Music Review: Jethro Tull - This Was (Collectors Edition)

The following is a review of This Was (Collectors Edition) from Blogcritics Magazine.

Music Review: Jethro Tull - This Was (Collectors Edition)

Written by Nancy Dunham (Nancy Dunham is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who lives in Alexandria, Va. Contact her at NancyDunham@cox.net)

Rejoice, loyal fans of Jethro Tull.

A two-disc release of This Was (Collectors Edition) chock full of plenty of rarities, will be released tomorrow. As Tull fans know, This Was is the first album Tull recorded, well before the perfect storm of fans and festivals discovered the British band and launched it into rock stardom and onto a recording contract.

The original recording was made in 1968 when Tull’s line up included vocalist and flute-player-extraordinaire Ian Anderson, guitarist and blues lover Mick Abrahams, bassist Glenn Cornick and drummer Clive Bunker. Anderson recalls that at the time the band was a bit in flux, struggling to establish its musical roots in rock or blues. Although this album was mostly blues, the band soon planted itself solidly into rock (and bid farewell to blues lover Abrahams, who later joined Bloodwyn Pig).

Don’t think that sifting through the tunes Anderson made with his mates when they were fledgling musicians competing with The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, and other super groups for listeners’ attention, was a trip down a bittersweet memory lane.

“So many of these songs are in our set lists over the years, it is sort of like visiting old friends,” said Anderson. “Of course, some friends you don’t want to visit for too long.”

Anderson’s comment aside, it’s fascinating to hear the rich, full textures of the mono versions of such songs as “Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine,” “A Song for Jeffrey” and “It’s Breaking Me Up.” The songs are gritty, raw, and emotion filled just like the time of which they were born. That’s also clearly evident on the nine BBC recordings from John Peel’s Top Gear, which are included on this two-disc set (Note to fans: Anderson said that as far as he knows, these are all the “Top Gear” recordings available; he is not aware of any others).

What’s arguably even more interesting, in this time of drum machines and pitch correction, is the musical virtuosity with which Tull performed. Yes, the members were clearly old musical souls right out of the gate.

Those who see Tull today, some 40 years after the group formed, will likely find more similarities than differences in the sound quality of the music. While many of the super groups of the 1960s and 1970s reside on the oldies circuit or the “Where are they now?” file, Tull still draws the crowds. Kudos to master showman Anderson who has not only stayed limber as a teenager, but knows how to use his voice to its fullest advantage unlike others who strained theirs to the brink.

Anderson uses his talents to full advantage, entertaining the band’s all ages audiences with modern spin even on his vintage songs. While Anderson and his mates embrace this journey to old musical friends, it’s clear they have no interest in "Living in the Past."

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