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The Jethro Tull Christmas Album | 
 enlarge | Artist: Jethro Tull
Label: R & M
Category: Music
List Price: £15.99
Buy New: £10.75
You Save: £5.24 (33%)
New (7) Used (1) from £10.75
Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 1588
Format: Enhanced
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5018766997224
ASIN: B0000CFYND
Release Date: October 13, 2003
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: IN STOCK. USUALLY DISPATCHED SAME OR NEXT WORKING DAY (MON - FRI). PLEASE ALLOW 3 - 6 DAYS FOR DELIVERY. BRAND NEW AND FULLY GUARANTEED BY A WELL ESTABLISHED TRUSTED LTD COMPANY. EMAIL DISPATCH CONFIRMATIONS SENT. TRACK PROGRESS 24/7
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| Tracks:
| • | Birthday card At Christmas | | • | Holly Herald | | • | A Christmas Song | | • | Another Christmas song | | • | God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | | • | Jack Frost and The Hooded Crow | | • | Last man At The Party | | • | Weathercock | | • | Pavane | | • | First Snow On Brooklyn | | • | Greensleeved | | • | Fire At Midnight | | • | We Five Kings | | • | Ring Out Solstice Bells | | • | Bouree | | • | Winter Snowscape |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
While most festive-themed rock offerings are as palatable as turkey leftovers or January credit card statements, Jethro Tull's The Christmas Album is 2003's folk-rock feast for the ears, a veritable hamper of delicacy bulging with dependable old faithfuls (newly rendered versions of JS Bach's "Bouree", "Weathercock", "Fires at Midnight" and "Ring Out Solstice Bells"), jazzed-up carol curiosities ("God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" really goes with a swing a la Modern Jazz Quartet, "We Five Kings" comes over a little bit Dave Brubeck) and sundry confectionary extravagances, like Martin Barre's shivery instrumental " A Christmas Snowcape". While it's all reassuringly wrapped-up in the wintry Victorian romanticism of yore (the album cover, after all, is a charmingly subtle joke), The Christmas Album still questions--in curmudgeonly Ian Anderson fashion--what all this back-slapping bonhomie, alcoholic immoderation and High-street retail hysteria is all about. Thus, the frivolity of "Holly Herald" (two spritely carols rolled into one) is counterbalanced by a little Dickensian social conscience on "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow", an imaginatively literate description of the despair of homelessness. Crisply produced in the manner of their vintage 1970s work and brimming with delightful instrumental wit and invention, The Christmas Album is a cracker you'll want to pull more than once. --Kevin Maidment
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| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
 Evocative September 25, 2008
Jamie Collins (Devon, UK)
I'm not what might you call a Tull fan (though I do have their `Broadsword and the Beast', acquired kind of by accident but that's another story). What I am interested in are Christmas albums: while compilation albums are OK (if I can find one containing enough songs not already duplicated in my collection), the ultimate prize for me is a Christmas-themed album recorded as a single body of work, which usually means it is recorded by the same artist (a notable exception being the Phil Spector album), and original material trumps covers of Christmas classics (I can live without yet another version of `Baby it's Cold Outside'). In this respect, `The Jethro Tull Christmas Album' is one of the finest around.
The songs are a mix of re-worked Tull songs and Tull re-workings (loose) of classics plus some original songs. Musically, the album has an acoustic `unplugged' feel to it: flute (of course), jingly guitars and mandolins; the percussion and bass is a master class in subtly. While the songs are not all explicitly `Christmassy' in their lyrics (neither is `Jingle Bells', if you think about it), they are certainly evocative of winter rituals that I tend to partake in at that time of the year: informal parties with dubious food and too much alcohol, sitting by an open fire while the kids are asleep up in bed, recalling past times while walking through a wintery landscape... well, they are evocative for me *now*...
During our first Christmas together, I played it in the background, while stuffing the turkey and what not, and, frankly, it didn't really grab me, though I did really like the new version of `Ring Out Solstice Bells', which remains faithful to the original in terms of vocals and rhythm (despite being a mainly `acoustic' album, the song hasn't been slowed down to the pace of a ballad, thankfully) without those dated `reverse handclaps' elements. I was left wondering what `Greensleeves' has to do with Christmas and couldn't help thinking one of tracks sounded a bit like Dire Straits (not good for me).
The second Christmas I started to be able to differentiate the tracks and found they to my liking. During the third Christmas I realised it had become an essential part of my Christmas experience, as simple as that! Now, one of the things I look forward to doing at Christmas is listening to this album: how long can I last out? December 15? No way! And that Dire-Straits-sounding song was my very favourite last Christmas.
Incidentally, don't make the mistake of thinking this album is only for hardcore Tull fans. I lent it to one such person and they didn't really enjoy it. My impression was they were too fond of the original versions of the Tull songs, didn't see the point of revised `unplugged' versions and didn't necessarily associate them with Christmas. So if you are not too familiar with the Tull back catalogue then you may have an increased chance of enjoying this album to the full!The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
An All Year Treat March 5, 2008
AJ (Joburg, South Africa)
This is another fantastic album from Jethro Tull a truly excellent experience listening to the stunning music on this album,this album you can listen to all year round but I can imagine sitting beside a log fire with the snow falling unfortunately we dont get any snow here in South Africa but I can sit by the log fire.A very must buy for anyone who like this great band,go get this cd you will love it.Cheers.
It only happens once a year December 1, 2006
Mr. Steven Empson (Yorkshire)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
It's the 1st of December today. I can now put this album on until the last day of christmas. Since release this has been a tradition that will never leave my side. Don't let those miserable sardines who call themselves 'massive tull fans' tell you any otherwise. Get in the spirit, live the moment, enjoy the fun. This is a cracker!!! 'bout time for number 2 don't you think Ian.
 So disappointing September 26, 2006
Jon Stevens (UK)
5 out of 14 found this review helpful
This could have been a fantastic addition to any Tull fan's collection as a purely acoustic based album. Instead, Mr Anderson has served up a diskload of droll, over-produced,low-quality dross. The worst thing is the inclusion of cheesey synth parts and oversized reverb on the vocals. I am a HUGE Tull fan, I can only assume that the over production is due to some lack of confidence on Ian's part - which is insane because some of Tull's finest moments were with Ian and acoustic instruments. Avoid at all costs.
Flute-led Christmas folk-rock album November 25, 2005
Peter Durward Harris (Leicester England)
17 out of 24 found this review helpful
It is rare for rock artists to record a whole album of Christmas music although they like to record singles or tracks for compilation projects, especially where a worthy cause is involved such as the Special Olympics (A very special Christmas series). Thus, I was surprised to find a Christmas album by Jethro Tull, especially as I thought that they had long since faded into obscurity. In fact, although the seventies were their decade of fame, they have continued performing and recording through the intervening years. I am not especially familiar with Jethro Tull's other music (although this album has aroused my curiosity so I will remedy that situation some day) so I'll review this purely on its merits as a Christmas album. The group's leader, Ian Anderson, has a pleasant if unexceptional baritone voice who plays flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, piccolo and percussion as well as writing songs for the group. Clearly a man of many talents, it is his flute-playing that is the dominant feature of this album. When this album was recorded, the other members of Jethro Tull were Martin Barre (electric and acoustic guitars), Doane Perry (drums and percussion), Andrew Giddings (keyboards, accordion and keyboards bass) and Jonathan Noyce (bass guitar). Guest musicians were James Duncan (drums and percussion), Dave Pegg (bass guitar and mandolin) and the Sturcz string quartet. Some of the tracks are instrumentals while others feature vocals. As the flute is ideally suited to Christmas music, the results are very enjoyable. There are a few familiar tunes here but they are very distinctive. Quite apart from the sound of the flute, the arrangements are sometimes different from the standard. This album works well as background music when it comes across as a very upbeat album, but if you make the effort to listen to the lyrics, you'll find that they are not always upbeat as there a hint of cynicism. If you enjoy the sound of the flute and you're looking for a Christmas album unlike any other, this is for you.
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