Heavy Horses

Heavy Horses is the eleventh studio album by British progressive rock band Jethro Tull, released on 10 April 1978.

Heavy Horses
Studio album by
Released10 April 1978 (US)
21 April 1978 (UK)
RecordedMay 1977-January 1978
StudioMaison Rouge Studio, Fulham, London[1]
GenreFolk rock, progressive rock, hard rock
Length42:25
LabelChrysalis
ProducerIan Anderson
Jethro Tull chronology
Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II
(1977)
Heavy Horses
(1978)
Bursting Out
(1978)
Singles from
Heavy Horses
  1. "Moths"
    Released: 1978

It is considered the second album in a trilogy of folk-rock albums by Jethro Tull, the first and third being Songs from the Wood (1977) and Stormwatch (1979), although folk music's influence is evident on a great number of Jethro Tull releases.

The album abandons much of the folk lyrical content typical of the previous studio album in exchange for a more realist perspective on the changing world — the album is dedicated to the "indigenous working ponies and horses of Great Britain".[2] Likewise, the band sound is harder and tighter.

An expanded, five-disc version was released on 2 March 2018.[3]

Production

Produced by Ian Anderson and recorded and engineered by Robin Black in London, Heavy Horses marks the last Jethro Tull studio album with full participation of bass player John Glascock. Anderson stated that the recording of the album came at a time when other artists were moving towards the new trends in music, and the band decided they did not want "to appear as if we were trying to slip into the post-punk coattails that were worn by The Stranglers or The Police [...] They were bands that were seen as being part of the punk world, but they weren't".[2]

Musical style and themes

Heavy Horses bares more earthly and prosaic themes compared to its predecessor. Songs about the conformist view of daily life ("Journeyman"), or dedicated to Anderson's dog ("Rover") and cat ("...And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps"), or even another one for his new son, James ("No Lullaby"). However, an element already present in Songs from The Wood continued as Heavy Horses served as a discourse on transience and disappearing worlds. The title track - one of two complex suites on the record - is compared by Anderson to an "equestrian Aqualung ". Other tracks, such as "Acres Wild" and "Weathercock", works as a plea for better days ahead. But, alongside the changes on themes, the music went much harder, too. The mini-epic of the title track flowing from a piano ballad to a fiddle-fest (of Curved Air's Darryl Way) to full gallop, is a great example of the album's style as a whole. "No Lullaby" rushes from a crushing Martin Barre riff as "Weathercock" starts full folk, to add progressive rock flavours. Barre declared that "Songs From The Wood and Heavy Horses are two of the best albums from my time in Jethro Tull".[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Rolling Stone(favourable)[5]
Melody Maker(unfavourable)[6]
Sputnik Music[7]

Rolling Stone's contemporary review was positive, calling the instrumental arrangements lavish and stating that Heavy Horses and the folk genre, as a follow up to Songs From the Wood, suited Jethro Tull perfectly.[5]

AllMusic calls Heavy Horses one of the prettiest records of the band, praising both Martin Barre's and John Glascock's playing as Robin Black engineering and the special participation of Curved Air violinist Darryl Way.[4]

Charts

Chart (1978) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 18
Billboard 200[4][9] 19
UK[10][11] 20

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ian Anderson with additional material by Martin Barre and Dee Palmer.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."...And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps"3:11
2."Acres Wild"3:22
3."No Lullaby"7:55
4."Moths"3:24
5."Journeyman"3:55
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Rover" (The 2003 remastered CD includes alternate mix of the track)4:17
7."One Brown Mouse"3:21
8."Heavy Horses"8:58
9."Weathercock"4:02
2003 bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Living in These Hard Times"3:10
11."Broadford Bazaar"3:38

2018 40th Anniversary New Shoes Deluxe Edition

On 2 March 2018 Jethro Tull released a five-disc ‘bookset’ version of Heavy Horses with a 96-page booklet that includes a track-by-track annotation of the album and its associated recordings by Ian Anderson. It is similar to the band's other 40th Anniversary reissues, with the first disc containing another Steven Wilson stereo remix followed by ‘associated recordings’ including seven previously unreleased tracks. The second and third discs contain 22 previously unreleased live tracks, recorded at the Festhalle in Berne Switzerland during the European leg of their 1978 Heavy Horses Tour, from 28 May 1978, remixed to stereo by Jakko Jakszyk. The set also includes DVDs.

CD 1: Steven Wilson stereo remix of the album and associated recordings
No.TitleLength
1."...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps" 
2."Acres Wild" 
3."No Lullaby" 
4."Moths" 
5."Journeyman" 
6."Rover" 
7."One Brown Mouse" 
8."Heavy Horses" 
9."Weathercock" 
10."Living In These Hard Times (version 2, previously unreleased)" 
11."Everything In Our Lives (previously unreleased)" 
12."Jack A Lynn (early version, previously unreleased)" 
13."Quatrain (studio version, previously unreleased)" 
14."Horse-Hoeing Husbandry (previously unreleased)" 
15."Beltane" 
16."Botanic Man (previously unreleased)" 
17."Living In These Hard Times (version 1)" 
18."Botanic Man Theme (previously unreleased)" 
CD 2: Live in Concert: Berne, Switzerland, May 1978, Jakko Jakszyk stereo mix
No.TitleLength
1."Opening Music (Quartet)" 
2."Intro By Claude Nobs" 
3."No Lullaby" 
4."Sweet Dream" 
5."Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day" 
6."Jack In The Green" 
7."One Brown Mouse" 
8."Heavy Horses" 
9."A New Day Yesterday" 
10."Flute Solo Improvisation/God Rest Ye Gentlemen/Bourée" 
11."Living In The Past/ A New Day Yesterday (reprise)" 
12."Songs From The Wood" 
CD 3: Live in Concert: Berne, Switzerland, May 1978, Jakko Jakszyk stereo mix
No.TitleLength
1."Thick As A Brick" 
2."Hunting Girl" 
3."Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die" 
4."Conundrum" 
5."Minstrel In The Gallery" 
6."Cross-Eyed Mary" 
7."Quatrain" 
8."Aqualung" 
9."Locomotive Breath" 
10."Dambusters March/Aqualung (Reprise)" 
DVD 1: Steven Wilson 5.1 surround and stereo mixes and flat transfer of the original stereo and quadraphonic mixes of the album and selected associated recordings
No.TitleLength
1."...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
2."Acres Wild (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
3."No Lullaby (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
4."Moths (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
5."Journeyman (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
6."Rover (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
7."One Brown Mouse (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
8."Heavy Horses (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
9."Weathercock (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
10."Living In These Hard Times (version 2, previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
11."Everything In Our Lives (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
12."Jack A Lynn (early version, previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
13."Horse-Hoeing Husbandry (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
14."Beltane (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
15."Botanic Man (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
16."Living In These Hard Times (version 1) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
17."Botanic Man Theme (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
18."A Town In England (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 
19."...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
20."Acres Wild (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
21."No Lullaby (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
22."Moths (Cap In Hand) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
23."Journeyman (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
24."Rover (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
25."One Brown Mouse (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
26."Heavy Horses (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
27."Weathercock (unedited master) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
28."Living In These Hard Times (version 2, previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
29."Everything In Our Lives (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
30."Jack A Lynn (early version, previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
31."Quatrain (studio version, previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
32."Horse-Hoeing Husbandry (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
33."Beltane (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
34."Botanic Man (previously Unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
35."Living In These Hard Times (version 1) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
36."Botanic Man Theme (previously unreleased) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
37."A Town In England (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 
38."...And The Mouse Police Never Sleeps (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
39."Acres Wild (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
40."No Lullaby (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
41."Moths (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
42."Journeyman (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
43."Rover (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
44."One Brown Mouse (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
45."Heavy Horses (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
46."Weathercock (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 
47."Rover (No Strings Version) (Flat Transfer)" 
48."Living In These Hard Times (Version 2) (Flat Transfer)" 
49."Beltane (Flat Transfer)" 
DVD 2: recorded live to 24 track at The Festhalle, Berne, Switzerland by The Maison Rouge Mobile mixed to 5.1 DTS & DD surround sound and 48/24 LPCM stereo (tracks 1-22) and 96/24 stereo (tracks 23-44) by Jakko Jakszyk.
No.TitleLength
1."Opening Music (Quartet)" 
2."Introduction By Claude Nobs" 
3."No Lullaby" 
4."Sweet Dream" 
5."Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day" 
6."Jack In The Green" 
7."One Brown Mouse" 
8."Heavy Horses" 
9."A New Day Yesterday" 
10."Flute Solo Improvisation/God Rest Ye Gentlemen/Bourée" 
11."Living In The Past/ A New Day Yesterday (reprise)" 
12."Songs From The Wood" 
13."Thick As A Brick" 
14."Hunting Girl" 
15."Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll, Too Young To DIe" 
16."Conundrum" 
17."Minstrel In The Gallery" 
18."Cross-Eyed Mary" 
19."Quatrain" 
20."Aqualung" 
21."Locomotive Breath" 
22."The Dambuster's March/Aqualung (Reprise)" 
45."Heavy Horses (video)" 
46."Moths (Video)" 
47."Bursting Out (TV Advertisement) (Video)" 
48."Bursting Out and Madison Square Garden show (TV Advertisement) (Video)" 

Personnel

Jethro Tull
Additional personnel
  • Darryl Wayviolin (on "Acres Wild" and "Heavy Horses")
  • Shona Anderson – photography
  • Robin Black – sound engineer
  • James Cotier – photography

References

  1. Heavy Horses (New Shoes Edition) Booklet. Chrysalis Records.
  2. Hughes, Rob (23 January 2015). "Jethro Tull: keeping the folk fires burning". ClassicRock.TeamRock.com. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. Jethro Tull website
  4. Eder, Bruce. "Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses (1978) album review, credits & releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  5. Bloom, Michael (21 September 1978). "Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses (1978) album review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2015.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses (1978) album review on Melody Maker (15 April 1978)". TullPress.com. 15 April 1978. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  7. "Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses (1978) user reviews & opinions". SputnikMusic.com. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 155. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. Hannaleck, Keith (24 August 2003). "Jethro Tull - Heavy Horses (1978/2003 Remaster) album review". ProgressiveWorld.net.
  10. "Worldwide album charts of Jethro Tull albums". Tsort.info. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  11. "Official Charts Company Jethro Tull Heavy Horses". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 December 2011. [Dead Link]
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