Benefit by Jethro Tull

Benefit by Jethro Tull, released in 1970 between the beautiful Stand Up and the absolute masterpiece Aqualung, sometimes under estimated by the band itself and considered by many to be a transitional album, but which I prefer to define as a transitional masterpiece, with a mature and sophisticated sound.

The departure from the heavier blues influences of their first two albums,  This Was and Stand Up , is evident, with a heightened presence of guitars, with Martin Barre's electric guitar work being more incisive and heavy than on previous albums. John Evan's beautiful piano and organ guest appearance on this album paves the way for his career as a full-time member on subsequent albums.

- "With You There to Help Me" opens the album forcefully with a folk/rock sound featuring fantastic flute riffs and great guitar from Martin Barre.

- "Nothing to Say" is dominated by great guitar work and bass lines, not one of their finest pieces in my opinion.

- "Alive and Well and Living In" is an energetic blues-rock song that blends folk, jazz, and rock with great complexity, featuring a folk-style mandolin intro, great guitar work, and a fantastic transition from blues to progressive.

- "Son" is a short hard rock song with blues influences and a nice transition into a psychedelic atmosphere.

- "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" is a beautiful folk and melodic acoustic song with an optimistic mood that stands out from the darker tones of the album.

- "To Cry You a Song" is one of the album's top tracks, featuring fantastic riffs by Barre. It's beautiful.
- "A Time for Everything" is an excellent folk-rock song with blues influences, with a blues-tinged first part and an acoustic second part.

- "Inside" is another top track on the album, featuring a great flute part and a folk sound.

- "Play in Time" is perhaps the hardest-rocking track on the album, with a great rhythm section and powerful flute, psychedelic moments, and a splendid organ.

- "Sossity; You're a Woman" is a beautiful acoustic folk ballad with a beautiful melody and a great organ part by John Evans.

Blues and progressive blend together, and while it doesn't contain any great classics, with the flute and acoustic six-string played so masterfully by Ian Anderson, it deserved more critical acclaim, even though it was the band's first commercial success.

In short, far from being a transitional album, this is an extraordinary album, or rather, a transitional masterpiece.

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.

LineUp

- Ian Anderson - vocals, flute, electric (6) and acoustic guitars, keyboards, producer
- Martin Barre - electric guitar
- Glenn Cornick - bass, Hammond
- Clive Bunker - drums, percussion

Featuring:
- John Evan - piano, organ
- David Palmer - orchestral arrangements