(2021) Jethro Tull – Benefit: The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition  


Review:
To be clear, this isn’t the first remake/remodel of Jethro Tull’s classic 3rd album Benefit. Like all the other revised editions of the previous Tull offerings, it celebrates the band’s legacy with an overarched expanded box set that adds a wealth of unreleased tracks — notably, new takes on “17,” “Witch’s Promise,” “Teacher” and “Singing All Day” — in remastered versions as well as the entire original album courtesy of Steven Wilson remarkable remixes. To further tempt the completist, 2 full concert recordings are included, from Tanglewood and The Aragon Ballroom specifically, each vintage 1970 respectively. For those who were initially turned on to Tull with Aqualung (one can only imagine what that anniversary edition will provide!), it ought to be noted that Benefit was really the band’s first true conceptual album, if not in theme then certainly in overall execution. The addition of keyboardist John Evan, namesake of the John Evan Band (which amounted to Tull’s initial incarnation), added an extra texture and cohesiveness to the material overall. As the follow-up to the group’s first two albums — This Was (1968) and Stand Up (1969) — it affirmed the fact that Jethro Tull was on a creative roll, Benefit being their third album in as many years. It was also the final album with bassist Glenn Cornick, who went on to find lesser glories with the otherwise obscure Wild Turkey. As a bridge between those early blues-infused efforts and the anthem-oriented Aqualung, Benefit more than held its own, thanks to more sophisticated arrangements and the solid songwriting that brought the entire effort to the fore. Granted, some of the material might have sounded less assertive than before, but even so, songs such as “With You There To Help Me,” “Nothing to Say,” “To Cry You a Song,” “Sossity, You’re a Woman” and the beautiful ballad “For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me” remain an indelible part of the Tull repertoire. Ian Anderson’s singing skills had come a long way towards shaping the band’s sound and it became clear that from this point on, they were no longer a novelty band, but rather heavyweight headliners that could easily compete with their peers at the time. So once again, the inevitable question remains—is there a benefit to investing in this new Benefit, possibly for the third time? Or, is it best to save the coin for the inevitable Aqualung reboot? The answer depends on one’s level of devotion to the band and its brand. True devotees ought to be enthused.





Track Listing:
CD 1 - ORIGINAL ALBUM (Steven Wilson Stereo Remixes)
1. With You There To Help Me
2. Nothing To Say
3. Alive And Well And Living In
4. Son
5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me
6. To Cry You A Song
7. A Time For Everything?
8. Inside
9. Play In Time
10. Sossity / You're A Woman
Associated Recordings:
11. Singing All Day
12. Sweet Dream
13. 17
14. Teacher (UK Single Version)
15. Teacher (US Album Version)
16. My God (Early Version)
17. Just Trying To Be


CD 2 - ADDITIONAL ASSOCIATED RECORDINGS Original 1969-1970
1. Singing All Day
2. Sweet Dream(UK single 'A' side)
3. 17 (UK single 'B' side)
4. The Witch's Promise (EUR single double 'A' side)
5. Teacher (UK Single Version) (EUR single double 'A' side)
6. Teacher (US Album Version) ( US single 'B' side)
7. Inside (UK Single 'A' side)
8. Alive And Well And Living In (UK Single 'B' side)
9. A Time For Everything ( US single 'B' side)
Original 1969-1970 Stereo Mixes:
10. Sweet Dream
11. 17
12. The Witch's Promise (UK single double 'A' side)
13. Teacher (UK Single Version)(UK single double 'A' side)
14. The Witch's Promise (US promo single 'A' side)
15. Teacher (US Album Version) (US promo single 'B' side)
1971 Stereo Remixes:
16. Singing All Day
17. Sweet Dream
18. The Witch's Promise
19. Teacher (US album Version)
Original Radio Spots:
20. Benefit Radio Spot #1
21. Benefit Radio Spot #2

CD 3 - LIVE AT TANGLEWOOD 1970 (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
1. Introduction And Tuning
2. Nothing Is Easy
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. With You There To Help Me / By Kind Permission Of
5. Dharma For One (incl. Drum Solo (edited))
6. We Used To Know
7. Guitar Instrumental
8. For A Thousand Mothers

CD 4 - LIVE AT THE ARAGON BALLROOM, CHICAGO 1970 (Mono)
1. Introduction And Tuning
2. My Sunday Feeling
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. To Cry You A Song
5. With You There To Help Me / By Kind Permission Of
6. Sossity / You're A Woman / Reasons For Waiting
7. Nothing Is Easy
8. Dharma For One (incl. Drum Solo)
9. We Used To Know
10. Guitar Instrumental
11. For A Thousand Mothers


Media Report:
Genre: prog-rock
Country: UK
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits