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This Was (Collector's Ed.) (2 CDs)
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Price: $17.99
Price subject to change!
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 5099920649722
Label: Capitol
Manufacturer: Capitol
Number Of Discs: 2
Publisher: Capitol
Release Date: 2008-06-10
Studio: Capitol
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: The only real Jethro Tull album
Comment: This Lp represents the sole effort by the band which had only recently become Jethro Tull. At the time, it boasted two stars: vocalist/flautist/songwriter Ian Anderson and guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Mick Abrahams. I call it the only real Jethro Tull album because all of the subsequent recordings by the band known as Jethro Tull are actually recordings by the Ian Anderson Band (it's ironic that Abrahams' replacement, Martin Barre, is the only other permanent member of a band that periodically reinvents itself but remains firmly identified with Ian Anderson).
Though Anderson is among the most creative and innovative musicians working in this genre in the past 40 years, his stranglehold on the Jethro Tull brand name has artificially prolonged the life of a band that has passed its sell-by date. Beginning in 1980 with the "accidental" attribution to the band of the Anderson solo LP "A", Tull lost its roots; this began a long period of decline characterized by an endless search for a new identity amid a series of revolving sidemen. The final stroke should have fallen with the loss of Anderson's voice and the resultant vocal disaster of "Crest of a Knave" in 1987.
Anderson needed the strong personality of Mick Abrahams to balance his own ego. "This Was" features very distinctive guitar--Barre is a fine guitarist but changes styles to accommodate Anderson's latest phase--and it's the only Tull album to feature vocals by someone other than Anderson (I don't count the occasional monologs by Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond). Abrahams's "Move on Alone" is a clever blues-derived song fully the equal of the kind of songs Anderson was then writing; the two voices blended well, as demonstrated on "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine"; and as the bonus cut "Sunshine Day" proves, Abrahams could also write songs with commercial appeal, though the era of the hit single was soon to be eclipsed by album-based radio.
With its mix of blues, pop and jazz, "This Was" was refreshingly different from both the standard British "Blooze" of Ten Years After, Fleetwood Mac and Cream, and from the left-over psychedelia that was soon to produce such bloated and pretentious "progressive" bands as Emerson, Lake and Palmer and King Crimson.
The mono mix included in this 40th anniversary package may seem redundant or mere padding, but, for those too young to remember 40 years ago, this was a time when many of us were still in possession of mono record players, and though the record companies were beginning to release only stereo LPs, there were still a few like this one that were issued in both formats. Therefore, this is a chance to explore the way engineers had to create a viable mix for only one speaker; the mono mix featured here is punchier than the stereo, with its wide channel separation, and while there are no real revelations, it's instructive to be able to compare the two. The bonus cuts are all familiar, but the mono mixes are again a historically accurate representation of the originals. The BBC recordings, mostly previously unreleased tracks, give a taste of the live band as well.
Finally, it was a nice touch to include liner notes from each of the original band members instead of Anderson's alone. Altogether, this release shows the kind of care and attention to detail that is worthy of the designation "collector's edition".
Customer Rating:
Summary: excellent
Comment: this is everything it should have been.. It breaks my heart that Jethro Tull didn't put more effort into their blues roots after this album.
Customer Rating:
Summary: This Was (Collector's Ed) 2 CD Review
Comment: This is without doubt the definitive version of this album. The quality of the remastering work is stunning and a credit to the guys 'twiddling the knobs' to make this one of the better remastering efforts that I know of. The technology for recording this album must seem archaic to what can be done today.
I was a bit doubtful when it was first released as the last thing I needed was the mono and stereo versions of the same tracks. But both are of such high quality that it was like listening to the album for the first time. The mono version stands equal to the stereo mix in my opinion.
I will not review the album tracks as they have been around for 40 years and most Tull fans would/should/could have heard them by now. There was guitarist in the band before Martin Barre and I think Mick Abrahams can be proud of his effort.
I would have bought this album irrespective of the bonus tracks but they are just the 'icing on the cake'. A few new pictures are included along with some kind words by all the musicians - unexpected bonuses.
Tull fans should rush out and buy it but the thought of the 40th Anniversary version of DotCom has me worried if I'll still be around. Any fans of 1960's English blues should all included this album as it is a great blues album and captures the sound of this period.
Enjoy.
Russell
Customer Rating:
Summary: Mick Abrahams on guitar....
Comment: One of the foremost things reviewers should have mentioned is that the great Mick Abrahams is the guitarist on this classic album and their sound changed after he left, which was right after this recording.
Nuff said....
Customer Rating:
Summary: An absolute must
Comment: If you are a fan of Jethro Tull, this is a great set to have.
The songs have been finetuned, and stands as if they were newly written.
For a Vinyl freak like me, this certainly is a great alternative.
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Editorial Reviews:
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2008 two CD 40th Anniversary collector's edition of Jethro Tull debut album. Disc One contains the mono version of the album, which has never been available on CD, plus nine BBC tracks from sessions which relate to the album. Disc Two features a new stereo mix of the album plus four bonus tracks from rare early singles: 'Sunshine Day', 'Song For John Gee', 'Love Story' and 'Christmas Song'. This release also features new liner notes and anecdotes from the band members. This Was originally reached #10 in the UK charts, partly thanks to great airplay from BBC Radio DJ John Peel. 35 tracks. EMI.
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