Jethro Tull - Stand Up (2010 reissue)

Year of Release: 2010
Label: Chrysalis-EMI
Catalog Number: CHRX1042
Format: CD
Total Time: 145:33:00

With the departure of Mick Abrahams (who would go on to form Bloodwyn Pig) Jethro Tull would usher in a new guitarist named Martin Barre for their second studio release.

Stand Up would find the group heading more to their soon to be realized progressive rock sound that started to take form.

Ian Anderson (vocals, flute, acoustic guitars, keyboards, balalaika), Martin Barre (electric guitar, flute), Clive Bunker (drums), and Glen Cornick (bass), pushed Jethro Tull to new heights with Stand Up. The blues-rock foundation was still there; however, new roads where being travelled and very successfully. "Fat Man" and a fresh take on the classical "Boureé" were some of the highlights this recording had to offer. As Ian Anderson comments on his interview with the DVD included in this set, Abrahams was not willing to progress and go in another direction with his style. He was content being a blues rock guitarist and that is where he wanted to remain. So with that as a starting point, Jethro Tull started on a new adventure after having released only one album. The decision would be the most prolific in the band's short lived career [to date], changing their sound and chemistry entirely.

This three disc set -- 2 CDs, which includes tracks from their Top Gear BBC Radio session and 1 DVD -- was meant to be released as a celebration of the Stand Up 40th anniversary last year. Well, as they say, better late than never and it is quite an enjoyable set. It was worth wait. You get the remastered original album from 2001 and a 1970 performance at Carnegie Hall. On the DVD you can listen to the Carnegie Hall concert (audio only) in different formats. Your choices are 48/24 Stereo LPCM, DTS or 48/24 Dolby Digital, which I chose to listen to after hearing the normal stereo version on the CD. It might seem like too many choices for some folks but everyone is different and has various listening options dependent on their stereo and computer systems, so in that sense it is good thing. The improvements are noticeable in sound quality and the concert was a great treat.

Stand Up was an amalgam of rock, folk, classical, jazz, and blues that distinguished JT from all the other bands. This would be the pre-progressive rock sound (as Ian says in his interview) that would eventually develop further with each successive release. Ian also explained how they were not the same type of band as ELP or Yes, they were more vulgar and would be comparable to bands that became popular during the 90's grunge period like Pearl Jam and so forth. This I thought was an interesting comparison because I never really looked at it that way. I always considered JT as prog rock but you have to remember from whence they came and the roots of all their music that brought them to a mature progressive sound on their Thick As A Brick release. All the albums prior to this were a developing and experimental stage that combined various elements to afford the band their own unique stamp, not to mention Ian's vocals, on everything they did.

Stand Up was clearly a step in the right direction for Jethro Tull and it is fitting that a new set such as this was released to document it. The trifold cardboard case unfolds and the band pops up (Stands Up). A booklet is included as well featuring a write up from Ian. All things considered, this is a prized possession for all JT fans.

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Tracklisting:
Disc One: A New Day Yesterday (4:11) / Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square (2:12) / Bouree (3:47) / Back To The Family (3:53) / Look Into The Sun (4:23) / Nothing Is Easy (4:26) / Fat Man (2:52) / We Used To Know (4:03) / Reasons For Waiting (4:07) / For A Thousand Mothers (4:21) / Living In The Past (3:23) / Driving Song (2:44) / Sweet Dream (4:04) / 17 (6:10) / Living In The Past [Originalmono Single Version] (3:25) / Bouree [Top Gear BBC Radio Session] (4:01) / A New Day Yesterday [Top Gear BBC Radio Session] (4:16) / Nothing Is Easy [Top Gear BBC Radio Session] (5:07) / Fat Man [Top Gear BBC Radio Session] (2:56) / Stand Up US Radio Spot #1 (1:03) / Stand Up US Radio Spot #2 (0:51)

Disc Two: Nothing Is Easy (5:42) / My God (12:42) / With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of (13:34) / A Song For Jeffrey (5:25) / To Cry You A Song (6:04) / Sossity, You're A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You're A Woman (5:28) / Dharma For One (13:36) / We Used To Know (3:41) / Guitar Solo (8:24) / For A Thousand Mothers (4:42)

DVD: Introduction / Nothing Is Easy / My God / With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of / A Song For Jeffrey / To Cry You A Song / Sossity, You're A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You're A Woman / Dharma For One / We Used To Know / Guitar Solo / For A Thousand Mothers / Interview With Ian Anderson, London 2010

Musicians:
Ian Anderson - balalaika, bouzouki, flute, guitars, Hammond B3, harmonica, mandolin, mouth organ, piano, vocals
Martin Barre - flute, guitars
Clive Bunker - drums, percussion
Glen Cornick - bass
John Evan - Hammond B3, piano
David Palmer - conductor, string arrangements
Lou Toby - conductor, string arrangements

Discography:
This Was (1968)
Stand Up (1969)
Benefit (1970)
Aqualung (1971)
Thick As A Brick (1972)
Living In The Past (1972)
A Passion Play (1973)
War Child (1974)
Minstrel In The Gallery (1975)
M.U. The Best Of (1976)
Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die (1976)
Songs From The Wood (1977)
Repeat - The Best Of Jethro Tull Vol 2 (1977)
Heavy Horses (1978)
Bursting Out - Live (1978)
Stormwatch (1979/2004)
'A' (1980)
The Broadsword And The Beast (1982/2005)
Under Wraps (1984)
Original Masters (1985)
Crest Of A Knave (1987/2005)
20 Years Of Jethro Tull (1988)
Rock Island (1988)
Catfish Rising (1991)
A Little Light Music (1992)
The Anniversary Collection (1993)
25th Anniversary Box Set (1993)
Nightcap (1995)
Roots To Branches (1995)
J-Tull Dot Com (1999)
The Very Best Of (2001)
Living With The Past (2002)
The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003)
Classic Masters (2003)
Stand Up/This Was (2003)
Essential (2003)
Nothing Is Easy: Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (2004)
Aqualung Live (2005)
Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson (2005)
Extended Versions (2006)
Live At Montreux 2003 (2007)
The Best Of Acoustic Jethro Tull (2007)
Living With The Past/Nothing Is Easy (2008)
This Was (expanded) (2008)
Nothing Is Easy - Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (2004/2008)
The Anniversary Collection/A New Day Yesterday (2008)
Live At Montreux 2003 (2008)
Live At Madison Square Garden (2009)
Christmas Album (2009)
Live In Switzerland 2003 (LP) (2014)
A Passion Play - An Extended Performance (2014)
War Child - 40th Anniversary Theatre Edition (2014)
Minstrel In The Gallery - 40th Anniversary La Grande Edition (2015)

Living With The Past (DVD) (2002)
A New Day Yesterday: 1969-1994 - The 25th Anniversary Collection (VID/DVD) (1994/2003/4)
Nothing Is Easy - Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (DVD) (2005) Live At Montreux 2003 (DVD) (2008)
Jack In The Green - Live In Germany (DVD) (2008)
Live In Bethlehem, PA, 2003 (DVD) (2008)
Their Full Authorized Story (DVD) (2009)
Live At AVO Session 2008 (DVD) (2009)
Live At Madison Square Garden (DVD) (rec 1978, rel 2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: November 23rd 2010
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.jethrotull.com
Hits: 4237
Language: english