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Jethro Tull - Benefit CD (album) cover

BENEFIT

Jethro Tull

 

Prog Folk

3.92 | 1214 ratings

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Proghead
Prog Reviewer
5 stars I've been always having a difficult time trying to review this album. Ten years ago (1992-93) I was in my JETHRO TULL phase, and I was often letting people know my likings for these guys. Ten years later, it turns out that "Benefit" remains one of my favorites. I find this album a more mature offering than "Stand Up", and the sound quality is definately much better. Yes, it's a more difficult album to get in to than its predecessor, that's why "Benefit" had received its share of criticisms. New member John Even provides piano and organ, making it easier for the keyboard parts (after all, the piano and organ on "Stand Up" was from ANDERSON himself), although he was credited as an official member yet. My favorite cuts include "With You There To Help Me", "Nothing to Say", "Inside", "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, and Me", "Play in Time", and strangely, I also like the acoustic "Sossity, You're a Woman".

Many of the songs on this album point towards the direction of "Aqualung" (like "Nothing to Say"), especially from Martin Barre's guitar work. Also only half the songs features ANDERSON's flute work. The reason was that ANDERSON wanted to demonstrated that the band could still float without his flute on some of the cuts, and it works. In fact, on side one, only "With You There To Help Me" and "Inside" features his flute. As for "Teacher", the hit on the album, apparently it only appeared on the American version, and "Alive and Well and Living In" was on the British version ("Teacher" was released as a single there - the flip side being "Witches Promise", you get to hear all these songs, as well as "Alive and Well and Living In" on the double album set "Living in the Past"). "Benefit" sure makes me wish it was 1970 again (even though I wasn't alive in '70). Great stuff.

Proghead | 5/5 |

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