Benefit
by Jethro Tull

From kcendsley1 07/12/2019 22:51 | #239398 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I was a 16-year old camp counselor in training, far from home in a primitive forest. I ran a high fever for two days with a horrific bout of tonsillitis. All I could do was lay on a bunk in a cabin with no air conditioning and listen to my records on headphones, sweating and hallucinating. This was one of those records. (Edited)

Not a bad album, it wasn't for me as I preferred a lot some other albums by Tull such as Thick as a brick, Aqualung, Songs from the woods, Minstrel in the gallery and Stand up. (Edited)

The early Tull albums are more bluesy and hard rocking than their later albums from the late 1970's till today. This also goes for "Benefit" their 1971 album. Many of the tunes are based on guitar riffs such as "To Sing You a Song", "Teacher" and "Play in Time" .
This is one their most consistent albums, with no filler/weak tracks, though some of the songs may sound a bit dated to young listeners. Most of the tunes are both melodic and rocking, a few quiet songs there too; among them 3 of the bonus tracks "Just Trying to Be", "Singing All Day" and "Witch's Promise" which were originally released on the compilation album "Living in the Past". The last bonus track "Teacher" comes from the American version of the original Benefit album.

Jethro Tull was always Ian Anderson's project with many changes in the line-ups; but he always chose brilliant musicians, and allowed them to show their skills. On this album especially exquisite guitarist and long-time member Martin Barre.

My favourites: "Son", "For Michael Collins", "To Cry You a Song" and "Sossity, You're a Woman"

https://www.angelfire.com/nv/Badfinger/BANDjethrotull.html (Edited)

In general, I think "Stand Up" is slightly better than "Benefit". But "Benefit" is not just a transitional record that would be the missing link between "Stand Up" and "Aqualung". The compositions are too mature for that. The use of studio techniques (such as reversed flute) is not really necessary, and it does not contribute much. What I especially miss with "Benefit" is the sensitive nostalgia in which a number of "Stand Up" songs bathe. I can only applaud that the electric guitar here is very present. (Edited)

This is the most recent addition to my quite considerable Tull collection and is far more enjoyable than I anticipated. To be honest the cover design has always put me off but thankfully the music is far better than the cover! There are hints to what is to come. (Edited)