Jethro Tull: Living With The Past

The title of this 2002 release might denote a mildly satirical inference to the band’s early 70’s outing titled, “Living In The Past.” Here, Ian Anderson and co. delves into the vast Tull songbook for these live performances, spanning 1989 thru 2001, whereas the bulk of the material might ring like a “best of” collection.

With the latest rendition of “Tull” – we find keyboardist Andrew Giddings effectively employing an assortment of synth-based textures for the series of works recorded at Britain’s “Hammersmith,” venue. Longtime “Tull” guitarist Martin Barre remains in the current lineup, while the listener will also have an opportunity to hear the original 1968 unit realigning for some blues-based pieces. And while Ian Anderson may no longer appear to be the longhaired court jester, his distinctive vocalizing and superb flute work remain intact. However, the driving force behind this effort resides within the musicians’ spirited renderings (amid a few cleverly articulated deviations) of such classics as “Aqualung,” and “Nothing Is Easy,” among others. The group also utilizes a strings section for the “Acoustic Session,” as all of these performances were captured on film for a scheduled DVD release. Hence, a vivid and inspiring portraiture of this time-honored progressive rock aggregation!