Living in the Past [CASSETTE] [Import]

When I first heard this album, I did not realise that it was a compilation album. I think this says something about how well the tracks were chosen and put together on what must be considered as one of Jethro Tull's finest.
The album has all of the traditional elements which make early Jethro Tull music so great. It combines upbeat folk guitar styles, with Anderson's exquisite, and sometimes frantic flute playing. The lyrics are thoughtful and are delivered in such a way by Anderson, that you feel confident in what he is expressing.
What makes this album truly great though is the way it mixes the laid back playful nature of folk with the more jazzy edgier rock motifs which work their way in many songs.
If you are a fan of Jethro Tull and especially early Jethro Tull then you will enjoy this album immensely. As well as containing many great tracks from the adrenaline releasing "locamotive breath" to the funky "For later" and the philosophical "wond'ring again", it contains two astonishing live tracks. These are "By kind permission of" and "Dharma for one" and showcase Clive Bunker's extraordordinary talent.
If you are a fan of progressive music from the early seventies, then I think this should definitely be in your collection.

This was the first Tull album I heard; As i played flute someone thought that I may like it; Witches Promise was the chosen track and I was instantly hooked. That remains one of my all time favourite Tull tracks.

I was fortunate to see them live twice and they were even better than I expected; Ian Anderson was a mainc genius who could not only write great songs but was a fantastic musician and performer.

The 2 live tracks are amazing and amongst the most played out of the entire collection of Tull albums I have.

The other tracks are shorter and some are more folk like in sound. Up The 'Pool is great fun and some of the accoustic giutar playing is first class. The whole album comes together brillaintly and if you havent heard it or of Jethro Tull then it is a must buy

The 2LP set "Living In The Past" was issued in July 1972 in the UK on Chrysalis CJT 1 and October 1972 in the USA on Chrysalis 2CH 1035 - both originals sporting hardback book sleeves with 12 pages of colour shots inside. The set's title reflected what was inside - a ragbag of previously released albums tracks bolstered up with new live and studio songs, rare single sides and their non-album flips.

This 'full' 23-track 2CD version is an audiophile issue - a Mobile Fidelity ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING housed in a card wrap with two gold ULTRADISC-2 CDs in two separate lift-lock CD cases. The detached oversized booklet slotted in beside the CDs replicates entirely the packaging and liner notes of the original double album - right down to the 'book' texture of the front and rear sleeve. Nice touches it has to be said. However, the liner notes get some details wrong which need clarifying...

Disc 1 (42:55 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 11 and 13 make up the 12 tracks of Side 1 and 2 of the original `UK' double album using strict sequencing

You will notice that Disc 1 has 13 tracks and not 12. The reason for the extra song is that "Inside" (from the "Benefit" LP) appeared as track 5 on Side 2 of the original 'UK' issue, but the original 'US' issue replaced this track with "Alive And Well And Living In" (another "Benefit" track in the UK and the B-side to the UK 7" of "Inside"). Both have been included on this 2CD set for completeness.

Disc 2 (45:35 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 3 and 5 to 10 make up the 9 tracks of Side 3 and 4 of the original 'UK' double album using strict sequencing

However, you will notice that like Disc 1, Disc 2 also has an extra track. Track 5 is "Locomotive Breath" from the "Aqualung" LP - it appeared as track 2 on Side 4 of the original 'UK' issue. However, the 'US' issue replaced this track with another cut from "Aqualung" - "Hymn 43" - again both tracks are included on the Mobile Fidelity issue for completeness.

To confuse matters further, the official EMI release of "Living In The Past" on CD is a truncated single disc of 19 tracks with a crappy inlay and ok-only audio... So this USA-only Mobile Fidelity 2CD issue is the only way to get the full double in one place - either the UK or US variant - and more importantly with truly great sound.

Speaking of which - when I compare "Locomotive Breath" and "Hymn 43" on the 1996 "Aqualung" remaster to these MF versions - the difference couldn't be more marked; the "Aqualung" remaster was to my ears one of the worst and dullest of issues - these MF versions leap out of the speakers. As the recordings vary from 1968 to 1971, the sound does so too, but the Mobile issue excels on them all - especially the beautiful acoustic turns "Just Trying To Be" (lyrics above) and "Up The 'Pool". In fact - excepting the excessive two live tracks, which took up all of Side 3, it's amazing how well the whole set holds together - even to this day.

Bottom line is - this Mobile Fidelity 2CD set has really great sound and the full compliment - it's just such a damn shame that it costs so much...

PS: Given the stunning sound quality on the Collector's Edition of "This Was" achieved by Peter Mew at Abbey Road - surely EMI - both this, "Aqualung" and "Stand Up' could do with the same treatment? It's infuriating that fans have to dig into their wallets to get quality sound...

PPS: see also my review for the 2008 2CD COLLECTOR'S EDITION of "This Was" that features many tracks on the above double