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"Raise it up - say Cheerio" - thus ends the original release of Jethro Tull's "Broadsword and the Beast", one of the groups best albums, though long overlooked in the U.S. The remastered version of the album though, doesn't end there and instead carries on for eight additional bonus tracks and nearly 30 minutes of additional music. Bonus tracks can be a blessing or a curse, and one can find examples of each type within those included here, but as long as one can program their CD playback they are usually appreciated even if they are only listened to on rare occasions.
The original album is one of Tull's best, up there with the likes of any of the numerous ones which are often mentioned as being their best. From each of the albums two near-title tracks to the paranoid "Watching Me Watching You" to the closing toast "Cheerio", it is full of strong and very listenable tracks. No doubt some have gone in and out of my personal favor at times, but each one has something which draws the listener in and all have those wonderful lyrics which make them uniquely Ian Anderson's.
The album opens with "Beastie", one of those near-title tracks and a song about people's private fears summed up nicely in the lyric:
"If you wear a warmer sporran, you can keep the foe at bay.
You can pop those pills and visit some psychiatrist who'll say:
There is nothing I can do for you, every where's a danger zone.
I'd love to help get rid of it, but I've got one of my own."
This is followed by "The Clasp", a song about the ritual of shaking hands, or more accurately about those who are afraid to do so. Next is the delightful "Fallen On Hard Times", a song for all times really which discusses people's mistrust of politicians and the political process, i.e. "come clean for once and hit us with the truth." "Flying Colors" deals with ex-lovers who seem to take pleasure in showing off their disagreements in public. "Slow Marching Band" closes the first half of the album with a song about people who are parting ways.
The second half of the album opens with the other near-title track "Broadsword", a nice historical number which brings images to the listener's mind of defending against a Viking attack, or more generally can be about any man protecting his family. "Pussy Willow" is a song about a young woman who is more excited by her fantasy world than she is her real life. "Watching Me Watching You" has a completely different musical feel than most of the album, and seems to be a song about the fear of people watching you, or perhaps just the feeling that you are being watched. "Seal Driver" has a rather unusual lyric and one has to wonder if it is about a ship or a woman, which plays off of the switch between women and trains which takes place in the lyric of the previous number. The album then closes with the short "Cheerio", which is the perfect end to a wonderful album.
The bonus tracks open with "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow", a number which is as strong as the original album, and another of Tull's wonderful Christmas songs in which he so rudely reminds us of the less fortunate instead of the marketing and greed which so often dominates people's thoughts during the holiday season. Next is the wonderful "Jack A Lynn", and the lamenting of being away from one you love. "Mayhem Maybe" is a song from the point of view of fairy-folk and has a nice acoustic sound to it. "Too Many Too" is one of the weaker songs added in, though even a weaker Ian Anderson song still has something to offer. "Overhang" is a solid number, with all the trappings of a Tull number, strong guitar, strong flute, and intriguing lyrics. "Rhythm in Gold" lyrically would probably fit better on "Under Wraps", but musically it fits well here, though is not up to the level of the songs on the original album. "I Am Your Gun" is another of the weaker tracks, though certainly interesting as it is written from the point of a gun. "Down At the End of Your Road" is one of the better bonus tracks, with a humorous lyric and an overall unique feel when compared to the other tracks.
This album had a different lineup for Tull as only Ian Anderson (flute, acoustic guitar, vocals), Martin Barre (electric guitar, acoustic guitar), and Dave Pegg (bass, mandolins, vocals) return from the previous release. The new-comers include Gerry Conway (drums, percussion) who replaced Mark Craney and Peter-John Vettesse (piano, synthesizers) who replaced Eddie Jobson.
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Top reviews from other countries
Samar
Worth every penny spent and every second enjoying it!!!
Reviewed in Mexico on September 11, 2023