Review: Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux 2003 (Blu-ray)

Review by Jeffrey Kauffman

The Movie:

Jethro Tull, a swamp boogie blues band? You might be forgiven for thinking you've gotten a mispackaged Blu-Ray when you start up this 2003 Montreux concert. Sure, that looks like Ian Anderson and cohorts (notably longtime collaborator Martin Barre on guitars), but what is our fearless minstrel leader doing playing a harmonica? And why are the boys doing a down and dirty blues beat? That's just the beginning of a most unusual Tull concert that foregoes a lot of the tried and true material for some riskier choices, proving what incomparable innovators and superb musicans Anderson and company have always been.



While the back of the disc packaging claims the show is split into two halves, one acoustic, one electric, I found it to be much more diverse than that, with some reworkings of old favorites (Bach's "Bourree" played more like, well, a bourree, than the jazz waltz of the original Tull version) mixed with some lesser known newer songs. Anderson actually doesn't don his trademark flute until well into the concert, as a matter of fact. I've always thought Anderson's chops as a flautist have been widely underappreciated; he easily has one of the creamiest tones in the pop/jazz vernacular and while his improvising may not be of the caliber of, say, Hubert Laws, he is always inventive and never less than musical. Laws fans may find this disc of particular interest, as a matter of fact, because Anderson revists Gabriel Faure's beautiful "Pavane," recorded by Laws on one of his legendary CTi albums. Anderson recasts the tune in 3/4, giving it an almost Spanish flamenco flair once Barre's guitar takes over. It doesn't have the pyrotechnics of Laws' gorgeous version, but it has a unique and very inviting character of its own, something the rest of this concert shares.

Tull has a few surprises up its sleeve, including a strangely fringe-veiled woman named Masha who joins them on wordless vocals in a sort of world beat Middle Eastern tune. Even though the concert was taped in July, Anderson offers a spry lilting version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as well. They finally do get around to good old fashioned Tull material, including rousing versions of "Hunting Girl," "Living in the Past" (perhaps the best known song in 5/4 outside of Desmond's classic "Take Five"), "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath."

The Tull boys have always been showmen, and this concert is no exception. Anderson dances and weaves, Barre remains largely stoic while delivering solid solos, and keyboardist Andrew Giddings has a peculiar habit of lifting his right leg high into the air as he plays. Giddings and Barre have a kind of funny little showdown in the finale which brings the audience to rapturous approval. Tull has always been a band of considerable depth and contrapuntal complexity, and this Blu-Ray presentation shows that off in admirable detail. Anderson is nobody's fool, compositionally speaking, and his efforts bear repeated listening with ease.

About the only drawback of this concert is, sadly, Ian's voice. Whether he was simply tired, or it's the slow encroachment of advancing years (his singing of "Thin Man" is a little ironic since he's grown a middle-aged paunch), the once magisterial tones and long phrasings are nowhere to be heard here, and he struggles to hit a lot of the higher notes. He's always had a slightly nasal quality, but even that seems exaggerated throughout the concert, not always to enjoyable effect. Anderson contributes some charming liner notes to the Blu-Ray and states up front in them that the concert was filmed live and preserves the performance "warts and all," so I tend to want to cut him a little slack and say it's a minor wart given the instrumental magnificence that is routinely on display throughout the concert.

The Blu-Ray Disc

Video:



The image of this 1080i 1.78:1 transfer is startlingly clear, so clear in fact that we get occasional (perhaps unwanted) glimpses of Ian's nose hairs from foot of the stage camera angles. This is largely shot on a darkened stage, so don't expect a dazzling visual presentation, but colors and detail are completely solid, and I noticed no compression artifacts even without 1080p.

Sound:



Both the DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1 mixes are outstanding. Anderson and Barre usually take the front channels, which is as it should be, with drummer Doane Perry, bassist Jonathan Noyce and keysman Giddings bringing up the rear. Anderson's voice is sometimes slightly lost in the mix, which I think is more the fault of Ian jumping around the microphone than of the sound mix itself. There's some great rumbling lower frequencies with "Aqualung". There is also a standard LPCM stereo mix that is absolutely fine, though, again, Anderson's voice tends to be muddied at times.

Extras:



None are offered.

Final Thoughts:



This is visually and aurally one of the clearest home video releases of Tull ever, heads and shoulders above even some recent SD releases. Anderson's voice isn't all it should be, but that's about the only detriment. Highly recommended.


Review taken from DVD Talk. Click here for original article.

This week, Aurora listens to... "AQUALUNG" from Jethro Tull (1973)

AURORA: I have to say one thing about Jethro Tull, Bill, and here it goes. They're quite complicated in their progressive-rock coolness. You know as a listener that you're gonna get a kick from this English band once you realize their lead singer is cool enough to rock out with a flute and spice it up with spacey lyrics. His vocals are entrancing in the first tune, "Aqualung," which starts slowly and smoothly and kicks it up with a mid-song, up-tempo splash.

BILL: At the height of progressive-rock coolness, Tull's Ian Anderson was among the coolest, Aurora, leaping around stage singing and matching guitarist Martin Barre with flute blasts. This album was their masterpiece, balancing the social commentary of the song "Aqualung" with criticism of organized religion on songs like "Hymn 43" and "Wind Up," both of which are lost classics.

AURORA: If there's one thing they're not, it's boring. One moment they're starting things slowly and smoothly with a swift piano and art rock groove in "Cheap Day Return," and another moment they're starting their songs with laughter and Celtic-inspired, country-like riffs in "Up to Me".

BILL: And then they get down with "Cross-Eyed Mary" and "Up To Me," another kinetic blast that gets overlooked.

AURORA: I admit, they lost me in the last few songs, but still kicked it in "Locomotive Breath," a swift entertaining tune. Nice CD pick, my friend.

Article taken from Gainsville Sun. Click here for full article.

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."

Click here for full article.