A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC

A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC is a wonderful JETHRO TULL live album; This is not BURSTING OUT part 2!!! and i am glad for that. JETHRO TULL could have taken the easy road and do another ''greatest hits'' live with the same old classics, except the unavoidable LOCOMOTIVE BREATH at the end of this set. But one out of 17 songs, this is not bad. JETHRO TULL are not the ROLLING STONES repackaging the old hits over and over ad nauseam.

As the title indicates, we are not here for heavy metal/hard rock played in a arena. On the contrary, this is more like a intimate meeting between old friends with IAN ANDERSON as the master of ceremony cracking some jokes between songs. The sound is stripped down to a minimun with no keyboards or synths at all. Just bass, drums, electric and acoustic guitar and of course the trademark of the band, the flute, not forgetting a harmonica!!

MARTIN BARRE plays all in finesse except on some rocking tracks like THIS IS NOT LOVE from their-then current- CD CATFISH RISING.From this album, you get also a great rendition of one of its great track ROCKS ON THE ROAD, but thanks ,there are no DIRE STRAITS influences to be heard here.

The great thing about A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC is that it gives the listener the chance to hear live little forgotten gems from the past which are not part of any best-of compilations such as the wonderfuly sweet FROM A DEAD MAN TO AN OLD GREASER from the TOO OLD TO RnR album or the deliciously acoustic guitar- led NURSIE. Other goodies include LIFE IS ALONG SONG or the bluesy 1968 track from TIME WAS, SOMEDAY THE SUN WON'T SHINE FOR YOU!

A few notable surprises spice this album such as the presence of an acoustic instrumental version of UNDER WRAPS#2 (the only good track from this bad album) and an acoustic rendition of TOTRNR-TYTD title track stripped of all its PALMER lush arrangements from the original album. Also present is a cover of the old traditional folkloric tune JOHN BARELYCORN although not as good as the version already covered in the past by TRAFFIC,but still very decent.

This is mostly an acoustic album to enjoy peacefully, except for the occasional heavy BARRE riff like on the great A NEW DAY YESTERDAY. The voice of IAN ANDERSON curiously sounds better live than on the studio recordings of the time as it can be noticed on ROCK ISLAND where the live bonus tracks vocal renditions were much better than in studio as well. You will find a lot of great flute passages all over the album like once again on A NEW DAY YESTERDAY and great energy from the leader. You can feel IAN ANDERSON is having fun playing and singing all these songs and it shows.

The other good thing about this CD is that almost every period of JT is covered from TIME WAS to CATFISH RISING; so A LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC can be considered as a nice overview of their carreer; at least it shows their more mellow side with a lot of acoustic and simplicity in their music.

This album is like meeting an old friend, having good time with him sharing and remembering old stories all in total simplicity.A must- have for any JETHRO TULL lover.

4 STARS.

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