as only a moderate JT fan, and owner of the older 2cd compilation "The Best Of Jethro Tull - The Anniversary Collection" - will somebody please offer some guidance/advice on how this upcoming compilation compares to the older 2cd set, as well as JT's catalog, in general.

note: i AM concerned that the version of "A Christmas Song" and "Ring Out Solstice Bells" are NOT the original versions from the EP, but rather the reincarnations from the band's full-length pseudo-Christmas collection.

This is pretty poorly assembled and exactly what is "loosely chronological?"

Either it is, or isn't and it's not.

This is not what I'd call definitive at all, and when the artists get involved, it's usually a mess.

Appropriate, since this is tied into a tour that really isn't Tull without Barre, though Ian has every right to call it what he wants.

I usually avoid collections. My first Tull was a collection, though, and it got me interested.
Hopefully people will pick this up and discover Tull for themselves.

Tull's compilations are all over the map. The Best of JT - Anniversary Collection (1993) 2CD is probably the best of the bunch, in a traditional sense, but suffers from terribly outdated mastering...unless it was remastered at some point, which I'm unaware of.

The new single CD collection is as discombobulated as most of the previous single CD comps. But the 3CD collection isn't too bad. It's bounces around a bit, but covers most of the usual territory, and several lesser known album cuts. It gets you some later day cuts without digging too deep in. I would have swapped out a few cuts from particular albums for other ones, but that's usually the case with any expanded collection.

While not perfect (probably not possible with the diversity of the Tull catalog anyway), the 3CD comp is probably going to be the best place to start for the casual fan, especially with the upgraded mastering.

A few songs I would have added:

Fat Man
Rainbow Blues
A Part of the Machine (should have been on Crest of a Knave)

I'm in like Flynn with the 3-disc set. I now own all the Wilson remixes. Why get this? Well, it makes for good cruisin' music on a long drive.

The only thing here that bothers me is the songs aren't chronological. That would be fine for the 1-disc set, but for the 3-disc, it should be chronological. Oh well.

As for the songs, it seems okay by me. A band with a discography like Tull, nobody is going to be 100% pleased with the songs on the 3-disc set. One can always make their own comp if they own most or all of Tull's stuff.

Bump: I've just updated the tracklist for the 3CD set with more information.

OK, somebody remind me: did Tull rerecord "A Christmas Song" and "Ring Out Solstice Bells" for the Christmas album, or did they use the original versions?

Yes, they re-recorded all their seasonal songs for that album including "Another Christmas Song", "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" and "Weathercock" as well as "Ring Out, Solstice bells" and "A Christmas Song."

The re-recordings are decent but pale to the originals.

Also, this comp is missing radio hits and mislabels many non-album singles as being from albums that they do not appear on.

Its also missing what should be a no brainer for a comp with 50 songs, Rainbow Blues.

Thanks Pete. And I agree with John, "Rainbow Blues" was the one song I immediately noticed was missing.

I only have 2 albums by them. I think I'll splurge and get the 3-cd set.

I'm catalog through Heavy Horses + also have A Little Light Music & the 2 box sets. I'm good.

If this was the Steve Wilson's remasters I be all over this. Since not I'll await for a used copy.

Also missing:

Velvet Green
Jack--A-Lynn
Jump Start

3 favorites I would put on any extensive Tull collection.

I made my own 3 CD compilation a few years ago for play in the car:

My Sunday Feeling This Was
A Song For Jeffrey This Was
A New Day Yesterday Stand Up
Bouree Stand Up
Nothing Is Easy Stand Up
To Cry You A Song Benefit
Inside Benefit
Teacher Benefit
Aqualung Aqualung
Cross-Eyed Mary Aqualung
Locomotive Breath Aqualung
Wind-Up Aqualung
Living In The Past Living In The Past
Sweet Dream Living In The Past
Witches Promise Living In The Past
Wond'ring Again Living In The Past
Life Is A Long Song Living In The Past
Up The 'Pool Living In The Past

Thick As A Brick (Edit #1) Thick As A Brick
Thick As A Brick [Edit # 4] Thick As A Brick
A Passion Play (Edit #8) A Passion Play
A Passion Play [Edit # 9] A Passion Play
Warchild War Child
Skating Away War Child
Bungle In The Jungle War Child
Minstrel In The Gallery Minstrel In The Gallery
Cold Wind To Valhalla Minstrel In The Gallery
One White Duck / 0=Nothing At All Minstrel In The Gallery
Quiz Kid Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die!
Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die!
Songs From The Wood Songs From The Wood
Jack-In-The-Green Songs From The Wood
The Whistler Songs From The Wood
Moths Heavy Horses
One Brown Mouse Heavy Horses

Heavy Horses Heavy Horses
North Sea Oil Stormwatch
Dun Ringill Stormwatch
Elegy Stormwatch
Crossfire A
Fylingdale Flyer A
Beastie The Broadsword And The Beast
Fallen On Hard Times The Broadsword And The Beast
Lap Of Luxury Under Wraps
Steel Monkey Crest Of A Knave
Farm On The Freeway Crest Of A Knave
Jump Start Crest Of A Knave
Budapest Crest Of A Knave
Kissing Willie Rock Island
The Rattlesnake Trail Rock Island
This Is Not Love Catfish Rising
Rocks On The Road Catfish Rising
Rare And Precious Chain Roots to Branches
Bends Like A Willow J-Tull Dot Com

The pre-order price for the 3CD set has dropped by $7, and is now $22.95:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CCLPMS2/?tag=imwan-20

Receive a delay in shipping on this compilation as well. This is happening more and more often. Prime may not get the renewal.

This happened to me a couple weeks ago on two different orders. One was the new Glenn Frey comp (can't remember the other). I ended up canceling and ordering the single disc instead of the 3 disc+DVD that I originally ordered.

Got my Tull today and will jam on it at work. Will let you know about the sound quality..........

A couple of delays here too. Think the lack of competition/choice/demand is rearing it’s ugly head.

This is entirely due to labels' chronic underservicing of CDs because they believe that "people don't buy CDs" even when Amazon tells them how many have been pre-ordered.