Jethro Tull Albums Ranked: up to RokFlote 

Tull were my musical blindspot for years, but I'm so glad I found them later in life. AND that I didn't upset at least one long-term fan. I plan to do a quick cover art review (just for the fun of it), and maybe a top 20 track too, so hopefully a bit more Tull to discuss yet. Anything else you'd like me to cover, I'm all ears. Thanks!

1. Songs from the Wood 2. Aqualung 3. Thick as a Brick 4. Heavy Horses (5). Living in the Past 5. Minstrel in the Gallery 6. Benefit 7. Stand Up 8. Stormwatch 9. A Passion Play 10. RokFlote 11. The JT Christmas Album (12). Nightcap 12. The Zealot Gene 13. The Broadsword and the Beast 14. War Child 15. Roots to Branches 16. Crest of a Knave 17. A 18. Rock Island 19. Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die 20. Catfish Rising 21. This Was 22. J-Tull Dot Com 23. Under Wraps

Hey thanks for sharing. And glad to see RokFlote getting some appreciation, as I gave it quite a knock, and I really hope he does more stuff. Also interesting to see you too have War Child low (I’m always a bit confused by the general love of it). And if you’ve not checked out the remix of Too Old, please do, and maybe you’ll nudge it up a place or two. Cheers!

@@theopinionatedhippie470 You’re welcome! Have you seen the guy who has Under Wraps at no.1… it’s why I love these videos.

@@OnlyForward12 Under Wraps at no.1? Is that forgivable?

@@opinion3742 It’s good to see that album getting some love from anybody. I label it under ‘challenging’.

@@DarkeningSkies1 Like I say, I thought Zealot Gene was a really interesting new direction, and I so wanted to like RokFlote as much. I hope it grows on me I really do. And as you can probably tell by the vid, I am open to all sorts. Cheers!

Hey, thanks for the feedback, that's really encouraging going forward. It's all a bit scary, and this will help. And yeah, after Stormwatch it really is a rocky road, but still some great songs here and there. And Broadsword and The Beast has been a revelation... it just suddenly clicked. I think it's one of their very best. Until the next one... Cheers!

Thanks. And yeah, with so many varied albums these lists always throw up a few surprises. But hopefully this one might inspire another listen of albums people may have given up on. Equally I’ll be interested to go back to Passion Play in a year’s time. Cheers!

@@jcrockandmetalreviews Thanks for popping by! And yep, the Zealot Gene seems to be another one of those great dividers. I’m glad I could be a little more positive on that one

I agree, Home is a great song - my bad for not making that clear - but I think it's awkwardly placed in the album. It would have worked great as the last song - a bit like Cheerio on Broadsword - and I suspect that was the original intention. But like I say, I understand why he gave the spot to Elegy. I also agree that Ian Anderson should be WAY more appreciated, especially in Britain. And great to hear from another Stormwatch fan, I think it's fabulous.

I rather agree with Only Forward that Home should be the last song on the album closing it brilluantly since the other songs are about various forms of modern day turmoil where best to than home to meditate on it all.

@@bigislandvip5540 The Volvo Estate - the choice of every discerning rock star. John Deacon too I believe. (And I’m gonna take a punt on Daltrey. Seems the type). And great connection: very ‘Tull’. I hope Clive was as nice as he comes across in interviews.

And thanks for the comment!

@@OnlyForward12 Sadly when I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii permanently in 2014. I had tried to contact Glenn Cornick but he sadly had Died in Hilo in August 2014.

@@theopinionatedhippie470 Hang in there! Hopefully I can win you round, although I won’t hold my breath. Thanks for the view! Much appreciated

I adore Passion Play.

The Classic Album Review channel rates it very high. Great channel. You should check it out.

Amongst hardcore Tull fans, it's very often considered the band's best work.

@@seethroughhead505 I'm just about the hardcorest of hardcore, and I would most certainly put it up for consideration as #1, 'tho with so many other incredible albums to choose from I don't know if I could actually nail down what I'd consider to be the definite #1 (just about anything from the 70's would rate major consideration).

Thanks! It’s a hell of a learning curve already

Thanks a lot! Camera is just my Iphone 8, so am glad it's doing the trick. Battery lasts about 3 minutes though these days.

@@OnlyForward12 It is doing the job. Best of luck with your channel.

@@stevepyle5080 It really is a treasure trove of great stuff. And like I say, I will persevere with Benefit. I’ll try to do more Tull stuff soon. Hollah with any requests. Cheers!

@@robertjewell9727 I didn’t mean to be contrary, I promise. But equally happy to have thrown a spanner in the works. Just working on the top ten songs, so brace yourself - and hope you pop back for more eye-rolling. Cheers!

@@OnlyForward12 I'll be there. 👍 I'd love to attempt a list wherein I know the tops and bottoms but the middle's all a muddle.

@@OnlyForward12 Your ranking doesn't really align with mine either but I love hearing what people like about albums that don't really do it for me. There is always one or two albums in a band's discography that I am out of sink with when it comes to most fans. Been a fan of Tull ever since catching the live satellite link they did in the late 70s on the TV.

@@opinion3742Agreed. I often go back and listen to albums I’d previously dismissed after hearing someone wax lyrical. Or like me, ramble on and on. Cheers for the comments!

@@BG-id2cv Wow, that is one extremely thorough scoring process. And I love how Tull lists seem to differ so wildly, but with so many albums over so many years I guess it’s inevitable. Interesting how we find common ground over War Child and Heavy Horses (both of which often rank much higher), although I hope my love of Stormwatch and Broadsword may inspire you to persevere. But my guess is you’ve given them a good run by now! Anyway thanks so much for sharing

Minstrel is really strong. It may well move up my list soon. And glad Broadsword and Stormwatch just slipped int there. Am still struggling with Benefit, but will come back to it (one day). Good list. Cheers!

And I respect those rules! (The only way to approach this thing.) Living In The Past has some bangers on it for sure. Sweet Dream almost made my top ten song list. I wish that and the song Living In The Past had made it onto Stand up (replacing the first two tracks), but maybe they weren't finished in time. I didn't have time to cover that, so might talk about it when I rank the album art. And thanks for the comment! Glad you made it through unscathed.

Let me know how you get on. Cheers!

Glad you liked. I really hope RokFlote grows on me. And admittedly Budapest could do with a trim... by about 6 mins probably. Cheers!

@@jonathanpatch5281 I need to give the solo albums another listen. They didn’t grab me, but like I say, there were a few tacks on Zealot that I really liked, and arguably that should have been labelled a solo album. (I’m a bit team Martin when it comes to that.) So maybe they’ll grow on me. Cheers!

*it being Living in the Past.....whoops

My favourite on LITP is Sweet Dream. Great song. And hope my ranking inspires you to give Broadsword another go at least. Cheers!

Sabbath are a bit out of my wheelhouse (like I say, I'm not usually a prog or metal guy), but which album would you recommend as an entry level? Maybe I'll do a first impressions, and risk upsetting even more people. Cheers!

@@OnlyForward12 Their self-titled 1970 debut album.

Actually I do remember giving that a whirl a while back and was surprised by how much I liked it. I'll go back and give it some proper attention.

@@OnlyForward12 *Fun fact:* Tony Iommi briefly played with Jethro Tull after Mick Abhrams left.

@kramalerav Liking the album so far. In the meantime, I just remembered that Pat at Close To the Edge has a Sabbath ranking if you haven't already checked out his fairly new channel. Say hi from me.

Absolutely. It would have been fun watching them evolve in real time, and I also can imagine having been frustrated with some of the directions taken in later years. I do struggle after Broadsword. And thanks for the post, much appreciated!

I've been a HUGE Tull fanatic since first hearing Aqualung back in 1971, and thus find it interesting that I am in 100% agreement that the 7 'dog' albums you mention above are hardly worth the time ... but you inadvertently(?) left out "This Was".

@@ijustgottasay1281 There are some LPs that one is exposed to at the time (of it's time surely) that resonates...It was a time of TOP 40 hit parade, Beatles, Turtles, Hermits, bubblegum pop and flower power....Along comes this new bluesy sound with interesting lyrics and varied tempos and motifs...and I could sense something was there...THIS WAS was aptly named...Ian KNEW this LP was not going to be the future of TULL...and Mick Abrahams split to do his own BLUES thing...and YES...I really like BLODWYN PIG and much of HIS solo work...STAND UP was a real revelation and BENEFIT knocked me out...and who could imagine those two works would later evolve into the master work that is AQUALUNG. So yes, compared to those works I can see that many would disregard THIS WAS....but it was a culmination of years of name changes & live performances that was honed into a cohesive collection that was reflective of their place in THAT time...MANY Thanks for responding...I really do appreciate your point of view.

Wow, you made it to 12. I suspect most people have snapped a pencil in disgust way before then.

I don't think it is a bad album at all.

@@opinion3742 it stinks

@@rightchordleadership I hear that you don't like it. I am here to tell you that some of us don't think it is all that bad. Better certainly than the album that followed it.

Well, we can't all have your good taste in music.

@@opinion3742 Agreed...This guy sure doesnt.

The mouse was 'brown', its sexuality was not mentioned.