A Passion Play Anniversary & Extended Performance Deluxe Set

[Deleted]

Jul 3, 2014 18:47:59 GMT rbgflute said:

Jul 3, 2014 17:38:29 GMT @tootull said:

A guess concerning the previous APP remaster - Probably because production masters were used before. Now we are treated to the actual master tapes. Master tapes are best for remixing (really required).

CHEERS

Yes, this speaks to the difference between remastering and remixing. Remastering is done from a 2 track stereo tape source, reshaping, EQing and giving a better sound to what was already mixed. Remixing is from the multitrack master tapes, with the ability to 'remix', as in rebalance, EQ and process the individual tracks into a new stereo (or 5.1) master.

Thanks & welcome!

[aqualung]

Got mine a few days early and immediately ripped it to iTunes in Apple Lossless, then put it on my Gen3 iPod through my FiiO E-18 DAC into my AT cans...and boy, it's glorious. I haven't done a comparo to the MFSL, but I'm am thinking that it's improved...found the missing sax, not a surprise as I recall IA saying that he utterly loathes the sax...

[zombywoof92]

Hello everyone!

Deep Cuts 42 is now available for streaming!

On this week's Deep Cuts (the final on Progrock.com), we'll be joined by a very special guest - Brian Rabey, author of "A Passion Play - The Story of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull". Brian will be adding his insights (culled from over 30 years in the journalism business) to a special presentation of the new Jethro Tull boxed set, "A Passion Play - An Extended Performance"!

Additionally, we'll also have tracks from Necromonkey, King Crimson, Beefheart, Zappa, Cardiacs, and more!

www.mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/prog-rock-deep-cuts-42/

[stevep]

Bought the new enhanced Passion Play at the weekend and am just knocked out by it and especially the Chateau sessions.
I do not have 5.1 so imagine it must be even better on that system. I have been listening on an aged set of Grado headphones on my Mac book and it sounds excellent.
I wondered about forking out on this as I have got the LP, CD and MP3 versions of it. Having listened a few times to it, I do not regret it in any way.
The book and the general presentation are also excellent.

There were all sorts of discussions a few months back about the difference between Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull music.
In my honest opinion, the music from this era is much better than anything IA has done in recent years and a big part of that is the contribution from the other Tull members.
I admit I am old and probably biased but the band were near the top of their game when this was written....

[maddogfagin]

Jul 7, 2014 19:24:30 GMT zombywoof92 said:

Hello everyone!

Deep Cuts 42 is now available for streaming!

On this week's Deep Cuts (the final on Progrock.com), we'll be joined by a very special guest - Brian Rabey, author of "A Passion Play - The Story of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull". Brian will be adding his insights (culled from over 30 years in the journalism business) to a special presentation of the new Jethro Tull boxed set, "A Passion Play - An Extended Performance"!

Additionally, we'll also have tracks from Necromonkey, King Crimson, Beefheart, Zappa, Cardiacs, and more!

www.mixcloud.com/progrockdeepcuts/prog-rock-deep-cuts-42/

Thanks zombywoof92.

Any plans for the future as you say it's your final Deep Cuts on Progrock.com ?     Keep us updated please.

[zombywoof92]

Yes, I will start at the new station on July 24th! I will announce where I'm moving to very soon.

[steelmonkey]

APP/Viagra is going to monopolize my CD player for a long time. I really hear the clean up on APP and the Chateau CD is being treated like a new release in my car.
I always though 'Sailor' was a useless snippet...it isn't.
The new verses in 'Foot of our Stairs' are wonderful.
The 'work in progress' mixes without added flute melodies are superior....easier to hear guitar, piano and drums.

But I still don't know the last two words, shouted during the APP outro. I settled on either 'Snake, coward' or 'hate, power'....The AND guys reported them to be 'Hey, Steve, what' or 'Steve, caroline' something to do with baiting critics. Someone tell me...or make Ian or Steve Wilson tell me...What are the last words of APP ?

[zombywoof92]

'"Steve! Caroline!" - Steve is the same Steve from Solitaire.

[rbgflute]

Jul 8, 2014 16:59:26 GMT steelmonkey said:

APP/Viagra is going to monopolize my CD player for a long time. I really hear the clean up on APP and the Chateau CD is being treated like a new release in my car.
I always though 'Sailor' was a useless snippet...it isn't.
The new verses in 'Foot of our Stairs' are wonderful.
The 'work in progress' mixes without added flute melodies are superior....easier to hear guitar, piano and drums.

But I still don't know the last two words, shouted during the APP outro. I settled on either 'Snake, coward' or 'hate, power'....The AND guys reported them to be 'Hey, Steve, what' or 'Steve, caroline' something to do with baiting critics. Someone tell me...or make Ian or Steve Wilson tell me...What are the last words of APP ?

My understanding is the words are "Steve! Caroline!" Steve is a nickname for a critic, maybe Robert Hilburn of the LA Times or Chris Welch. Caroline is supposedly either a groupie or a 'friend of the group' ... Anyway that's what I have heard... Remember 'but you're wrong Steve, it's only solitaire'. Directed at the same guy as I understand it.

[steelmonkey]

I know you guys are right about 'Steve, Caroline'...I still like my wrong stabs.

[Deleted]

Jul 8, 2014 20:08:32 GMT steelmonkey said:

I know you guys are right about 'Steve, Caroline'...I still like my wrong stabs.

APP 5.1, always a winner


'Steve, Caroline'
www.ministry-of-information.co.uk/app/steve.htm

[maddogfagin]

Jul 8, 2014 14:49:40 GMT zombywoof92 said:

Yes, I will start at the new station on July 24th! I will announce where I'm moving to very soon.

Thanks

[maddogfagin]

www.laut.de/Jethro-Tull/Alben/A-Passion-Play-An-Extended-Performance-93688

Release: July 11, 2014 (Warner)
Jethro Tull
LAUT.DE-CRITICISM
More Steven Wilson Ian Anderson.
Review by Manuel Berger

After the revision of the Jethro Tull discs "Benefit", "Aqualung" and "Thick As A Brick" all-rounder takes Steven Wilson is now at the time of his criminally underrated "A Passion Play". The producer Guru catapulted the album from the beginning of the 70 directly into the modern era. Not necessarily what you want to hear on a classic.
Allegedly took Wilson in consultation with Ian Anderson even some serious changes before and put all the tracks. Would it only went to Anderson, perhaps even all saxophone parts would have been repaid. But well, if you want to have changed anything, yes you can set the same old recording.

In fact, the new mix sounds much more transparent than the original. Much more details come to the surface, the instruments penetrate all crystal clear through the speakers. But even if the overall sound a bit 'sharper' device, it is no longer as 'organic' as on the original tapes. The much-quoted soul of the album is actually a bit more lost. In particular, the previously transmitted saxophones sound in many places colorless and clearly lose dominance.
In some places you have even the feeling to hear a solo album by the producer. The only problem is that this is just a Jethro Tull - and is just not a Steven Wilson album. So Sticks "A Passion Play (An Extended Performance)" on the same flaw that the majority of all new editions of this world carry around: It is an album that is not the result of today, but already a few years has been on the hump. Why do you compulsively try to adapt it technically sound? Only thus can brag sound fetishists trying to listen to the disc of yesteryear now on their fancy new 5.1-fortress? Better it is thus not. Rather worse.

Must take credit for one of the new version, however, that they in a pretty presentation and - comes with some nice gimmicks - without the price spiral to attract sensitive. In addition to said 5.1 mix, there is a 80-page companion book with some interesting background information, the original mix, the video for " The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles on top "and the mysterious Chateau D'Herouville sessions. Latter as the main album in stereo and surround sound.

This first published in 1988 under the title "Château D'isaster Tapes" recordings took place in the run-up to the "A Passion Play" songwriting process. However, the band broke due to catastrophic external conditions prematurely. Has only been about 50 minutes of this material reaches the public, Wilson added another ten minutes.
In contrast to previous publications, for which Anderson later recorded numerous tracks and added that Wilson used only the original tapes. Musically, this is the Chateau D'Herouville sessions offered, although not essential, but worth a listen for fans and as a bonus album truly more than just the icing.
For the curious and collectors from "A Passion Play (An Extended Performance)" do so. When in doubt, however, is recommended the handle to the original. And even if the new mix of the original can not be replaced, "A Passion Play" remains even with this the better "Thick As A Brick".

[bunkerfan]

Still haven't got my copy yet. I was promised it as a present and I'm still waiting but I've been assured I'll be getting it soon so Roll on.

[brunosamppa]

[maddogfagin]

Jul 23, 2014 3:53:11 GMT brunosamppa said:

Hi brunosamppa and a warm welcome to the Forum. Thanks for posting this isolated vocal video and it does shed a whole new light on IA's singing.

There's plenty to see and do here and look forward to reading all your future posts.



MD

[Deleted]

Google translate:
www.stern.de/kultur/musik/phoenix-aus-der-asche-jethro-tulls-passion-play-2126105.html


Phoenix from the ashes: Jethro Tull's "Passion Play"
July 23, 2014, 18:18 Clock
dpa-starline

Berlin - The loyalty of the Jethro Tull fans to their English prog rock heroes of the first hour usually knows no boundaries. Only when it comes to the album "A Passion Play" (1973) - the seventh work of the band, while the sixth studio album -  loyalty is put to a severe test.

This disc is so mysterious and complex as their vertrakte genesis after a fiasco in the studio Château d'Hérouville in southern France. Almost all the critics of that time fell upon the work and in response to the bad reviews said the offended front-man Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull that would withdraw for an indefinite period from the music business.

What was going on? Well, despite the scolding reached "A Passion Play" topped the American charts. Anderson and the band did a few months later on and now it's about time to take on this work again under the microscope. "A Passion Play" is namely back into the local record store shelves and indeed in opulent revamp. The so-called Extended Performance Edition is a beautiful 2CD/2DVD-Paket, bound like a book. It contains the original album and the material of the recordings from France that were reshuffled by the renowned sound engineer and prog rock lovers Steven Wilson.

Thanks to the excellent sound quality, the difficult double album actually rises like a phoenix from the ashes. The thick booklet provides great photos and plenty of background information on the chaotic sessions in Château d'Hérouville where once Elton John his album "Honky Chateau" recorded and Pink Floyd grossed the film music for "Obscured By Clouds". The establishment got Jethro Tull in no way good: The technology on strike and to make matters worse, the band members were suffering under a bad food poisoning, which was probably a consequence of catering.

The Tull material of approximately one hour length from France was finally discarded, and the band has created "A Passion Play" from scratch. The album became a 45-minute prog-rock monument with intricate rhythms and equally complicated texts. At that time gave fellow Yes and King Crimson similar indigestible food, which has long enjoyed cult status. On the Tull album is the way to the old story of good versus evil, God against the devil.

Bright and friendly, however, are the songs from the so-called "Chateau Disaster Tapes" - especially "Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day". The pretty catchy song later appeared on the follow-up album "Warchild".

[brunosamppa]

Jul 23, 2014 8:04:48 GMT maddogfagin said:

Jul 23, 2014 3:53:11 GMT brunosamppa said:

Hi brunosamppa and a warm welcome to the Forum. Thanks for posting this isolated vocal video and it does shed a whole new light on IA's singing.

There's plenty to see and do here and look forward to reading all your future posts.




MD


Thank You. I'm preparing the isolated vocals from the Chateau!

[onewhiteduck]

Talking of wildlife ( which this is not ) my cat 'Maggie' having a APP moment.

[steelmonkey]

Lover of the Black and White ?

[steelmonkey]

Very cool listening to the vocals alone

[maddogfagin]

Jul 23, 2014 20:45:18 GMT brunosamppa said:

Jul 23, 2014 8:04:48 GMT maddogfagin said:

Hi brunosamppa and a warm welcome to the Forum. Thanks for posting this isolated vocal video and it does shed a whole new light on IA's singing.

There's plenty to see and do here and look forward to reading all your future posts.




MD

Thank You. I'm preparing the isolated vocals from the Chateau!

Look forward to hearing those. Thanks

[maddogfagin]

The Amazing Pudding
Ripe with Rich Attainments: Jethro Toll's "A Passion Play', Reassessed
By Sean Murphy 24 July 2014

For prog-rock aficionados, the hits keep coming, and one man above all deserves our gratitude: Steven Wilson.

Whether it’s Yes, King Crimson, or Jethro Tull—all of whom he has worked with in recent years—the question arises: how much is too much with these deluxe reissues? The answer, naturally is: it’s never enough, assuming there are ample fans interested or insane enough to keep coughing up the coin to procure them.

Complete article here  link

[hardliner]

The Chateau tracks are AWESOME !!
Better than the brilliant APP i.m.o.

[Deleted]

playbackstl.com/music-reviews/13383-jethro-tull--a-passion-play-an-extended-performance-chrysalis

Jethro Tull | A Passion Play: An Extended Performance (Chrysalis)

Written by Marc Farr Wednesday, 23 July 2014 22:29

With 30 tracks, this is a long listen, but the musical journey is a good one.

40th Anniversary Edition

2014 is a year of many a musical anniversary; included in that list is Jethro Tull. On July 23, 1973, the band released their most ambitious project to date, A Passion Play. The album went to number one on the U.S. charts, while only reaching number 13 in the U.K., the band's home.

A Passion Play was the second concept album for the band. The first, the previously released Thick as a Brick, was more of a spoof of the whole concept album idea. However, with A Passion Play, the band took the idea much more seriously, and made the album the story of a man's challenges with the afterlife. Upon initial release, the critics seriously panned the album. The bad press even resulted in then-manager Terry Ellis announcing to the press that Jethro Tull would cease all live performances, which was untrue. By the time the lies were cleared up, most critics had jumped on the bad-press bandwagon.

For An Extended Performance, the entire album has been given a new stereo remix courtesy of Steven Wilson. Sporting four discs in total, the package includes the album, as well as the Chateau D’Herouville sessions presented in their entirity. The DVDs contain the intro and outros used on the 1973 tour for the album, as well as the video clips for “The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles.” DVD 2 hosts The Chateau Sessions presented in 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Digital AC3.

With 30 tracks, this is a long listen, but the musical journey is a good one. The album starts with “Lifebeats/Prelude,” working into “The Silver Cord,” a song depicting one entering the afterlife. Act 2 consists of a melody of songettes, including “Re-Assuring Tune,” “Memory Bank,” and “Critique Oblique,” songs about finding dissatisfaction with both Heaven and Hell. With the new stereo 5.1 mix, the production is crisp and clean. Combining awesome tempo changes and Ian Anderson’s virtuoso fluting, this is an amazing album. Musically tight and theater-elegant, it truly shows the high level of talent that makes Jethro Tull who they are.

An 80-page booklet sets this package off quite nicely, topping off reproductions of the original Linwell Theatre programme, an extensive article by Martin Webb about the making of the album, interviews with the band from 1973, and much, much more. This collection is stunning, a collection-topper for all Jethro Tull fans.

Of special note: While later released on War Child, hit single “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day” is also included here, as it was on the initial release of the album. A | Marc Farr
Share it...

[Deleted]

For those that care, the new APP has CD-Text.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-Text

[maddogfagin]

Jul 24, 2014 13:06:33 GMT hardliner said:

The Chateau tracks are AWESOME !!
Better than the brilliant APP i.m.o.

More or less my thoughts to a tee.

[brunosamppa]

Here go, folks. The Chateau vocals

[maddogfagin]

Jul 25, 2014 22:14:06 GMT brunosamppa said:

Here go, folks. The Chateau vocals

Many thanks brunosamppa. An interesting listening experience

[Deleted]

Jethro Tull, ‘A Passion Play: An Extended Performance’ – Album Review
by Ryan Reed July 26, 2014 12:09 PM

ultimateclassicrock.com/jethro-tull-passion-play-an-extended-performance-review/
With Jethro Tull‘s 1972 opus ‘Thick as a Brick,’ band mastermind Ian Anderson aimed to subvert the bloated prog-rock excess of his peers while also paying tribute to their epic sweep. And he succeeded. With its absurd lyrical concept, inter-connected musical themes and instrumental bombast, ‘Brick’ celebrated the genre’s complexity while also lampooning its straight-faced one-upsmanship.

Released during the height of the prog boom, the album brought Tull an even broader fanbase, topping the American charts. But at what cost? Half-parody or not, ‘Brick’ was the band’s crowning achievement — and it left Anderson in a tough spot: figuring out how to top it.

Attempting to avoid England’s insanely high tax rates, Anderson and company fled to Switzerland — and later the Chateau d’Herouville studio in France, where they started work on another ambitious song cycle. But after facing an array of difficulties (from food poisoning to technical glitches), a dismayed Tull whisked back to London. With only 17 days remaining until the start of their American tour, Anderson re-worked bits of the old material (dubbed “Chateau D’Isaster”) for what would become ‘A Passion Play’ — another ambitious prog-rock set based around one lengthy suite split into 20-minute halves. (And, to the dismay of many Tull die-hards, a fanciful, Monty Python-esque palette-cleanser called ‘The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles.’)

Premiered in full on-stage, ‘A Passion Play’ earned hostile reviews, with critics blasting its compositional density (Anderson’s fluttering soprano sax being a prime target) and abstract lyrical concept (based around a theme of death and afterlife judgment). Tull fans remain firmly split into two distinct camps — it’s either the band’s clear masterpiece or their obvious “D’Isaster.”

The truth, as usual, isn’t so simple. While never reaching the seamless heights of ‘Thick as a Brick,’ ‘A Passion Play’ remains an essential follow-up — and thanks to this new ‘Extended Performance’ reissue, that fact becomes even clearer. With a more direct remix (and spacious 5.1 mix), Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson (who previously offered a face-lift to ‘Aqualung’ and is currently trudging through the entire King Crimson back catalog) puts the band’s extraordinary interplay in sharper focus. Barring a few stray sax overdubs, Wilson keeps the arrangements firmly in-tact, but his version lets the songs breathe a bit more — removing some of the reverb from Anderson’s expressive voice, punching up Barrie Barlow’s propulsive drum kit and Martin Barre‘s subtle guitar shadings.

The album’s mighty first side rivals the majesty of ‘Thick as a Brick’ note-for-note — from the haunting classical theme of ‘The Silver Cord’ to the bluesy attack of the ‘Best Friends’ to the eerie pummel of ‘Critique Oblique.’ It’s a winding journey from start to finish, brimming with John Evan’s brilliant organ work and Anderson’s agile singing. But, unlike ‘Brick,’ ‘A Passion Play’ recycles some of the same musical motifs on its long-winded second side, causing it to lose focus.

The true selling point on this reissue is Wilson’s exquisite mix of the “Chateau D’Isaster” tapes. While most of the material has been previously released on various box sets (with the lovely ‘Skating Away’ reworked for 1974′s ‘War Child’), the hour-long set feels at its most cohesive here. In the insightful liner notes (which also include band interviews and journalist essays), Wilson says his goal was to “be more faithful to what actually happened in the studio in 1972,” freeing the material from the anachronistic reverb (and overdubbed Anderson flute parts) that made previous versions feel inauthentic. The best moments here – the explosive ‘No Rehearsal,’ the quirky ‘Law of the Bungle’ — feel more genuine to their time period.

This ‘Extended Performance’ probably won’t sway the album’s fiercest critics. But at least it re-opens the conversation, offering a clearer window into a work of a flawed genius.