Music Babble

I just finish the discography listen to Jethro Tull (as well as Ian Anderson solo career) and they seem to fit that criteria

The stretch from debut up to Thick As a Brick they were one of the all time great bands.

Everything afterward suck. Thick as a brick and Passion Play must be the biggest discrepancy in quality between two consecutive albums ever

I guess a theme linking my dislike for post TAAB Jethro Tull is incoherency. The songs often sounds like disjointed music smashed together

Now look there are songs I like where there are multiple songs joined together in a medley like basis (aka Beatles medley, second half of Roxy Music debut album). However at least they are discrete songs that work by itself that are mashed together.

However what makes Jethro Tull frustrating to listen to is it sounds like each line of music seems completely distinct and separate from the surrounding line. I am sure that people may listen to it and think it’s complex music especially if the song keeps changing keys and meter but really it sounds like a mess. This combine with deteriorating melodic quality makes me think that if someone say Jethro Tull are an awful band I would agree even if they are in my Top 50 artist of all time

I actually think Ian Anderson only written one good song after TAAB which is “Banker Bets, Banker Wins” from TAAB 2 sequel album

I have a feeling lot of people would pick Deep Purple as the artist to match this criteria. However a) I like the Mark I albums. B) the Coverdale era of the band they were still a good live band even if the studio albums were spotty c) they have one post Machine Head album that is actually good in Purpendicular
This makes me far more confidant in calling them an all time great band despite a spotty record post Machine Head