ESSENTIAL

'Essential' is a compilation of Jethro Tull and was released in 2011. This compilation comprises tracks from several albums of Jethro Tull. So, we have four tracks from 'Stand Up', one track from 'Benefit', two tracks from 'Aqualung', two tracks from 'War Child' and two tracks from 'Living In The Past'. It has two very small extracts, one of 'Thick As A Brick' of 'Thick As A Brick' and other of 'A Passion Play' of 'A Passion Play', too. It has also three unreleased tracks.

'Essential' has sixteen tracks. 'Living In The Past' is from 'Living In The Past'. It's one of the highlights of Tull's career and it was a bit revolutionary at the time, especially for a single, one of the best prog rock singles. 'A New Day Yesterday' is from 'Stand Up'. It's a classic song with a heavy blues influence. It hasn't a complex arrangement, but results so well that it became a great track. It has a fantastic performance, especially a Glen Cornick's aggressive bass line. 'Bour'e' is from 'Stand Up'. It's one of their most recognisable tracks and it's based on a piece of J. S. Bach. It's an interesting instrumental with some jazz influence, with a great flute solo and a fantastic bass line. This adaptation of that classical piece became one of the most popular adaptations of classical pieces for the masses. 'Nothing Is Easy' is from 'Stand Up'. This is another classic Tull's song. It's a fantastic track with several sections and with incredible performance. The interaction between the flute and the guitar and the balance between the power and elegance is great. 'Fat Man' is from 'Stand Up'. It's a happy and fast song where the balalaika gives some special atmosphere. It's a typical classic Tull's song with a unique sound. 'Sweet Dream' was never released on a studio album. It was released as a single. It was recorded during the sessions of 'Stand Up'. It later appeared on the 1972 compilation 'Living In The Past'. It's s a heavy and experimental tune, a dizzying blend of a hard rock track, a bit pompous on the brass part, but I like it. 'Witches Promise' was never released on a studio album. It was released as a single. It was recorded during the sessions of 'Benefit'. It later appeared on the 1972 compilation 'Living In The Past'. It's a ghostly orchestral number with fantastic build and creepy flute that comes from everywhere. It could have easily fit on 'Benefit'. 'Teacher' is from 'Benefit'. This is only true in relation to the US version. On the UK version, despite it has eleven tracks too, the order of the tracks is different and 'Teacher' was replaced by 'Alive And Well And Living In'. It's a good song for a single with good melody and composition, as happen usually with all their songs. 'Aqualung' is from 'Aqualung'. 'Aqualung' is one of the best Tull's songs. It's a well known song, very heavy and dark with acoustic elements. 'Locomotive Breath' is from 'Aqualung'. 'Locomotive Breath' is a Tull's legendary track with great piano, guitar and excellent flute work, one of their best tracks, really. 'Life Is A Long Song' was never released on any studio album. It was first released on 'Life Is A Long Song' EP. It later appeared on the 1972 compilation 'Living In The Past'. It's a very beautiful acoustic symphonic track. The song is centred on Anderson's acoustic guitar playing and the lyrics are about everydays life. It represents one of the nicest things Anderson composed. 'Thick As A Brick (Edit N'. 8)' is from 'Thick As A Brick'. The version on this compilation is a very short edited version of the theme. 'Thick As A Brick' is their greatest opus with more than 40 minutes. So, is ridiculous to reduce it so shortly. 'A Passion Play (Edit N'. 8)' is from 'A Passion Play'. The version on this compilation is a very short edited version. As happened with 'Thick As A Brick', 'A Passion Play' which has also more than 40 minutes, was also cut too short. Again, this option remains incomprehensible. 'Skating Away (On The Thin Ice Of A New Day)' is from 'War Child'. It's a great acoustic song with nice orchestral arrangements that gives to it an interesting pleasant touch. It's one of the favourite songs of the band, usually performed live on their live venues. 'Bungle In The Jungle' is from 'War Child'. This is a melodious song well orchestrated composed in a pop commercial style. It's very simple, very humorous and nothing pretentious, a typical hit song made to sell an album. 'Rainbow Blues' was never released on their studio albums. It's a leftover track from 'War Child' recording sessions. It was issued for the first time on this compilation. It was also issued as a bonus track on the remastered edition of 'War Child', in 2002. 'Rainbow Blues' is a good rocker with great orchestration, good guitar, flute and organ parts, really.

Conclusion: 'Essential' is a compilation album that covers the years between 1969 until 1975, which means that it has tracks from the eight first studio albums of Jethro Tull, with the exception of their debut studio album 'This Was'. So, we can say that apparently, it's very well representative of the music of the band until that moment. It has also some very good tracks of some of the best albums released by the band. However, it suffers from the same problem that many compilations of the band suffer. I'm talking about the incomprehensible and unjustifiable criminal act of reduce two of their best and lengthiest pieces, 'Thick As A Brick' and 'A Passion Play' to a very small extracts with about 3 minutes long, each. So, the rating I can give to the compilation is 2 stars. It's a compilation for collectors and fans only.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)