Album of the Day

U.K. progressive rockers Jethro Tull became international stars with their fourth studio set, AQUALUNG. With its mix of thundering electric guitar riffs and acoustic passages closer to the fretwork of Bert Jansch – to say nothing of Ian Anderson's bravura flute playing – the collection quickly became a favorite of FM radio DJs, and “Locomotive Breath” and the title track became mainstays of classic rock stations for decades. Its cohesive sound and probing lyrics have often earned the set “concept album” status; while the band denies this, the cast of low-rent characters and anti-clerical themes here offer plenty to chew on. To celebrate AQUALUNG's 45th anniversary, an expanded edition of Jethro Tull's triple-Platinum masterpiece has just been released, including early versions and new mixes of songs among the numerous bonus tracks.