Why ‘89, it’s cuz’ I’m consolidating my vinyl collection to classic albums (B+ and higher, double albums, live albums, single-story concept albums, and albums with a side-long excepted) and I’ve rediscovered how unique and awesome Mr. Catfish himself and Marty Barre’s hard-rockin’ folk-prog is.

1. Aqualung A+
2. Thick As A Brick A+ - not much more needs to be said. Both albums firmly enconsced in the late 50s-early 60s of my top 100. Aqualung gets the edge cuz’ of more variety lol.
3. Stand Up A - one of the WRC’s greatest triumphs in lifting this formerly underrated album up to heights it deserves, at least I like to think that’s what happened
4. Broadsword and the Beast A - ditto what I said to above album. As a bigger fan of prime Dio than most people, this is right up that alley plus mixed in with prime herky jerky New-wave classic tracks like Clasp. This is how you do cheese! Perfect mix of epic Viking thematics, soaring choruses, and 80s synths (which I don’t usually upgrade music for having)
5. Songs from the Wood A - one of the most mislabeled albums, at least from the description I read in many reviews. Vocal melodies are country folk sure, but a good half of these songs RAWK as well. Title track, Hunting Girl, Pibroch, and bits and pieces in other songs Barre gets as heavy as 70s Priest. No outright classics, just a great cohesive whole that would have worked as a 2-track TAAB-type album even better.
6. Living in the Past A- - might be underrating this, haven’t listened to as much as others because of some repeats from other albums
7. Warchild A- - messy and uncohesive, but what great heights many of its tracks reach, Benefit may be “objectively” better but I listen to this more. Title track and Bungle in the Jungle are the shit. Bungle in the Jungle, a la De Do Do De Da Da Da, in the so dumb it’s smart hit single camp
8. Benefit A- - uneven, first side a stone-cold monolithic hard-rockin’ brute ending with the underrated folk-poppy astronaut tribute, Side 2 starts off great but then outside of Teacher, is a relative let-down. Still a must-have
9. A Passion Play B+ - just cuz’ sequels aren’t always Oscar-worthy doesn’t mean they still don’t entertain
10. Heavy Horses B+ - the other songs all have some sort of minor hook or redeeming value to the whole, but get real the title track is the star of the show...see Stormwatch for what this album would be without it
11. Minstrel in the Gallery B+ - the cutoff point, after this selling the vinyl I got for cheap back despite good points and even undereratedness in some. Always had an extra appreciation for Black Satin Dancer as a fan of good cock rock, One White Duck one of his best quiet acoustic ballads, title track and Cold Wind to Valhalla solid though I have a feeling I don’t love as much as hardcore Tullers (maybe I should spend a couple hours reading a Tull message board...), and Baker St. Muse has good points

12. Stormwatch B - similar sounding to Heavy Horses except without the title track classic and a nautical oil theme. Dark Ages a very listenable epic but it’s not enough to make album a classic.
13. A gets a B-! - first side is actually quite good and I don’t even think Black Sunday is the best song as nearly all reviews say, that would be the sleek futuristic Fylingdale Flyer. It’s listenable while on and the synths are tastefully done, I feel. The second side is just boring, no sin in not being as great as the Buggles or ELO at futuristic Jetsons rock.
14. This Was B- - don’t listen to this much but it’s tastefully done. Basically 2nd-rate Cream add flute, which isn’t a diss. Beggar’s Farm is great and worth putting on once in a while for. First side of A is better.
15. Crest of a Knave B- - this and Rock Island make for great background music. If put under a further microscope, probably judged harsher but it’s about entertainment after all and even if overlong, still does a great job of making Dire Straits sound more metal and Tull a better band than the Knopflers so I’ll probably listen to this much more for rest of my life than any Straits, solid as they are...Farm on the Freeway a cinematic driving classic similar in feel to Rush’s pantheonic Red Barchetta and Tull’s best 80s song that isn’t on Broadsword.
16. Rock Island B- doesn’t have a Farm on the Freeway but otherwise a carbon copy in feel to Knave and sounds great as background music. Could have made a B+/A- album taking the best from each, some amusing light-hearted tracks on here like the rattlesnake song or the song about the stolen mandolin. Title track is best song and reminds me in mood of Beach Boys superior Surf’s Up classic Till I Die.
17. Under Wraps C+ - not even close to worst albums ever a la St. Anger or Dirty Work. Shouldn’t be as long as it is. Decent while on and a continuation of 2nd side of A. Title tracks solid.
18. Too Old Too Rock N’ Roll, Too Young to Die C - commits my cardinal sin of being boring. Title track is decent, but not much else here. Not as glammy or rockin’ as reputation. Mostly quiet and limp with no decent melodies. Diverge greatly from WRC on this. I’d seriously rather listen to the 80s cheesy spy movie atmosphere of Under Wraps than this. Title track would have fit great on War Child.