Honestly, aren't these Tull packages just amazing? It is Christmas Day every time one of these arrives! Total immersion - enveloping 5.1 version of the album (wonderful work by the team again!), all the extra goodies, that full Berne concert (which I loved, slightly surprisingly, having sorta ignored Bursting Out over the years), and the beautiful, extensive, and highly informative essays and interviews. When I compare these to the Zeppelin reissue box sets, well the Zepsters' releases are a real missed opportunity, right? And the frankness in the interviews is so refreshing. No myth burnishing there - with what feels like honest reflections of the musicians' experiences. Including disagreements. Although some of his colleagues rate HH very highly, Ian relegates it to somewhere outside his top 10 in his personal Tull pantheon! The videos also reveal our Tullists as all a bit ridiculous - not the prettiest guys, the outfits are a tad pretentious, and the overall feel very dated. So well done for including them too. Warts and all!
And it is very nice indeed that they also recognize other musicians that they worked with along the way - Maddy Prior and Daryl Way. Those interviews are a very nice touch indeed. And Maddy's input offers some very interesting insights into our Ian. Nothing earth shattering - but a sense of how hard working, clever, and private he really is. A bloke with talent, who manages that talent very well indeed. And why not? Not just the crazy long hair tramp or exotic medieval minstrel - but a calculating, intelligent, careerist. And I don't mean that as criticism. In fact, these wonderful packages are just the latest illustration of that highly effective career, reputation, and asset management!
I have loved every single one of these releases and am so happy this one will join the set. The price point is also so good - amazing in fact, and it never feels like they want to exploit loyal fans (compare to the wonderful but so expensive first Roxy Music Album). And, slightly stupid point, but isn't the book format just perfect in terms of quality, size, and structure - never mind the brilliant information? (I wish they would re-release Benefit in this format - just the collector in me!)
Of course, then there is the music. When this first came out way back in the day, I wasn't very enamored of it. A huge improvement over "Too Old To Rock and Roll...", but not as much fun as "Songs From The Wood". It all felt a bit dark and dense, and very much at odds with the whole punk ethos of the day. But Ian and team were plotting their own, very idiosyncratic way, and the album has grown on me ever since. It IS a darker album - in a very English way. And now reeks of nostalgia for an older age - all beautifully conveyed with compelling music and some of Ian's best lyrics. Brought to clearer life on the immersive surround mix. Isn't it marvelous to sit in the middle of all this complexity, and pick up on bits and pieces you'd forgotten you'd sorta heard before, but not as distinctly? Just a true joy listening to the whole thing again, with the music all around - in what feels to me to be a very natural overall sound stage. Not contrived at all. Anyway, a very happy 10 from me - wonderful!