Jolly old Ian Anderson and his merry band of Jethro Tullers have always brought fun and festive attention to the holiday season. For 2024, they’ve gone back to a classic and added some extra seasoning. Indeed, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album: Fresh Snow At Christmas is an expanded and remixed version of The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, originally released in 2003, which also happens to be the final Tull studio record to include longtime guitarist Martin Barre.
Of the 16 presented here, there are new interpretations of seven older Tull songs, including 1968’s “A Christmas Song,” originally the B-side of the band’s first UK charting single, “Love Story,” it’s a yuletide rock classic. “Ring Out Solstice Bells,” originally on 1977’s Songs From The Wood, “Weathercock,” from 1978’s Heavy Horses, and “Another Christmas Song” from the 1989’s Rock Island, are here as well. Though they don’t quite live up to their original incarnations, it’s nice to have them as part of this collection.
The spirited recordings of Anderson and band covering J.S. Bach’s “Bourrée,” a longtime Tull fave, and newer tunes like “Birthday Card At Christmas” and the poignant “First Snow on Brooklyn” are top notch. The instrumental, “A Winter Snowscape,” sees Martin Barre plucking his acoustic in soft interplay with Anderson’ flute. It’s surely one of the highlights of this set. Keyboardist Andrew Giddings, bassist Jonathan Noyce and drummers Doane Perry and James Duncan also help to spread the holiday cheer on The Jethro Tull Christmas Album: Fresh Snow At Christmas.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
