On October 25, 2010, Capitol/EMI re-released an expanded collector’s edition of Jethro Tull‘s Stand Up, in a retro-marvelous 2 CD/DVD deluxe set. Originally released in 1969 Stand Up shot to #1 on the British Album charts and in 1970 made the Billboards Top 200 Albums consecutively in 1972-75; and again in 1977. Then at the 1989 Grammy Awards, Jethro Tull’s Crest of a Knave bested Metallica’s And Justice For All and not without outrage from die-hard Metallica fans. An article featured in Time Magazine’s Top ten Grammy Moments. In response to the outrage, Jethro Tull’s record label placed a Billboard ad that read “The flute is a heavy, metal instrument.”

Formed in early 1968 by lyricist and vocalist Ian Anderson and widely known for his introduction of flute music into rock and roll, led the rock group since its inception. Tull was originally a blues-based rock band that touched on a few elements of British folk sound and evolving into one of the most successful bands in the 70′s and are still considered one of the world’s best- selling music artists. The collector’s edition’s first disc is a re-mastered version of the band’s original album Stand Up, including three bonus tracks that were recorded during their first US tour.

Jethro Tull Stand Up (Collector’s Edition) [2CD/DVD Audio; digital audio] Original album, re-mastered

• A New Day Yesterday
• Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square
• Bourée
• Back To The Family
• Look Into The Sun
• Nothing Is Easy
• Fat Man
• We Used To Know
• Reasons For Waiting
• For A Thousand Mothers
  Bonus tracks
• Living In The Past
• Driving Song
• Sweet Dream
• 17 [mono]
• Living In The Past [original mono single version]
  “Top Gear” BBC Radio session recorded 06/16/1969; broadcast 06/22/1969
• Bourée [mono]
• A New Day Yesterday [mono]
• Nothing Is Easy [mono]
• Fat Man [mono]
• Stand Up US radio spot #1
• Stand Up US radio spot #2

Of my favorites “Sweet Dream” features an intoxicating orchestra of fantastic from Anderson’s flute and vocals, while Barre’s guitar acts as a mood stabilizer and Bunker (drums) and Cornick (bass) conjured beats and riffs caused an evocation of head and hips into a whip of rhythmic fury! “Bourée” transcends soul and reflection in a song of life and living it seems as Anderson and his flute dominates and weave it’s own tale without need of vocal lyrics. “Bourée,” is Anderson’s version of Bach’s Lute Suite in E Minor BWV 996 and is a mellow and masterful groove and is an evocative moment on the CD for musicianship. “Stand Up” is also featured on disc one and has two radio spots versions of the track.

Disc 2 has the edited version of Tull’s 1970 Live at Carnegie Hall benefit concert for a drug rehabilitation center in New York City. What is fantastic and unique about this recorded concert is that it has never been released before in its entirety.

Featured on Disc 2:

Live At Carnegie Hall [1970]

• Nothing is easy
• My God
• With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
• A Song For Jeffrey
• To Cry You A Song
• Sossity, You’re A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You’re A Woman
• Dharma For One
• We Used To Know
• Guitar Solo
• For A Thousand Mothers

The Collector’s Edition DVD has Jethro Tull Live at the Carnegie Hall in 1970 (audio only), and as a bonus feature, an interview in London with Ian Anderson, 2010. Ian Anderson sitting on a black leather couch discussing how Jethro Tull got started and how they began to write more eclectic music as they went on and maintain the sound. Also in the conversation discussing other bands at the time. It was amazing to watch Anderson discuss the band’s longevity and change throughout the years and how the band tried different approaches to song.

Featured on the DVD – disc 3:  Live At Carnegie Hall [1970] Carnegie Hall audio: DTS & Dolby Digital 24 bit 48kHz 5.1 surround sound and 2.0 24 bit 48 kHz LPCM stero [audio only]

• Introduction
• Nothing Is Easy
• My God
• With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
• A Song For Jeffrey
• To Cry You A Song
• Sossity, You’re A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You’re A Woman
• Dharma For One
• We Used To Know
• Guitar Solo
• For A Thousand Mothers
  DVD Bonus Feature
• An Interview with Ian Anderson [London, 2010]

“It was songs from Stand Up that introduced Jethro Tull to the US and Europe. For many it was their first taste of the eclectic style and varied material of the band and was savored by enthusiastic and growing audiences wherever they played. Many of these songs still form part of the rotating set lists of Jethro Tull concerts to this day.” EMI/Capitol.

The Jethro Tull Stand Up Collector’s Edition in Pop-Up sleeve is a splendid collection of recordings–clear and clean, as if it were recorded and packaged the same instant to seal in its moment and air of musical history.

Highly recommended collection for any Jethro Tull’s fans, old and new.

Article first published as Music Review: Jethro Tull’s Stand Up Expanded Collectors Edition on Blogcritics