Jethro Tull Albums (30)
'Live at Madison Square Garden'
Release Date 1/1/2009
Tracks 25
Label Capitol Records/EMI
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This package by Jethro Tull was taken from a concert at Madison Square Garden in 1978 and simultaneously broadcast via satellite on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test. The DVD contains audio only of the first three songs, followed by the entry of the visual with an introduction for the live feed, and the performance commences with full visual from the fourth selection (the video limitations were based on the network's time slot limits) a roaring, 11-minute "Thick as a Brick." The band runs through a handful of other cuts, including the title track of the then-current album Heavy Horses, "Aqualung," and "Locomotive Breath" (which ends partway through since it was officially the encore). After this, the broadcast video ends and we go back to the audio-only format for the remainder of the concert and the complete encore: an unedited version of "Locomotive Breath," with "Dambusters March" embedded within it. Therefore, the concert is presented in its entirety, though only a little more than half of it can be seen on the DVD. The audio is terrific in 5.1. The CD, on the other hand, contains 77 minutes of the show, though every track is represented and makes for a very fine JT live album. Much of Anderson's commentary is left out, as well as the opening BBC intro and most of the on-stage banter. The band introduction by Anderson is left off the CD though it does appear on the DVD. The disc does contain the proper track order, however, and it is also in 5.1. While the band footage is certainly interesting, this will certainly appeal to hardcore fans of the vintage Tull -- as will the package in its entirety, more than likely. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Live at Montreux 2003'
Release Date 8/20/2007
Tracks 19
Label Eagle Rock
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While the world may not need another live Jethro Tull disc recorded only two years after their last one, this sturdy, nearly two-hour 2003 gig, released simultaneously on DVD and CD (same tunes and order, but Ian Anderson's often clunky introductions are mercifully edited out of the audio-only version), finds the band in fine form. Anderson and guitarist Martin Barre, the two flagship members, effectively juggle the set to include a few new tracks and some rarities with the handful of hits ("Aqualung," "Locomotive Breath," "My God," "Living in the Past") that the fans demand out of every gig. The double disc is broken down by the band's two sets, the first being primarily acoustic-based, or at least softer material, and the second revving up the electricity and intensity. The other three members (bass, drums, and keys) are accomplished musicians who play with precision if maybe a shortage of personality. But it's really Anderson's and to a lesser extent Barre's show, and they jubilantly lead the ensemble through the blues, prog, jazz, and classical influences that have always distinguished Tull from their contemporaries. Highlights include an acoustic "Fat Man" with Barre playing flute along with Anderson, a stunning 11-minute "Budapest" from Crest of a Knave, and the exotic Middle Eastern worldbeat of "Dot Com." The sound is perfectly recorded and Anderson is in good spirits as he dips deep into the Tull catalog to dust off oldies such as "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You" (from the group's 1968 debut), Stand Up's "Nothing Is Easy," and Benefit's "With You There to Help Me." The band injects a twist into the hoary "Locomotive Breath" as it veers off into old British folk territory in its final two minutes, and even "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (from The Jethro Tull Christmas Album) gets a new lease on life, albeit in a slightly cheesy jazz-classical arrangement reminiscent of "Bourée." Still, this is an impressive document of a band embracing its past while pushing into fresh territory nearly four decades into its existence. Maintaining the old fan base while doing this is a tricky balancing act, but one that Anderson and Barre perform with grace and class. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Each era of rock music has had its own craftily marketed phenomenon -- it was the "live album" in the '70s, "unplugged" recordings in the '90s, and since the late '80s through the present day, the "tribute album." But the early 21st century saw another addition -- veteran bands revisiting classic albums and performing them in their entirety. Jethro Tull's most enduring release is largely agreed to be 1971's classic Aqualung, and in late 2004 Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, and their latest Tull mates dusted off the album once more in front of a small audience for XM Radio's Then Again Live series. Since 33 years had passed between the original and the re-reading, the performances on Aqualung Live are slightly more restrained. And while some of Barre's mighty riffs can still be spotted blaring away -- most notably the middle bit of "My God" -- other songs get an overhauling, such as the barely recognizable "Hymn 43." In addition to revisiting the full album, several interview segments are tacked on at the end of the disc, including some interesting bits about the original recording (it turns out that Led Zeppelin were also recording nearby) and the fact that, despite popular belief, Aqualung was not a concept album. Aqualung Live proves that Anderson and Barre are still at the top of their game, unlike some other "classic rock" acts whose playing abilities have diminished over the years. [Aqualung Live was distributed at shows for free during Tull's U.S. tour in the fall of 2005. Subsequently, it was made available as a special limited-edition release, with all artist and publishing royalties going to charities for the homeless.] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
'Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 8
Label Eagle
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This release is a bit like stepping into a time warp -- before they were a folk-rock band and before they were a progressive rock or art rock band, Jethro Tull were pretty much a loud rock & roll band working from a blues base, with a few elements of jazz and folk thrown in, and that's mostly what you've got there. The dominant instrument is Martin Barre's heavily amplified, chord-driven lead guitar playing, which crunches and slashes with the best of them on most of this performance -- Ian Anderson's vocals, flute, and acoustic guitar are present, to be sure, and they find a balance on the then-new song "My God," but even at the their folkiest and droning-est, Tull were still a hard rock band in those days with an irresistible propulsive force in their work. At their best, as on "With You There to Help Me" (which finds room for rippling lead guitar passages, folk melodies, and elegant piano playing by John Evan), the results are as good as anything in their core Chrysalis Records output. The other notable aspect of this show is how far back it reaches for its repertory -- if "My God" represents the newest material, then "Dharma for One" (featuring killer drumming by Clive Bunker), along with "My Sunday Feeling," carries you back to the group's roots, and these are bracing experiences to hear years later. Not everything here works entirely -- the encore, of "We Used to Know" and "For a Thousand Mothers" -- almost degenerates into a bunch of noise, but pulls together at the last moment; and a film of the event might have been preferable, if one existed, in terms of capturing some of the group's visual presentation. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'The Jethro Tull Christmas Album'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 16
Label Roadrunner
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
For a band that remained relatively consistent (with a few minor exceptions) in their approach to rock & roll since 1968, Jethro Tull also possessed a sound that was uniquely '70s-oriented during their most successful period between 1971-1978. Avid fans have been yearning for the group's return to the style which made them one of the most successful of the guitar-based, mainstream prog outfits -- albums like Broadsword and the Beast and J-Tull.Com touched on their former glory, but they didn't fully satisfy. Christmas Album could be the recording that those fans have been waiting for, and they shouldn't let its title or overt seasonal orientation dissuade them -- with their liberal use of classic English folk music and overall orientation toward England's past (even in their name), Jethro Tull is also the one prog rock/hard rock band of their generation that could issue a Christmas album that folds so easily into the rest of their output; it transcends its purpose and focus, mostly through the quiet boldness of its music and playing and the surprising excitement that laces most of the 16 songs. With a mixture of re-recorded old songs, Christmas standards and new originals, songwriter/singer Ian Anderson, in a roundabout manner, captures the tradition, warmth, and bittersweet feelings that are inextricably linked to the holiday season; at the same time, Anderson, longtime collaborator/lead guitarist Martin Barre, and the rest of the group's 2003 lineup recapture the musical intensity of three decades' past, and build on the classic Tull mood of sardonic humor, wry irony, and fierce passions that permeated all of their work from Stand Up to Songs From the Wood. All of this material, in its content and execution, recalls the group's prime early-'70s years and levels of musical complexity not presented so successfully by this band in at least 25 years. With a generous use of unamplified instruments like mandolin, acoustic guitar, flute, and accordion, this album resembles the production found on Songs From the Wood and Heavy Horses. In fact, three tracks from those two albums were reworked for this release; "Fire at Midnight," "Ring Out Solstice Bells" and "Weathercock." Only "Ring Out Solstice Bells" appeared to be the obvious choice for a Christmas album, but given Anderson's offbeat perspective of things, the other two tracks assimilate nicely. In addition, "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" sounds like it could have emanated from those 1977 and 1978 recordings, as could "Last Man at the Party" from 1974's War Child sessions. Among the re-recordings, pieces such as "A Christmas Song," that originally had orchestral accompaniment, are redone without it, in new arrangements, while others that were done without orchestra get dressed up with strings. From the traditional side of Christmas, Tull gives "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" a jazzy adaptation reminiscent of "Bouree" from Stand Up (which is also revisited on this recording) and "We Five Kings" sounds rhythmically similar to "Living in the Past," particularly the bass guitar line. In addition to Bach's Bouree, the majestic Gabriel Fauré piece Pavane is included, which features guitarist Martin Barre's exceptional acoustic playing. And Barre himself gets a rare solo composition as the album closer (a Christmas gift from Anderson?), the deeply evocative tone-painting "A Winter Snowscape," which takes some gratifying turns away from the most obvious melodic direction. The album's overall mix of folk, jazz, pop, rock, and classical elements carries it beyond the holiday listening for which it was intended, and is all woven together so skillfully as to make this an essential Tull album, their first in almost three decades and their most musically rewarding. And although this Christmas album doesn't necessarily conjure up images of Santa and the Savior, it does create a mood and feeling reflective of the holiday season. More importantly, it is perhaps the most satisfying Tull releases in 25 years. [Reissued in late 2004 in a limited-edition version with a bonus DVD containing three performance videos of material going back to "That Sunday Feeling"]. ~ Dave Sleger & Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'Living with the Past'
Release Date 4/30/2002
Tracks 21
Label Fuel 2000
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Perhaps there haven't been that many live Tull albums -- as Ian Anderson points out in his liner notes, it's been ten years since the last, and there were only two prior to that -- but there sure have been a lot of Tull titles that play with the phrase "Living in the Past," so it's easy to forgive less dedicated fans if they decide that they might have heard the Fuel 2000 release Living with the Past before. But they haven't -- it's a collection of new live recordings from 2001, largely taken from a performance at London's Hammersmith Apollo in November 2001. What makes this particular live performance noteworthy is that they bring back several original members -- Mick Abrahams, Glen Cornick, Clive Bunker, and Dave Pegg -- for guest appearances in something that will surely delight longtime followers of the band, which is really who this disc is aimed at. On that level, this works quite well. Perhaps the sound is a little too clean, with each instrument clearly defined and detailed, and perhaps the performance leans more toward the professional than the inspired, but it's enjoyable all the same, proving that Tull remained a strong live band well over 30 years later -- and for those who have followed them for years, this will be as welcome as a visit from an old friend. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With 1995's Roots to Branches, Jethro Tull signed a sixth lease on life by absorbing the ethnic sounds of India and the Middle and Far East. Ian Anderson was camouflaging his failing voice with fluting that was better than ever and with songs that suited his singing range. Jethro Tull follows up Roots to Branches with J-Tull Dot Com, a title that advertises both the band's new website and Anderson's newfound Internet prowess. The band has made a career of blending rock with jazz, blues, classical, and folk, and it would seem that the globetrotting Roots to Branches, along with Anderson's solo album from the same year, Divinities: Twelve Dances With God, would point to a full-time obsession with world music. But now the band abandons some of the world sounds in favor of songs that are more straightforward and lacking in variety, and unlike Roots to Branches, J-Tull Dot Com fails to excite with the first listen. While not as memorable as the previous effort, the album still delivers standard Jethro Tull: Anderson's flute, Martin Barre's crunchy guitar, and the wide-reaching keys of Andrew Giddings support Ian's ever-weakening voice, which he imposes onto every song. Once again Tull's capable hard rock is alternately ornamented, twiddly, and heavy-handed, so after repeated listens Tull fans should be satisfied. ~ Patrick Little, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This mid-'90s Tull studio album has its good moments, mostly shadows of earlier work. All of the songs here have more of a mood of urgency than some of Tull's then-recent albums, and a few even have memorable melodies -- the title tune, "At Last, Forever" (which sounds like a Thick as a Brick outtake), "Rare and Precious Chain," "Dangerous Veils," and "Valley," which recall the best moments of Ian Anderson's mid-'70s work. There are also attempts to revive the band's one-time fixation on jazz influences (the opening of "Wounded, Old and Treacherous"), although this sort of thing came off better on This Was. Anderson's flute occasionally takes flight, Martin Barre's guitar still wails on the breaks, and Doane Perry (drums), Dave Pegg (bass), and Steve Bailey (bass) make up a decent rhythm section. Not nearly as strong as Catfish Rising, but better than anything else since Heavy Horses. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'The Beacons Bottom Tapes'
Release Date 1/1/1993
Tracks 14
Label Chrysalis
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The 1993 Jethro Tull release, 25th Anniversary Box Set, was spread over four separate discs, with the third disc being titled The Beacons Bottom Tapes, and featuring then-recent live renditions of Tull classics. Most of the original versions of these tracks managed to be vibrant, positively electric, and quirky. The renditions here are pretty darn flat, and like most of the latter-day Tull releases, are expertly played, but are so clean/perfect sounding that it's almost like an easy listening version of their early hard rocking classics. Seizing the opportunity to rework these tracks, some of them sound almost like completely new songs when compared to the originals -- "My God," "Aqualung," "A New Day Yesterday," etc. -- but again, do not match the charm of the original versions. One of the few times that this latter-day Tull manages to truly recapture their original rock & roll flame is on the early ditty "My Sunday Feeling," but it's just too few and far between. Only diehards will need to hear these lackluster reworkings of once mighty rock classics. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
