Analogue Productions Breathes Life Into Jethro Tull's Benefit
LINK TO FULL VIDEO
This was quite a surprise.
If I had based my opinion of Benefit on the pressing I’d had for 20 years—and I did—I would have said it was the worst-sounding Jethro Tull album. But the new Analogue Productions 2x45 RPM pressing completely changed that perception.
AP’s History with Jethro Tull
Analogue Productions isn’t new to the Jethro Tull catalog. They previously released two standout titles:
Aqualung UHQR (200g, Clarity Vinyl, 2x45 RPM) – Packaged in the now-discontinued deluxe box with the raised doll-spine slipcase. This one made a big splash, though I’ve yet to do a proper shootout with my DCC, MFSL, and original pressings. Maybe that’s something to come.
Stand Up (2x45 RPM) – This one had a long wait. I saw it teased in Acoustic Sounds inserts for nearly a year before it finally dropped. The Stoughton tip-on gatefold sleeve is beautiful, and the sound is even better.
What’s Wrong With Benefit?
Benefit always sounded claustrophobic to me—congested, midrange-heavy, lacking in bass and air. The vocals were often buried under phasing effects and odd production choices that diminished the natural character of Ian Anderson’s voice. Original Chrysalis and Reprise pressings (including hybrid stampers with mismatched sides) didn’t help either. Consistency was poor, and even the better sides were far from inspiring.
Enter Analogue Productions
So, could AP redeem this sonically troubled album? With Matt Lutthans handling the mastering directly from original tapes at The Mastering Lab in Salina, Kansas (part of Chad Kassem’s vertically integrated empire), I had hope.
And yes—they pulled it off.
The Sound
No, it’s not demo-disc material. But this is by far the best Benefit has ever sounded:
Midrange congestion is opened up.
Bass is now present, giving the music foundation and warmth.
Top-end is smoother, more inviting.
Spatiality has improved: instruments and vocals have air and definition.
Drums, previously flat, now have texture and dimension.
I genuinely started to enjoy Benefit for the first time. Tracks like:
“With You There to Help Me” – Dynamic and engaging
“To Cry You a Song” – Beautifully rendered
“Teacher” – Probably always well recorded, now sounds fantastic
“Sossity; You’re a Woman” – Elegant and immersive
Bonus track “Alive and Well and Living In” – A nice surprise
Packaging
The new edition features a sturdy, attractive gatefold (only issued in one country originally), with rich color and texture. It looks and feels premium—finally doing justice to the music inside.
Final Thoughts
Analogue Productions managed to solve many of the inherent issues with Benefit. Thanks to better mastering, cutting, pressing, and packaging, this pressing breathes new life into what was once one of the more sonically compromised records in the Tull discography.
If you’ve written off Benefit in the past, this is the version that might just win you over.
