REVIEW: Jethro Tull – A / Slipstream (CD/DVD)

JETHRO TULL – A / Slipstream (2004 Chrysalis CD/DVD, originally 1980)

Unlike most Jethro Tull remasters, A did not contain any bonus tracks.  Rather, it includes the only official DVD release of Slipstream, an old Tull live/music video VHS release.

Cole’s Notes version of the history:  A began life as an Ian Anderson solo album, featuring new Tull bassist Dave Pegg and ex-Roxy Music multi-instrumentalist Eddie Jobson.  Jobson brought along his drummer friend Mark Craney, and then finally Ian asked his Tull bandmate Martin Barre to come in and play on a couple tracks.  Somehow, this turned into Martin playing on the entire album.

Anderson says that the record label, who were pushing for A to be released under the Jethro Tull banner, suddenly announced that Craney and Jobson were replacing current Tull members Barriemore Barlow, John Evan, and David Palmer.  This and other factors led to that exact lineup change, but with Jobson listed as a “special guest”.

A_0004Regardless of the office politics, A is a solid albeit very different and 80’s sounding Jethro Tull album.  I’m not a huge fan of the opener “Crossfire”, but I think that “Flyingdale Flyer” is a great combination of progressive rock Tull with the modern tweaks.  “Working Joe, Working Joe” is OK, but I’m not a fan of that funky synthy bass line.  I love the spacey sci-fi intro to “Black Sunday”, a precursor of sorts to “The Final Countdown”. Then it changes to something a little more challenging with the flute leading the charge.  At 6:39 and with multiple sections and tempos, this is easily the most epic track.

The digital pulse of “Batteries Not Included” is pretty cool, but it’s not really an outstanding track.  “Uniform” rolls along solidly.  “4.W.D (Low Ratio)” is a guilty pleasure.  “The Pine Marten’s Jig” sounds as the title implies, but perhaps just a little more complex than the average jig!  The closing song is the dramatic “And Further On”. Its mood is appropriate for a closer, and I dig that cascading piano.

Incidentally, this is one of those CDs that were “Copy Controlled”.  Boy, did that piss people off.  Some people said you had to take a black magic marker to the outer edge of the disc in order to copy them.  I never felt the urge to try this trick, and it doesn’t matter because the obsolete software does nothing to inhibit ripping today.

And that’s the album.  The DVD Slipstream opens with a homeless-looking Anderson (sleeping under a Thick As A Brick newspaper) being chased by the balloons from The Prisoner.  He then stumbles into a Jethro Tull concert, not a security person in sight!  When has this happened to you?

A_0005Tull then open with a hard rocking “Black Sunday”.  Martin Barre and Ian Anderson are really the only guys that look like they’re in the same band!  The excellent “Dun Ringill” is presented music video style.  It’s like Anderson playing over the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey, when Bowman’s in the pod.  “Flyingdale Flyer” is better, with Tull as some sort of band of interstellar explorers.  Anderson’s facial expressions make this one irresistible.  The next song is once again live, and it is the classic “Songs From the Wood”.  Jobson’s got his hands full with two keyboards!  This is paired with “Heavy Horses” sounding unfortunately cumbersome due to the domination by those same keyboards.

“Sweet Dream”, one of my all time favourite Tull songs, ever, cannot be tamed by the keyboards.  They are there, but the song is powerful nonetheless, as it should be.  In this clip, Anderson plays both the homeless ragged man, and…a vampire!  I actually like this clip a lot.  My favourite clip is “Too Old  To Rock ‘N’ Roll”, the entire band dressed as old men.  This is the album version of the song.

Next is the lovely “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day”.  On this track, which is live, Eddie Jobson plays a neat electric mandolin.  “Aqualung” is pummeling, Mark Craney keeping busy while also hitting hard.  The set closes with “Locomotive Breath” which starts completely awful, as a new-wave-funk-prog song of some kind, before finally picking up steam as it should.  The flute solo is as brilliant as ever, and I’ll never get tired of watching Martin Barre shake his skullet wildly.

3/5 stars

23 comments

        3. mikeladano :
          The thing I like about a mix CD are the parameters of it — can’t exceed 80 minutes, has to have a beginning middle & end, etc.

          Absolutely. I love making mix cds for the car.
          I do them for bands, for genres, for years, for specific producers.

          90% of my iTunes playlists have to fit on either one disc and about 10% have to be able to fit on two discs, even when I don’t literally burn the discs. Hangover from my teenage years when I did constantly make tapes and discs on an almost daily basis.

          Like

      1. Correction: I didn’t say I don’t like Tull, in fact what I’ve heard, I like. I just haven’t heard that much of it (“I don’t know from Tull” translates to “I don’t know much about them”). So, reading these is a learning experience, for sure..

        Like

        Reply

        1. However, if someone who doesn’t like them also reads your review and you can help them come to like them or give them another chance, then you are also winning.

          Like

  4. I will have to check this one out for purchase. In the 70’s I loved Jethro Tull. If you think it’s worth the bucks, I’ll go for it! Thanks, Mike!

    Like

    Reply

  5. As probably one of Tull most dedicated fans I can agree with most points on this review. I can also understand Ian’s desire to try and take Tull in a new direction and explore with new technology. As a huge YES fan as well I was already exposed to some awesome synthesizer sounds with the genius of Rick Wakeman so when Ian incorporated it into his music it didn’t surprise me as much as the average fan..i rather found it a refreshing attempt. I will admit Under wraps was a little too different being an entire album done without a drummer but damn did they come back with what I think was one he’ll of an album in Chrest of a Knaive. Great review brother.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thanks Jonathan! Under Wraps is one I don’t have (yet). I like real drums…but I also like Jethro Tull, so I will add it to the collection when I find the remastered version at a good price.

      Like

      Reply

Rock a Reply