Jethro Tull Benefit Remastered Rarlab
A 2cd/1dvd ‘Collector’s Edition’ of Benefit (1970), one of Jethro Tull’s finest and most lyrically personal albums. Includes: CD1: Stereo CD of the album plus. Jethro Tull - Benefit (1970/2001 Remastered Version) album to be listened as stream at Play.Spotify.com; Jethro Tull - Benefit (1970/2013 Steven Wilson Remix.
Pretty much, Peter Mew gets credit on all remasters beginning in 2006, starting with Rock Island. I don't necessarily prefer these remasters over other versions, but I like these remasters: This Was (2001 stereo - 2008 mono) (my fave versions) A Passion Play WarChild (loud compared to MFSL) Minstrel In The Gallery Heavy Horses (my fave version) Stormwatch (my fave version) A The Broadsword And The Beast Crest Of A Knave (original CD/LP other room echo is tamed) Rock Island Catfish Rising All are to the bright side.
The older the album, the better the result is. Click to expand.I'd offer the DR-15 for the Aqualung 25th anniversary remaster to be case in point that these numbers are very suspect, given that release routinely shows up on 'worst remaster ever' lists. Oh, and also point out (as I did in another thread) that the respectable DR-13 for the TAAB 25th anniversary is due to the superb dynamics of track #4 of said album which clocks in at a DR-21. Track #4, of course, is an interview and the main album tracks only muster a 10 and 9.
Overall, I prefer the originals and/or gold discs for all of the albums, but I've also heard a lot worse than the Tull remasters. I would agree that the booklets (or more specifically, Ian's notes) and the bonus tracks do make many of these discs essential, especially Warchild.
Jethro Tull Benefit Collector's Edition
What I do find annoying (aside from the sound) is the lack of uniformity amongst the different release waves of this series. The first batch had that hideous white border and no lyrics. Then they started adding lyrics, but went away from the picture discs, and the spine art was all over the place.