When Ian starts singing it's like a waterfall of the English folk tradition pouring down on my ears. And that's great, no matter what music he has in the background. 😊

I love this energetic album with its constant tension, and "Fylingdale Flyer" is a perfect illustration of this. It may be an underrated album, but for me it really is one of the very best Jethro Tull albums.

Masterclass, makes me happy all the time.

Afternoon, Justin. Dave from London. Distant Early Warning! That's what the military base at Fylingdales (on England's Yorkshire Moors) provides, relating to ballistic missiles and other unexplained objects. As for the song, it's one of my favourites from this album, as it retains a more traditional JT feel - Songs from the Wood era maybe? Earthy, yes. Love Ian's flute here (but then, I always do). I wasn't keen on their move to a more synth based sound. P.S. my song ref Distant Early Warning is by Rush.

Fylingdales is a radar base in the north of England which kept watch for potential nuclear attack during the cold war, a false radar blip could have sent us all to destruction. An example of JT's wonderful use of complex rhythms - the verse has 15 beats (4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 3/4), the chorus/bridge has 13 (alternating 6/8, 7/8 I think). This album marked a turning point for Tull from more folk-inspired sound to more keyboard-dominated work, which is why it's less popular with the "purists". I'd continue your analogy with top prog bands, BTW - Jethro Tull earth, Yes air, King Crimson fire, and Pink Floyd water.

Justin your view on the "Harmony" style of singing with Yes & Tull are spot on in my view. 👍🎶🎤✌

A great track on a vastly underrated album. Tull sound fresh and vital with the new line up.

Its FYlingdale Flyer Justin not Flyingdale, I believe this is where Britains radar defence systems were/are.

Hii, this is one of my all-time favorite albums from them. (I know all the albums and like most of them, but still 😅) Thanks for this reaction, can't wait for more, this albums full of suprises 💪

Glad you are listening the Steven Wilson remix of this album as it is probably the most improved by the remix inside the JT catalogue

I didn't care for the album when it was released, but now I love it. LIke any departure in style, some will come along for the ride, and some will balk. And some, like me, will change their opinion. So your question is a good one and hard to answer.

Hi Justin. Great that you are listening and reacting to this highly underrated album. Underrated in as much that its not talked about much. A bit overshadowed maybe by their other great classic albums. Have always loved this album with its sinister and strange content. They pack in a lot of songs. Some shorter tracks but it has a doomsday feel about it. Maybe reflecting the times and fears. Black Sunday is brilliant. Love the dramatic and earie ending to the album. GREAT REACTION. Gerald

Loved this review! I always liked the A album. I bought it in 1980 as a new Tullie, so I had only been vested with the classic lineup for a few months before the big change. It holds up well for me.

The story on fylingdale flyer The story of a fictional nuclear false alert. The title refers to RAF Fylingdales, a ballistic missile defence base in the United Kingdom

You did a good guess: this song does not only reference the album artwork: The album cover is actually a still frame from the video of this song!

A great underrated album. The band is incredibly tight with the rhythms and unison lines. None of it sounds forced. Yes, it is a controversial album among Tull fans due to the lineup change, abandoned folk influences, and it wasn't intended to be released as a Tull album.

One of the better songs on that album.

I first heard "A" in college, probably about 1986, so less than a decade after its release. It certainly didn't feel dated and being a Tull fan at the time, as well as a fan of a lot of the synthesizer-driven music of the 80s, it felt quite a natural thing for me to like... the whole album, really. It was like a new electronic idiom in English folk music (and why not, they had David Pegg of Fairport Convention rigiht there!) Where they lost me was Under Wraps, though I thought Crest of a Knave was a comeback for them. Only much later in life did I start to appreciate Under Wraps as well.

Such a joy to see someone reacting to this album. It's always overshadowed by the 70s prog classics, but it has a vibe all of its own and boasts some of Anderson's career best songwriting. Top 3 Tull album for me, without a doubt.

The video that went with this song was absolutely bonkers, but well worth the watch. A load of kids with fake eyes painted on their eyelids, close-up shots of the same kids pulling their trousers up over their underpants (nothing seedy intended, but it wouldn’t be permitted now) and Ian being haunted by a woman with a stocking over her head. I love it!

great review, Justin - very enjoyable! For me, having followed their staggering line of top-notch albums (almost) without any fail until 'Stormwatch', 'A' was the first one, that I couldn't get into, and there was only one further album that I was very happy with, which was 'Broadsword & the Beast', but they also were shining at least once or twice on any of their albums... this song is wonderful - really like it! ...with all the extras, that make them so amazing & unique: driving rhythms with many different time signatures, Ian's high quality flute play stamp, and the usual excellence in the ambitious song writing... a clear winner! PS. loved your imaginary comparison of J.T. and YES: the latter more swirling the skies for their ideas, while Ian & the boys were more the mine workers, digging for mithril... ...cute memory: during the early 70s I often mixed up the names Ian and Jon, until I set the, ahem, records straight! 😎

The resistance to this album was primarily its recruiting new band members and having a distinctly different sound in the synth and keys provided by Jobson. But after all it was originally was meant to be an Ian Anderson solo album sol looking at the album cover name a lot of people expected forest whimsy rather than the blatantly stark cover design. Oh, and the Flyingdale flyer references a possible UFO sighting by the RAF over the moors in England.

There's some English fold style in Ian's vocals -- there's even some harmony parts in overdubs of Ian's voice, done in a skilled playful manner. Classic Tull style.

Keep doing those silly jokes, JP, I love them! I'm the only one who laughs, and that's so funny 😅😂

A is simply the by far most underrated album of Tull. The keyboard quality alone they got by the one album with Eddie Jobson helping out....listen to Black Sunday. Crazy stuff which Ian named their most difficult song, being glad anytime they played it live without mistakes...A was meant to be a Anderson solo album actually, hence the many new guys in it. Even Martin got in only by accident. He might have been out from 1980 without this chance happening! Enjoy "Black Sunday" from the same album!!!

Breath of fresh flute air. When early 80s tech prod clicks it really clicks. Earthy Shiny people here. See also Animation by Jon Anderson. Wota turn up 4the books!? Diolch

Who knows why this album is too often overlooked, but I think it's a masterpiece. It's past their prime, and something different than their classic period, but wow, never fails to get me moving. It's not Tull at their wittiest or most profound, and it is a dabble in pushing forward the commercialism, but it has such great songs, great energy, and great performances, I just adore it for what it is. They're experimenting, but the experiments work. Definitely some of their best post-classic material.

The first half of this album is very strong

As I remember, this was supposed to be an Ian Anderson solo album. He assembled non-Tull musicians to back him up. The record company thought they could market it easier if it was a Tull album, so they did, much to the consternation and surprise to some of the actual Tull band members. This was the last Tull album I could really get into…me being, then and now, a huge JT fan. Funny story about touring…some of the older band members thought Eddie Jobson was getting a little over the top with his young flashy rock star posturing on stage…placing his keyboards facing each other, Keith Emerson style, with him facing the audience and reaching out to each side playing the facing keys. So, near the end of the tour, they kept setting up his keyboards farther and farther apart, so eventually, he could hardly reach both of them.

Great album, great band (as always when Ian is involved)! Mark Craney (RIP) was a phenomenal drummer, love his playing on this album. The time signature is just 3/4 with some syncopation. Check out this lineup live, incredible!!

I was expecting to not like this album mainly because of the lineup change, but it surprised me. Turns out it's a great album and flyingdale is one of the better songs on it.

Really cool track off an uneven yet interesting album in Tull's history.

Hi, Justin. (Cough) It's F Y LINGDALE FLYER, not Flyingdale. 🤦🏿 RAF Fylingdales is a radar base in England. During the cold war (four minute warning) VERY important for the US and UK. '... for a second or so WE we're running scared.'. 😱 I ❤ this album (which Tull album do I actually dislike 🤔). Could you do a full album reaction, pleeeease ? 🥹🥺🥹 P.S. Don't let these sixties/seventies wannabe tull purists blind you. They understand not much about music, about an artist, about progressiveness, about musical challenges. But that's exactly what drives Ian - always, forever... Ian Anderson's works have always been first class, artistically fantastic. No matter whether with tull or solo. Until today. God Bless Ian Scott Anderson ... 🙏🏻 👋🏼

Short answer. Yes. For me it is not their classic sound of the 60s and 70s. There are elements of this album which still sound completely Tull. I do own this album and a couple more beyond. The drums. The drumming itself is good. I do not fault the drummer. I am not in love with the modern electronics is my issue.

I think what made this record exciting and at the same time lost some people was that it veered away from a more folky flavor and more sci-fi themed with more use of synthesizers as synthesizers-Just my opinion. I really like it all still.

I always think there's a link between this song and 99 Red Balloons by Nena. A similar storyline.

The best track on this average JT album - more like "A" solo album.

Mark Craney was the only drummer of JT ever worthy to Barlow.

I've been a big Tull fan for decades, but I cared so little about this album that I never noticed this song is not FLYingdale. A good song on what is - in my opinion - a poor album, thought not as bad as Under Wraps or Ian's Walk Into Light.

I don’t like this album much but Black Sunday is my favourite JT song.

Its ok but gets a bit samey with the stop start drums and chords.

Pegg is good. If you want better bass playing check out Alejandra Villarreal in The Warning.