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Jean Michel Jarre
Oxygene - 30th Anniversary 3D DVD (EMI)

Right first off let’s clear up a little confusion, yes this is a 30th Anniversary release, but no it is not simply a buffed up re-master of the old tracks, this is a brand new recording of the album – although you’d probably need to be a devoted fan to notice the difference – using proper old analogue kit (normal people who could care less what the hell something is played on look away now) like ARP 2500's, Mellotrons, Eminent 310's and of course Moog’s (Hoy! It’s all over, you can look back). So already a step up from the usual 'chuck in a few demo's and b-sides' approach, but where it gets really cool is he has also filmed himself and mates playing it in 3D! The DVD even comes with a couple of sets of those daft glasses and it’s a hoot (ooh, look at that knob sticking out, fnar fnar), although to be fair this reviewer got better results on his computer than on the old telly box. The whole performance has a relaxed ‘let’s set up the gear and do it here’ vibe and for those of you that can’t be bothered with gimmicks there's no need to use headache inducing specs as there's also a 2D version and a raft of extras like JMJ parping around on instruments like a delighted school-kid.

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Jethro Tull
Live At Montreux 2003
(Eagle Rock)

Often overlooked in the great pantheon of classic rock acts formed in the late ‘60s, Jethro Tull, due in no small part to enigmatic front-man Ian Anderson, were always a magnificent live proposition, a reliably proggy album act, and despite having almost as many different line-ups as the Fall (well around twenty anyway, including appearances by Tony Iommi and Phil Collins), the core membership of Ian Anderson and guitarist Martin Barre – who replaced original guitarist Mick Abrahams - have remained intact since 1968. This show catches them live at the Montreux (not really a) Jazz Festival (anymore) and if the Anderson voice occasionally sounds a little reedy nowadays his breathy panting bug eyed flute style is still wonderfully present and correct - he also generally keeps both feet planted on the ground nowadays but to be fair the old ham is still pretty damn mobile. The generous set is roughly split into acoustic and electric halves, is peppered with classic Tull moments like 'Living In The Past', 'Fat Man', 'My God', 'Nothing Is Easy', 'Aqualung' and 'Locomotive Breath' and romps along in fine old style, Anderson’s between-song music hall banter delighting the crowd and staying just the right side of cheesy.

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Daniel Johnson
The Devil And Daniel Johnson
(Tartan)

Ostensibly the same sort of movie as the recent fine documentary Derailroaded: Inside The Mind Of Larry Wildman Fischer – young man with fragile psyche makes music/art, heads for the bright lights and big city, tastes success, takes acid, goes bonkers – only in Johnson’s mind at least going bonkers is entirely attributable to demonic possession, possession which will lead him to chase old ladies out of windows, clang his manager with an iron bar and grab the keys from a flying aircraft (piloted by his father), chuck ‘em out the window and then do his level best to land nose first. Then there is Daniel the artist drawing his endearing, occasionally disturbing, cartoon figures and Daniel the musician, his songs fragile, lo-fi, off-kilter, lyrically see-sawing between insight and nonsense and, on the whole, altogether charming (quite unlike Fischer who only ever yelled a lot). The lasting impression you are left with however is sadness, both for his long suffering parents, and for Johnson himself when his aged parents are no longer there to look after him. It's only be a matter of time before Syd Barrett gets the same treatment, let’s hope it’s done with as much sensitivity and thoughtfulness as this wonderful film.

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Elton John
Greatest Hits
(Mercury/Universal)

Some might argue that we need another Elton John DVD like we need a third term by George Dubya - don’t panic, it’s constitutionally impossible - the ubiquitous queen of pop, tantrums and vaguely embarrassing eye furniture (we found ten on Amazon in the first three minutes of looking). So why should this effort part you from your hard earned when the choice out there is positively dizzy making? Well for a kick off the sheer bloody volume of material is mighty impressive, including 2.5 hours worth of DVD material (live and video) and no less than thirty-four of his greatest hits - many of which qualify as the finest pop songs ever created - spread over a further two CD’s. The DVD in the main is a typically lavish effort filmed at Madison Square Garden for several million people (or whatever the capacity there is nowadays), with a truckload of special guests including Bryan Adams, Mary J Blige, Billy Joel and Ronan Keating and, given that the man is a consummate performer, trundles along very nicely thank you (and no he doesn’t play the hideous remake of Candle In The Wind). In short all the Elton John you are ever likely to need in one nifty set then

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Jethro Tull
Nothing Is Easy
(Eagle Vision)

Built around the Tull’s live performance at the ailing end of the Isle Of Wight Festival when the money had run out, tensions were nearing breaking point and anarchy was breaking out beyond the fence (all of which is documented here). It’s often forgotten just what an astonishing showman Ian Anderson was (especially in these days of mundane standing stones like Oasis), throwing wild shapes, gesticulating wildly and flourishing his flute like a phallic silver baton. It should also be noted he can really play that phallic silver baton, wrenching all manner of weird, wired and wonderful noises from it – in fact the whole band are pretty damn hot, something that a lot of these newly exhumed old performances are proving wasn’t always the case back in the day where live inaccuracies became horribly clear and mistakes grimace inducingly amplified. Of course there’s a drum solo, a staple of this era – thank you Ginger Baker - that has fortunately fallen out of favour (having said that Clive Bunker is an exceptionally fine drummer). If there is a downside it’s the paucity of songs (seven only), but they are elongated efforts and the additional, reasonably frank interview with Ian Anderson, rounds things off nicely.

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Elton John
To Russia With Elton - Silver Anniversary Edition
(Carlton Visual Entertainment)