"A Passion Play" by JETHRO TULL – July 1973 UK and US Sixth Studio LP on Chrysalis Records featuring Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and Barrimore Barlow (June 2015 UK Chrysalis Records '1CD Reissue with A Steven Wilson Stereo Remix' - 2014 Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Death And Glory On The Fulham Road..."

1973's "A Passion Play" finally saw my love affair with Jethro Tull take a serious nosedive. 

Like so many Rock Boys I had fallen for the freshness of 1969's "Stand Up", the underrated 1970 outing "Benefit", and went headlong into the music, artwork and lyrics of "Aqualung" in 1971. I dug the 2LP roundup of old and new material in 1972's end of year "Living In The Past" too. Hell, I even tolerated the newspaper complexity and slightly up-its-own-anus pretentiousness of "Thick As A Brick". 

But despite being totally immersed in Jazz Funk, Fusion Rock and anything even remotely Starship Trooper or Selling England Proggy in 1973 - "A Passion Play" made my heart sink like a ground-almonds turd. It was like winning a front row seat in Nicola Sturgeon's "Transparency and Honesty” seminar. In short, I thought it was cack. 

The endless one-piece-of-music-thing had no tunes - musicianship yes - but no discernible songs. And despite my best efforts with repeated plays – CHR 1040 left me stone cold and (as I recall) inexplicably angry. Even the centred 'Linwell Theatre' programme annoyed me with the five-piece band listed as nondescript characters like Max Quad and Mark Ridley. I gave the beast another whirl when they remastered Tull's catalogue in 2003, but despite "The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" supposed Video Bonus - again I threw it in the compost regurgitation sanitation unit outside our nice clean family home in E17 like a soiled handkerchief from Aqualung's overcoat. 

So why review it now? The reason is Steven Wilson's Remix and Remaster. It is reissued here (June 2015) as a single-disc version so as to make the first disc of 2014’s 2CD and 2DVD "An Extended Performance" Hardback Digibook set available to all at a reasonable price. And like his astonishing work on "Aqualung" (a notoriously lo-fi affair) – Wilson has somehow made a silk purse out of the proverbial gnat's undercarriage. 

In absolute honesty, I still hate "A Passion Play" with a vengeance. But damn does this CD sound good - amazing at times. And now that it breaks down the two long sides into 15 discernible sections (albeit run together still), the album is at least a tad more accessible. Wilson even found 50-extra-seconds of music to "The Foot Of Our Stairs" lost for over 40 years that he's reinstated with IA’s blessing (easily one of the better pieces on the album). He also hasn't exorcised out many of the Soprano Saxophone parts Ian Anderson thought were cluttering up certain parts of the mix. 

Well, it's dense for sure, but so not bloody busy-busy as it was to me back in the day. So once more you passionate players to the Linwell Theatre and its latest production...

UK released 29 June 2015 - "A Passion Play: A Steven Wilson Stereo Remix" by JETHRO TULL on Chrysalis 0825646146512 (Barcode 0825646146512) is a CD Reissue and Remaster that plays out as follows (45:31 minutes):

1. Lifebeats/Prelude [Side 1]

2. The Silver Cord 

3. Re-Assuring Tune 

4. Memory Bank

5. Best Friends 

6. Critique Oblique 

7. Forest Dance No. 1

8. The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles 

9. Forest Dance No. 2 [Side 2]

10. The Foot Of Our Stairs

11. Overseer Overture

12. Flight From Lucifer 

13. 10:08 To Paddington 

14. Magus Perde 

15. Epilogue 

Tracks 1 to 15 are their sixth studio album "A Passion Play" - released July 1973 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1040 (same catalogue number in both countries). Produced by IAN ANDERSON - it peaked at No. 13 in the USA and went to No.1 in America. This 'Steven Wilson Stereo Remix' first issued 30 June 2014 on "A Passion Play: An Extended Performance" on Chrysalis 2564630567 - a 2CD/2DVD Digibook Presentation. 

JETHRO TULL was:

IAN ANDERSON - Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Soprano Saxophones 

MARTIN BARRE - Electric Guitars 

JOHN EVAN - Piano, Organ, Synthesizers and Speaker on "The Story Of The Hare..."

JEFFREY HAMMOND-HAMMOND - Bass and Vocals 

BARRIEMORE BARLOW - Drums, Timpani, Glockenspiel and Marimba 

The chunky 24-page booklet gives the full horror-story of the album's conception and recording – Tull as Tax Exiles initially at the mercy of the ragged (apparently) bed-bug-infested Chateau d'Herouville studios and accommodation in France - a place used by Elton John for "Honky Chateau", Pink Floyd's "Obscured By Clouds" and Cat Stevens' latest on Island - "Catch Bull At Four". 

The recorded music done there was scrapped and became the legendary lost Tull album, a part of which was wittily named as 'The Chateau D'Isaster Tapes' in 1988 for the "20th Anniversary Of Jethro Tull" Box set ("Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of A New Day" was also a part of those sessions and used later). Tull drew a line under this recording fiasco, using that music as a sort of dress rehearsal for "A Passion Play" which was recorded 'properly' in Montreux (the concept Symphonic/Prog Rock album is a tale of chap who dies on the Fulham Road and then goes through Good vs. Evil tests on the other side). Wilson even explains how he approached the remaster in the final pages. It's all very thorough and in-depth including many comments from the band in hindsight - the bad reaction to both UK live shows of the album in its entirety, the music press also hating the record on release – but US fans voting with their pockets and putting the LP up at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. To the music...

It opens badly - "Lifebeats/Prelude" taking an age to fade in and then disappearing into a barrage of pointless notes. "And so I am dead...the young man said..." Anderson sings in the better melody of "The Silver Cord" - his acoustic guitar runs along with Evan's matching piano suddenly feeling so clear and pretty. More doubled-acoustics follow, joined by electric guitars and saxophones for "Re-Assuring Tune" - that Anderson gut-string solo so clear in your speakers now. Things 'rawk' with "Best Friends" - riffage and echoed vocals with muscle. 

But my fave passages are the two "Forest Dance" parts - pretty Prog is what I like to call it. Unfortunately it's sandwiched between the unnerving rubbish of "The Story Of Hare..." - a cod spoken piece punctured by plinking instruments and dreadfully effected vocals. Over on Side 2 is a short but sweet Acoustic March instrumental called "10:08 To Paddington" followed by electric guitars in "Magus Perde" that still sound slightly off despite Wilson's best efforts. 

"A Passion Play" divides - but this stunning-audio reimagining doesn't. One day, I may even make my peace with the album - maybe. But if I do, it will be at the hands of the marvellous Porcupine Tree magician Steve Wilson and his stellar work here...

"Phaedra" by TANGERINE DREAM – February 1974 Fifth LP on Virgin Records V 2010 featuring Edgar Froese, Christoph Franke and Peter Baumann (June 2019 UK The Virgin Recordings CD Reissue on Universal/Virgin Records – Album Tracks 1 to 4 Remastered by Ben Wiseman – Bonus Tracks 5 and 6 Remixed and Remastered From Original Tapes by Steven Wilson) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Mysterious Semblance..."

I can vividly remember the early spring of 1974 and seeing the strangely beautiful gatefold sleeve of V 2010 in all the hipper Dublin record shops and wondering what gurgling VCS3 layers lay within its blue-tinted innards? Was it indeed "Music That Melts" as the Virgin adverts cleverly put it in the magazine of the day – phone, radio, and turntable – all slithering off tables in a river of melted New Age plastic?

And when I got it home and slapped on that gorgeous Two Virgins colour label we’d all become so intrigued by since March 1973’s “Tubular Bells” and watched it turn at 33 1/3 on to my trusty Garrard SP 25 (with Dustbuster accompaniment) - indeed the beast that is "Phaedra" was dripping and flanging and generally Kraut Rock bubbling all over our nice middle-class carpet. I hadn’t been exposed to this much knob twiddling since my days with a Meccano Industrial Digger Set…

Like most fans – Tangerine Dream’s fifth LP "Phaedra" and sixth (1975's "Rubycon") were our intro to the German New Age Synth Instrumental Prog Rock Band - our Electronic appetites wetted by Can and Amon Düül II over on United Artists and that laugh-a-minute road-cone mob Kraftwerk over on Vertigo. But does it stand up in 2020? If I'm truthful, what was thrilling back then has slightly faded now – this is for devotees only with (if you’ll forgive the pun) electronic virgins wondering why all the fuss, legend and even the five-star reviews.

But there is no doubt at all in my mind about the Audio - leaps above the vinyl that always felt too lo-fi and the subsequent CD reissues - too underwhelming. This 2019 "The Virgin Recordings" version from "In Search Of Hades" Box Set is ethereal and the Two Bonus Steven Wilson Remixes are a full-on muscular revelation that will surely make many fans weep a wee Proggy tear and love 1974 all over again. Let's get to the Mysterious Semblance man...

UK released 14 June 2019 - "Phaedra" by TANGERINE DREAM on Universal/Virgin 774 695-8 (Barcode 602577469589) is part of The Virgin Recordings CD Reissue Series offering the 4-Track 1974 LP with Two Bonus Tracks (Remixed by Steven Wilson from original tapes in 2019) that plays out as follows (57:53 minutes):

1. Phaedra (17:36 minutes) [Side 1]

2. Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares (9:41 minutes) [Side 2]

3. Movements Of A Visionary (7:55 minutes)

4.  Sequent C' (2:18 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 4 are their fifth album "Phaedra" – released 20 February 1974 in the UK on Virgin V 2010 and June 1974 in the USA on Virgin VR 13-108. Produced by EDGAR FROESE – it peaked at No. 15 on the UK LP charts and No. 196 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

5. Phaedra (Steven Wilson 2018 Stereo Remix, 17:37 minutes)

6. Sequent C' (Steven Wilson 2018 Stereo Remix, 2:21 minutes)

TANGERINE DREAM was:

EDGAR FROESE – Mellotron, Guitar-Bass, VCS3 Synthesizer and Flute

CHRISTAPH FRANKE – Moog Synthesizer, Keyboards, VCS3 Synthesizer

PETER BAUMANN – Organ, Electric Piano, VSC3 Synthesizer and Flute

The 12-page booklet features the original gorgeous silver gatefold artwork (a wee bit diminished by size it has to be said), period photos, concert tickets and the usual reissue credits. It's a damn shame (despite what the sticker says) there are no illuminating liner notes - but the BEN WISEMAN Remaster of the original album and the STEVE WILSON Remix Bonus Tracks more than make up for any lack of words. And nowadays (April 2020), it can be bought for under six quid.

I'd forgotten how lovely "Sequent C'" is and that pumping rhythm as "Phaedra" gathers pace about five minutes in.  The swish and swirl of "Mysterious Semblance..." floats out of your speakers in waves of Mellotron and VCS3 Synth sounds - our drowning-in-keyboards trio creating huge pallets of mystery. And those echoed twiddles as "Movements Of A Visionary" builds to an electronic rhythm that hypnotizes (always been the best track for me). But I can't quite get over how good the Steve Wilson Remix of the Side 1 "Phaedra" is - more oomph, more meat, utterly brilliant.

As you peruse the concert adverts for artists like Kevin Ayers, Supertramp, Osibisa and Tangerine Dream - you can't help think - them was the days - and this superb CD Remaster will help you revisit them...

"Aqualung" by JETHRO TULL. A Review Of Their 1971 Album Now Remastered Onto A 40th Anniversary 2CD Set.

This review is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…He's Not The Kind You Have To Wind Up On Sunday…"

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2CD VERSION ***

Little will prepare Tull fans for this. The sonic improvement and clarity on this 2CD remix/remaster is off-the-charts good - a truly fantastic improvement.

A little history is needed to explain this - the CD reissues of this acknowledge gem have been fraught with so-so versions - a duffer bare-bones 1st outing in 1987, a 25th Anniversary attempt in 1996 (which to my ears is one of the worst remasters I've ever heard) and a much better shot at it by the audiophile company DCC in the States a year later. Good rather than great. We'll at last - for it's 40th anniversary in 2011 - EMI UK finally gets it right.

Here are the details first - UK released Monday 31 Oct 2011, "Aqualung 40th Anniversary Special Edition" is a 2CD set on EMI/Chrysalis AQUAS 1 (5099908799920) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (43:25 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 11 are their 4th album "Aqualung" - released 19 March 1971 in the UK on Chrysalis ILPS 9145 and 3 May 1971 in the USA on Reprise MS 2035. It reached number 4 and 7 on the UK and US LP charts. No 45's were released to support the album in the UK, but "Hymn 43" was put out as a 7" single in the USA with "Mother Goose" as its B-side on Reprise 1024.

Disc 2 (44:51 minutes):
Track 1 is "Lick Your Fingers Clean" - an album outtake that first appeared on the 1996 25th Anniversary reissue - this is a 2011 'New Mix'. It was supposed to be released as a single in 1971 on Chrysalis WIP 6098 in the UK, but was withdrawn
Track 2 is "Just Trying To Be" - first appeared as the last track on Side 2 of the July 1972 double album "Living In The Past". This is a 2011 'New Mix' at 1:37 minutes
Track 3 is "My God (Early Version)" - a 9:42 minute outtake complete with studio dialogue at the beginning
Track 4 is "Wond'ring Aloud" - a 1:51 minute outtake recorded 13 Dec 1970
Track 5 is "Wind Up" - an 'Early Version' at 5:21 minutes with Ian Anderson on piano. This is a 2011 'New Mix'
Track 6 is "Slipstream (Take 2)" - a 54-second outtake
Track 7 is "Up The 'Pool" - an 'Early Version' at 1:12 minutes (released version is Track 10)
Track 8 is "Wond'ring Aloud, Again" - a 7:07 minute 'Full Morgan Version' with the band and extra verses
Tracks 9 to 13 are "Life Is A Long Song", "Up The Pool", "Dr Bogenbroom", "From Later" and "Nursie". 11 to 13 are new 2011 remasters. All 5 tracks were recorded in May 1971 and made up the "Life Is A Long Song" 7" EP released September 1971 on Chrysalis WIP 6106 in the UK (the picture sleeve is featured in the booklet). They reappeared as Tracks 3 to 7 on Side 4 of the "Living In The Past" double LP in 1972.
Track 14 is a 52-second "US Radio Spot" featuring Ian Anderson talking about the album and God with music snippets from several tracks
Note: Tracks 3, 4, 6 7 and 8 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The 2CDs are housed in a 3-way foldout card digipak with a 32-page booklet. Nice touches include the painting-artwork of Burton Silverman reproduced beneath the 2 see-through trays (the inner gatefold of the original vinyl LP), the CDs are green in colour as per the original Chrysalis labels and the booklet numbers the pages in Roman numerals in keeping with the original album artwork. There are knowledgeable and detailed liner notes by DOM WILSON featuring new interviews with principal songwriter and lead vocalist IAN ANDERSON. The booklet is peppered with new colour photos from the period and a nice collage shot of trade adverts, foreign pictures sleeves and promo-related stuff. But the really big news is the NEW SOUND...

Pages 26 and 27 give a detailed description by STEVEN WILSON on the lengths he went to in the remixing/remastering process to get the best possible sound out of the 8 and 16-track master tapes without compromising the integrity of the original recordings. Multi-track Transfers were done by KRIS BURTON and Mastering carried out by PETER MEW at Abbey Road (a name long associated with quality reissues - see Listmania and tags). The results are amazing.

Even as the opening riff of "Aqualung" rattles around your speakers accompanied by the sleazy "...sitting on a park bench..." lyrics - the audio quality is in your face, but not in a forced way. Suddenly the track has real muscle and the details leap out at you. It's breathing for the first time. "Cross-Eyed Mary" has superlative bass end now and the treated guitar 'so' good. But for me the real fireworks start with the double combo of the acoustic "Cheap Day Return" with the acoustic/rock of "Mother Goose". The improvement is GLORIOUS - and when the guitar kicked in half way through "Mother Goose" - I'll confess to blubbing out a little proggy tear. "Up To Me" is fantastically good too. The improvement continues on Side 2 - but even more so. The riff in "Hymn 43" is just huge now and the quiet lead into "Locomotive Breath" is not drenched in hiss - but clean and powerful. The album ends with "Wind Up" which has the best lyrics Anderson ever wrote about personal beliefs and it sounds just wonderful (lyrics above).

I had thought after the blast of the album that Disc 2 would be throwaway - not so. A truly lovely gem tucked away on the "Living In The Past" 1972 double is "Just Trying To Be" which I had on a 1999 Mobile Fidelity remaster (see review) - well here the sound quality is beautiful and far better. I was also taken aback by the full 7-minute band version of "Wond'ring Aloud, Again" which properly stretches out - it's a superb bonus. It takes the "Wond'ring Aloud" album track from "Aqualung" at 1:53 minutes length and adds on the "Wond'ring Again" outtake at 4:15 minutes length that turned up on the 1972 "Living In The Past" double and segues way them together with an extra bridge in the song and more lyrics (hence its new title here is a make up of both song titles). It's very cleverly done and because there's new bits in it - it's been called 'Previously Unreleased'. The roughest sounding outtake here is the 'Early Version' of "My God", but again his passion in the vocals is the reason for inclusion. And again the clarity on the 5-track "Life Is A Long Song" EP is far better than that on the MF release. Great stuff...

Niggles - the original album had an inner sleeve with lyrics - no show. This is a sloppy exclusion especially given the importance of words on this album.

I bought "Aqualung" when it came out in March 1971 as a spotty 12-year old and have loved it ever since. Finally this reissue does it justice. And the "Super Deluxe" box set has further 5.1 mixes that have received rave reviews too.

I suspect that Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree), Kris Burton and Peter Mew will be up for awards for their mastering skills on this reissue - a top job done and one of 'the' reissues of 2011.

Roll on "Living In The Past" the 1972 Double Album - it deserves the same lavish treatment...