Jethro Tull – Aqualung (2xLP, 40th Anniversary Edition, Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)

Jethro Tull's Aqualung arrived in 1971 as the band's fourth studio album and the record that pushed Ian Anderson's group from blues-rooted folk-rock into something more ambitious and sharply defined. Its songs draw on hard rock, folk and classical ideas, while the album's recurring concerns with faith, hypocrisy and social observation gave it a weight that stood out even in the early 1970s.

What still makes Aqualung compelling is how those ideas are carried by strong, memorable writing rather than concept alone. The title track and Locomotive Breath remain key examples of Jethro Tull's riff-driven side, while songs such as Cross-Eyed Mary show Anderson's knack for character sketches and literate, sometimes confrontational lyrics. This was also the period that set up the band's international rise, with Benefit, Aqualung and Thick as a Brick forming the core of its classic early-70s run.

This edition uses Steven Wilson's 2011 stereo mix, later mastered for vinyl, a version valued for opening up the album's layered arrangements without smoothing away its bite. The package also keeps some of the feel of the original release, with a reproduction gatefold presentation and a substantial booklet that adds useful context for anyone returning to one of Jethro Tull's defining records.

Features

• 180g, Steven Wilson Stereo Mix
• Mastered from Steven Wilson's 40th Anniversary stereo mix from 2011
• Gatefold sleeve with reproduction of the original gatefold cover
• 24-page booklet included

Reviews

• Varied but cohesive, Aqualung is widely regarded as Tull's finest hour. - AllMusic.com