"Stand Up: The Elevated Edition" by JETHRO TULL (November 2016 Parlophone/Chrysalis 2CD + 1DVD-Audio Book Pack Reissue - Steve Wilson Remixes) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Look Into The Sun..."

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR   

The Nov 2016 'Stand Up: The Elevated Edition' 2CD + 1DVD-Audio Reissue ***

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2016 'Stand Up: The Elevated Edition' 2CD + 1DVD-Audio VERSION ***

Let's be blunt about this - although "Stand Up: The Elevated Edition" is technically a better reissue of 2010's Chrysalis CHRX 1042 (2CDs and 1DVD in a fold-out hard card digipak) - I'm already thinking that this new November 2016 edition may well be 'Rock Reissue Of The Year' with a speeding bullet.

I was mightily impressed with the '40th Anniversary Adapted Edition' of Tull's 1971 opus "Aqualung" from April 2016 - but this new version of "Stand Up" is sensationally good - hammering the fan boy in us all on the three fronts that matter - sound - content and presentation.

You could argue that a British No. 1 album deserves such an elaborate display - but when you think about how 'ordinary' (if that's the word) some of the Panegyric reissues have been for YES (Steve Wilson Remixes also) especially on the presentation front - the no-stone-unturned 112-page booklet attached to the hard-back book is going to big-time impress even the most jaded of fans – the kind of visual and written feast you want to own and keep (that Bear Family feeling). There is a ton of detail to wade through so once more my bearded friends unto the Fat Man in Leicester Square...

UK released Friday, 18 November 2016 - "Stand Up: The Elevated Edition" by JETHRO TULL on Parlophone/Chrysalis 0190295932862 (Barcode 0190295932862) is a 2CD + 1DVD-Audio reissue housed in a Hardback Book Pack with a 112-page attached booklet. 

STEVE WILSON of Porcupine Tree fame (and an acknowledged solo career) has once again done the honours and sprinkled his knob-twiddling magic on the original 1969 Island Records LP – newly remixed here into both Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound. Disc 2 offers A Stockholm Concert from January 1969 and Includes Two Filmed Songs and other Rare Bonus Studio Tracks. It plays out as follows:

CD1 (71:40 minutes, 19 Tracks):
"Stand Up" The Album - A New Steve Wilson Stereo Remix
1. A New Day Yesterday
2. Jeffery Goes To Leicester Square
3. Bouree
4. Back To The Family
5. Look Into The Sun
6. Nothing Is Easy [Side 2]
7. Fat Man
8. We Used To Know
9. Reasons For Waiting
10. For A Thousand Mothers
Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Stand Up" - released 27 July 1969 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9013 and 29 September 1969 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6360 (both Stereo only - reissued August 1973 on Chrysalis CHR 1042). All tracks written by Ian Anderson (Produced by Ian Anderson and Terry Ellis) - the vinyl LP peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 20 in the USA.

Associated Recordings - Steve Wilson Stereo Remixes
11. Living In The Past
12. Driving Song
13. Bouree (Morgan Version)
Previously Unreleased

Original 1969 Stereo Single Mixes
14. Living In The Past
15. Driving Song
July 1969 US Promo-only Stereo Single on Reprise 0845-S
Also released on a 1970 Japanese LP compilation "Golden Jethro Tull" on Reprise SWG-7183

BBC Sessions (Mono)
16. A New Day Yesterday
17. Fat Man
18. Nothing Is Easy
19. Bouree
Recorded in Mono on 16 June 1969 at Maida Vale Studio 4 for the BBC Radio 1 'Top Gear' programme - broadcast 22 June 1969

CD2 (71:22 minutes, 13 Tracks):
Live At The Stockholm Konserthuset - 9 January 1969 (Recorded in Mono by Sveriges Radio)

Second Show
1. Introduction
2. My Sunday Feeling
3. Martin's Tune
4. To Be Sad Is A Mad Way To Be
5. Back To The Family
6. Dharma For One
7. Nothing Is Easy
8. A Song For Jeffrey

First Show
9. To Be Sad Is A Mad Way To Be (Different Lyric)

Original 1969 Mono Single Mixes
10. Living In The Past
11. Driving Song
Released 24 April 1969 in the UK as a 7" single on Island WIP 6056 - peaked at No. 3

Radio Spots
12. Stand Up Radio Spot No. 1
13. Stand Up Radio Spot No. 2
Issued as US Promo 45 on Reprise PRO-353

DVD-AUDIO and VIDEO:
NTSC, Region 0 (Exempt from Classification), Aspect Ratio 16:9 (except film footage 4:3):
Contains the entire "Stand Up" LP with the three 'Associated Recordings' in THREE variants (running order as per Tracks 1 to 13 on CD1):
(i) Remixed to 96/24 LPCM Stereo (Tracks 1 to 13)
(ii) Remixed to DTS 5.1 Surround Sound (Tracks 14 to 26)
(iii) A 96/24 Flat Transfer of The Original 1969 Stereo Mix (Tracks 27 to 36)

(iv) A 96/24 Flat Transfer in MONO of the 1969 Single "Living In The Past" and "Driving Song" (Tracks 37 and 38)
(v) A 96/24 Flat Transfer in STEREO of the 1969 Single "Living In The Past" and "Driving Song" (Tracks 39 and 40)
(vi) Film footage recorded 9 January 1969 at The Stockholm Konserthuset of two songs - "To Be Sad Is A Mad Way To Be" and "Back To The Family" (Tracks 41 and 42)

Produced by TERRY ELLIS (of Chrysalis) and bandleader IAN ANDERSON – Research is by TIM CHACKSFIELD – the liner notes are by MARTIN WEBB and PHIL SMEE did the superlative Reissue artwork and layout. STEVE WILSON handled the Stereo Remixes and 5.1 Surround Version while CD master assembly and DVD authoring are by PHIL SHULMAN at Isonic. Before we get to the sound – let's talk about the packaging...

Unlike the laughable Pink Floyd 'Discovery' Editions of 2011 that left little to 'discover' in barely annotated 12-page booklets (piddly gatefold card sleeves - the 2016 Pink Floyd Records reissues are the same) - this new Elevated Edition of "Stand Up" is gorgeous stuff. The opening pages are an accurate replica of Jimmy Hashow's beautiful 'Pop-Up' sleeve – something that made the original 1969 Island Records vinyl feel so special (Reprise Records in the USA). Style-wise the whole book package is the same size as the "Aqualung" set and others so sits on your shelf neatly. To give you an idea of the attention to detail - Pages 80 to 89 feature a day-by-day 'Chronology' of the band - each page is filled with as much fan memorabilia as possible - the 25th April 1969 advert for the UK release of the "Living In The Past" single on Island WIP 6056 (went to No. 3) - the advert for the August 1969 gig in the Anaheim Convention Centre in LA as a support act to Atlantic's hot new signing Led Zeppelin.

Martin Webb's charting of the band from the underground Progressive Bluesy Rock darlings of 1968's "This Was" (their Island Records debut) through to the international stars they became with 1969's second platter "Stand Up" is chronicled from Page 6 onwards. It includes contributions from Ian Anderson, Martine Barre, Clive Bunker and archive quotes from the late Glenn Cornick. Every page is filled with black and white and colour photos - Page 16 has a trade advert for The Jimi Hendrix Experience in Copenhagen with Tull as the support act in January 1969 - just days after the Stockholm concert captured on CD2 - there are lyrics to all songs - sheet music - live snaps of Ian dancing like a loon with flute in hand and all that hair flowing underneath his wool hat - reproductions of NME articles from December 1969 as they turned on US listeners too.

There's even pages from Ian's diary showing that Monday 29 September 1969 is the day for the US issue of "Stand Up" on Reprise Records whilst they would play Belfast's Ulster Hall that same night. Pages 92 to 95 is a 'remembering' tribute to original band member GLENN CORNICK that even goes to the length of showing his Wild Turkey band and their brief Discography. The final pages are about New York Artist JAMES 'Jimmy' GRASHOW who designed the gorgeous and elaborate pop-up cover from woodprints based on the Trevi Fountain in Rome (he also did the colour artwork for the 'Live Yardbirds' sleeve on Epic) - and finally words with John Burns and Andy Johns - the Engineers responsible for the album's sound. Parlophone have even put the DVD-Audio into a separate flap so it doesn't scuff - meaning that only two CDs are clipped into the back leaf and therefore you don't get that scratching thing that can happen on multiple disc sets - smart and practical. The album CD sport the original ‘Pink’ Island label, the 2nd CD a master tape from Stockholm and the DVD-Audio a picture disc of the album artwork.

But the big news is of course the AUDIO – new Steven Wilson Stereo Remixes for the album and its associated singles as well as a 5.1 Surround Version - and to borrow from Jack Sparrow's drunken parlance - they ROCK. The first few seconds of "A New Day Yesterday" will probably come as a shock to listeners – huge riffage now unleashed. I was frankly worried about my B&W 652 floorstanders as this beast came marauder-like into my nice Feng Shui living room – grungy guitars and harmonica a go-go (where's the party pal). The bass and rattling treated guitar/flute combo of "Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square" is much clearer too - punching like Donald Trump on a blow-up Hilary Clinton doll. But then I'm properly taken aback by an instrumental that I've been listening to for over 47 years - "Bouree" - the clarity of the Bass and Flute on this transfer is utterly amazing (Wilson has outdone himself on this). I've always loved Ian Anderson's treated vocals that so cleverly works all through the mid-tempo "Back To The Family" - and when the band does come crashing in - you can really feel the nut-kick.

I think I genuinely fell in love with Tull and their unique sound when I first heard the brilliant "Look Into The Sun" - a stunning swirling song that works its Acoustic magic on your senses as it floats along on summer lyrics. The guitars and that gentle bass are so sweetly clear. The throaty "Nothing Is Easy" brings us back to rocking - a very JT rollick. The drums and guitar breaks are superb - that cymbal rattling your speakers with naughty intent. I must admit I might have shed a wee Proggy tear when "Fat Man" came on - wow! This thing sounds incredible - not too much to carry around with you (Take 4 was the master apparently). Deceptive is what you'd call the slouching "We Used To Know" - an acoustic strummer that now has that distant vocal centred and those flute interludes wonderfully full (great guitar solo too). The album's other hidden masterpiece is the brill "Reasons For Waiting" - a sight for my eyes indeed. The Audio here can only be called sublime - clear and fresh - not loud for the sake of it - just present and beautifully captured (check out those strings arrangements towards the end of the song). The album pounds to a finish with the angry "For A Thousand Mothers".

As if the album isn't enough - we're clobbered with three Previously Unreleased Stereo versions of "Living In The Past", "Driving Song" and a 'Morgan Studio Version' of "Bouree" - and each is brilliant in their own way. My fave here is "Bouree" which features an Anderson spoken intro followed by that Flute and Bass - very clear and at 4:18 minutes goes off in tangents that will thrill hardcore JT fans. The 'Stereo' versions of "Living In The Past" and "Driving Song" for the US Reprise label sound a tad lacking after Wilson's work on the Unreleased Versions. The four BBC Maida Vale recordings are interesting Top Gear fare but after so much Stereo glory feel like an Audio let down in thinny Mono. I would say that the "Fat Man" combo-rattle of Mandolin and Tambourine is always 'good fun' in any shape of size and there’s great guitar work on "Nothing Is Easy".

"...The equipment is not ours so we'll do our best..." bandleader Ian Anderson complains in the Introduction to the Stockholm concert but then proceeds into a brilliant version of "My Sunday Feeling" despite the audio compromise. Thing is the band's freshness and humour come through as they continue with the flute instrumental "Martin's Tune" – clearly still milking the "This Was" album (you can hear how confident they were and that they were getting better as a live unit). Martin Barre's guitar is a bit fuzzy but the Audio is way better than bootleg status and still pretty exciting stuff. The R&B of the lesser-heard "To Be Sad Is A Mad Way To Be" is fantastic stuff – rough and rocking with that huge bass sound anchoring everything. And on it goes to the inevitable drum solo of "Dharma For One". The Mono Single Mixes are cool additions but the bomb is the short but witty 'mind blower' Radio Spots where the first has some geezer talking like he’s Maxwell Smart the secret agent ratting out some Russians. The second Radio Spot has some laughably despondent DJ telling us that the new Reprise album is 'like Roland Kirk playing flute over Cream...whatever that means' Yikes!

Admittedly I haven't had time to wade through the massive amount of material (and duplication) on the 42-part DVD-Audio - but I'm certain that the 5.1 Surround Sound Remix alone will elicit a movement where it might be embarrassing at my age (naughty Ian).

Naught embarrassing about this reissue though – a genuine 2016 major label triumph. And hopefully Warner's Parlophone will give the much-loved "Living In The Past" double-album compilation from 1972 the same superb all-over treatment in 2017 (its 45th Anniversary). Bring it on you wonderful bearded man...

"Benefit: A Collector's Edition" by JETHRO TULL (2013 Chrysalis 2CD/1DVD Set – Steve Wilson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Alive And Well And Living In..."

When Tull fans clapped their weary lugs on Steve Wilson's spectacular Remaster of Jethro's legendary 1971 LP "Aqualung" – they promptly sat bolt upright and took notice. Since then there's been a steady stream of Wilson-wonders and now its time to get perpendicular again for "Benefit" - their under-appreciated 3rd album from the spring of 1970. Having lived with this multi-disc baby for some months now – there's no doubt in my mind that this 2013 '2CD/1DVD' overhaul is yet another sonic jewel in a growing crown of audio-restoration achievements. Here are the breathy details...

UK released 28 October 2013 (29 October 2013 in the USA) – "Benefit: A Collector's Edition" by JETHRO TULL on Warner Brothers/Chrysalis 825646413270 (Barcode is the same) is a 2CD + 1DVD Reissue/Remaster featuring 'New 5.1 & Stereo Mixes with Associated Recordings 1969-1970' and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 – The Steven Wilson 2013 Stereo Mixes (65:01 minutes)

1. With You There To Help Me

2. Nothing To Say

3. Alive And Well And Living In

4. Son

5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me

6. To Cry For A Song [Side 2]

7. A Time For Everything?

8. Inside

9. Play In Time

10. Sossity: You're A Woman

Tracks 1 to 10 make up their 3rd album "Benefit" – released 20 April 1970 in the USA on Reprise RS 6400 and 1 May 1970 in the UK (delayed from 24 April 1970) on Chrysalis/Island ILPS 9123.

EXTRA TRACKS:

11. Singing All Day (Stereo)

12. Sweet Dream (Stereo)

13. 17 (Stereo)

14. Teacher – (4:58 minutes, UK Single Version, Stereo)

15. Teacher – (4:03 minutes, US Album Version, Stereo)

Disc 2 – Associated Recordings 1969-1970 (58:28 minutes):

1. Singing All Day (Previously Unreleased 1969 Mono Mix)

2. Sweet Dream (Mono Single Mix)

3. 17 (Mono Single Mix)

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of a non-album UK 7" single released 17 October 1969 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6070

4. Sweet Dream (Previously Unreleased 1969 Stereo Mix intended as a Promo)

5. 17 (Previously Unreleased 1969 Stereo Mix intended as a Promo, B-side of "Sweet Dream")

6. The Witch's Promise – Original 1969 Mono Mix used in Europe and USA - double A-side with "Teacher" (UK used the Stereo version, see Track 9)

7. Teacher - Original 1969 Mono Mix used in Europe and USA – double A-side with "The Witch's Promise" (UK used the Stereo version, see Track 10)

8. Teacher – US Album Version in Mono. Also issued as a double-A side with "The Witch's Promise" in Reprise Records territories

9. The Witch's Promise – original 1969 UK 7" single Stereo Mix issued 16 January 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6077, double-A with "Teacher"

10. Teacher - original 1969 UK 7" single Stereo Mix issued 16 January 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6077, Double-A with "The Witch's Promise"

11. Teacher – US Album Version, Stereo. Also issued as a US Promo 7" single with "Witch's Promise" on Reprise 0899

12. Inside (Single Edit, Mono) – Original 1970 UK 7" single Mono Mix/Edit – released May 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6081 – shorter in length to the LP version

13. Alive And Well And Living In (UK Single Mix, Mono) – released May 1970 on Chrysalis/Island WIP 6081 as the B-side to "Inside". A Stereo variant prepared in 1971 appeared on the 1972 double-album "Living In The Past"

14. A Time For Everything – A Mono Reduction of the 1970 Stereo Album Mix used on the Reprise Records LP - also a B-side to "Inside" in certain Reprise Records territories

15. Benefit AM Radio Spot No. 1 (Mono)

16. Benefit FM Radio Spot No. 2 (Stereo) – issued to US Radio Stations May/June 1970 on Reprise PRO 395

DVD, NTSC, All Regions (0), Aspect Ratio 16.9

Steven Wilson's 2013 Stereo Mixes of "Benefit" and 5 Extra Tracks in DTS and Dolby AC3 5.1 Surround & Stereo 96/24 LPCM (65:06 minutes)

Flat transfers of the Original UK and US LP Master in 96/24 LCPM (59:59 minutes)

Additional Tracks "Sweet Dream", "17" and "The Witch's Promise"

AUDIO Formats: DTS 96/24 5.1 Surround, Dolby AC3 5.1 Surround 96/24 Stereo LPCM

The 42-page booklet is superbly done and properly packed with fan-pleasing info. MARTIN WEBB gives a hugely detailed and deft history of that 'difficult' third album. After a successful tour supporting Led Zeppelin in the USA – Tull popped back to Blighty to record tracks. But the text cites Tull's inner-camp suspicion that singles were breaking the band. And even though the 45s were chart successes - the group felt it was album-buyers who loved them most (and they were proven right). Alongside all the discussion of American Tours and songwriting - you're treated to trade adverts for the LP (advertised as due 24 April 1970 but more likely to have arrived 1 May 1970) and rare Euro picture sleeves for "Sweet Dream" and "Witch's Promise/Teacher" (with or with the prefix 'The' on both tracks). On top of that there's caustic and witty track-by-track discussions by Ian Anderson (Lead Vocals, Flute, Principal Songwriter), Martin Barre (Guitars), Glenn Cornick (Bass) and Clive Bunker (Drums). It even references a 1999 interview with John Evans who was called in to lay down Piano and Organ (credited as John Evan on the LP). There's a 'Sessionography' page cleverly laid out in the text style of a Morgan Studios Tape Box (3 September 1969 to 25 February 1970), a list of US and UK Tour Dates for 1970, Terry Ellis notes on ‘Managing and Touring with Jethro Tull’ and finally STEVEN WILSON explanations on the Remasters in all its transfer complexity.

SOUND: I have to say that Wilson has once again done wonders with a Tull album. I’ve had my A1/B2 matrix LP of ILPS 9123 for way too many decades now and it's sounded brill – but these CD Remasters are glorious – full of warmth, detail and a musicality that I’ve not heard on any Previous CDs or Vinyl pressings. The Stereo imaging is noticeably better – not harsh left and right panning – but more centred. I don’t have a 5.1 system but a mate does and he’s been raving about the 'band in the living room' and sense of 'awe' that the Surround Mixes offer. Niggles – with all that effort and number of pages – it would have been good to include the lyrics this time around (songs like "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me" cry out for it).

As you can see from Disc 2 – Jethro Tull 7" singles in the UK, USA and other territories (Europe and Japan) were released in a plethora of Mono and Stereo Mixes and Edit variants that dizzies the brain. I never knew that the Double-A of "The Witch's Promise" and "Teacher" was issued in Stereo in the UK but only as Mono in European countries - while our American pals had to wait until the 1988 "20 Years Of Jethro Tull" Box Set to get their Mono version. At least this comprehensive issue sorts that out and other odd LP anomalies. The Steve Wilson Stereo Mix of "Teacher" on Disc 1 (Track 14) that runs to 4:58 minutes is a fabulous sonic revelation. Nearly 50 seconds longer than the American Reprise Records album version – US fans are going to love that stretched out guitar and the beautiful remaster. The notes also advise that the mixes for "Singing All Day", "The Witch's Promise" and "Teacher" that appeared on the 1972 "Living In The Past" double-album were actually done in 1971 so that would make the 1999 Mobile Fidelity 2CD versions of them exclusive. They've even fixed 'pitch' mistakes on both versions of "Teacher" faultily recorded on 8-track at the time. And of course those Previously Unreleased versions are amazing finds after all these years.

That wild Flute & Vocals flourish that begins "With You There To Help Me" opens Side 1 with a sinister almost creepy song of longing. The Remaster really accentuates those acoustic guitar strums from Barre. "Nothing To Say" is probably the most Prog song on the album and a musical fave of Martin Barre – sounding bigger now than ever. "Alive And Well And Living In" was the first track I really liked on the album and it's funny to read that in 2013 - Ian Anderson would 'bin it!' according to his typically forthright liner notes. Dustbin or no - the remaster on "Alive And Well And Living In" is wonderfully clear – especially those piano and acoustic battles between John Evans and Martin Barre supported so sweetly by the rhythm section of Glenn Cornick and Clive Bunker. "Son" is a nasty and hard-rocking 'father and son' parable with treated Ian Anderson vocals and at 1:29 minutes suddenly breaks into the most brilliant music/lyrics/in/tandem refrain. The largely Acoustic "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me" is brilliant - my personal poison for this LP. Written in the USA about the Moon Missions while they absorbed musical breakthroughs like the first Crosby, Stills & Nash LP – it has fabulous acoustic interplay between Anderson and Barre – and the Remaster is so damn good.

That Tull signature guitar sound opens Side 2 with "To Cry You A Song" – a song about displacement and being far away (three US tours) – and it continues with the 'little song' that is "A Time For Everything" – another Tull winner that straddles complex and simple in their strange song-structure way. Glenn Cornick rightly espouses his Bass line contribution to the superb "Inside" – but if I'm truthful I prefer the more prominent vocal on the Mono single mix. Funny how they all seem to hate "Play In Time" – a lyrical pun by Anderson on the difficulty of the band's time signatures. But I actually like its riffing guitars and mock Psychedelic sound effects. Even better is awesome audio quality to "Sossity: You're A Woman" – the album's accomplished finisher. Overall the whole LP transfer is a rip-roaring success to my ears...

Jethro Tull would go global in 1971 with "Aqualung" and rightly so. And it has to be truthfully said that Benefit's illustrious follow up is a better crop of songs and a more coherent LP in every way. But this fabulous 2013 reissue of 1970's "Benefit" should surely mean that this forgotten bow in Tull's arsenal of strings should be reappraised. Well done to all involved...