Jethro Tull have long had a close relationship with Christmas, the season, the folk tales, culminating in their 2003 release of ' The Jethro Tull Christmas Album’. This is a remixed version by Bruce Soord of the popular, long running British progressive rock band The Pineapple Thief remixed in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 Surround Sound. The collection of seasonally-themed Tull songs is now augmented not only with their 2008 Christmas concert at St. Bride's in London, which was previously added to a 2009 CD iteration, but also the Ian Anderson Band's 2006 show at the same church, which is being released for the first time. It is a 4CD & Blu-Ray package, complete with media book and also available on vinyl for the first time.
Tull’s approach to the Christmas album is far removed from the majority of the albums released on the same theme – this is music that can still be enjoyed in March or even August. There are a number of carols but there are also folk songs and even a couple of numbers such as ‘Bouree’ that have become Tull staples over the years. "Some of the tracks are not necessarily Christmas songs; they're more seasonal so that gives a broader window," says Ian Anderson. "And then there are a couple of them that I quite often play in the middle of summer and say, 'It'll soon be Christmas - it's in the diary. So let's kick it off now.' And that's part of what I've done over the years since October of 1968 when I went into record 'A Christmas Song. 'So, yes - it goes back a long way."
Ian Anderson’s flute is very much a lead element of the music but the whole band get a workout and, in the main, the vocals are less than the main part of the songs.
There is a terrific sense of energy all through the album, very much against the usual feelings at the end of the year, but the songs, in all their folky and jazzy glory, have a punch and brightness that makes the listener feel a sense of camaraderie and uplift.
This was Martin Barre’s last album with Tull and the rest of the were keyboard and accordion player Andrew Giddings, bassist Jonathan Noyce and drummers Doane Perry and James Duncan.
I am not a fan of the usual Xmas albums but this is one that bears up and is genuinely a fine listen.
