BENEFIT

Jethro Tull had a bumpy start to their career. First they made the average blues rock album This Was, then they made the fantastic rock album Stand Up which is a personal Jethro Tull favorite of mine, and then this their third album Benefit which I find a little below average. I always wondered how Jethro Tull could make an album like benefit after making such a strong album as Stand Up, but I guess it´s hard to follow up a succes like that one.

The music on Benefit is much more emotional and moody than on the rocking Stand Up. It almost seems like Ian Anderson is crying when singing some of the songs. It´s very suiting that one of the songs are called To Cry You a Song. It´s unfortunately not the best Jethro Tull album and I think the songwriting lacks a bit sometimes. The only real highlight for me is Sossity: You´re a Woman which I find beautiful. Clearly the best song here.

The musicians are good as always, but the flute which Ian Anderson used extensively on Stand Up is not as present here despite the picture on the front cover of Ian in his famous posture. I think I hear more piano bits on Benefit than on Stand Up.

The sound quality isn´t very good and it doesn´t really help the songs to come out.

I always though Benefit should have come after This Was and not after Stand Up as it is clearly a step down from the wonderful Stand Up and not a continuation of that style. Benefit is an ok album on it´s own premises but put up against Stand Up it don´t stand a chance. I´ll give it 3 small stars and maybe I´m even being too nice here. It´s one of the more forgettable Jethro Tull albums really. If you´re new to Jethro Tull don´t start here.