STAND UP

This review is hard to do, as I left my cd at home, and failed to copy the mp3s to this computer. So I have to do this from memory, but trust me, I have listened to this album more than enough! This was in fact the first rock album I have ever listened to on my own accord, so this review may be just a little biased.

"A New Day Yesterday" starts off where THIS WAS left off - with a memorable bluesy riff and dynamics changing from soft blues to loud hard rock. One of the most recognizable Tull tunes, and it was covered by the modern bluesman Joe Bonamassa (and this album was also named after the song)! Who knew this early incarnation of Tull had a following among bluesmen?! The second tune (and the second installment in the "songs about a guy named Jeffrey" series), previews what Jethro Tull would do in the field of folk rock during the far distant 70s. "Bouree" is a great live showpiece. This is where Ian Anderson does his most famous antic - standing one on leg while playing the melody to this Bouree from one of Bach's lute suites. And he takes it pretty seriously, as he had broken his leg many a time while attempting this stunt! "Back to the Family" and "Look Into the Sun", are relatively unkown tunes but quite pleasant to listened to, especially the latter one, with its memorable melody.

The second side started with "Nothing is Easy", a great proto-hard rock burner. I regret that I can't listen to it right now and bang my head along. "Fat Man" is another folky number, and the next two are ballads. Especially the second ballad "We Used to Know" is very memorable, because it is really "Hotel California" 7 years before "Hotel California" came out! Unfortunately Jethro Tull messed up on one chord change and therefore didn't get the acclaim they deserved for their composition. It's remarkable that it took the easylistening country rock outfit EAGLES seven full years to seize the opportunity to cash in on this jem by changing one chord. "For a Thousand Mothers" ends the album in a very hard rockish manner. Great riffs and solos on this one!

BONUS TRACKS: Contained here are "Living in the Past" and "Sweet Dreams", very well known early singles from the band, and very good ones! "Driving Song" was a b-side I guess, also released on a compilation album 3 years later, and "17" is an obscure number, and very different from this original album, with a rather rough sound.

On this album the band started to expand more into folk and classical sounds, but the blues core still remained. A very charming album by the young naive rockers and an excellent addition to any prog rock collection.