"Picture, if you will, A Led Zeppelin Christmas, or Rush Sings "Santa Baby". Horrifying, right?"

lol. nice review man, liking the xmas write-ups lately

-edited-

"But if you at least have a tolerance for holiday music, and Tull's Elizabethan period was one of your favorites, then congratulations, Bucko!"
Spot on! "Ring Out Solstice Bells" is indeed a must hear in my Christmas.

Pos

Album Rating: 3.5

Thanks Intruder and Atari.



Think I meant "pull of" Sabrutin, but I changed it to "manage" because I used "pull off" in the beginning of the paragraph. Good catch, and thanks for the pos.



Correction: Actually, I think I originally had "pull off", and tried (and failed) to change it to "put out". I'll leave it as "manage".

A really nice listen, even when the snow has melted and Christmas season is well past.

Got a birthday card at Christmas

Album Rating: 3.5

Well Happy Birthday, Sabrutin!

Album Rating: 3.5

I bought this album ages ago when I ran across it at a store around Christmas. At the time I only knew Tull from the "hits" off Aqualung. I didn't care much for it so it sat on my shelf ignored for years, maybe more than a decade. This year I found myself getting really into Tull and gave this another listen and liked it much more. In fact, I'm listening to it right now as I type this at the end of another trek through Tull's discography. It gets better with each listen. Tull really were suited to making a Christmas album like this. Probably the second best thing they've done since Broadsword (Roots to Branches being my favorite, though I may be alone in thinking RTB on par with their classic material).



Good (and timely!) review!

I wonder how it would feel to have your birthday on Christmas. Doubles the fun or takes away half of it?

@solrage: Fear not, there are some users here that really like RtB

I am one of these users who love Roots. Truly a return to their roots (!).. I have it at a 4.5/5. It looks fanboyish, but it has nothing to do with my nickname. Album is so so underrated here on sput, unbelievable. Songwriting and musicianship are really impressive in there.

Album Rating: 3.5

^ When I first heard RTB I reluctantly only gave it a 3, a bit distrustful of my own instinct that it was as good as I thought it was, like maybe it just seemed great next to the drek before it. Second listen confirmed it was as good as I thought so I bumped it to 4. At Last, Forever is especially one of my favorite Tull songs.

''At Last Forever'' rules. I really love ''Beside Myself'' too. My least favorite is ''Out of the Noise''. Everything else is from great (''Valley'' and ''Harry's Bar'') to sensational (pretty much all the rest).

Album Rating: 3.5

Thanks, solrage. Glad you liked the review, and the Christmas album.



I've never really gotten heavily into Roots to Branches, but this year, I'm starting a project where I cut down some on the new music and go back to really focus on some of my favorite bands. Tull is up first, from January through March, so maybe this time, R2B will get through to me in a way it hasn't before. I'll be sure to give it an extra-careful listen.

I hope you will end up giving it at least a ''good'' status this time, Diva. Every songs except for ''Out of the Noise'' imo... have something good to offer. Think about it before getting tempted to skip one.

Will relisten to that Christmas album before rating it. Could be a 3.5/5.

Happy New Year, guys!

Album Rating: 4.0

This is actually pretty great as far as Christmassy albums. More seasonal focused that overtly religious. Very festive. I think the original "Solstice Bells" from Songs from the Wood is the better version (love the bells and drums that kick in at the end), so I reburned the CD with both versions. Even better now.

Album Rating: 3.5

I do find that this is one I listen to at least once every Christmas season.

It's really cute and comfy, I love the first song.