Stand Up – JETHRO TULL*****

A New Day Yesterday/Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square/Bouree/Back To The Family/Look Into The Sun/Nothing Is Easy/Fat Man/We Used To Know/Reasons For Waiting/For A Thousand Mothers

With the departure of Mick Abrahams, Ian Anderson firmly stamped his authority on Jethro Tull to deliver Stand Up, an outstanding collection of individualistic progressive rock. (US:20 UK:1)

"Jethro Tull's second album heralded a string of great albums, through to Thick As A Brick. Containing a number of stand-out tracks, the band really come into their own on this release with the sound that we immediately associate with Jethro Tull - folk based progressive rock containing the ever present Ian Anderson's highly skilled flute playing. Stand Up does a good job of mixing acoustic tracks in between electric rockers, as well as mixing the two styles together on some songs. We get a taste of string arrangements and even some horns thrown in, resulting in a really varied group of songs."

"Musically, this album is pretty diverse with an incredible blending of styles that makes for a very enjoyable and dynamic listening experience. In addition, the range in instrumentation, which includes hard edged electric guitar along with softer acoustic instruments, including those associated with traditional English folk music, add another dimension to the album. The writing is all top notch and the music shows a significant leap forward from the debut album." ,p> "It's a good mix of folk, blues and progressive music, and I especially like the medieval feel of some of the songs. Anderson's flute is rather understated here, and it does more to complement the songs, rather than acting as a lead instrument."

"I am just amazed at how good all the songs are. Let's face it, you're lucky to have four, maybe five excellent songs on any album, but this one just rolls along like a well-oiled machine, and is one of the very few that I play through without skipping."

"Jethro Tull's first great album. Although more blues rock than progressive rock, Stand Up anticipates much of the classic Tull sound with its constant barrage of flute alongside Martin Barre's distinctive guitar playing. Stand Up should appeal to fans of both bluesy hard rock and progressive rock. A recommended album for any classic rock enthusiast, as well as an essential addition for Jethro Tull fans."