News

Chrysalis’ long-running series of deluxe, hardcover book-style box sets from Jethro Tull is set to continue on October 18 with the 40th anniversary edition of the band’s 1979 album Stormwatch.  Completing the folk-rock trilogy begun with 1977’s Songs from the Wood and 1978’s Heavy Horses, Stormwatch earned a Gold certification and was the final Tull album to feature the “classic” line-up of Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Glascock, John Evan, David (now Dee) Palmer, and Barriemore Barlow.

Stormwatch: 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition, a 4CD/2DVD set, features:

• The original album and associated recordings newly remixed by Steven Wilson;
• A complete concert from the Netherlands recorded in March 1980;
• The original album and 13 associated recordings mixed in to 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital surround;
• A flat transfer of the original 1979 mix at 96/24 LPCM stereo;
• 15 associated recordings mixed to 96/24 LPCM stereo and five original mixes at 96/24 LPCM stereo; and
• Presented in a casebound DVD book filled with an extensive history of the album, track-by-track annotations by Anderson and Palmer, rare photographs and more.

Stormwatch, written solely by Ian Anderson save for the closing instrumental “Elegy” penned by Dee Palmer, emphasized ecological and nautical themes on tracks like “North Sea Oil” and “Flying Dutchman.”

The recording sessions for Stormwatch stretched from August 1978 to July 1979 as the album’s ecological and maritime themes slowly came into focus on songs like “North Sea Oil” and “Flying Dutchman.”  As the album and its themes were developed, a number of tracks were recorded and then discarded.  Many of those outtakes are included on the second disc of this collection including “Crossword,” “Kelpie,” “A Stitch in Time,” and “King Henry’s Madrigal” (all of which are previously issued) as well as the previously unreleased “Man of God,” “Broadford Bazaar,” “The Lyricon Blues,” “Urban Apocalypse,” and more.  Also premiering are alternate, early versions of the album’s “Dark Ages” and “Dun Ringill.”

The third and fourth CDs have the premiere of Tull’s March 16, 1980 concert in the Netherlands at which the band played new Stormwatch tracks (“Something’s On The Move,” “Home” and “Elegy”) alongside band hits and favorites (“Locomotive Breath,” “Aqualung,” “Thick As A Brick” and “Minstrel In The Gallery”).  The two audio-only DVDs present various mixes of the original album and the related material.

The Stormwatch: 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition looks to be every bit as impressive as previous releases in this lavish series.  Look for it on October 18 from Parlophone/Rhino!

Jethro Tull, Stormwatch: 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition (Chrysalis CHR 1238, 1979 – reissued Chrysalis/Rhino, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Steven Wilson Remix of Original Album

1. “North Sea Oil”
2. “Orion”
3. “Home”
4. “Dark Ages”
5. “Warm Sporran”
6. “Something’s On The Move”
7. “Old Ghosts”
8. “Dun Ringill”
9. “Flying Dutchman”
10. “Elegy”

CD 2: Associated Recordings

1. “Crossword”
2. “Dark Ages” (early version) [Previously Unreleased]
3. “Kelpie”
4. “Dun Ringill” (early version) [Previously Unreleased On CD]
5. “A Stitch In Time”
6. “A Single Man” [Previously Unreleased]
7. “Broadford Bazaar”
8. “King Henry’s Madrigal”
9. “Orion” (full version) [Previously Unreleased]
10. “Urban Apocalypse” [Previously Unreleased]
11. “The Lyricon Blues”
12. “Man Of God” [Previously Unreleased]
13. “Rock Instrumental (unfinished master) [Previously Unreleased]
14. “Prelude To A Storm” [Previously Unreleased]
15. “Sweet Dream” (live)

CD 3: Live in the Netherlands (March 16. 1980) [Previously Unreleased]

1. “Intro”
2. “Dark Ages”
3. “Home”
4. “Orion”
5. “Dun Ringill”
6. “Elegy”
7. “Old Ghosts”
8. “Something’s On The Move”
9. “Aqualung”
10. “Peggy’s Pub”
11. “Jack-In-The-Green”
12. “King Henry’s Madrigal”/Drum Solo
13. “Heavy Horses”

CD 4: Live in the Netherlands (March 16. 1980) [Previously Unreleased]

1. Flute Solo (incl. “Bourée/Soirée/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Kelpie”)
2. Keyboard Duet (Bach’s Prelude in Cm from the “Well-Tempered Clavier 1”)
3. “Songs From The Wood”
4. “Hunting Girl”
5. “Jams O’Donnel’s Jigs”
6. “Thick As A Brick”
7. “Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die!”
8. “Cross-Eyed Mary”
9. “Guitar Solo”
10. “Minstrel In The Gallery”
11. “Locomotive Breath”
12. “Dambusters March”

 DVD 1: Audio Only

• Stormwatch mixed to 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital
• Flat transfer of the original 1979 mix at 96/24 LPCM stereo

DVD 2: Audio Only

• Contains 13 associated recordings mixed to 5.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital
• 15 associated recordings mixed to 96/24 LPCM stereo
• Five original mixes at 96/24 LPCM stereo