-up on this CD is:Ian Anderson-vocals&flute,Martin Barrie-guitar&mandolin,John Evans-organ&piano,Barriemore Barlow-drums,David Palmer-pipe organ&synthesizers and John Glascock-bass&vocals.Only downside is that "Living In The Past" isn't on here.That's okay.They can't play everything.Recommended.

there are not enough stars for me to give. this is the ultimate tull concert. the performance of locomotive breath is worth the purchase alone. words can't describe the value of this album. it is something that everyone (tull fan or not) should own and have in their music library.

Measure by measure this album -to my mind- occupies a predominant place among the twelve greatest live rock albums ever recorded.
The other eleven would be -without any specific order-: How the west was won , Made in Japan , Live at Leeds , Hendrix in Woodstock , Uriah Heep live , Humble pie performance ,Iron Butterfly live , Allman Brothers in Fillmore, Pink Floyd in Pompey , Woodstock and Cream live .
The ravishing moods of all the band headed for that monster musician and living legend Ian Anderson are present in this historic performing .
Consider Aqualung the best version ever recorded by them since its release , Thick is a brick is superb ; and so A new day yesterday , Crossed eyed Mary , Songs from the wood , Haunting girl ; Minister in the gallery or Too old to rock' n' roll.
Thnks to Ian Anderson , Martin Barre, john Evan , Barriemore Barlow , David Palmer and John Glasscock for this album with out time and obviously a classic among the classics albums in the rock story .
The transfer was glorious fortunately for that generation and the new listeners who will never be able to deny the virtues of that icon band of the last sixties which so many glories and good moments offered us .

Recorded on the European leg of their tour in support of their "Heavy Horses" album, Jethro Tull's live album "Bursting Out" is a terrific concert recording of Ian Anderson & the boys, covering material from their 2nd album "Stand Up" straight through to "Heavy Horses." The band---Anderson, Martin Barre, John Glascock, John Evan, David Palmer and Barriemore Barlow---sound tremendous on such favorites as "Sweet Dream," "Songs From The Wood," "Minstrel In The Gallery," "Aqualung," and a powerful 12-minute excerpt from the group's epic, "Thick As A Brick." Anderson also makes for a fabulous, funny master of ceremonies, and the album's sound quality has been improved as well. The previous CD version of "Bursting Out" ommitted three tracks---"Sweet Dream," "Conundrum," and "Quatrain"---in order to squeeze the album onto a single CD, but this new remaster restores this double album to it's two-disc entirety, which is great. If you're a big Jethro Tull buff, then "Bursting Out" is a total must-have.

Jethro Tull was all but finished as a major concert attraction by the time of this live recording from their 1978 "Heavy Horses" tour. I think Ian Anderson realized that if he was ever going to capture a live document of the classic band, he'd better do it quick. A year later, 3 of the five members of Tull were sacked and the band as we knew them ceased to exist.

Yet even as they had arrived at the end of their glory days Tull remained a superb, dynamic rock band in concert, virtuosos playing powerful, complex music with apparent ease. Despite the new focus on the folkier side of rock, a few classics make it into the set as well. The version of Crosseyed Mary played here alone is worth the price of the CD. Martin Barre on electric guitar and Barriemore Barlow on drums are stunning. This newly remastered version is a clear step up sonically, and now includes all the material from the original 2 LP album.

I only wish Anderson had thought to put out a live recording like this one a few years earlier, when the band - and the music - was truly at its best, around the Thick as a Brick era.

The original issue of this album on CD was lacking on a couple of levels. The track list was cut to squeeze it onto one disc and the recording was dumped without any remastering. Some albums do quite well without retouching, but this particular recording suffered from either bad equalization, too much compression, or a combination of both. The remastered edition takes care of both problems. The track list from the original album is restored and the remastering job does much to bring this otherwise challenged concert to life. The performance is impeccable of course. Some songs that are somewhat laid back in their studio versions get the "live" treatment in a big way. The condensed version of Thick as a Brick used to feel a little short, but the way they punch out its boiled down essence has grown on me over time. Another highlight is the updated take on A New Day Yesterday which sounds heavier and much more serious than the studio version. There are plenty of moments like this throughout the album. Jethro Tull was a force to be reckoned with in their time and an album like this is a great snapshot of a band in their prime.

Good to see this has been remastered and given a proper reissue.

I actually have the original one-disc release of this CD, which I originally got to replace my LP. On that edition, not only were a few songs dropped to keep it down to one disc (an all-too-common practice back in the day), but the edits were *utterly* artless. There are literally jarring jump cuts between some of the tracks.

I hope it was also remixed so that the double-tracking Anderson did with his vocals is a little less obvious. I mean, just how did he manage to sing harmony AND lead at the same time in concert? And hey, while I'm at it, did they restore Anderson's naughty words during his witty repartee? Mine were actually bleeped. BLEEPED! HAH!

But I digress. If you are a Tull fan, of course you need this release... Probably already have it... and are reading this review to find something to take issue with.

If you are a new Tull fan, you should have this set, as opposed to any of the countless budget comps out there. It really is a classic lineup and a representative sample of their classic music.

Casual Tull fans, however, will not find much here in the minor live variations to recommend above the studio efforts (sit down, Tullhead, I'm talking to the casual fan). You'd probably be happier with "Living In The Past."

I consider myself a Tull fan -- but apparently not a rabid one -- Since I myself am still trying to decide whether I should bother to shell out for a THIRD TIME for this release. Maybe I'll wait for a 24-carat gold edition with extra tracks and a bonus limited edition weather balloon.