subota, 03.01.2009.
Jethro Tull - The Broadsword and the Beast (1982) (Remaster Edit 2005)
Another Tull Remaster Replete with Original and Restored Sonic Detail and featuring Eight Brilliant Bonus Tracks Recorded at the Same Time as the Original Album Release, but Left Out Due to the Limitations of Vinyl. The Broadsword Tour in 1982 Saw Tull Out on a Full Production Tour for the Final Time, Although Smaller Tours have Since Taken Place, They have Not Featured the Elaborate Stage Set that Went with this One! this Album Featured the Usual Tull Sounds of Drums, Bass, and Guitar and of Course Flute, Mandolin and Other Acoustic Instruments Complete with Vocoder and Sequencer on the Claspmore…, and Others. Broadsword Saw Former Cat Stevens Drummer Gerry Conway Join Tull for a Couple of Years and Dave Pegg (Ex-fairport Convention) Join them for a Second Time. Much of the Songs were Written Using the New-fangled Electronic Instruments which Gives an Interesting Twist to the Woodsy and Folksy Elements in the Songs.
Finally, after many years of waiting, my favorite band has released the remastered B&B and I can complete my Jethro Tull collection! Now you might say "wait a tick, Broadsword and the Beast has been out on CD for years." That's true, but the original CD release was nearly unlistenable, and certainly the weakest disc in the collection. It sounded a bit like it was recorded with a hand held microphone inside a wet felt sack - muddy and of inconsistent quality.
This release is much superior to the original! Broadsword & the Beast was a moderate success in the United States, but in Germany and other European countries - this was "THE" Jethro Tull album to have, eclipsing Aqualung, Thick as a Brick and all the rest in sales and chart ranking. With perhaps the best artwork on any album cover, ever - this disc became quite popular and the menacing pixie like image of Ian still adorns concert tee shirts.
While the tone of the album took the guise of Scandinavian or Celtic themes, this album was definitely a stinging commentary of contemporary times. Among the several notable songs on this collection, THE CLASP and FALLEN 0N HARD TIMES both got a respectable amount of radio play in 1982. Both songs referred to the troubled times in which we were living, both economically and politically. An ailing Leonid Brezhnev was the General Secretary of the still thriving Soviet Union, only to be replaced by an equally threatening Yuri Andropov later that year. Reagan and Thatcher had formed a powerful, yet decidedly unsettling alliance in the west. These were scary times folks, and Ian's lyrics reflected the uncertainty we were all feeling!
Other great songs on the disc include BROADSWORD, a song that harkens back to ancient times, and speaks of protecting home and family from external threats. PUSSYWILLOW became a favorite on the touring scene for a while, though I haven't seen it performed in years. The last song on the original release was the peaceful, almost comforting CHEERIO, in which Ian and the lads wished us all "the best of luck till we meet again, mate." This song has been used as the closer for almost every concert appearance since.
I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful stage set used on this concert tour. This was the final bombastic, over the top stage presentation Tull would ever mount, and it was wonderful! The stage was a full blown Viking ship with the dragon masthead shown on the cover painting - complete with smoking nostrils and glowing eyes. Other memorable moments from the show included an actual "BEASTIE" sitting on Ian's shoulders as he sang that song, and a huge BROADSWORD he flailed about that had to be as tall as Ian himself. During WATCHING ME WATCHING YOU, the stage was completely dark while Ian scanned the audience, pointing a powerful hand held spotlight out to look at us watching him! It was a great show!
I will wrap up with a mention of the bonus tracks, all of which have been available on other releases. These are a nice collection of songs all recorded around the time of this album. The most notable of these are JACK FROST AND THE HOODED CROW, a tune that most recently reappeared on the Christmas Album, and JACK A LYNN, a touching and lovely song Ian wrote in tribute to his wife Shona (it's her middle name.) MAYHEM MAYBE is a fun little ditty, and OVERHANG is a riffy, enjoyable piece as well. Enjoy this disc, it is a treasure!...G. Dexter
Codec: mp3
Bitrate: 320 kB/s
Size ca.: 156 MB
Genre : Progressive Rock
2000mustangs
Tracklist:
01. Beastie 4.00
02. Clasp 4.18
03. Fallen On Hard Times 3.13
04. Flying Colours 4.39
05. Slow Marching Band 3.39
06. Broadsword 5.03
07. Pussy Willow 3.55
08. Watching Me Watching You 3.41
09. Seal Driver 5.10
10 Cheerio 1.16
11. Jack Frost And The Hooded Crow (Bonus) 3.22
12. Jack A Lynn (Bonus) 4.40
13. Mayhem Maybe (Bonus) 3.06
14. Too Many Too (Bonus) 3.28
15. Overhang (Bonus) 4.29
16. Rhythm In Gold (Bonus) 3.08
17. I Am Your Gun (Bonus) 3.19
18. Down At The End Of Your Road (Bonus) 3.31
