STAND UP

Jethro Tull's next studio album, 1969's Stand Up, was a huge step forward in the band's musical progression. Due in part to that leap forward, Ian Anderson has cited this as his personal favorite Tull record. It was also their first #1 record, thanks in part to popularity gained by touring with Led Zeppelin in the US.

The opening track, "A New Day Yesterday", isn't that much of a departure from This Was. Martin Barre's playing style is distinct from Mick Abrahams's, but it's still a blues song. The second song, though, "Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square" offers a sharper contrast. It's a happy little folk number, featuring flute from Martin Barre (who also provided flute on one other track).

"Bourée", the third track, is a rearranging of J.S. Bach's Bourée in E Minor for Lute, and it's one of Jethro Tull's best-known songs. It transforms the airy lute piece into a driving jazz number, and it demonstrates just how far Ian Anderson had progressed in his flute skills between the first and second albums.

"Fat Man" is another example of the band testing out new ground. Jingling bells and jangling balalaika are the primary instruments. It's a jaunty, folky song with some slightly goofy lyrics. Following this is "We Used to Know", a slow-building, mournful song. The soloing from both Anderson and Barre is intense and emotive.

The unquestionable highlight, to me, at least, is the closing "For a Thousand Mothers". It's a charging, aggressive piece that moves a mile a minute. Clive Bunker's drumming especially stands out, channeling the madness of The Who's Keith Moon. Anderson plays his flute hard, giving it a biting, slightly distorted edge, and the main guitar riff drives the song with impressive power.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/07/25/deep-dive-jethro-tull/