The series of Jethro Tull albums in the superb box sets with all the additional bells and whistles continues with Bursting Out – the band’s classic live album from 1978. Indeed – one of the all time classic live albums.
This is the “inflated edition” consisting of three CDs and three DVDs inserted within the now familiar hard backed book format with ninety-six high quality gloss art paper book chocked full of photographs and many articles relating to the original album, tour chronology and plenty more.
You may well be familiar with the music from the original album, which has Tull ripping through a set full of classics recorded at various venues throughout Europe following the Heavy Horses album.
Recording technology at the time (remember the good old double live vinyl?) meant the original had to be cut down as the entire set wouldn’t fit on a double album – though even so it’s a winner. No Lullaby, Sweet Dream, Jack in the Green, Songs from the Wood etc.
That’s on CD1 here remixed by Steven Wilson and including five sound check recording previously unreleased. What a ripper…..!
CD2 is Bursting Out (Part 2) – recorded on 8-track in 1978 at various venues in Germany and Switzerland and given the Steven Wilson treatment. Thick as a Brick, Hunting Girl, Minstrel in the Gallery, Aqualung and more – and more previously unreleased sound check recordings.
CD3 is yes, you guessed it, remixed by Wilson. It is Tull’s performance from Madison Square Garden in 1978 much of which was broadcast live on TV by satellite globally (we’ll get to that in a moment). The full sixteen song set. What a performance it captures.
Now the DVDs…..yes, you guessed it – Wilson remixes.
DVD1 and DVD2 are remixes of the original Bursting Out. Then DVD3 is the jewel in the crown. The full Madison Square Garden performance which is split part audio and part video. The video (around 50 minutes) of which is the part of the set which was broadcast live via satellite – apparently the first time it had been done for a rock concert I believe.
The initial audio part is accompanied by a series of still images. Then when the live video broadcast kicks in it shows how good Tull were live when they were (arguably) at their peak.
Ian Anderson such a showman, Martin Barre ripping it up on guitar, Barriemore Barlow’s superb drumming, John Evan and David Palmer such a fine duo on all sorts of keyboards and Tony Williams putting in a fine stint on bass subbing for the unwell John Glascock.
See how good they were by having a look at No Lullaby. Blistering stuff:
Now – the book. The usual ninety-six quality pages including a Q&A with Ian Anderson on the background to Busting Out, the tour and the transatlantic broadcast from Madison Square Garden, Recollections from a some of the road and stage crew from the time and more.
This inflated edition of Bursting Out is a “must have”. As with all the preceding Tull box sets it is of the highest quality.
>> BURSTING OUT THE INFLATED EDITION ON AMAZON <<
With a good number of Tull albums not (yet) having the treatment perhaps there’ll be more to look forward to in due course. I’m hoping Under Wraps will be next. I do think that whilst it is an album of its time it, doesn’t get the love it deserves.
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