Jethro Tull 'Benefit' - New Steve Wilson stereo and 5.1 remixes*

Reviving an old dead thread.

Having been born before the Spanish-American Civil War (b. 1953), I grew up listening to records. At one time, I owned records of Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung, and Thick as a Brick. So I have listened to early Tull (my favorite Tull) for decades, but of course, off and on.

In the CD era, the only two I have had (I may have sold another) are the digital Remaster with Bonus tracks (2001), which is not the forum favorite, so I also acquired the earlier 1970 Chrysalis.

I don't listen to music in 5.1 surround, having only two ears on my head. So I ignored the DVD-A + CD reissue featuring Steve Wilson remixes. Surely enough, they issued the Steve Wilson remixes without the 5.1, so I recently bought that off Amazon (comes from England--it is always either zoverstock or oxfordshire, IIRC).

I have finally just finished listening to it. My impressions: fantastic. It will definitely be my "go to" and the only Benefit I will listen to going forward. I find Wilson's remixes to be superb -- characterized by better instrument separation than the original mixes (I feel this way about Yes Album, Fragile, and Aqualung, the other three Wilson's I have). Some other comments below.

1) I was a little jarred by the change in song order, since the original order was genetically programmed into my head from repeated listening. I am currently seeking a boomer support group on this matter.
2) The only song I didn't care for was "17", one of the five bonus tracks. Just didn't seem to fit, so I can assume that is why it was cut from the album at one time.
3) I think I actually prefer the UK version of Teacher over its American counterpart. However that may be, this is one of the very rare instances for me where a bonus track adds true value to the product. Most of the time, I just don't care for 'em.

4) Is Wilson going to work his magic on Stand Up, I recall perhaps discussion of this? I hope so -- a highly favored Tull album in my world.

 

I'm keeping the U.S. LP since I enjoy the segue from "A Time For Everything?" to "Teacher." However, the reissue has made me pay more attention to "Alive And Well And Living In," a song I like a lot now, even if Ian doesn't.

Yes.

 

I recently got the chance to interview Ian Anderson about the early albums. It's published on my blog, along with a survey of some early pressings. I agree about Wilson's remixes of Benefit and Aqualung.

 

Thank you. You and I are evidently the only two on this side of the pond who hold that opinion.

 

They released two versions of the SW mix on vinyl--one with the original US tracklisting and one with the UK. I have both and they sound identical other than the few different songs.

 

You might be right. I think the UK version of Teacher sounds like a rough, unfinished demo. It's missing all the good hooks and details of the later version. It's of historical interest, but I never listen to it for pleasure.

 

I mainly like the jam in the middle. It foreshadows Thick As A Brick.

 

Link to your blog please?

 

I wonder how it feels to have only two ears? Must be hard.

 

It is TheVinylPress.com and there are several related pieces- one is an interview with Anderson on the home page, along with an overview of some of the pressings of the earlier albums. I had also done an extensive shoot-out on Aqualung pressings back in the summer, and there should be a link to that piece in the overview of early albums.

 

Thanks. Will check it out.

 

+1 I got to the store early that day they released the new Benefit to make sure I got a copy. A year or more goes by and I still see copies in the racks. I guess it didn't sell like Aqualung, TAAB, etc. but it was the first Tull album I heard around 70/71 and it is still my favorite. For me it has the right balance between the British folk sound blended with the bluesy rock sound with the psychedelic explorations common for 1969.

 

No offense but this makes absolutely no sense. So in your opinion one would need six ears to really appreciate 5.1 surround?

Bill

 

It's the "cute" statement you always hear from people who hate surround & want to make those of us who love it seem like idiots. Apparently these same people must have cut off one of their ears during the mono era.

 

I agree. I'm not big on mono recordings but don't make "cute" statements that in order to enjoy mono one must cover one ear .

Bill

 

Thank you, Larry. The moment I read that lame "only got 2 ears" warhorse get hauled out yet again I groaned so loudly all 3 of our dogs came charging upstairs to my room to see what was up. Mono, stereo, surround, whatever floats your boat is cool. When you try and make those who like something other than what you like look stupid, it always backfires.

 

Do I need this?

 

IMO, yes.
.

 

Everybody needs this. A copy should be issued to everyone at birth.

 

Nah, I think 5 ears is close enough, since as a whole number, 5 is closer to 5.1 than 6(.0).

Seriously, if ya'll (Texan for you all) enjoy 5.1 surround sound, more power to you. That's great. I meant no harm. In basketball lingo used in pickup games, "no harm, no foul." I am too conservative with $$ to have more than two nice speakers (and even those aren't nice enough for most -- Monitor audio silver)

Long before surround sound was offered, I was happy with mono, then stereo. I'm happy with blu-ray, and don't care about 4K. But if you want to rebuild your blu-ray library with 4K releases, enjoy that too.

 

So then the audio from your Blu rays, be they 5.1, or 7.1, come out of a 2.0 setup ? So what you like about Blu ray is only the visual improvement ? Interesting.
.

 

Myke, you have parsed my sentence incorrectly, sorry for any ambiguity. When I add the dependent clause " . . . and don't care about 4K," I meant for that to clarify that the first part of the sentence is about blu-ray video -- movies. The next sentence makes this even clearer, when I mention " . . . if you want to rebuild blu-ray [video] library with 4K releases . . ."

 

I know you're talking about video, it's why I asked about the visual improvement. I'm saying the audio from your BD collection is being heard in stereo. Correct ?
.

 

I have not purchased a single blu-ray audio. My small blu-ray movie collection is occasionally watched on a Panny plasma and listened to in stereo.

 

Maybe you need a separate bass (.1) ear for low-frequency effects.