LIVING IN THE PAST

'Livin' in the Past' is a double-CD compilation, full of unreleased and b-side songs. Every fan of early Jethro Tull will find a huge bunch of jewels here, a lot of tracks in the vein of Stand Up & Benefit. Since it is a compilation, there are a few songs repeated, and if you got their early albums with the bonus tracks, almost all of them are taken from this double CD. But well, it still a masterpiece. Among other surprises, it contains a longer version of 'Wond'ring Aloud' ('Wond'ring Again'), an entire EP called 'Life is a Long Song' (with 5 tracks on it) which has quintessential acoustic stuff; a fantastic self-titled track (definitive old classic) and a couple of live numbers, which suppose to be the low notes. Well I'd agree with that, but it doesn't mean they're that terrible. In fact, I find them quite enjoyable despite their lenghts: a fantastic drum solo (This Was' 'Dharma for One' extended) and an "excuse" for Evan's skills as a pianist. And trust, he's an amazing pianist; at the intro, he features an excerpt from Beethoven's La Pathetique. Truly superb.

That's the album in a brief summary. Now, if you're looking for true new material unreleased here, they're mostly in the first side: the bluessy Driving Song, the rocker Sweet Dream; Christmas Song & Love Story (both released on This Was' later remastered version as bonus tracks); Singing All Day, Witches Promise & Just Trying To Be (they were also re-issued in this recently era on Benefit's remastered version), and the title-track. All of them are as excellent as any track from Stand Up or Benefit.

And yes, for me is very hard and strange to give a full rating to a compilation, but I wouldn't dare to call it so... Indeed, the real sticky song released before in an original album is Song for Jeffrey, which is the opening track.

I said wonders about the first side, but I should add a special mention to the five latest tracks, aforementioned as being part of a rare EP. Personally I love them, overall the acoustic tunes (Life is a Long Song, Up the 'Pool, Nursie). Surely many reviewers will agree with me if I consider them highlights too. Briefly, if you like the previous albums (including This Was), 'Living in the Past' must be your next purchase.

NOTE: Do not worry about the different versions of 'Living in the Past' that you can probably listen to; in some of them, the track 'Alive and Well and Living in' doesn't appear here, maybe since this track appears in the US version of Benefit. In others, tracks like 'Hymn 43' is absent and instead of it, there are tracks such 'Locomotive Breath' from Aqualung and Benefit's 'Inside'. But the essential stuff doesn't change seriously. It remains highly reccomended, overall for early Tull fans. Five stars.