THIS WAS

I have been a Tull fan for long years, in fact they were the band that introduced me to rock music at the age of 10! So it is strange that I never listened to this one much at all, save for some tunes that were available on best ofs (Song for Jeffrey and the live version of Dharma for One). Although Jethro Tull didn't have much to do with prog on this record yet, it already showed a band with great promise. The ideas, execution, tightness, etc... it was quite exceptional in the pool of those numerous English blues rock bands coming off of the Cream influence.

"My Sunday Feeling" is a very energetic tune to start things off, full of Cream influence, but we also for the first time hear the unique flute work of Ian Anderson. The next song is the opposite of the first one within the blues framework - very slow blues, almost traditional early 20th century black blues. Of course Ian Anderson couldn't just start the album with his unusual flute antics with gasps and growls in between furious trills, otherwise listeners of those days might react with distaste - so he left that for the third track "Beggar's Farm". The fourth track "Move on Alone" is the most unusual on the album. For one, it is sung by Mick Abrahams, who was the other boss in the band before Ian took complete control. The other thing that makes it unusual are the brass arrangements, which make it sound like a theme song from one of 60s sitcoms. But as a pop song it works well. "Serenade to a Cuckoo" has more of a jazz influence - but it's still in blues form. Mick Abrahams' tasteful voicings, Glenn Cornick's walking bass lines and Clive Bunker's swinging drumming show the band at their ever jazziest.

Second side starts off with a bang. I know the vocal version "Dharma for One" from the LIVING IN THE PAST collection, but had not heard this one until recently. It's missing the hilarious backing vocals present on the live version, but nevertheless it's a hot jam, with Clive Bunker banging on his skins like a maniac. After another straightforward blues number and another blues rock rocker, we get to "A Song for Jeffrey", probably the best known song here, maybe because it starts with a flute riff, and their record company wanted to grab the audience with something new? In any case it is a good tune, with Ian sound more like Popaye than anything. "Round" is an OK closer but...well it's short and doesn't contain much at all.

BONUS TRACKS: "One for John Gee" is a very jazzy tune, similar to "Serenade". Would have fit on the original album perfectly! I already knew the other two, "Love Story" and "Christmas Song", they were early singles also released on "Living in the Past".

In conclusion, you should buy this album only if you are either a hardcore Jethro Tull fan, or if you love the blues rock sound of the late 60's (ie. Cream, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds). This is the seed that was planted and out grew very thick bricks, a humble minstrel singing a song in the wood and even an aqualung!