Which is the best Jethro Tull album?

When you’ve got a massive back catalogue to explore with a band, knowing which is the best stuff can be difficult. Wiki lists 33 studio and live albums. They are remarkably consistent. Some say Under Wraps is a stinker but it isn’t. The sound changes, but the quality remains. I’ve loved them since I was 16, good grief that’s 46 years. Where does the time go?
My first love was the Songs From The Wood. I just loved the rural vibe to the lyrics such as Jack In The Green. Also Martin Barre’s guitar on Pibroch is the stuff of greatness. I saw them be great on the tour. I then turned to the Bursting Out live album, which was a pretty accurate representation of their live show in the late seventies. Love the Thick As A Brick edit on that...

From there I went back to the first albums, which are bluesy. I knew singles like Love Story, Bouree and Living in the Past. Then I turned to the Living in the Past compilation which has an excellent and exclusive Dharma for One live.
And then I found Aqualung. For many it’s their meisterwerk along with Thick As A Brick. I like it, but it’s no Songs From The Wood. I don’t know why it didn’t resonate as much with me as …Wood but I found its heavier elements a bit clunky. Though My God, it is brilliant!
Actually their later releases, Crest of a Knave and Rock Island are lovely, sophisticated releases worthy of being in anyone’s collection. But while I fell in love with Tull over Songs From The Wood, these days I think the best album is Night Cap in 1993, because it’s throw together includes the Chateau D’Isaster tapes which were recorded again as A Passion Play. In their original form, they are brilliant. Some of their finest, well judged music. The unreleased numbers recorded from 74 to 91 are also top drawer and cover a lot of the Heavy Horses period.
It came out in UK in 1993 and in America in 2000. As it wasn’t a ‘new’ record, and was a sweep up release, and came out when they were unfashionable, it got overlooked, but it’s well worth investigating for any Tull fan who loves their quirky variety.

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