Record Reviews
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  | JETHRO TULL ~ CATFISH RISING (EXPANDED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 370977 (Barcode: 094637097724) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1987 - 1991 Released: 2006
19th studio album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and the first one recorded in the 1990s, their 4th decade in the Rock trenches. By general consensus (even the critics) this is JT’s strongest album since their glory days of the 1970s. In the new liner notes of the reissue Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist says that this album “is probably the most Blues-influenced album since the 1968 This Was record”. And so it is, a splendid example of Blues / Rock, with almost no folk or classical influences. The lineup is the same as on the predecessor - a quartet with the excellent Martin BarreFind albums by this artist on guitar, veteran David PeggFind albums by this artist on bass and Doane PerryFind albums by this artist on drums and three guest keyboards players, including Andrew GiddingsFind albums by this artist who later was to join the on a permanent basis. Anderson managed to come up with some superbly crafted tunes and the album has a beautiful natural flow to it. In short, JT entered the 1990s with a bang, proving again that old heroes still have a trick or two hidden in their sleeves. The bonus tracks include a studio takeout and a live track recorded in 1987. For all JT fans this is of course a must and if you are not familiar with the album, do yourself a favor and check it out.
| | Updated: 31/07/2026Posted: | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ LIVE FROM BALOISE SESSION
EAR MUSIC 4029759202219 (Barcode: 4029759202219) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2025
This is the 11th live album, an archival release by the British Progressive Rock masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, recorded in 2008 at the Baloise Session indoor festival in Basel, Switzerland. The lineup that recorded this album comprises of founder / leader / vocalist / flautist Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, bassist David GoodierFind albums by this artist and drummer Doane PerryFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents fifteen tracks, which span the entire recorded history of the band from the very early days on.
JT were always a great live act and I had plenty of opportunity to hear them in concert over the years since they appeared on the scene. Anderson’s voice deteriorated steadily over time, as this album aptly demonstrates, but their instrumental abilities were always top notch, including herein. The choice of the material is a bit “trivial”, i.e. expected, but JT fans – yours truly including – enjoy hearing the good old stuff again and again, which is exactly what happens here. Especially so in the case of the incredible guitar virtuosity of Barre, who definitely stays on top of the Prog Rock pedestal.
Overall, nothing new or surprising, but JT’s stuff is definitely good enough to be heard repeatedly from time to time, and this album caught the group during a period when most music lovers were ready to take them off the list of active acts, but as usual Anderson proved to be indestructible and JT returned with new albums, in parallel to releasing splendid reissues of their past work. So, if you are a JT fan, there is a high probability that you are going to buy this album, even if you have all this material in several versions already. The sound quality of the recording is excellent.
| | Updated: 31/07/2026Posted: 26/08/2025 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ ROCK ISLAND (EXPANDED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 370976 (Barcode: 094637097625) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1989 Released: 2006
18th studio album by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and the last one recorded in the 1980s, their 3rd decade in the Rock trenches. The album’s title refers both to Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist’s then current home on the Isle Of Skye (off the coast of Scotland) and the music, which comes back to the “hard-rock” side of the band, with the guitar up front rather than Anderson’s flute. There are a few quieter, more lyrical moments, but overall the music is rocky and dynamic. The band is a quartet with the excellent Martin BarreFind albums by this artist on guitar, veteran David PeggFind albums by this artist on bass and Doane PerryFind albums by this artist on drums. A couple of guest keyboards players are added on some of the tunes. By the time this album was released JT lost most of their status among the critics, who accused Anderson of carrying on with his band based on solely on the inertia acquired in their past. Hearing the album now proves that nothing could be further from the truth, as the music they created was constantly developing and masterly performed, with very little competition from their contemporaries. If fact it is pretty amazing (and commendable) that Anderson managed to keep up his high standards while surrounded by oceans of mediocrity that dominated the music scene at the time. The bonus tracks include some live material recorded in Zurich during a JT tour at the time. No JT fan and collector will skip this album, as it is just another JT gem.
| | Updated: 31/07/2026Posted: | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ THE JETHRO TULL CHRISTMAS ALBUM (FRESH SNOW AT CHRISTMAS EDITION)
INSIDEOUT 729 (Barcode: 198028183529) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2003 - 2008 Released: 2024
This is a reissue of the 22nd studio album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, called “The Jethro Tull Christmas AlbumFind albums with this title”, recorded in 2003 and the live album “Christmas At St. Bride`s 2008Find albums with this title”, recorded in 2008. The two albums were bundled into a 2CD album in 2009. This reissue consists of four CDs and one BD.
CD1 contains the “The Jethro Tull Christmas Album” album in original 2003 mixes. CD2 contains the “The Jethro Tull Christmas Album” album in new 2024 remix by Bruce SoordFind albums by this artist.
The JT lineup on this album consists of Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Andrew GiddingsFind albums by this artist, bassist Jonathan NoyceFind albums by this artist and drummer Doane PerryFind albums by this artist. Several guest musician and a string quartet perform on selected tacks.
CD3 contains the “Christmas At St. Bride`s 2008” album in new 2024 remix by Bruce Soord. The JT lineup on this album consists of Ian Anderson on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Martin Barre, keyboardist John O`HaraFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave GoodierFind albums by this artist and percussionist James DuncanFind albums by this artist.
CD4 contains the recording of the Ian Anderson Band “Live At St. Bride`s 2006” mixed by Bruce Soord in 2024. The IAB lineup consists of Ian Anderson on flute, acoustic guitar and vocals, guitarist Florian OphaleFind albums by this artist, keyboardist John O`Hara, bassist Dave Goodier and drummer James Duncan. Violinist Ann Marie CalhounFind albums by this artist appears as a special guest.
BD contains the entire material on CD2 in High-Resolution formats (Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD 5.1 Surround Sound) and in High Resolution stereo format and CD3/CD4 in High Resolution stereo format only. Personally I couldn’t care less…
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with great photos of the band, background material and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
Musically, the album presents the group as brilliant studio musicians and live performers, superb instrumentalists and extraordinary entertainers, with very few equals. Although since the end of the 1970s Progressive Rock was steadily losing its steam and the artistic / aesthetic end of the genre was imminent, and yet Jethro Tull were going ahead as if they were living on a different planet, which in retrospect might have just been right. They were still at their artistic peak, which continued for years, without any signs of getting worn-out. Perhaps they were, after all, a class of their own.
Overall, this is a very nice Box Set, full of great music and elegantly packaged, fitting all the previous Jethro Tull reissues in digibook format. For collectors of these reissues, this is obviously a must have. But honestly Prog has been dead for so long, that anything, which does not “smell funny” is a blessing. I had a blast listening to this stuff, especially the two live recordings, which alone are worth the price of this Box Set.
| | Updated: 01/08/2026Posted: 12/03/2025 | 4CD+BD 5 Digibook Box Set Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JETHRO TULL ~ UNDER WRAPS (THE UNWRAPPED EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 5021732955098 (Barcode: 5021732955098) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1983 - 1984 Released: 2026
This is a reissue / remix of the 15th studio album by the British Prog Masters Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1984. This edition also includes a reissue of the debut solo album by Jethro Tull leader Ian AndersonFind albums by this artist, entitled “Walk Into NightFind albums with this title”, originally released in 1983, and a reissue of the 2nd live album by the band, entitled “Live At The Hammersmith `84Find albums with this title”, recorded by the BBC in 1984 and initially released in 1990. This is another chapter in the series of reissues of the Jethro Tull seminal albums which are being remixed to new stereo and 5.1 surround sound versions. This reissue consists of five CDs and one BD.
“Under WrapsFind albums with this title” was recorded by Anderson, guitarist Martin BarreFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Peter-John VetteseFind albums by this artist and bassist Dave PeggFind albums by this artist. Since there was no drummer involved, the drums sound was created electronically. This edition offers two versions of the album, one with the originally created drums sound and also a second, newly created drums sound with contemporary technology. Both versions were remixed by Bruce SoordFind albums by this artist.
“Walk Into Night” was recorded by Anderson and Vattese, and this edition offers two versions of the album, as above. Both versions were remixed by Bruce Soord.
“Live At The Hammersmith `84” was recorded by Anderson, Barre, Vettese, Pegg and drummer Doane PerryFind albums by this artist, and appears here in original form.
CD1 contains a remix of the “Under Wraps” album with the new (2026) drums sound (eleven tracks) and seven bonus tracks (“Associated Recordings).
CD2 contains a remix of the “Under Wraps” album with the original drums sound (eleven tracks) and eight bonus tracks (“Associated Recordings).
CD3 contains a remix of the “Walk Into Night” album with the new (2026) drums sound (ten tracks) and six bonus tracks (“Associated Recordings).
CD4 contains a remix of the “Walk Into Night” album with the original drums sound (ten tracks) and six bonus tracks (“Associated Recordings).
CD5 contains the original BBC recording of “Live At The Hammersmith `84” (thirteen tracks), which expands the original release by five tracks.
The BD contains the same material as the first four CDs and flat transfers of the original albums, all remixed in High Resolution stereo and surround sound formats, which are of little interest, and a couple of videos.
The entire set is lavishly packaged in a digibook format, with a 100-page book with great photos of the band, background material and other goodies, which are all beyond reproach.
The solo album was an attempt to embrace the then contemporary synthesizer drenched sound (New Wave at all) and the same format was kept for the JT album. Basically the band recorded this album using electronic drums and a plethora of synthesized sounds, with Anderson’s flute and Barre’s guitar kept in the background most of the time. No wonder most JT fans (especially in the US) hated the album at the time of its release, seeing it as a “sell out”, judging of course by the sound alone and ignoring the music, which was as JT as ever. Different package, true, but still quite extraordinary. Anderson sums it all up very nicely: “…But, hey, you have to push the boundaries a little in the pursuit of musical adventures. No point in staying forever in the clutches of 70’s sounds and analogue keys, valves, steam flutes and tree-gobbling guitars. Gotta move on. And then move back again…”. I feel exactly the same way about this – no pain - no gain! An artist should be free to experiment and if he is a great artist, whatever he does will come out right. Some of us just won’t be ready for it. In retrospect, as weird as it sounds, this album is still an integral part of the wonderful JT legacy.
| | Updated: 01/08/2026Posted: 01/08/2026 | 5CD+BD 6 Digibook Box Set Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
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