JETHRO TULL "War Child" LP NM/VG+ 1974 Terre Haute

Description: Benefit Review by Bruce Eder Benefit was the album on which the Jethro Tull sound solidified around folk music, abandoning blues entirely. Beginning with the opening number, "With You There to Help Me," Anderson adopts his now-familiar, slightly mournful folksinger/sage persona, with a rather sardonic outlook on life and the world; his acoustic guitar carries the melody, joined by Martin Barre's electric instrument for the crescendos. This would be the model for much of the material on Aqualung and especially Thick as a Brick, although the acoustic/electric pairing would be executed more effectively on those albums. Here the acoustic and electric instruments are merged somewhat better than they were on Stand Up (on which it sometimes seemed like Barre's solos were being played in a wholly different venue), and as needed, the electric guitars carry the melodies better than on previous albums. Most of the songs on Benefit display pleasant, delectably folk-like melodies attached to downbeat, slightly gloomy, but dazzlingly complex lyrics, with Barre's guitar adding enough wattage to keep the hard rock listeners very interested. "To Cry You a Song," "Son," and "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" all defined Tull's future sound: Barre's amp cranked up to ten (especially on "Son"), coming in above Anderson's acoustic strumming, a few unexpected changes in tempo, and Anderson spouting lyrics filled with dense, seemingly profound imagery and statements. As on Stand Up, the group was still officially a quartet, with future member John Evan (whose John Evan Band had become the nucleus of Jethro Tull two years before) appearing as a guest on keyboards; his classical training proved essential to the expanding of the group's sound on the three albums to come. Benefit was reissued in a remastered edition with bonus tracks at the end of 2001, which greatly improved the clarity of the playing and the richness of the sound; the four additional tracks are "Singing All Day," "Witch's Promise," the elegant, gossamer-textured "Just Trying to Be," and the original U.K. mix of "Teacher." Written and recorded prior to Benefit, they're all lighter in mood than the material from the original album, adding some greater variety but fitting in perfectly on a stylistic level. Jethro Tull – Benefit Jethro Tull - Benefit album cover More images Label:Reprise Records – RS 6400, Reprise Records – 6400 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress, Terre Haute Country:US Released:1970 Genre:Rock Style:Hard Rock, Prog Rock A1With You There To Help Me6:05 A2Nothing To Say5:11 A3Inside2:44 A4Son2:50 A5For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me3:45 B1To Cry You A Song6:05 B2A Time For Everything2:45 B3Teacher3:42 B4Play In Time3:42 B5Sossity; You're A Woman4:28 Copyright © – Warner Bros. Records Inc. Licensed From – Chrysalis Records Ltd. Produced For – Chrysalis Productions Recorded At – Morgan Studios Mastered At – Artisan Sound Recorders Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute Design [Cover Design], Photography By – Ruan O'Lochlainn Engineer – Robin Black Executive-Producer, Design [Cover] – Terry Ellis Graphics [Graphic Presentation] – Ken Reilly Performer – Clive Bunker, Glenn Cornick, Martin Barre Performer, Producer, Written-By – Ian Anderson Piano, Organ – John Evan This version doesn't have the Artisan Sound Recorders logo in runouts. 2nd issue with full brown/Tan label and Red Reprise Logo. Covers (like 1st press) have "Stereo" and Reprise "R" logo in upper right with release # 6400 below. Labels say RS 6400, Jacket front, spine and rear say 6400. Recorded at Morgan Studio, London Matrix / Runout (Label A): 31,051 Matrix / Runout (Label B): 31,052 Matrix / Runout (Side A, variant 1): T1 31051-1 RS-6400-A 1B Matrix / Runout (Side B, variant 1): T1 RS-6400 31052-2 Matrix / Runout (Side A, variant 2): T1 31051 - RS6400A - 1F C Matrix / Runout (Side B, variant 2): CHR-1043 31052-2 GOLDMINE GRADING MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect. NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly. VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors. VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc. GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork. POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.

Price: 8.5 USD

Location: Saginaw, Michigan

End Time: 2024-08-27T01:13:30.000Z

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