Reprise Records
1969
Acoustic Guitar, Written-By, Composed By, Producer, Flute, Vocals, Organ, Mandolin, Balalaika, Harmonica [Mouth Organ] – Ian Anderson
Bass – Glen Cornick*
Drums, Percussion – Clive Bunker
Electric Guitar – Martin Lancelot Barre*
Flute – Martin Lancelot Barre* (tracks: A2, B4)
Tracklist
A1 A New Day Yesterday
A2 Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square
A3 Bourée
A4 Back To The Family
A5 Look Into The Sun
B1 Nothing Is Easy
B2 Fat Man
B3 We Used To Know
B4 Reasons For Waiting
B5 For A Thousand Mothers
The group’s second album, with Anderson (vocals, flute, acoustic guitars, keyboards, balalaika), Martin Barre (electric guitar, flute), Clive Bunker (drums), and Glen Cornick (bass), solidified the group’s sound. There is still an element of blues, but except for “A New Day Yesterday,” it is far more muted than on their first album, as Mick Abrahams’ blues stylings are largely absent from Martin Barre’s playing. The influence of folk music also began to manifest itself (“Look Into the Sun”). The instrumental “Bouree,” which could’ve been an early Blood, Sweat & Tears track, became a favorite concert number, although at this point Anderson’s flute playing on-stage needed a lot of work; by his own admission, he just wasn’t that good. Bassist Cornick would last through only one more album, but he gets his best moments here, on “Bouree.” As a story song with opaque lyrics and jarring tempo changes, “Back to the Family” is the forerunner to Thick as a Brick. The only major flaw in this album is the mix, which divides the electric and acoustic instruments and fails to find a solid center. The LP comes with a “pop-up” jacket interior. (Review by Bruce Eder)