Top 10 best re-issues/re-releases of 2011

Our top album lists we be out later this week. In addition to a list of new releases I started doing a list of the top re-issues and re-leases two or three years ago. This year was had so many good entries that I decided to expand the list from 5 to 10. So here they are in order from 1-10.


1-Twisted Sister-Under the blade CD/DVD set
It's one of the best Twister Sister albums with bonus tracks and the DVD is a live show from when they were still raw and angry.

2-Orange Goblin-5 disc box set
Five great helpings of pure thick stoner rock and bonus tracks on each one. WOW!

3-Jethro Tull-Aqualung 40th anniversary special edition 2 disc set
A great sounding remix on Aqualung and a whole disc of bonus tracks.

4-Mos Generator-s/t
Their debut debut re-issued with bonus tracks.

5-Sigh-Scorn Defeat
They had a rougher sound nearly twenty years ago, but just as impressive.

6-Stone Axe-S/T CD/DVD set
The original just came out a couple of years ago, but this version has bonus live tracks and a whole DVD full of live songs.

7-Uncannny-MCMXCI -collected works
Their one album plus demos equals a massive attack of classic early death metal.

8-Thin Lizzy-The boys are back in town, Live in Sydney, Australia 1978
Not their greatest live album, but it's a prime Thin Lizzy show with the band sounding very relaxed.

9-Warlock-Hellbound
My favorite Warlock albums got the re-issue treatment this year.

10-Atomic Rooster-s/t
A very underrated album.

Jethro Tull-Aqualung 40th anniversary special edition giveaway

I have a copy of the 2 disc 40th anniversary special edition of Jethro Tull's Aqualung to give away courtesy of Capitol/EMI . All you have to do is to the contact link over to the right that says "contact me HERE" and send me e-mail telling that you want to be entered in the Jethro Tull giveaway. Make sure to include an e-mail address that I reach you at. Contest will run until December 9th and at that time I'll draw a winner and contact you for an address that I can send your prize. Good luck!

Jethro Tull-Aqualung-40th anniversary special edition

Chrysalis/EMI
2011



The first time I heard Jethro Tull was on my local radio station when I was a teenager in the mid-80's. Late one night I was sitting next to my radio and "Cross-eyed Mary" came on. The quirky off the wall approach got me right away. Martin Barre's thick and steady riffs set the tone and Ian Anderson's lingering vocals and flute bursts only added to the texture of the song. Not long after that I heard the haunting title track and the thick monster that is "Locomotive breath". Yet it would be another 6 or 7 years before I heard the whole album. Once I did finally hear it I was overwhelmed by the combination of beauty and raw power. That's an ability that defines this album and it's not easy to pull off, but they make it sound easy. Once I heard this album in it's entirety I played it very often for years and still do. So what could be better than Aqualung? Well, in honor of the album's 40th anniversary is the release of the two disc set. Aqualung is the first disc and the second disc contains some unreleased tracks and some previously tracks, some of which get the re-mix treatment. Now Aqualung has been re-issued several times and their have been some complaints about the sound quality of some of the previous versions. However this time around I think they got it right. The sound is bold and vibrant while retaining all of the flavor the band originally intended. Plus on top of all this is a thick booklet with information about the album with quotes from the band, lots of pictures and even two pages from Steve Wilson who did the re-mix as he tells the process he went through to achieve the final results. All in all one of the best re-issues of 2011.

Jethro Tull- Live at Madison Square Garden 1978

Virgin/EMI
2009

This live DVD/CD set contains the band's international TV broadcast from October 9th, 1978 plus an audio only segment on the DVD and the accompanying CD contains an edited version of the concert. First let's get at the DVD. The audio only section contained three songs and they sounded good, but I was impatient to get to the actual performance so a still picture with the audio playing didn't completely satisfy me. Soon enough the TV performance begins and Ian Anderson launch into a spectacular set. They come across true performers both in sound and sight. Anderson is all over the place and the sound is thick and often frantic as they bring together elements of folk, prog rock, hard rock and more into their own unique presentation. The picture quality is slightly fuzzy, but the sound is vibrant as a unit they certainly knew how to put on a show. Their talent shines through, but more than anything you can tell they are having a lot of fun and the audience just feeds off of their exuberance. The CD sounds fantastic too and it may have even impressed more if I hadn't watched the DVD first. By 1978 a lot of 70's prog rock was on the downhill side as musical trends were changing, but Jethro Tull were still cranking out the same brilliant sounds they had been doing for a decade. The booklet includes from Ian Anderson and band manager Terry Ellis about the performance. A fantastic set for fans of the band.