Record Reviews

IAN ANDERSON ~ THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS RANDM 8276 (Barcode: 016861827625) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2000 Released: 2004 This is Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist’s 3rd solo album, although many of the latest Jethro TulFind albums by this artistl albums are considered to a large extent his solo works as well, as he writes all the music and selects the musicians at will. Nevertheless Anderson made the distinction to release this one under his name, and rightly so, as it is significantly different from the traditional JT material in many ways. Although the basic sound is of course similar (with Anderson’s voice, flute and guitar strongly present), the “subject matter” is different, with the music embracing widely ethnic influences. Of course with Jethro Tull Anderson used British folk, medieval and Celtic motifs, but here he expands the circle to include many more ethnic influences, including Indian, Slavic, and Far-Eastern themes. These new elements add a beautiful flavor to the music and enable him to make his music even more enchanting. Anderson was always one of the most “well cultured” and intelligent Rock lyricists, and this combined with his natural sense to weave beautiful melodies make him a most significant Master of the trade. The album is wonderfully consistent, with no weak spots or dull moments - pure joy and definitely some of his best work to date. This enhanced CD includes a video interview with Anderson, who talks about making of the album and plays some music. A must for all Anderson / JT fans.

CD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY A LA MODE EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295127497 (Barcode: 190295127497) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1980 Released: 2021 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the thirteenth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of three CDs and three DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (ten tracks) and six “associated recordings", all of which are previously unreleased. The second and third CDs present the entire live recording at the LA Sports Arena in November 1980, also with new stereo remix, which was previously unreleased. The first DVD contains the album and five of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the LA Sports Arena concert in High-Resolution formats. The third DVD includes the “SlipstreamFind albums with this title” video with audio tracks in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album presents a dramatic change over. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, but the keyboardists are gone and rhythm section is new and features bassist Dave PeggFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark CraneyFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist / violinist Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist is listed as a special guest. Musically the album leaves behind the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references and moves more into Rock mainstream, but of course it still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with. With the end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own. For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks perhaps the last days of the group´s long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 05/11/2023Posted: 01/10/2021

3CD+3DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A / SLIPSTREAM CHRYSALIS 596899 (Barcode: 724359689906) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1980 Released: 2004 14th album, which started as an Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist`s solo project and eventually was released under Jethro TullFind albums by this artist name and also produced a new JT lineup, featuring multi-instrumentalist Eddie JobsonFind albums by this artist (of King CrimsonFind albums by this artist fame) and several Fairport ConventionFind albums by this artist members. The album is rockier then most JT material recorded previously. The DVD release of SlipstreamFind albums with this title, previously available on Video, is a great companion to this reissue, as it was filmed during a concert supporting the AFind albums with this title album. JT play some of the last album`s tracks and some of their all time favorites, with the usual skill and panache!

CD+DVD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC CHRYSALIS 370978 (Barcode: 094637097823) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1992 Released: 2006 20th album documenting Jethro TullFind albums by this artist’s May 1992 European tour, including Israel. The band was a quartet at the time and included Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, Martin BarreFind albums by this artist (guitar) and two ex-Fairport ConventionFind albums by this artist members David PeggFind albums by this artist (bass) and David MattacksFind albums by this artist (drums). This superb line-up played a semi-acoustic set with great acoustic arrangements of old favorites, which were originally much rockier. The tour had a very special atmosphere, which is captured in all its splendor on this album, which was the first JT live recording in 14 years, since Bursting OutFind albums with this title from 1978. The band might have been mellower a bit, but the music is as beautiful as ever and JT fans should enjoy this immensely.

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A NEW DAY YESTERDAY CHRYSALIS 490712 (Barcode: 724349071292) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1993 Released: 2003 A collection of filmed material spanning 25 years of Jethro TullFind albums by this artist career (1969-1994), which was first released on Video marking the band`s 25th anniversary, now in re-vamped DVD format with some additional material. For JT fans this is of course a great treat, seeing their favorite band in various stages of their history. 90 minutes.

DVD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A PASSION PLAY (AN EXTENDED PERFORMANCE) CHRYSALIS 825646305674 (Barcode: 825646305674) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the sixth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title". The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album. The second CD contains a new stereo mix of the abandoned / "lost" Chateau d´Herouville sessions, recorded shortly before the group recorded the "A Passion PlayFind albums with this title" album, which have been partly reissued over the years on different albums, but appear here in their entirety for the first time. The first DVD contains some video material and the high definition transfers and new mixes of the original album. The second DVD contains the high definition transfers and new mixes of the Chateau d´Herouville sessions. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. "A Passion Play" has been the most controversial Jethro Tull album in the band´s history, recorded by a great lineup, which in addition to the leader / flautist / vocalist Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist includes also guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Slammed by the critics at the time of its release for being boring, over complex and self indulgent, it still sold well and the hordes of the band´s fans supported it without reservations. It aged well and is to this very day a minor masterpiece as are all early albums by the group. Of course we´re unable to hear this music without making allowances for the historic background, the nostalgia and the personal sympathies surrounding the band and its music. The Chateau d´Herouville sessions turn out to be quite excellent, in spite of the initial judgment made at the time they actually happened. They are as good as the album itself and we should be thankful for bringing them back to life. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted:

2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ A PASSION PLAY (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 581569 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1973 6th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. Although not received as well as the previous one ("Thick As A BrickFind albums with this title"), this is a great concept album based on a A. A. Milne-like story and some modern poetry. Obviously the album was missunderstood at the time, as in retrospect it is a superb piece of music. The bonus video material includes the film presenting the story, which was screened during the group`s performances of this album.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ AQUALUNG (40TH ANNIVERSARY ADAPTED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 825646487080 (Barcode: 825646487080) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2016 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition (actually a 45th Anniversary Edition as it is almost identical to the "Deluxe Edition" of the album from 2011, in repackaged form) reissue of the fourth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (eleven tracks). The second CD contains the new stereo remix of "Associated 1970 And 1971 Recordings" (ten tracks) and a flat transfer of the "Life Is A Long Song" EP (five tracks) and a radio advert. The first DVD contains the album and seven of the "associated recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the ten "associated recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the flat transfer of the original stereo master of the album in 96/24 LPCM stereo and the quad mix as 4.1 on AC3 Dolby Digital Surround, and finally the EP in 96/24 LPCM stereo. Also included is a "Life Is A Long Song" promotional video. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form or any previously unreleased material, but you get remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album is similar to the one on its predecessor "BenefitFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist (now listed as a full member of the group), the bass by Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist, who replaced Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist, and the drums by Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, except "Aqualung" lyrics being credited to Jennie AndersonFind albums by this artist. This album transformed the group and their leader from the status of underground heroes to the status of modern heralds and leaders of what was exploding and emerging as the Art Rock / Progressive Rock phenomenon. Combining incredible talents with complete disregard towards commercialism and slaughtering "holy cows" by the herd, Anderson and his crew of minstrels created a masterpiece, which has never been surpassed by any other Prog outfit and with very few selected albums achieving perhaps the same level of perfection and potency. A "concept" album, as appropriate for the times, this is a musical journey, which when taken once changes the traveler forever. If it was up to me, this would have been a compulsory listening to any human being at least once during their lifetime (preferably at a young age) and perhaps this world would be a better place to live? Beyond essential! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 17/06/2018Posted: 17/06/2018

2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ AQUALUNG (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 495401 (Barcode: 724349540125) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 1998 Any serious approach towards this legendary and momentous album requires a scope far beyond what is possible and practical here and indeed much has been written about it, which any serious Prog enthusiast already must have come across during his wonderings. Therefore I´ll simply state that this was the 4th album by the illustrious Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, which transformed them and their leader / composer / flautist Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist from the status of underground heroes to the status of modern heralds and leaders of what was exploding and emerging as the Art Rock / Progressive Rock phenomenon. Combining incredible talents with complete disregard towards commercialism and slaughtering "holy cows" by the herd, Anderson and his crew of minstrels (guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist) created a masterpiece, which has never bees surpassed by any other Prog outfit and with very few selected albums achieving perhaps the same level of perfection and potency. A "concept" album, as appropriate for the times, this is a musical journey, which when taken once changes the traveler forever. If it was up to me, this would have been a compulsory listening to any human being at least once during their lifetime (preferably at a young age) and perhaps this world would be a better place to live? This edition offers a greatly improved remastered sound and some hyper-rare extra tracks, including BBC sessions. Beyond essential!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ AQUALUNG LIVE RANDM 8100 (Barcode: 016861810023) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005 This is a very special album in many respects. First, it is a live recording of a Classic Rock album - a part of a series initiated by the US XM Radio (a veteran Rock Radio station). Second, all the proceeds from this album are being donated by Mr. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist to charities for the homeless - a gesture rarely common among hie peers. And of course let us not forget that 34 years later Jethro TullFind albums by this artist are still around and kicking - and kicking mightly - a remarkable affair. The music and the performances are every bit as great as one might expect - just 100 % Classic Prog delight! Limited Edition

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ BENEFIT CHRYSALIS 535457 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 3rd album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and the last of the formative years output. Some everlasting tunes, that would accompany the band in years to come are included, especially `Nothing Is Easy`. The group parts with the blues roots and is almost there as far as creating a unique and consistent artistic style for itself. Definitely a very good piece of Prog to have.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ BENEFIT (THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY ENHANCED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295201616 (Barcode: 190295201616) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 - 1970 Released: 2021 This is a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue of the third album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of four CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo remix of the original album (ten tracks) and seven “associated recordings", also newly remixed. The second CD contains another twenty-one “associated recordings", original mono and stereo singles mixes and new remixes of four tracks later included on the “Living In The PastFind albums with this title” compilation album and finally two radio spots. The third CD contains the “Live At Tanglewood” concert from 1970. The fourth CD contains the “Live In Chicago” concert, also from 1970. The first DVD contains the album and eight of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the “Live At Tanglewood” video with audio tracks in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. It arrives ten years too late, as it should have been done already in sequence with the other reissues, but better late than never? It’s worth to mention that Wilson already produced a remix of this album in 2013, released as “Collector’s Edition”, which includes almost all the audio material included here, but not the concert audio and video material, and was released in normal digipak format and not in the new digibook format. The group´s lineup on this album adds a keyboardist for the first time, namely John EvanFind albums by this artist, although he is not yet considered formally as a member of the group, and is the last one to include bassist Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, with drummer Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist steadily in charge of the rhythmic pulse. Musically the album offers a natural development of the group’s style, moving even more away from the early Blues influences into Rock riffs and Prog complexity, with a somewhat darker sound, and remains a classic of the early period of the group. For many Jethro Tull fans this album marks the end of the early phase of the group standing on the verge of becoming a Prog icon. I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 24/01/2022Posted: 24/01/2022

4CD+2DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ BURSTING OUT CHRYSALIS 596576 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1978 12th album and the first Jethro TullFind albums by this artist live album. This double set summarizes perfectly the group`s career up to date, including material going back as far as their 2nd album (Stand UpFind albums with this title) and up to the last studio album (Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title). Excellent sound quality and perfect performance (as always by JT on stage) make this alive and kicking today as much as it did when recorded. What a thrill!

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ CATFISH RISING (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 370977 (Barcode: 094637097724) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1987 - 1991 Released: 2006 19th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and the first one recorded in the 1990s, their 4th decade in the Rock trenches. By general consensus (even the critics) this is JT’s strongest album since their glory days of the 1970s. In the new liner notes of the reissue Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist says that this album “is probably the most Blues-influenced album since the 1968 This Was record”. And so it is, a splendid example of Blues / Rock, with almost no folk or classical influences. The lineup is the same as on the predecessor - a quartet with the excellent Martin BarreFind albums by this artist on guitar, veteran David PeggFind albums by this artist on bass and Doane PerryFind albums by this artist on drums and three guest keyboards players, including Andrew GiddingsFind albums by this artist who later was to join the on a permanent basis. Anderson managed to come up with some superbly crafted tunes and the album has a beautiful natural flow to it. In short, JT entered the 1990s with a bang, proving again that old heroes still have a trick or two hidden in their sleeves. The bonus tracks include a studio takeout and a live track recorded in 1987. For all JT fans this is of course a must and if you are not familiar with the album, do yourself a favor and check it out.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ CREST OF A KNAVE (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 473413 (Barcode: 724347341328) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1987 Released: 2005 17th album by Jethro TulFind albums by this artistl and ironically the first and only Grammy Award winner the group ever had (more ironically the Award was for Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Performance – which goes to show what these Awards people know about music). At the time this album was recorded JT were merely a threesome, with Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, Matrin BarreFind albums by this artist and David PeggFind albums by this artist. A few guest musicians play on some of the tracks, but the mean & lean JT sound with more that usual aggressive guitar leads characterize this effort, although some acoustic folk / rock tracks are present as well. The beautifully melodic “Budapest” was always one of my favorite JT songs. The album stands out especially strong in contrast to the mediocre (at best) music, which was predominantly produced at the time, and Anderson’s talent to weave great tunes remains intact. As all the later period JT albums, this one suffered its share of criticism and mockery at the time of its release (and especially due to the unexpected Grammy), but the album is still here today, sounding as good as ever, whereas the critics and mockers are long forgotten. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the splendid JT legacy and a solid album as all the others they ever did.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ HEAVY HORSES CHRYSALIS 583516 (Barcode: 724358351620) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1978 11th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another solid addition to the group`s remarkable output. Very similar in style to its predecessor, the songs circle around a central theme this time (the changes in the social structure as evident from the disappearence of the heavy working horses). Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist`s songs are becomming more and more personal and philosophical, but the music is still immensly beautiful.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ HEAVY HORSES (NEW SHOES EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295757915 (Barcode: 190295757915) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1977 - 1978 Released: 2018 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the eleventh album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of three CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (nine tracks) and nine "associate recordings", seven of which are previously unreleased. The second and third CDs include live performances recorded in Berne, Switzerland in May 1978 (twenty two tracks), some of which were used for the "Bursting OutFind albums with this title" double LP released in September 1978. These tracks were remixed to stereo by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist. The first DVD contains the album and eight of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album and four additional "associate recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the tracks of the live Berne concert remixed by Jakko Jakszyk in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM) and promotional short videos. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on DVD, remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album is the same as on its predecessor "Songs From The WoodFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, but Palmer and Barre get credit for contributing some of the instrumental themes. Musically the album continues the new stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered as the second album in the trinity of albums formed by "Songs From The Wood" this album and the forthcoming album "StormwatchFind albums with this title". Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with. For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the group´s long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 25/05/2018

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JETHRO TULL ~ J-TULL DOT COM RANDM 8277 (Barcode: 016861827724) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1999 Released: 2004 Following the brilliant Roots And BranchesFind albums with this title, which was the first Jethro TullFind albums by this artist project to incorporate ethnic and World Music elements, Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist and Co. return with a more conventional / rock album very much in the tradition of their work in the last 30 years. Anderson’s compositions, singing and exquisite flute playing are as strong as ever and age seems to do little (if any) damage to his creative powers. The mixture of rock, jazz and folk which is so uniquely Jethro Tull remains intact, especially in view of the contributions by the veteran JT member Martin BarreFind albums by this artist on guitar. Upon its release this album was received coldly by the critics, but what do they know… It is every bit as good as many previous JT albums, which any JT fan will surely agree with. A splendid way to celebrate 30 years of superb music and close the century, with hope for many future musical wonders from one of the most musically consistent Masters.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ LIVE - BURSTING OUT (THE INFLATED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 5054197723971 (Barcode: 5054197723971) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1978 Released: 2024 This is a reissue of the 1st live album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, recorded during the 1978 European tour supporting the “Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title” album, and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of three CDs and three DVDs. CD1 and CD2 contain the new stereo remix of the original album: eleven tracks, three of which are restored to their full version and five bonus tracks (soundcheck recordings, which are previously unreleased) on CD1 and ten tracks and three bonus tracks (soundcheck recordings, which are previously unreleased). The third CD contains new stereo remix of the audio tracks of the “Live At Madison Square GardenFind albums with this title” broadcast / video, captured later that year, edited to CD (sixteen tracks). DVD1 and DVD2 contain the same material as CD1 and CD2, remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). They also include the flat transfer 96/24 PCM stereo of the original “Live - Bursting OutFind albums with this title” double LP. The third DVD includes the full 93 minutes Madison Square Garden broadcast and some original TV adverts. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the original album in a CD form, but you get a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. A classic rip-off playing on the sentiments of aging fans and collectors. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album consists of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards are handled by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist and rhythm section features bassist John GlascockFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. On the Madison Square Garden broadcast Glascock is replaced by Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist. Musically, the album presents the group as brilliant live performers, superb instrumentalists and extraordinary entertainers, with very few equals. With the end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 24/07/2024Posted: 24/07/2024

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JETHRO TULL ~ LIVE AT MONTREUX 2003 EAGLE VISION 648 (Barcode: 5034504964877) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2003 Released: 2007 Well into their 4th decade of music making, Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist and his Jethro TullFind albums by this artist keep the flame of great music alive. Dinosaurs, or not, Anderson & Co. are still infinitely better musicians than most of the younger folk and despite the obvious age limitations (tell me about it) they can still outplay anybody. The opportunity to perform at the prestigious Montreux Festival was in many respects a tribute to the band´s lifetime achievements and is a very emotional affair. The band plays two sets; the first is a semi-acoustic and the second a full electric, playing a historic review of their best material over the years. The band includes Martin BarreFind albums by this artist (guitar), Andrew GiddingsFind albums by this artist (keyboards), Jonathan NoyceFind albums by this artist (bass) and Doane PerryFind albums by this artist (drums). There is hardly any need to say much more here just relax and enjoy – satisfaction guaranteed! Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS, 117 minutes.

DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ LIVING WITH THE PAST (COLLECTORS` EDITION) EAGLE VISION 003 (Barcode: 5034504900394) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2001 The legendary Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and their leader Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist seem to be unstoppable - over 30 years after their inception they are still one of the strongest Rock acts on the scene and capable of pleasing crowds of listeners, old and young alike. This stunning DVD filmed mostly during JT’s 2001 European & American tours, presents the band in top form, playing like there is no tomorrow. The material spans their 30+ years on record and every JT fan will find his favorite tune here, but considering the sublime level of their material everything sounds just perfect. In addition to the tour material there is plenty of other delightful surprises (filmed between 1989 and 2002), including the reunion “party” which brings together all the JT members who played in the band over the years. Extra bonus features are also present, which make watching this DVD a real treat. The Collectors’ Edition includes additional audio material not available on the original DVD. Dolby Digital Stereo Surround Sound, 100 minutes.

DVD+CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY (40TH ANNIVERSARY: LA GRANDE EDITION) CHRYSALIS 825646157204 (Barcode: 825646157204) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1975 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the eighth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title". The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album and seven bonus tracks. The second CD contains a new stereo mix by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist of the group´s live performance at the Palais Des Sports, 5th July 1975. The first DVD contains the original album and two bonus tracks remixed in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and 5.1 surround sound in High-Resolution DTS 96/24 format and AC3 Dolby Digital format, a flat transfer of the original mix with one bonus track in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version with one bonus track in two High-Resolution formats. The second DVD contains the live performance at the Palais Des Sports in two surround sound and one stereo High-Resolution formats and a promotional video clip of the album, filmed at this concert, again remixed into two surround sound and one stereo format. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment, but you get seven bonus tracks and a whole live concert. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. This album carries the orchestration aspect of its predecessor, scaled down to a string quartet. It returns to the earlier format of mixing English Folk motifs and almost acoustic instrumentation with heavier parts dominated by the guitar. As usually this album was savagely criticized by the critics at the time of its release. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums and perhaps even one of their most coherent, elegant and aesthetically pleasing ventures. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Incidentally the Paris concert has almost nothing to do with this album, as it was at the time still in the recording stage. Only the title song is performed during the concert and the rest is the usual "best off" collection of the band´s favorites. But of course, Jethro Tull always was a superb live band, so this is a great addition to their recording legacy. Jakszyk´s mix is perfect. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 16/01/2016

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JETHRO TULL ~ MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY (EXPANDED EDITION) EMI 541572 (Barcode: 724354157226) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1975 8th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. This beautiful work marks the transition of the group between the epic concept albums back to the song format (It containes one extended composition `Baker St. Muse`). Also the fascination of JT leader Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist with English folk music and themes is becomming more evident and the blues and rock roots are delicately covered. A masterpiece in every respect.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ NOTHING IS EASY: LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT 1970 (COLLECTORS` EDITION) EAGLE VISION 033 (Barcode: 5034504903395) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2005 Superb document of Jethro TullFind albums by this artist’s 1970 appearance at the Isle Of Wight festival intertwined with Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist’s commentary and recollections of the events filmed in 2004, which gives many wonderful and often humorous insights to the band’s history. This is not only a great piece of history but also probably the best live performance by JT captured on film ever. The early JT sound and repertoire is magical enough to leave anybody breathless – seeing it in action is truly amazing. Absolutely essential to all JT fans .The Collectors’ Edition includes additional audio material not available on the original DVD. DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 80 minutes.

DVD+CD 2 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ ROCK ISLAND (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 370976 (Barcode: 094637097625) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1989 Released: 2006 18th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and the last one recorded in the 1980s, their 3rd decade in the Rock trenches. The album’s title refers both to Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist’s then current home on the Isle Of Skye (off the coast of Scotland) and the music, which comes back to the “hard-rock” side of the band, with the guitar up front rather than Anderson’s flute. There are a few quieter, more lyrical moments, but overall the music is rocky and dynamic. The band is a quartet with the excellent Martin BarreFind albums by this artist on guitar, veteran David PeggFind albums by this artist on bass and Doane PerryFind albums by this artist on drums. A couple of guest keyboards players are added on some of the tunes. By the time this album was released JT lost most of their status among the critics, who accused Anderson of carrying on with his band based on solely on the inertia acquired in their past. Hearing the album now proves that nothing could be further from the truth, as the music they created was constantly developing and masterly performed, with very little competition from their contemporaries. If fact it is pretty amazing (and commendable) that Anderson managed to keep up his high standards while surrounded by oceans of mediocrity that dominated the music scene at the time. The bonus tracks include some live material recorded in Zurich during a JT tour at the time. No JT fan and collector will skip this album, as it is just another JT gem.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ ROOTS TO BRANCHES (REMASTERED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 371019 (Barcode: 094637101926) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1995 Released: 2006 21st album and the last one released on the ChrysalisFind albums on this label label. By the mid-1990’s Jethro TullFind albums by this artist were still going on strong in spite of the almost 30 years long and winding road behind them. Compared to other bands, which were founded in the late 1960’s and still existed 30 years later, they were the most productive, vibrant and consistently excellent music makers on the scene. This album introduces some new elements into the JT musical rainbow – namely World Music influences. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist was always open to a wide range of musical idioms: jazz, blues, mediaeval and folk, but here he discovers the Far and Middle East as a musical source. Although these influence are quite subtle and kept in the background arrangements, they are easily spotted by a trained ear. Anderson’s writing and playing are as strong as ever and although the critics were far from enthusiastic about the album at the time of its release, in retrospect it is every bit as good as any other JT album. Apparently Anderson & Co. are simply unable to produce anything but superb music. Unfortunately it was to be 4 long years until JT would release their next album (the last in the 20th Century), the excellent J-Tull Dot ComFind albums with this title in 1999. Any JT fan will love this music, no doubt about it!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ SONGS FROM THE WOOD CHRYSALIS 583517 (Barcode: 724358351729) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1977 Released: 2003 10th album and surely the most `loved` Jethro TullFind albums by this artist album of all. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist reaches perfection here in his ballance between rock and folk music, digging deeply into ancient traditions of the early English folk and spicing them with modern arrangements. The melodies are simple on the surface, but quite complex when lisened to attentively. The singing and playing are just perfect - an absolute treasure!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ SONGS FROM THE WOOD (THE COUNTRY SET) CHRYSALIS 190295847876 (Barcode: 190295847876) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 2017 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the tenth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all (except the debut as of now) early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of three CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (nine tracks) and seven "associate recordings", two of which are previously unreleased. Also included is a stereo version of the A side of a US single, which is left untouched. The second and third CDs include live performances recorded in the US, with four tracks originating from the Boston concert in December 1977 and the rest (eighteen tracks) from the Landover, MD concert in November 1977. These tracks were reconstructed and remixed to stereo by Jakko JakszykFind albums by this artist. The first DVD contains the album and five of the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the two additional "associate recordings" in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM and quad mixes of four tracks in DTS 4.0 and Dolby Digital AC3 4.0 surround sound. The second DVD includes the audio and video of the Landover, MD concert. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on DVD, remixed versions of the album, and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album is expanded with the addition of the second keyboardist David PalmerFind albums by this artist, which turns Jethro Tull into a sextet. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, but Palmer and Barre get credit for contributing some of the instrumental themes. Musically the album marks a significant change in the overall stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered the first album in the trinity of albums formed by this and the two forthcoming albums: "Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title" and "StormwatchFind albums with this title". Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with. For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the group´s long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 25/05/2018

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JETHRO TULL ~ STAND UP CHRYSALIS 535458 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 2nd album by the seminal band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. Although considered early effort and inferior in comparison with their later output, this albums still holds a lot of charm and beauty and are a must in any Prog collection. This album is closer to later workd by the group and includes the eternal `Bouree`, which remains a favorite "must" included in every live concert by the band till this very day.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ STAND UP (THE ELEVATED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295932862 (Barcode: 190295932862) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2016 This is a reissue of the second album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of early Jethro Tull releases up to their ninth album "Too Old To Rock`N`Roll: Too Young To Die!Find albums with this title", except for the debut album (as of now). The reissue consists of two CDs and one DVD. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album and a bunch of "associate recordings", three of which were also given the new remix treatment, including the only previously unreleased track in this set, which is an alternate version of "Bouree". A stereo version of A/B sides of a single and four tracks recorded by the BBC are left untouched. The second CD includes nine tracks originating from a live concert recording by Swedish Radio (eight from the second show and one from the first show), all recorded in mono, a mono version of the A/B sides of a single and a couple of promotional radio spots. The DVD contains the video of two of the tracks from the concert recorded by the Swedish Radio, the album and the "associate recordings" remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound) and in High Resolution stereo format (96/24 LPCM), and a flat transfer of the original stereo mix of the album and stereo and mono mixes of the single. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you get the original album, a live concert, remixed versions of the album, a short video from a live concert and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all, especially since they were all already available on the 2010 "Stand Up (Collector`s Edition)Find albums with this title" reissue of the album. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. This album marks the first lineup change for Jethro Tull since their inception. It features the new guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, who replaced Mick AbrahamsFind albums by this artist. The change allowed Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist to establish the complete leadership of the group and allow some significant stylistic changes, which included the addition of British Folk and Classical elements replacing almost completely the dominance of the Blues elements, which was the trademark of the debut album. The other members of the group on this album were bassist Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist and drummer Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist. For most Jethro Tull fans, this is still one of the best albums the group ever recorded, basically pointing out the direction and forging the mold, which all subsequent albums by the group were about to follow. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 22/01/2017

2CD+DVD 3 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ STORMWATCH (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 593399 (Barcode: 724359339924) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1979 Released: 2004 13th album by the British Prog masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, which signifies an ending in many respects – end of the 1970s, end of the remarkable steady lineup and in general an end of an era. Of course Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist was not about to leave the stage and the revamped band would continue to produce some fabulous music in years to come and to this very day, but this album is surely an important milestone. Sadly the band´s bassist John GlascockFind albums by this artist managed to record just three of the tracks on this album before his untimely death, an incident that influenced all band members and obviously influenced the somewhat somber atmosphere that overshadows the entire album. The music is as great as always, with Anderson writing almost the bulk of the material and the band members doing a splendid job, as only they could, with Anderson playing the bass parts on top of his usual duties as singer, acoustic guitarist and flautists. The album also includes some elaborate orchestral arrangements, which by that time were an integral part of many Prog albums, expanding the sound beyond the usual Rock instruments. Although this album is rarely mentioned in write-ups about the band and its history, it is a pity, as it contains loads of typical Jethro Tull gems and is as good as any of their more "famous" recordings. Obviously a must for any Jethro Tull fan.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ STORMWATCH (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY FORCE 10 EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295471804 (Barcode: 190295471804) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1978 - 1980 Released: 2019 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the twelfth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. This leaves only "BenefitFind albums with this title", which was already reissued in a Wilson remix form in 2013, to be released in the matching digibook format to complete the series. Hopefully this will happen in 2020 to mark the 50th Anniversary of that album. The reissue consists of four CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (ten tracks). The second CD contains fifteen "associate recordings", seven of which are previously unreleased, all in new stereo mix by Wilson. The third and fourth CDs include live performances recorded in Haag, Netherlands in March 1980 (twenty five tracks all together), all previously unreleased, restored and mixed by Nick Watson. The first DVD contains the album remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes thirteen "associate recordings" in 5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound, fifteen "associate recordings" in stereo format 96/24 LPCM and finally five original mixes of "associate recordings" in stereo format 96/24 LPCM. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get almost two hours of a live concert on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album is the same as on its predecessors: "Songs From The WoodFind albums with this title" and "Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title"; Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin. The lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards by John EvanFind albums by this artist and David PalmerFind albums by this artist, the bass by John GlascockFind albums by this artist and the drums by Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for all the music and lyrics, except one track credited to Palmer. Musically the album continues the new stylistic approach, emphasizing the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references. It is also considered as the third album in the trinity of albums formed by "Songs From The Wood", "Heavy Horses" and this album. Of course the album still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with. With the approaching end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different plant, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own. For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks one the definitive highlights of the group´s long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 15/03/2020Posted: 15/03/2020

4CD+2DVD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THE BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 724347341120 (Barcode: 724347341120) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1981 - 1982 Released: 2005 15th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, which marks their attempts to include elements of electronic music in their music, following the production of their previous release AFind albums with this title. Only Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist and Martin BarreFind albums by this artist remain from the JT 70’s lineup, with Gerry ConwayFind albums by this artist on drums, David PeggFind albums by this artist on bass and Peter-John VetteseFind albums by this artist on piano and synthesizers complete the personnel on this one. The music is pretty consistent with JT’s heritage but also includes attempts to stay contemporary and look for new creative avenues. Although received coldly by the critics and even by part of JT’s fan base at the time, in retrospect it is still a very good album, obviously much better than anything else happening on the music scene at the time. The new remastered edition brings no less than eight bonus tracks. Definitely worth investigating.

Updated: 05/11/2023Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THE BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY MONSTER EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190296436079 (Barcode: 190296436079) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1981 - 1982 Released: 2023 This is a 40th Anniversary Edition reissue of the 14th studio album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all early Jethro Tull releases. The reissue consists of five CDs and three DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo remix of the original album (ten tracks) and seven “associated recordings", all of which are previously unreleased. The second CD contains new stereo remix of further twenty-one “associated recordings", party previously unreleased. The third CD contains new stereo remix of yet further nineteen “associated recordings", party previously unreleased. The fourth and fifth CDs present live recordings in Germany in April 1982, also with new stereo remix, all previously unreleased. The first DVD contains the album remixed in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS, AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included are the original stereo mixes of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. The second DVD includes the further "associate recordings" in High-Resolution formats. The third DVD includes the audio only of the live recordings in Germany in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get the original stereo mix of the album in a CD form, but you get over two hours of live concerts on CD, remixed versions of the album, and a bunch of bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album consists of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who as usual handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and acoustic guitar / mandolin and the lead guitar is magnificently handled by Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, the keyboards are handled by Peter-John VetteseFind albums by this artist and rhythm section features bassist Dave PeggFind albums by this artist and new drummer Gerry ConwayFind albums by this artist. Musically the album leaves behind the Folk-Rock direction and British Folkloristic references and moves more into Rock mainstream, but of course it still firmly and consistently continues the Progressive Rock elements, which the band masterly develops regardless of the current stylistic aesthetic the specific albums deal with. With the end of the 1970s decade Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own. For many Jethro Tull fans this albums marks perhaps the last days of the group´s long and flourishing career, but personally I believe everything the group created over the years was top notch and it was the listeners following fads and fashions who could not always follow the intricacies and complexity of the music Anderson whimsically weaved. A classic by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 05/11/2023Posted: 05/11/2023

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JETHRO TULL ~ THE JETHRO TULL CHRISTMAS ALBUM RANDM 8370 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003 This contribution by the veteran band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist proves all too well that some rockers age better than others. In contrast to the somewhat cheezy title, this is one of the strongest JT albums ever, well up there with Songs From The WoodFind albums with this title and Heavy HorsesFind albums with this title. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist and Martin BarreFind albums by this artist are in top form and the relaxed (sometimes jazzy) atmosphere suits them perfectly. The material (written mostly by Anderson with some traditional songs and some classical pieces) falls in a perfect logical order. The re-make of `Bouree` is exceptional and Faure`s `Pavane` as good. What a delight!

Updated: 12/03/2025Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THE JETHRO TULL CHRISTMAS ALBUM (FRESH SNOW AT CHRISTMAS EDITION) INSIDEOUT 729 (Barcode: 198028183529) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2003 - 2008 Released: 2024 This is a reissue of the 21st studio album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, called “The Jethro Tull Christmas AlbumFind albums with this title”, recorded in 2003 and the live album “Christmas At St. Bride`s 2008Find albums with this title”, recorded in 2008. The two albums were bundled into a 2CD album in 2009. This reissue consists of four CDs and one BD. CD1 contains the “The Jethro Tull Christmas Album” album in original 2003 mixes. CD2 contains the “The Jethro Tull Christmas Album” album in new 2024 remix by Bruce SoordFind albums by this artist. The JT lineup on this album consists of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Andrew GiddingsFind albums by this artist, bassist Jonathan NoyceFind albums by this artist and drummer Doane PerryFind albums by this artist. Several guest musician and a string quartet perform on selected tacks. CD3 contains the “Christmas At St. Bride`s 2008” album in new 2024 remix by Bruce Soord. The JT lineup on this album consists of Ian Anderson on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Martin Barre, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave GoodierFind albums by this artist and percussionist James DuncanFind albums by this artist. CD4 contains the recording of the Ian Anderson Band “Live At St. Bride`s 2006” mixed by Bruce Soord in 2024. The IAB lineup consists of Ian Anderson on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Florian OphaleFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John O`Hara, bassist Dave Goodier and drummer James Duncan. Violinist Ann Marie CalhounFind albums by this artist appears as a special guest. BD contains the entire material on CD2 in High-Resolution formats (Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 Surround Sound) and in High Resolution stereo format and CD3/CD4 in High Resolution stereo format only. Personally I couldn’t care less… The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. Musically, the album presents the group as brilliant studio musicians and live performers, superb instrumentalists and extraordinary entertainers, with very few equals. Although since the end of the 1970s Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own. Overall, this is a very nice Box Set, full of great music and elegantly packaged, fitting all the previous Jethro Tull reissues in digibook format. For collectors of these reissues, this is obviously a must have. But honestly Prog has been dead for so long, that anything, which does not “smell funny” is a blessing. I had a blast listening to this stuff, especially the two live recordings, which alone are worth the price of this Box Set.

Updated: 12/03/2025Posted: 12/03/2025

4CD+BD 5 Digibook Box Set Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THE ZEALOT GENE INSIDEOUT 609 (Barcode: 1943993447292) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2017 - 2022 Released: 2022 This is the 22nd studio album by iconic British Prog band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, following a dramatic nineteen years pause since their previous album “The Jethro Tull Christmas AlbumFind albums with this title” from 2003 and twenty-three years since their last new material album “J-Tull Dot ComFind albums with this title” since 1999. The album was recorded over a period of several years by a lineup that includes alongside Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who sings and plays flute, guitar and other tidbits, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, guitarist Florian OpahleFind albums by this artist, bassist David GoodierFind albums by this artist and drummer Scott HammondFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Joe Parrish-JamesFind albums by this artist plays on one track. The album presents twelve original songs, all by Anderson. The music is very much the “good old Tull”, with a strong Folkish tinge and as good as anything Anderson wrote in the last five decades, which means there are no surprises or innovations, for good and for bad. He still very much plays the first fiddle in the band and the musicians, although playing along amicably, have very little space to show their chops, apart from an occasional guitar solo here and there. The formula is kept intact and the big question here is the relevance. How long can we listen to the same music time after time. For some, the answer probably is: “forever”, which is fine by me. Personally I would have loved and appreciated Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson even if their book was closed twenty years ago. Overall, this is a fine album, better than most in the stale Progressive Rock universe, but it adds nothing to the group’s splendid legacy and as such is simply less relevant today. That chapter of music history is definitely closed by now. Of course it is still better than most of the horrible music that surrounds us these days, but there is very little solace in that. Tull / Anderson fans will undoubtedly love this album, especially since it manages to hide the problems Anderson’s vocals suffered from during live performances in the last two decades. Have a ball!

Updated: 23/05/2022Posted: 23/05/2022

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THICK AS A BRICK (40TH ANNIVERSARY SET) CHRYSALIS 5099970461923 (Barcode: 5099970461923) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2012 This is a reissue of the fifth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title". The reissue consists of a CD and a DVD. The CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album with no bonus tracks. The DVD contains the album in 5.1 DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound formats, the new stereo mix in High-Resolution 96/24 PCM format and a flat transfer of the original stereo mix with one bonus track in High-Resolution 96/24 PCM format. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment and the only bonus track is a radio ad. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. Of course the album itself is a timeless masterpiece and in many respects is the epitome of the Progressive Rock genre, both musically and conceptually. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist takes the concept album idiom to its furthermost boundaries, creating an album which contains just one piece of music, spread over the two sides of the LP, which was at the time only familiar on albums with Classical Music recordings. The boldest Rock and Prog creations before "Thick As A BrickFind albums with this title" proposed extended songs stretching to one side of an LP, but both sides was definitely a new summit. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian Anderson and his abilities as a songwriter. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist, a lineup that was about to produce a series of albums, which in retrospect are amongst the most cherished and astute albums in Prog history. This stable lineup lasted for four years, between 1972 and 1975, and produced four albums, starting with this album and ending with "Minstrel In The GalleryFind albums with this title". The string arrangements, which are very modest on this album but which were to become increasingly more significant on the forthcoming albums, were arranged by David PalmerFind albums by this artist, who was the band´s loyal collaborator for years. As usually this album was savagely criticized by music critics at the time of its release, using terms that are still affronting today. But the hordes of Jethro Tull fans loved the idea, the music and the unique novel packaging. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely one of their most coherent, elegant and aesthetically pleasing ventures. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 08/04/2016

CD+DVD 2 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THIS WAS CHRYSALIS 535459 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1968 1st album by the seminal band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. Although considered early effort and inferior in comparison with their later output, this albums still holds a lot of charm and beauty and is a must in any Prog collection. It includes the original guitar player Mick AbrahamsFind albums by this artist (who left after this album to form the excellent band Blodwyn PigFind albums by this artist), whose blues feeling is second to none and influences the entire album. Visitors' Comments Dr. Rafael Augusto Lara Palmeros Debut albumn by extraordinary quartet Jethro Tull,one of the most important outfits in Prog Rock History ever… Formed by Ian Anderson (flute, acoustic guitar, claghorn, mouth organ, lead vocals and lyrics), Mick Abrahams (electric , nine-string guitar and vocals), CliveBunker (drums and percussion), Glen Cornick (electric bass) and David Palmer as additional musician (french horn and orchestral arrangements), the group recorded a wonderful mixture of Jazz- Blues- Rock Fusion with Celtic Folk elements. ´Beggar´s farm´, ´My Sunday feeling´ and others are based in Blues progressions and quotes from two well-known Jazz tunes. ´Cat´s squirrell´ is a Blues instrumental covered by numerous Bitish Blues bands on 60´s. ´Serenade to Cockoo´ is a cover version of Roland Kirk´s Jazz standard. ´A song for Jeffrey´ is a tune for the old friend, Anderson´s childhood friend Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, and others very well played tunes. The albumn is an important cornerstone in British Progressive Rock History. On other hand, a deluxe 2- CD fortieth anniversary edition was released in 2008 with mono stereo version, remixes and additional bonus tracks. A must for Prog fan!!!!.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THIS WAS (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) CHRYSALIS 190295611484 (Barcode: 190295611484) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2018 This is a 50th Anniversary Edition reissue of the debut album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of the eleven early Jethro Tull releases, which is now completed by the inclusion of the debut album, the last to be given the new treatment and reissued in the digibook format. The reissue consists of three CDs and one DVD-A. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album (ten tracks) and six "associated recordings", four of which are previously unreleased. The second CD includes "further associated recordings", which are mostly BBC sessions, original mixes of singles and radio adverts and one outtake, altogether twenty tracks of which just one is previously unreleased. The third CD includes the original 1968 UK stereo and mono (remastered in 2008) mixes of the album. The DVD-A contains the album remixed in two High-Resolution formats (4.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital Surround Sound), two "associated recordings" in two High-Resolution formats (5.1 DTS and in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM). Also included is the original 1969 US stereo mix of the album in High Resolution stereo format 96/24 LPCM. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. The group´s lineup on this album includes Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who handles most of the vocals and plays the flute parts and some piano, with the lead guitar magnificently handled by Mick AbrahamsFind albums by this artist, the bass by Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist and the drums by Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist. Anderson gets credit for most of the music and lyrics, except for the tracks written by Abrahams or co-written by the band´s members and one Jazz and two Blues standards. Musically the album is completely different from the rest of the group´s later output, being deeply rooted in Blues and Blues Rock, one of the leading idioms on the British scene at the time of its recording. The group was not yet dominated by Anderson and Abrahams was definitely the most accomplished musician at hand. Of course the personality conflict between Anderson and Abrahams led to the latter leaving the group after the album was recorded and the musical direction of the group gradually changing towards Progressive Rock and Folk Rock, with Anderson firmly at the helm. Although definitely one of the best white blues guitarists of all time, Abraham´s career did not take off as spectacularly as one might have expected at the time. Today, five decades later, he still plays superbly and releases new albums from time to time, remaining one my favorite guitar players, despite his almost complete anonymity. For many Jethro Tull fans this album, not surprisingly, is often considered as an odd incident, which in many respects it is indeed. Personally it is one of my favorite British Blues Revival recordings and I revisit it from time to time, repeatedly being surprised by its freshness and originality, despite the passing time. The rest of Jethro Tull´s story is of course a completely different chapter in British Rock history. An everlasting gem by any standard! Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: 26/01/2019

3CD+DVD 4 Digibook Box Set DVD-A Audiophile Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THIS WAS (COLLECTOR`S EDITION) CHARISMA 064972 (Barcode: 5099920649722) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2008 1st album by the magnificent Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, the only band that survived 40 years of rapidly changing world and still sounds so much better that anything produced today. This debut album is dear to my heart and I remember vividly listening to it for the first time back in 1968 – this was different! Sure, it was based on the Blues tradition and followed the British Blues revival surge, which blessed us all with a plethora of great bands. But these kids (yes they were) had an edge and an attitude, which I liked. Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist had a vice like no one else and his flute playing, although far from being virtuosic, always hit the right note (even if it was the wrong note). Mick AbrahamsFind albums by this artist was a great Blues guitar player, as was evident already then, and would be proved time after time in following years. Glenn CornickFind albums by this artist played some nasty bass lines and Clive BunkerFind albums by this artist beat the hell out of the set. I loved the nonchalance, the obvious "let´s not take it too seriously" approach, and those glimpses of pure genius, which this album is full of. I loved it then and I love it now – absolutely nothing changed, except for the fact that a whole universe of dreadful music was made since, which luckily I was able to escape. This new edition is a true gem and a collector´s dream, with the original mono mixes, new stereo mix, singles and live BBC material, everything one might hope for. I don´t suppose any Tull fan will need to contemplate the decision as to buying this beauty. Grab it!

CD 2 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ THIS WAS / STAND UP CHRYSALIS 582353 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock 1st and 2nd albums from 1968 & 1969 by this seminal band. Although considered early efforts and inferior in comparison with their later output, these two albums still hold a lot of charm and beauty and are a must in any Prog collection. Debut album includes the original guitar player Mick Abrams, whose blues feeling is second to none and influences the entire album. Second album is closer to later workd by the group and includes the eternal `Bouree`.

CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ TOO OLD TO ROCK `N` ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE! EMI 541573 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1976 9th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. Although harshly criticized at the time of its release, in retrospect this is as good as any other JT material. Originally planned for a stage play, this semi-concept album deals with the personal and social changes in the rock ´n´ roll world and is considered Anderson´s statement on the subject. This album also marks the first line-up chage in four years.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ TOO OLD TO ROCK`N`ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE! (THE TV SPECIAL EDITION) CHRYSALIS 825646035519 (Barcode: 825646035519) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the ninth album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title". The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the previously unreleased version of the album that was re-recorded for a TV special and a bunch of outtakes and alternate versions. The second CD contains a new stereo mix of a bunch of "associated recordings" and the flat transfer of the original album mix. The first DVD contains the video of the TV special with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Digital stereo. The TV special audio is also present in High-Resolution 96/24 stereo PCM in addition to the outtakes also in High Resolution formats. The second DVD contains the "associated recordings" in two High-Resolution formats, a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version and the stereo version of the album, both in High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you get the original album, a remixed version of a second version of the album, a video of a TV appearance and a few bonus tracks, which honestly contribute very little, if anything at all. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. This album marks the first lineup change for Jethro Tull in four years, which for many other bands was more than a lifetime. It features the new bassist John GlascockFind albums by this artist, who replaced Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist, and who already earned quite a reputation on the Prog scene before joining the group. It was also the group´s last concept album, although the very "concept" behind it was pretty vague. The album was quite savagely criticized at the time of its release, but in retrospect is defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. As to Anderson´s concept of music travelling on the time scale in circles, with fashions and fads returning after a while, sadly his prophesy turned out to be a false one, since music has been constantly going down the drain since this album was recorded. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 15/01/2016

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JETHRO TULL ~ UNDER WRAPS (EXPANDED EDITION) CHRYSALIS 473415 (Barcode: 724347341502) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1984 Released: 2005 16th album recorded following the release of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist’s solo project Walk Into LightFind albums with this title, which he recorded in cooperation with keyboards player Peter-John VetteseFind albums by this artist. The solo album was an attempt to embrace the then contemporary synthesizer drenched sound (New Wave at all) and the same format was kept for this JT album. Basically a trio (Anderson, Vettese and Martin BarreFind albums by this artist) they recorded this album using electronic drums and a plethora of synthesized sounds, with Anderson’s flute and Barre’s guitar kept in the background most of the time. No wonder most JT fans (especially in the US) hated the album at the time of its release, seeing it as a “sell out”, judging of course by the sound alone and ignoring the music, which was as JT as ever. Different package, true, but still quite extraordinary. Anderson sums it all up very nicely: “But, hey, you have to push the boundaries a little in the pursuit of musical adventures. No point in staying forever in the clutches of 70’s sounds and analogue keys, valves, steam flutes and tree-gobbling guitars. Gotta move on. And then move back again…” I feel exactly the same way about this – no pain - no gain! An artist should be free to experiment and if he is a great artist, whatever he does will come out right. Some of us just won’t be ready for it. In retrospect, as weird as it sounds, this album is still an integral part of the wonderful JT legacy. The expanded edition adds a video clip and bonus tracks not present on the original LP release (but added later on the CD release).

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JETHRO TULL ~ WAR CHILD (EXPANDED EDITION) EMI 541571 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1974 7th album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist. After 2 incredible concept albums it took the group over a year to produce this one, which marked a return to the conventional song format, although the predominant central theme (violence) is present. Also new are some orchestral arrangements, which even meant touring with a string quartet. Great tunes and perfect performances as usual.

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JETHRO TULL ~ WAR CHILD (THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY THEATRE EDITION) CHRYSALIS 825646216277 (Barcode: 825646216277) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 - 1974 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the seventh album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and another chapter in the series of reissues of their seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, who is doing similar projects with classic Rock / Prog albums by other artists as well. It follows a similar treatment that Wilson applied to the reissues of all Jethro Tull albums starting with their third album "BenefitFind albums with this title". The reissue consists of two CDs and two DVDs. The first CD contains the new stereo mix of the original album. The second CD contains a bunch of "associated recordings", i.e. outtakes, alternate versions and orchestral "War ChildFind albums with this title" recordings, partly in new stereo mix and partly in original version. The first DVD contains the original album remixed in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and 5.1 surround sound in High-Resolution DTS 96/24 format and AC3 Dolby Digital format, a flat transfer of the original mix in High-Resolution 96/24 LPCM stereo and a flat transfer of the original Quadraphonic version in two High-Resolution formats. Also a few video clips are present. The second DVD contains the "associated recordings" in three High-Resolution formats. If you are confused by all these technical terms, don´t be – it is all complete bullshit piece of hype! Basically you don´t even get a copy of the original album, which you can listen to on conventional hi-fi equipment and you do get a bunch of bonus tracks which add very little value to the original album and a bunch of video clips, which are completely worthless. The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material, the song lyrics and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach. This album marks the return to the song format after extended concept album releases. It also introduces orchestral arrangements by David PalmerFind albums by this artist, for which this album was savagely criticized by the critics at the time of its release. In retrospect it defeats short-sighted critics and proves to be definitely as good as all other Jethro Tull albums. In Rock / Prog history Jethro Tull definitely remains as a group that managed to produce consistently excellent output, mainly of course due to the charismatic leadership of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist. The other members of the group on this album were guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John EvanFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-HammondFind albums by this artist and drummer Barriemore BarlowFind albums by this artist. Although, as already mentioned, not a concept album per se, this album definitely has a central theme of War and violence. Some of the music on this album was actually written and even recorded during earlier recording sessions and included here. The whole story about this album and its relation to the film of the same name, which Anderson intended to produce, is described in detail in the splendid book accompanying the music. Side Note As for the Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist contributions, I´m perplexed time after time why anybody being of sound mind would allow him to butcher the original material and then hype the results as spectacular. These original mixes are untouchable and anybody trying to change them is more or less re-painting Van Gogh, re-sculpturing Michelangelo or re-writing the Bible, all truly barbaric acts of disrespect. Additionally I find his stereo mixes to be dry, artificial and deviant, badly damaging the original ambience of the recordings. Perhaps for people who are not familiar with the original sound this sounds fine, but for me it´s unbearable and sacrilegious. In addition I find the surround sound completely redundant, hoping for years that it will go away as did quad and other industry inventions meant to earn some more money from the suckers following the trends. The whole high resolution hype is so ridiculous; in reality most people are deaf anyway and can´t tell one note from another even if it bites them in the ass and use ridiculously lo-fi equipment. In short Emperor´s new clothes, as usual, and no shame whatsoever.

Updated: 25/05/2018Posted: 15/01/2016

2CD+2DVD 4 Digibook Box Set Oversampling DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JETHRO TULL ~ ROKFLOTE INSIDEOUT 662 (Barcode: 196587859725) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the 23nd studio album by iconic British Prog band Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, following very quickly the previous album “The Zealot GeneFind albums with this title” released just a year earlier. The album was recorded over a period of several months by a lineup that includes alongside Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, who sings and plays flutes, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, guitarist Joe Parrish-JamesFind albums by this artist, bassist David GoodierFind albums by this artist and drummer Scott HammondFind albums by this artist. Icelandic vocalist / actress Unnur BirnaFind albums by this artist guests on two (opening and closing) tracks. The album presents twelve original songs, all by Anderson, except for the lyrics of the a.m. two tracks, which originate in the Icelandic Codex Regius. In the booklet accompanying the album Anderson explains at length (and with obvious passion) his interest in Nordic mythology, which underlays the thematic layers, as well as his interest in returning to / focusing on his flute playing. As a result, the flute is definitely featured more prominently on this album than on the later period Jethro Tull albums. Anderson’s vocals are somewhat underplayed, as those appear to be strained for some time now. In most respects the music is very much the “good old Tull”, with a strong Folkish tinge and as good as anything Anderson wrote in the last five decades, which means there are no surprises or innovations, for good and for bad. He still very much plays the first fiddle in the band and the musicians, although playing along amicably, have very little space to show their chops, apart from an occasional guitar solo here and there. The formula is kept intact and the big question here is the relevance. How long can we listen to the same music time after time. For some, the answer probably is: “forever”, which is fine by me. Personally I would have loved and appreciated Jethro Tull and Ian Anderson even if their book was closed twenty years ago. Overall, this is a fine album, better than most in the stale Progressive Rock universe, but it adds nothing to the group’s splendid legacy and as such is simply less relevant today. That chapter of music history is definitely closed by now. Of course it is still better than most of the horrible music that surrounds us these days, but there is very little solace in that. Tull / Anderson fans will undoubtedly love this album, especially since it manages to hide the problems Anderson’s vocals suffered from during live performances in the last two decades. Have a ball!

Updated: 16/05/2023Posted: 16/05/2023

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