Jethro Tull "Aqualung"

[magiccarpetride]

Anderson was never happy with the recording and says he thought about re-recording it from scratch in a better studio. Never thought of it as bass light but it is the only Tull album I don't have on vinyl (of the good ones anyway, 'A' and 'Under Wraps' are crap so never bothered with them).

I've also obtained a nearly-mint "This Was" by the same band. Washed and cleaned it yesterday, and it sounds heavenly. But again, the bass is on a shy side. Not like "Stand Up", where the bass is strong and pungent. I need to get me a good copy of "Benefit" to see if the same problem persists.

[Macca]

You should also try and get - if you don't have it already - 'A Little Light Music' which is a semi acoustic 'double live' album. Might be a bit pricey/rare on vinyl since it is from about '92 IIRC - great bass on that one.

[AlfaGTV]

I share the OPs impression of Aqualung. It sounds good and has good slam and separation. Lots of weird stuff going on in the mix too but it does not have much bass below, say 150hz.
My issue is probably a pretty early UK pressing. Its a gatefold with textured sleeve and the LP has light green labels with almost pink Chrysalis lettering. CHR 1044 is the number on the pressing.

[Stratmangler]

The drums sound like cardboard boxes and the the bass doesn't come thundering out.
That's the crappy recording that is Aqualung - as has already been mentioned, Ian Anderson never was happy with the sound of that album.
Just playing my copy from back then, and it's not a great recording. Mine has Porky etched into the runout, so it has a bit of a helping hand, because Porky was one of the better mastering (cutting) engineers.
It's still a great album, irrespective of the poor sonics.

[magiccarpetride]

The drums sound like cardboard boxes and the the bass doesn't come thundering out.
That's the crappy recording that is Aqualung - as has already been mentioned, Ian Anderson never was happy with the sound of that album.
Just playing my copy from back then, and it's not a great recording. Mine has Porky etched into the runout, so it has a bit of a helping hand, because Porky was one of the better mastering (cutting) engineers.
It's still a great album, irrespective of the poor sonics.

Sounds like you need to set your TT up properly

[Stratmangler]

Sounds like you need to set your TT up properly

Touché.
In truth Aqualung has always sounded poor.
I'm up to the last track on side 1, Up To Me, and it's progressed to bass guitar being a bit more prominent in the mix, and the drums definitely sound like Tupperware containers.

[magiccarpetride]

Touché.
In truth Aqualung has always sounded poor.
I'm up to the last track on side 1, Up To Me, and it's progressed to bass guitar being a bit more prominent in the mix, and the drums definitely sound like Tupperware containers.

I agree. I was always mighty frustrated by various digital versions, finally got super excited to lay my hands on an LP, expecting it to blow me away. And then -- whimper...

[Stratmangler]

I agree. I was always mighty frustrated by various digital versions, finally got super excited to lay my hands on an LP, expecting it to blow me away. And then -- whimper...

The Steven Wilson remix is very, very good.
He spent a lot of time referencing the original record release, and almost managed to make that illusive silk purse from a sow's ear.
There was a vinyl release of the Steven Wilson remix - that might be the one to have https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/tn0/Aqual...aqualung+vinyl

[magiccarpetride]

The Steven Wilson remix is very, very good.
He spent a lot of time referencing the original record release, and almost managed to make that illusive silk purse from a sow's ear.
There was a vinyl release of the Steven Wilson remix - that might be the one to have https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/tn0/Aqual...aqualung+vinyl

OK, that's the one to chase after, then. Thanks!

P.S. Did Steven Wilson also do a remix/remaster of Genesis?

[alphaGT]

Yes, I was puzzled after I washed Eberhard Weber's "Little Movements" that the bass wasn't as thunderous as I remembered it. But the bass on that LP is still there, still massively monumental, only not as thunderous as before.

On Aqualung, bass is practically delegated to a wimpy whisper.

I don't think my washing records removes the bass, because I've washed loads of records and the bass only gets stronger after cleaning, scrubbing, vacuuming, rinsing, vacuuming again.

Yes I really don't see how you could scrub the bass off, without affecting the rest of the spectrum. That would be a trick unto itself!

On my system, all the bass is there, the left hand piano sounds amazing, but I guess I never really thought about how deep it was going? Such great music, it's hard to fault it for the recording.


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