Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Jethro Tull
Label: EMI Records
Release: 1969
Rating: 4/5
After a bluesy start with “This Was” (1968), Jethro Tull decided to change their sound and musical direction on “Stand Up”. That meant gradually dropping the blues elements and steering into folk-hard rock waters, which was also the beginning of their prog rock journey. This key step undoubtedly came with the departure of classic blues guitarist Mick Abrahams, who didn’t like 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. As a far more versatile guitarist than his technically excellent predecessor, Barre gave the band the recognizable sound it still has today. Alongside Ian Anderson, Barre became an irreplaceable member over the years (and the only constant member besides him), and it was on “Stand Up” that he completely redefined the band. Barre was much less drawn to blues territory than Abrahams, and his guitar lines are a lot heavier, in places even hard rock. And that was exactly what contributed most to the major shift in the band’s sound. Central musician and unwritten leader of the band Ian Anderson had already grown into an exceptional multi-instrumentalist by “Stand Up” (he plays no fewer than eight instruments on the album), and he’s strongest, as usual, in his singing and flute playing. Especially as a flutist, he was already in a league of his own back then. Sure, the blues influences still linger on some of the tracks, but overall the band became much more complex on “Stand Up” (their blend of folk, blues, jazz and classical music with rock got even deeper here), heavier (thanks to Barre’s guitar), and above all gained in sophistication (outstanding instrumentalists and masters of atmosphere, and let me 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 indispensable part of their live shows. Otherwise, there isn’t a single weak moment on the album, and it would be very hard to pick the best track, since every song is a masterpiece in its own way, while on the other hand none of them clearly stands out above the rest.
“A New Day Yesterday” is a brilliant “heavy” blues rock opener, where Barre especially shines with his wound-up riffs and solos, which are a completely different story from his predecessor. He deserves most of the credit for the band being loved by plenty of fans of “heavy” rock too, and you can already see that right here. The track is of course backed by Anderson’s unmistakable charismatic vocals and his mischievous flute playing, while his harmonica adds to the bluesy sound. The song is still hugely popular among the band’s fans. “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 mainly with the interplay of Anderson’s bluesy vocals and Barre’s solos. Ian’s use of the mandolin is tasty too. The instrumental “Bouree” is an excellent jazzy adaptation of a J. S. Bach 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 here with his lively flute solos, so typical of him. Even more impressive is Cornick’s excellent bass solo, which is 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, which is still irreplaceable in their live repertoire. The witty yet tense “Back to The Family” is driven mainly by the interaction between Barre’s jazz-leaning guitar and Cornick’s bass. Ian’s vocals on this track are, in my opinion, 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, in terms of mood it’s an excellent reflection of its time, i.e. 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 an extremely popular song among the band’s fans, one that’s almost closer to psychedelia than to folk rock or blues. Bassist Cornick impresses on his bass once again, and listening to this track I’m always struck by the realization that he was one of the most overlooked bassists of his day, even though in the end it’s Barre who’s the main winner here with his solos. The instrumental sections and the rhythm line in the song are generally outstanding, and the track has a great chorus too. The bluesy “Fat Man” is dedicated to former guitarist Abrahams, who was apparently a favorite target of Anderson’s jokes. The song is also, mostly thanks to Ian’s harmonica, the most similar to the stuff from 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 their setlist. The melodramatic, folk rock-leaning “We Used To Know” focuses mainly on the acoustic guitar. In mood it’s completely different from all the other songs on the album, and with its profound melancholy it hints at where the band would go with their next albums (“Benefit”, “Aqualung”, etc.). Ian’s singing is wonderful, and Barre’s solo is among the best on the album, so I can safely count it among their forgotten classics. “Reasons For Waiting” is an exceptionally pretty folk ballad that wins you over mainly with gorgeous flute and David Palmer’s orchestral arrangements. Cornick’s bass guitar is incredibly 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 once again a much more wound-up track, opening with cymbals and a hopped-up flute and running into a complex, mostly instrumental piece. Interestingly, Ian’s vocal is pushed into the background in the production here, so what really comes through are the skills of the individual instrumentalists. The band members get to let loose on their instruments, and you can really feel the incredible cohesion within the group.
The reissue of “Stand Up” also includes four bonus tracks. Three of them originally came out on the popular compilation “Living in the Past” (1972): 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 most fans don’t need any special introduction to (more on them in the “Living in the Past” review). In short, all the bonus tracks are excellent and will definitely delight all collectors and fans of the band.
“Stand Up” is the album where Jethro Tull found their true calling and recognized themselves as a band bent on constantly exploring new musical horizons, while at the same time, mostly thanks to Anderson’s characteristic vocals and flute and Barre’s guitar, always keeping their instantly recognizable sound. “Stand Up” rewards the listener with its varied mix of heavy rock, folk, classical music, blues and jazz, always wrapped in compact boundaries, especially when it comes to song length. It’s downright incredible how fresh this album still sounds today. “Stand Up” was also a huge commercial success for the band, giving them a #1 spot on the UK charts of the day. Ian even once said it was his favorite Tull album. It’s undoubtedly their first classic, one of the band’s finest works, and the foundation on which they started building and refining their later musical expression. Though it’s far from their best album, since they later made a bunch of more interesting and more advanced works, “Stand Up” would probably be the album I’d hand to someone just getting to know their music.
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”
Production
Ian Anderson and Terry Ellis
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)
Album length: 37:55
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)
