Hey! Santa! Pass us that box set, will ya?
We’re fast approaching the 22nd festive season since Ian Anderson and his band of jolly Jethros first released The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, the final studio release to feature longtime stalwart Martin Barre on lead guitar duties and therefore the end of a long and fruitful era. To put that in perspective, at the time of its release, the same amount of time had passed since Broadsword and the Beast was being put together. Following the first CD going out of print, an expanded edition featuring a bonus live Christmas concert was put into circulation in 2009, but until now there has been no deluxe edition or remix of the album. Just in time for year-end festivities, then, comes Fresh Snow at Christmas, an expanded five-disc set that provides a second, brand new 2024 remix of the album, courtesy of Bruce Soord (of The Pineapple Thief). Soord also takes the opportunity to provide 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mixes as well as hi-res stereo mixes, all of which can be found on the included Blu-Ray disc. Vinyl hounds can finally satisfy their cravings as well with a double LP edition, featuring the new mixes on a choice of black or clear platters, in a gatefold design with lyrics sheet. There’s plenty to examine here, but let’s start with the first couple of discs in the CD/Blu-Ray set.
The JT Christmas album was and is a pleasing blend of various styles: rock, jazz, prog, and classical. It comes from a fairly stable period for the band’s lineup: Anderson, Barre, bassist Jonathan Noyce, drummer Doane Perry, and keyboardist Andrew Giddings. A few guests pop up here and there too, including former member and longtime associate Dave Pegg, he of the famous Fairports. The album boasts a refreshing mix of traditional favourites interpreted through a Tull lens, reworked compositions from the band’s own back catalogue (both Yuletide-specific and seasonally-themed pieces which fit snugly into the overall wintry vibe), jazzed-up warhorses (such as Bourée, Greensleeves, and We Three Kings, here renamed We Five Kings due to its new 5/4 time signature), and newly-penned originals. Of that last category, standouts include Barre’s gorgeously evocative A Winter Snowscape and Anderson’s Birthday Card at Christmas, an empathetic nod to his daughter whose birthday falls perilously close to the big day (and as a member of that same club, I can tell you the song’s sentiment rings true!) This collection of 16 songs provides a more modern take on the often predictable and eye-rolling Christmas albums from rock and pop artists of days past. Anderson’s thoughtful arrangements pay off, such as in Holly Herald, which fuses The Holly and the Ivy with Hark! The Herald Angels Sing in a kind of mini-medley with a thumping rock beat and is loaded with trademark flute trills, accordion, and chiming bells.
Though the original mix always seemed fine to me (and is included again here), I turned the volume knob up and went into this new one with fresh ears, not having listened to these pieces in… well, a year, and found that Soord has done a splendid job giving them a sonic polishing without colouring outside the lines, as it were. There are moments where particular instruments are more prominent this time around, such as harpsichord, accordion, and particularly the bass guitar of Noyce which has been given a nice, fat roundness, most notably in tracks such as Last Man at the Party. I’ll admit, though, if the remix was the only thing new here, I would likely pass, considering my trusty CD edition has served me well over the years and I don’t need this music to be of the highest sonic quality. But there’s quite a bit more here for audiophiles and casual listeners alike, so let’s move on to the next disc.
The 2008 live concert Christmas at St Bride’s is once again included, with the historical church serving as a rather more elegant setting than the cavernous concert hall or cigarette-burned theater seating of a typical Jethro Tull show. Anderson, though not a religious man, treats the concert respectfully, as though more of a Christmas service than anything. It just happens to have Jethro Tull music played at various points throughout (I wish that had been my own experience with church as a youngster). But it also includes choir performances, carols, and readings, including one by Anderson himself. There are some fine performances of pieces like Weathercock, Jack-in-the-Green, Living in These Hard Times, and of course A Christmas Song… followed by – you guessed it! – Another Christmas Song.
A second, previously unreleased live concert from the same location is also a part of this package, this time from 2006 and with very few repeat songs. This fourth disc proves to be a pleasantly surprising gem, with highlights such as Pavane, Pastime with Good Company, and Griminelli’s Lament, but vying for centrepiece status are the two most striking pieces of the set. The 8 minute Moz’art, a violin-rich mélange of Mozart pieces originally composed for and performed in a Vienna tribute concert earlier that year for the famous composer’s 250th birthday, is one that should have had more exposure, but perhaps Anderson felt it should be reserved for special occasions. The other huge draw is the 10 minute closing rendition of Aqualung, close to unrecognizable with its long, fluttering intro and significant rearrangement. This rendition is an engaging treat for anyone who – like me – has long grown tired of that piece in its usual form. Perhaps it’s unsurprising that it received such a radical reworking for this serene setting, though it’s worth mentioning that Anderson still delivers those famous lines about snot and panties, likely atypical subject matter for this centuries-old house of God (or is it?) Nonetheless, I will surely be plucking both of these tracks from this set and using them in playlists year-round. These are simply too good to collect dust for eleven months of the year. Both concert discs are mixed beautifully by Soord and are included on the Blu-Ray as well.
With a 28-page book included for good measure, this set has a lot of value baked in, and between the new mixes and the excellent bonus material, it’s well worth picking this one up to slide onto your shelf alongside those other sets of recent years, or to stuff into a stocking or under a tree come December. If you’re like me, and Christmas/winter means cozying up at home with all the comforts of the season, there’s no better musical companion than Jethro Tull… and we could all use the merriment right about now!
Hey, Santa, pass us that box set, will ya?
I always felt Ian Anderson was at least somewhat religious. God is mentioned fairly frequently in many of his lyrics. Although belief in God and being religious can be two different ideas.