BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST 
755344
CD
REVOLUTION DAYS (LES HOLROYD/MEL PRITCHARD BAND)

SONG-BASED (PROG)

Following the split of BJH some time ago, two new incarnations of the band have emerged, both featuring two members of the original line-up. We’re not sure whether this Holroyd/Pritchard pairing or the Lees/Wolstenholme camp own the BJH name, but all that matters for us is the music, and that is excellent! For us, this album is the best of the three released since the split. The songs sound more like Polydor period BJH, but where Les Holroyd’s contributions to these older albums might have been seen by some as music fixed firmly in the symphonic/romantic rock line, there is a definite feel of aggression present on some tracks from this set. The album still has its share of ballads and the hooks are still present in abundance, plus there’s plenty of the richly layered keyboards (check-out the fantastic mellotrons on ‘Sleepy Sunday’) and melodic soaring guitars that BJH were famous for. The quality of the song writing and playing is, as always, pretty much rock solid through the entire 63 minute set. With a line-up of other musicians providing instrumental back-up (including John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick on keyboards for ‘Totally Cool’), this pairing have produced an excellent album that really suits the mood of the times. Click on extra info link for the track details.

The track list: ‘It’s My Life’ / ‘Missing You’ / ‘That Was Then, This Is Now’ / ‘Prelude’ / ‘January Morning’ / ‘Totally Cool’ / ‘Life Is For Living’ (New Version) / ‘Sleepy Sunday’ / ‘Revolution Day’ / ‘Marlene’ (from the ‘Berlin Suite’).

Weight: 150.00 g