Songs From The Vault 1975-1978 by Jethro Tull

As described on the album itself, this is a 2-LP box set containing rarities and outtakes from the recording sessions that produced the albums, most of which have never been released on vinyl. These include tracks from one of the band's most prolific and beloved periods, the so-called "folk-rock trilogy." The collection covers the transitional period in which the band gradually moved away from the hard rock of their early years toward a more acoustic, folky, and bucolic sound, returning to the themes of their late 1970s heyday.

"Minstrel In The Gallery" sessions (1975). These tracks date back to the recordings made in Monte Carlo:

Summerday Sands (Originally the B-side of the "Minstrel In The Gallery" single)

Requiem (Early Version)

"Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die!" sessions (1975-1976). Material recorded at Maison Rouge Studios, discarded for space reasons.
3. Quiz Kid (Version 1)
4. Salamander's Rag Time
5. Commercial Traveller
6. A Small Cigar (Acoustic Version)
7. A Small Cigar (Orchestrated Version)
8. Strip Cartoon (Recorded in 1976, later the B-side of the single "The Whistler")

"Songs From The Wood" sessions (1976). The pinnacle of folk-prog inspiration:
9. Old Aces Die Hard (One of the "holy grails" for fans, unreleased for 40 years)
10. One Brown Mouse (Early Version)
11. Magic Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) (Alternative version of the album track)

"Heavy Horses" sessions (1977–1978). The final chapter of the folk trilogy before the electronic turn:
12. Living In These Hard Times (Version 2)
13. Horse-Hoeing Husbandry
14. Working John, Working Joe (Early Version)
15. Beltane (Thematic outtake, later included in various rarities collections)
16. Living In These Hard Times (Version 1)
17. Everything In Our Lives
18. Jack-A-Lynn (Early Version) (Embryonic version of an '80s classic)
19. Quatrain (Studio Version)

Stand-Alone Sessions and TV Projects (1978). Tracks not intended for a specific album but recorded during the same period:
20. A Stitch in Time (Originally released as a standalone single in 1978)
21. Botanic Man Theme (From the soundtrack for David Bellamy's TV series)
22. In a Town in England (From the Botanic Man soundtrack)
23. Botanic Man (From the Botanic Man soundtrack)

All tracks mixed by Steven Wilson, except "A Small Cigar" (Orchestrated Version), which was mixed by Robin Black, who also handled all recordings.

The lineup is as follows:

Ian Anderson: vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, occasional electric guitars, bass (on "A Stitch in Time"), mandolin, and whistles.
Anderson is at his peak vocal and songwriting. On songs like "Old Aces Die Hard" and "A Small Cigar," his flute alternates pastoral moments with almost jazz-rock phrasing, while the acoustic guitar drives the rhythmic structure with the maniacal precision typical of the folk trilogy.

Martin Barre: Electric Guitar and Lute
His electric guitar on these outtakes is surprisingly incisive. Although the period is "folk," songs like "Beltane" and the embryonic versions of "Heavy Horses" feature heavy riffs and solos that perfectly balance Anderson's acoustic element.

Barriemore Barlow: Drums and Percussion
His drumming is complex and intense. In these "vault" sessions, his ability to handle odd time signatures with a naturalness that makes even the most intricate passages flow (as in "Salamander's Rag Time") is evident.

John Glascock: Bass and Vocals
Many of the tracks showcase his fluid, melodic style. His work on Living In These Hard Times demonstrates why he was considered one of the best bassists on the prog scene before his untimely death.

David Palmer: piano, synthesizers, portative organ, and string arrangements

John Evan: piano, organ, and synthesizers
The two keyboardists enrich the sound with organs, period synthesizers, and orchestral arrangements (highlighted in the orchestrated version of "A Small Cigar"), creating the fairytale, medieval soundscape that characterizes the 1975-1978 period.

Jeffrey Hammond on bass on "Summerday Sands" and "Requiem" (Early Version), taken from the Minstrel In The Gallery sessions (1975). On "Summerday Sands," he features a beautiful melodic bass line that perfectly complements the song's acoustic atmosphere. Her contribution is crucial in "Requiem (Early Version)," maintaining the rhythmic structure with her characteristic precision.

Folk icon Maddy Prior (of Steeleye Span) also appears as a guest vocalist on the track "Salamander's Rag Time," a track from the Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die! sessions (late 1975). A masterful performer with her folk soprano style, Prior was a close friend and collaborator with the band during this period. Her most famous contribution to Jethro Tull's discography is the title track from the album Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll, but this "Vault" release allows fans to hear her work on a darker, more up-tempo track, not included on the original LP.

One of the band's most solid lineups.

Steven Wilson's restoration has more clearly separated the instruments, allowing for nuances not audible in the original mixes of the time.

A precious testament to the creativity of Ian Anderson and his bandmates between 1975 and 1978, and to the group's folk-progressive sound. The album allows you to hear the birth of complex songs and the mastery of the great musicians who make up this band. Like all "vault" collections, which assemble tracks from record companies' vaults, where the original master tapes are stored for decades before being restored, it is a document primarily for collectors. While it may seem fragmentary to many, it is essential for those who wish to delve deeper into the band's research processes.

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