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Post by falstaff on Feb 3, 2009 19:09:45 GMT
Commonly considered to be Tull's weakest album, we are nearing the 25th anniversary of the album's initial release. How does Under Wraps sound now to you? Has your opinion changed? When I first heard the album, the only track that had any immediate appeal for me was, unsurprisingly, "Lap of Luxury". Most of the album didn't interest me at all. Too different from the Tull I knew and loved. When I listen to it now, I hear a much stronger album than I ever realized. Songs such as "European Legacy", "Lap of Luxury", "Nobody's Car", "Under Wraps #2", "Saboteur", and "Apogee" are particularly good. It's not Tull's greatest album and the sound is largely dated, but it's not a truly bad album. It was obviously an experiment, but it is a shame that so many reacted with such indignant disdain for the album. It bucked expectations and established bands aren't supposed to do that.
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Post by parkbench on Feb 3, 2009 19:36:11 GMT
Commonly considered to be Tull's weakest album, we are nearing the 25th anniversary of the album's initial release. How does Under Wraps sound now to you? Has your opinion changed? When I first heard the album, the only track that had any immediate appeal for me was, unsurprisingly, "Lap of Luxury". Most of the album didn't interest me at all. Too different from the Tull I knew and loved. When I listen to it now, I hear a much stronger album than I ever realized. Songs such as "European Legacy", "Lap of Luxury", "Nobody's Car", "Under Wraps #2", "Saboteur", and "Apogee" are particularly good. It's not Tull's greatest album and the sound is largely dated, but it's not a truly bad album. It was obviously an experiment, but it is a shame that so many reacted with such indignant disdain for the album. It bucked expectations and established bands aren't supposed to do that. I like it. My big problem with it is that on CD form it's too long - I think if was a few songs shorter it would be stunning. There is some great stuff - Lap Of Luxury, Radio Free Moscow, European Legacy. I only got into JT in 1989, and Under Wraps was an album I bought a few years later as I was getting to know what they'd done. It was an initial surprise, but by then I'd already heard A and Broadsword and felt naturally to progress from there. I think part of the reason I like JT is the changing sound - along with IA's songs, flute playing and the great Lancelot.
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Post by admin on Feb 5, 2009 9:35:51 GMT
Commonly considered to be Tull's weakest album, we are nearing the 25th anniversary of the album's initial release. How does Under Wraps sound now to you? Has your opinion changed? When I first heard the album, the only track that had any immediate appeal for me was, unsurprisingly, "Lap of Luxury". Most of the album didn't interest me at all. Too different from the Tull I knew and loved. When I listen to it now, I hear a much stronger album than I ever realized. Songs such as "European Legacy", "Lap of Luxury", "Nobody's Car", "Under Wraps #2", "Saboteur", and "Apogee" are particularly good. It's not Tull's greatest album and the sound is largely dated, but it's not a truly bad album. It was obviously an experiment, but it is a shame that so many reacted with such indignant disdain for the album. It bucked expectations and established bands aren't supposed to do that. I agree falstaff. It took me a little while to get to grips with UW, I wouldn't go so far as to say I didn't like it but it I was only a we lad of 17 at the time and it just seemed a world away from the Jethro Tull I'd grown up with. The years have been kind to it with me though and although in places I think the overall sound is a little dated there are some cracking songs on there. I think the sound of the album sits really well with alot of the Cold War espionage themes in the lyrics. In fact, as there are a few songs on that album with similar subject matter, is Under Wraps a concept album? ;D
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Post by rcgpny1 on Feb 9, 2009 5:42:46 GMT
Its taken me a while to catch up with some of Tull's "80's output. I have only recently 'discovered" Broadsword, and Under Wraps. Since that time Under Wraps has become one of my favorites, and contains one of my favorite Tull songs in "Under Wraps #2". But Lap of Luxury,Under Wraps, European Legacy, Later That Same Evening,Sabotuer,Radio Free Moscow , in my opinion are as strong as anything else penned by Mr Anderson. I agree to an extent, about the length of the CD but most is very listenable. The Album really deserves a revisit to anyone that really likes the band and Ian's melodies.
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Post by admin on Feb 10, 2009 11:03:07 GMT
Its taken me a while to catch up with some of Tull's "80's output. I have only recently 'discovered" Broadsword, and Under Wraps. Since that time Under Wraps has become one of my favorites, and contains one of my favorite Tull songs in "Under Wraps #2". But Lap of Luxury,Under Wraps, European Legacy, Later That Same Evening,Sabotuer,Radio Free Moscow , in my opinion are as strong as anything else penned by Mr Anderson. I agree to an extent, about the length of the CD but most is very listenable. The Album really deserves a revisit to anyone that really likes the band and Ian's melodies. Hi there and welcome to the forum. ;D yes, I know what you mean about the CD's length. I was still on records in those days so when I finally got the CD version with the extra tracks I didn't really think any of the songs added to the album (except maybe Tundra, which I quite liked!)
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Post by Pantagruel on Feb 11, 2009 14:48:51 GMT
I like some stuff ("Under Wraps #1", "Noboy's Car", "Lap of Luxury", "Tundra").
Some other does nothing to me ("Under Wraps #2", despite being a much loved number, "Apogee" and "Radio Free Moscow")
Some other really pisses me off ("General Crossing", "Automotive Engineering", "Paparazzi").
Some weak studio numbers ("Paparazzi" and "Apogee") become nice songs in concert though.
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Post by steelmonkey on Feb 13, 2009 0:39:39 GMT
This one will be wide open...I'm guessing, when it comes to a vote... I put European legacy and Wraps II as my favorites but I consider neither to be obvious stand out trax like dark ages and black sunday in our current voting. I've always liked this album but i know it's unpopular with many Tull fans...maybe wraps II wins cuz it's the least like the others?
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Post by falstaff on Feb 16, 2009 14:23:38 GMT
Some other does nothing to me ("Under Wraps #2", despite being a much loved number, "Apogee" and "Radio Free Moscow") Lyrically, "Apogee" is the best song on the album, imho. "Stainless veins of steel"? That's just great. I love that line.
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Post by fatman on Feb 16, 2009 16:33:46 GMT
Some other does nothing to me ("Under Wraps #2", despite being a much loved number, "Apogee" and "Radio Free Moscow") Lyrically, "Apogee" is the best song on the album, imho. "Stainless veins of steel"? That's just great. I love that line. I like Apogee a lot too. It's the closest Tull has ever come to sounding like Rush. My favorite though is Astronomy, because of all the subtle sexual imagery. You've got to love it at the end where the astronomer "heads for the Big Bang." Jeff
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Post by steelmonkey on Feb 16, 2009 22:09:57 GMT
and Apogee was apogee..if you take it as the last song on the album and disregard the extras on cassette and CD....Ian's voice went downhill from that moment on, in recorded Tull history...the next release...Crest, was the beginning of the limping vocals era.
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Post by fatman on Feb 16, 2009 23:04:05 GMT
I don't know, Bernie, I thought Ian's singing was already quite thin, and nasal, on Broadsword, which was really the first album you noticed a difference in his voice. In concert, he was showing signs of strain even earlier than that.
Jeff
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Post by fatman on Feb 16, 2009 23:07:21 GMT
Commonly considered to be Tull's weakest album, we are nearing the 25th anniversary of the album's initial release. How does Under Wraps sound now to you? Has your opinion changed? When I first heard the album, the only track that had any immediate appeal for me was, unsurprisingly, "Lap of Luxury". Most of the album didn't interest me at all. Too different from the Tull I knew and loved. When I listen to it now, I hear a much stronger album than I ever realized. Songs such as "European Legacy", "Lap of Luxury", "Nobody's Car", "Under Wraps #2", "Saboteur", and "Apogee" are particularly good. It's not Tull's greatest album and the sound is largely dated, but it's not a truly bad album. It was obviously an experiment, but it is a shame that so many reacted with such indignant disdain for the album. It bucked expectations and established bands aren't supposed to do that. I never considered UW to be Tull's weakest album. It's better, in my opinion, than Broadsword, Catfish and Dot-Com, and I also prefer it to most of Roots to Branches. There's nothing wrong with the songwriting, lyrics or melodies on Under Wraps, but the drum machine and heavy synthesizers do get a little hard to take as the album goes on. It's quite a serious and original Tull album, though. On Broadsword, I thought Ian was trying to emulate bands like Journey and Styx in an effort to achieve wide commercial appeal, and the results weren't very good. Jeff
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Post by rcgpny1 on Feb 20, 2009 5:27:36 GMT
Wow us Tullies are a diverse lot. My favorite tunes on under wraps are the first six(on the cd version)nad under wraps#2. Ian's voice is very good on this album. I dont think I hear that much of a difference between his vocals there and on Broadsword. The differences present could be caused by something like a different vocal mic being used. Under Wraps , recorded at Ians home,has more almost, relaxed vocals. Lets face it he could put them down when he felt best(something I do at my home studio). His voice, in my opinion evolved up to that point. His unfortunate problems on tour is what really did the damage. His voice on Rupi's Dance is very good again. Anyway I like under wraps alot..even the other songs Astronmy,papparazi,thundra etc are enjoyable
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Post by 2old2standup2fat2try on Apr 27, 2009 14:41:28 GMT
When I bought Under Wraps, the people behind the counter were Tull fans, and I could see them trying to keep a straight face when I was speaking to them, which was... disconcerting to say the least. I don't think that the songs on Under Wraps are bad songs exactly, I just didn't like the instrumentation. If the songs were recorded in a style closer to Tull's non-eighties albums I'd probably like them. The best song, for me, is Under Wraps #2, for the reason stated above. Nobody's Car is a good song too, but is, in my opinion, let down by the experimental instrumentation. The thing is, with a band like Jethro Tull, who have released so much material over the years, and covered so many different musical genres, finding someone who likes everything that they've ever done would be a minor miracle, if such a person does exist, this forum would be a good place to start looking for them.
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