Label: Island Records
Release date: 7/25/1969
Production: Terry Ellis & Ian Anderson
Album length: 37.48 min
Genre: Folk Rock / Blues Rock / Heavy Rock / Jazz
Rating: 8.0/10
After the bluesy start of “This Was” (1968), Jethro Tull decided to change their sound and musical direction on “Stand Up”. That meant gradually ditching the blues elements and steering into folk-hard rock waters, which was also the start of their prog rock journey. This key step undoubtedly came with the departure of classic blues guitarist Mick Abrahams, who wasn’t into the band’s new direction, and the arrival of his replacement, Martin “Lancelot” Barre. With that, the band made the most important move in its history. A far more versatile guitarist than his (technically excellent) predecessor, Barre gave the band the signature sound it still has today. Alongside Ian Anderson, Barre became an irreplaceable member over the years (and the only constant member besides Anderson), and it was on “Stand Up” that he completely redefined the band. Barre was simply far less drawn to blues territory than Abrahams, and his guitar lines are much harder, in places even hard rock. And that’s exactly what contributed most to the band’s important change of sound. Central musician and unwritten leader Ian Anderson had already grown into an outstanding multi-instrumentalist by “Stand Up” (he plays no fewer than eight instruments on the album), and he’s strongest, as usual, on vocals and flute. Especially as a flutist, he was already in a league of his own. Sure, the blues influences still linger on some tracks, but overall the band got much more complex on “Stand Up” (their blend of folk, blues, jazz and classical music with rock deepened here), heavier (thanks to Barre’s guitar), and above all gained in sophistication (outstanding instrumentalists and masters of atmosphere, and I must not forget to mention the excellent Cornick-Bunker rhythm section). The album contains three classics, “Bouree”, “Nothing’s Easy” and “Fat Man”, which are still an essential part of their live shows today. There isn’t a weak moment on the album anyway, and it’d be very hard to pick the best track on it, since each one is a masterpiece in its own way, while on the other hand none of them clearly towers over the rest.
“A New Day Yesterday” is a brilliant opening “heavy” blues rocker, where Barre especially shines with his wound-up riffs and solos, which are a whole different story from his predecessor. He deserves most of the credit for the band being loved by plenty of “heavy” rock fans too, and you can already hear it right away. The track is of course backed by Anderson’s unmistakable, charismatic vocals and his mischievous flute playing, while his harmonica adds to the song’s blues sound. It’s still hugely popular among the band’s fans today. “Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square” is, after “A Song For Jeffrey” (This Was, 1968), another song dedicated to Ian’s friend and future Tull bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond. It’s a charming folk rock number that wins you over mostly with the interplay of Anderson’s blues-leaning vocals and Barre’s solos. Ian’s use of the mandolin is tasty too. The instrumental “Bouree” is an excellent jazzy adaptation of J. S. Bach’s classic. It’s one of the first and best examples of how rock “played around” with classical music in a wonderful and wildly witty way. Ian simply takes the listener’s breath away with those lively flute solos that are so typical of him. Cornick’s bass solo is especially impressive, and it’s truly finger-licking good. The band managed to make a great version of a classical composition and, in doing so, create a classic of their own, one that’s still irreplaceable in their live repertoire today. The witty yet tense “Back to The Family” is driven mostly by the interaction between Barre’s jazz-leaning guitar and Cornick’s bass. In my opinion, Ian’s vocal on this track is even the best on the whole album. “Look Into the Sun” is one of the band’s most overlooked songs. It’s an easygoing folk rocker with an acoustic guitar intro and a slight psychedelic undertone, especially because of the way Ian sings. Though I’d hardly call it a forgotten classic, its mood is a superb reflection of its time, that is, the end of the 60s. “Nothing Is Easy”, wound up in a genuine blues rhythm, is one of the best tracks on the album and also hugely popular among the band’s fans, a song that’s almost closer to psychedelia than to folk rock or blues. Bassist Cornick again impresses on his bass, and listening to this track I’m always struck by the realization that he was one of the most overlooked bassists of his time, even though in the end it’s Barre who comes out the big winner here with his solos. The instrumental sections and rhythm line in the song are impressively exciting overall, and the track also has a great chorus. The bluesy “Fat Man” is dedicated to former guitarist Abrahams, who was apparently a favorite target of Anderson’s jokes. The song is otherwise, mainly because of Ian’s harmonica, the closest to the stuff on their debut. It’s one of a kind and wins you over with Ian’s witty vocals, mandolin and balalaika, plus Bunker’s colorful percussion. The band rarely forgets to put the “fat man” on its setlist. The melodramatic, folk rock-leaning “We Used To Know” focuses mostly on the acoustic guitar. Its mood is completely different from everything else on the album, and with its profound melancholy it hints at where the band would go on its following albums (“Benefit”, “Aqualung”, etc.). Ian’s singing is wonderful, and Barre’s solo is among the best on the album, so I can happily count it among their forgotten classics. “Reasons For Waiting” is an incredibly beautiful folk ballad that impresses mostly with its gorgeous flute and David Palmer’s orchestral arrangements. Cornick’s bass guitar is unbelievably upfront for a folk rock song. This track is really a kind of preview of their folk rock songs that would peak in the future with “Songs From the Wood” (1977). The closing “For a Thousand Mothers” is again a much more wound-up track, opening with cymbals and a frantic flute and running into a complex, mostly instrumental piece. Interestingly, Ian’s vocal is pushed into the background in the production here, so the skills of the individual instrumentalists come to the fore. The band members get to let loose on their instruments here, and you can really feel the incredible cohesion within the band.
The reissue of “Stand Up” also includes four bonus tracks. Three of them were released on the popular compilation “Living in the Past” (1972), namely the classic “Living in the Past”, the bluesy “Driving Song” and the tense “Sweet Dream”, while the psychedelic “17” is available to listeners for the first time. All of these tracks were created during the “Stand Up” period. “Living in the Past”, with its unusual 7/8 structure, and the dramatic heavy rocker “Sweet Dream” are band classics that don’t need any special introduction for most fans (more about them in the “Living in the Past” review). All in all, every bonus track is excellent and will surely delight collectors and fans of the band alike.
“Stand Up” is the album where Jethro Tull found their true calling and recognized themselves as a band inclined to constantly explore new musical horizons while, mostly thanks to Anderson’s distinctive vocals and flute and Barre’s guitar, keeping a sonic identity that’s recognizable from miles away. “Stand Up” rewards the listener with its varied mix of heavy rock, folk, classical music, blues and jazz, always wrapped within compact limits, especially when it comes to song length. It’s amazing how fresh this album still sounds today. “Stand Up” was also a huge commercial success for the band, as it brought them the #1 spot on the UK albums chart of the time. Ian even said at one point that it’s his favorite Tull album. It’s undoubtedly their first classic, one of the band’s best works, and the foundation on which they started building and refining their further musical expression. Though it’s far from their best album, since they later made plenty of more interesting and more advanced works, “Stand Up” would probably be the one I’d hand to someone who’s just getting to know their music.
Track list:
1. A New Day Yesterday (4:10)
2. Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square (2:12)
3. Bourée (3:47)
4. Back To The Family (3:48)
5. Look Into The Sun (4:21)
6. Nothing Is Easy (4:26)
7. Fat Man (2:52)
8. We Used To Know (4:00)
9. Reasons For Waiting (4:06)
10. For A Thousand Mothers (4:13)
Bonus tracks on the reissue:
11. Living in the past (3:23)
12. Driving Song (2:44)
13. Sweet Dream (4:05)
14. 17 (3:07)
Lineup:
Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ, piano, mandolin, balalaika, bouzouki, harmonica
Martin Barre – electric guitar, flute on “Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square” and “Reasons For Waiting”
Glenn Cornick – bass guitar
Clive Bunker – drums, percussion
Guest musician:
David Palmer – string arrangement and conducting on “Reasons For Waiting”
