Jethro Tull - 2024 - Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Fresh Snow At Christmas (Deluxe Ed)

(407:00; InsideOut)

I’ve said it before, and I will probably say it again, but it is all Ian Anderson’s fault. An unhealthy obsession with Tull in the Eighties led me to writing to Record Collector to see if anyone knew anything about Carmen, which in turn had me asked to write a piece on that band for the Tull fanzine ‘A New Day’, which then had me thinking this writing lark was quite fun. Thousands of hours and millions of words later and I’m still at it. What we have here is a reissue of the 2003 release, ‘The Jethro Tull Christmas Album’. It has been expanded so it has the original album, a complete remix by Bruce Soord (which is what I am listening to), the ‘Christmas Live at St. Bride’s 2008’ album (again remixed by Soord), the previously unreleased ‘Christmas Live at St. Bride’s 2006’ along with a Blu-ray featuring more remixes. When the album was originally released it featured no less than seven re-recordings of old Tull numbers such as “Ring Out, Solstice Bells”, Weathercock”, “A Christmas Song” plus some new ones.

The weird thing for me, is that this is the first time I have actually heard this album, as 20 years ago I was running my own magazine and was concentrating on music from the underground as opposed to mainstream. I also hadn’t see Tull play for a few years, but rectified that in 2004 when they headlined the Friday night at Cropredy, and Ian’s voice was so shot I vowed never to see them play again (and I haven’t, even though they have been to NZ), and where was Martin Barre? As long as Martin was in the band then it didn’t really matter who else was involved as it was still Tull, and I remember Ian at one point saying it would always be Tull as long as there was Martin and Peggy, but by the time of this recording the latter was a memory, and this would be the last recording with Martin. This means this review is bound to be tainted in many ways, plus I know the originals of many of these songs incredibly well indeed. Take for example “Jack Frost and The Hooded Crow” – that first made its appearance on Peggy’s solo album ‘The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone’ which was released in 1983, before the Tull version was released on the 20th Anniversary set in 1988. I also only have the remixes of the original to listen to, not the complete 5-disc set, so what do I say about it?

No matter what I think of Ian singing in the live environment, there is no doubt that when is in the studio he is still able to perform, and even though many of these songs are re-recordings there are many classics here. I mean, three of the last four songs on the album are “Fire At Midnight”, “Ring Out Solstice Bells” and “Bourree”. While there can be plenty of discussion as to whether two of those are even Christmas numbers, there is no doubt these are some of the top songs from their pantheon. Ian sounds on form; his flute playing is as delicate and haunting as ever while Martin is Martin – the perfect foil for Ian. Back when Ian decided to record a solo album in a totally different manner, which ended up as ‘A’, there was only one member of Tull alongside him (yes, I know Peggy was there but he hadn’t recorded with Tull at that point), and as the only other musician aside from Ian who had played on all these tracks he relishes the opportunity. No-one sounds quite like him, and along with Ian he has reworked the old numbers (even though to be fair there was not much point), and even though the purist in me prefers the original arrangements and performances I am also aware that is probably because I know them so very well indeed.

I am sure there are many Tull fans who will be over the moon to have such an extended set available, and if I was in the same mindset as I was 30 years ago I undoubtedly would be investing in every possible format, but as it is this is a nice reminder that on their day Tull truly were one of the best bands in the world.

Kev Rowland, December 2024

Links:
https://jethrotull.com/
https://www.insideoutmusic.com/