Barclay James Harvest: Baby James Harvest - 1972


Barclay James Harvest found themselves under the prog umbrella, largely due to their occasional classical influences and an ability to compose some long pieces full of changes of pace and ambience - the hall mark of any prog rock band. For me, they are far more rock and psychedelic-influenced, typifying that late sixties/early seventies crossover between hippy psych and folky rock. 

This is exemplified perfectly in the first two tracks, the excellent mid-pace folky rocker of Crazy (Over You) and the brass-enhanced also folky rock of Delph Town Morn. Check out that lovely, warm bass line on this one. It has a bit of a feel of early Elton John about it. It is also very representative of so much early seventies rock output - folkily harmonious and melodic alongside its rockier moments. It also has a great saxophone bit near the end. Then we get the first evidence of prog on the nine-minute plus Summer Soldier, an anti-war/violence song complete with gun noises and changes of pace between rock and contemplative moods.

Thank You returns to rock with some fuzzy-guitar backing on the album's most upbeat number. It has a bar-room bluesy vibe to it and is far more rock than prog - 100% so. It is my favourite cut from the album. 

In 1972, everyone was putting out songs about space travel, it seemed, David Bowie had done it, Elton John and Hawkwind too. Here came BJH with One Hundred Thousand Smiles Out, which told of the isolation of an astronaut lost in space - now there's a surprise! It is a plaintively beautiful song, though, with a baleful CSN-style vocal. 

The final track, Moonwater (Poco Adagio) though, is an over-the-top piece of classically-inspired indulgence. It was dedicated to classical composer Gustav Mahler and its sombre, overpowering  string arrangements just don't really do it for me. Taking this track off, though, it is an impressive, surprisingly overlooked album. Recorded on the prog-dominated Harvest label, it was one of those albums carried around by long-haired boys at my school under their arms all day to show off their musical taste. Because of that I ignored it....

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