Genre: progressive
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Stand Up
Company: Reprise
Catalog: RS-
Year: 1969
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: has the original stand up insert
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 4557
Price: $10.00
Cost: $66.00
Co-produced by Ian Anderson and Terry Ellis, 1969's "Stand Up" marked the debut of new guitarist Martin Barre (replacing original guitarist Mick Abrahams who subsequently reappeared with Blodwyn Pig). It also marked a noticable change in musical direction for the band. During his tenure with the band, Abrahams was always a proponent of the band's blues vibe, which served to keep Anderson's influences somewhat in check. With Abrahams' departure, those blues moves influences all but disappeared (the one exception being the lead off rocker 'A New Day Yesterday'). With Anderson serving as the band's creative centerpiece (he wrote all ten tracks), material such as the instrumental 'Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square', 'Back To the Family' and 'Look Into the Sun' found the band exploring a softer, more acoustic-oriented style that was heavily influenced by English folk-music. Mind you, this wasn't quite Fairport Convention ... Anderson and company still knew how to put together a rock song and Barre was more than able to hold his own in the lead guitar department (anyone doubting his skills need only check out the fuzz he lays on 'Back To the Family' and 'We Used To Know'). They just didn't do it all that often. So what are the highlights? Sounding a bit like Robin Trower, the leadoff rocker is great. An in-concert Tull classic, Anderson's adaption of Bach's 'Bouree' is certainly worth hearing. (Original copies of the album included pop-up figures of the band in the gatefold packaging.)
"Stand
Up" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) A New Day Yesterday (Ian Anderson) - 4:10
2.) Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square (instrumental) (Ian Anderson) - 2:21
3.) Bouree (instrumental) (Ian Anderson - Bach) - 3:46
4.) Back To the Family (Ian Anderson) - 3:48
5.) Look Into the Sun (Ian Anderson) - 4:26
(side
2)
1.) Nothing Is Easy (Ian Anderson) - 4:25
2.) Fat Man (Ian Anderson) - 2:25
3.) We Used To Know (Ian Anderson) - 3:59
4.) Reasons for Waiting (Ian Anderson) - 4:05
5.) For a Thousand Mothers (Ian Anderson) - 4:13