Jethro Tull - Benefit

Titles

Side 1

1. With You There To Help Me
2. Nothing To Say

Side 2

3. Inside
4. Son
5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me

Side 3

6. To Cry You A Song
7. A Time For Everything
8. Teacher

Side 4

9. Play In Time
10. Sossity; You're A Woman
11. Alive And Well And Living In (UK Bonus Track)

Jethro Tull's classic “Benefit” from 1970 was the third studio album by the British rock band, featuring Ian Anderson (flute, guitar, vocals), Martin Barre (guitar), Glenn Cornick (bass) and Clive Bunker (drums), supported by John Evan on piano and organ. At the same time, “Benefit” was the last album with Cornick, who was kicked out of the band after the subsequent tour. “Benefit” became the first album to be certified gold and was a huge success worldwide: entering the LP charts at number 7, it brought Ian Anderson and his bandmates the long-awaited success in the US. In the United Kingdom, the album reached number 3 in the charts. The “Benefit” tour included a performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, where Jethro Tull played in front of 600,000 (!) people.

“Benefit” was recorded at Morgan Studios (London), where the band had also recorded their previous LP, ”Stand Up”. They made use of very advanced studio techniques, such as a flute played backwards in “With You There To Help Me” and a tempo-accelerated guitar in “Play In Time”. Frontman Ian Anderson said that Evan had changed the band's style: “John has added a new dimension musically, and I can write more freely now. With him on keyboards, anything is possible”. Compared to “Stand Up”, “Benefit” contains a similar mix of bluesy hard rock songs and melodic acoustic numbers, but, as Ian Anderson put it, has a “harder, slightly darker touch” than the previous material. The eclectic fusion of folk, rock, and progressive elements creates a unique soundscape. Anderson's virtuoso flute playing intertwines with Barre's electrifying guitar work to create complex melodies that transport the listener into a fantastic world of sound. The reissue from Analogue Productions features the original US track order and track listing, plus the bonus track “Alive And Well And Living In” from the UK LP version.

Manufactured by Quality Record Pressings and featuring a luxurious gatefold cover by Stoughton Printing, this double LP (180 grams, 45 RPM) gives this historic album the rich, detailed, colorful and brilliant sound it deserves, thanks to the superb remastering by Matthew Lutthans (The Mastering Lab), who used the original master tapes. “Benefit” is a testament to Jethro Tull's pioneering spirit, which pushed the boundaries of musical expression and left a lasting mark on rock music.