‘Turn Of The Tide’ almost dented the UK Top 70 for Barclay James Harvest, but across Europe top ten placings were recorded, even going gold (250 000) in Germany before release!
Written by: Lee South Africa
ARTIST: Barclay James Harvest
ALBUM: Turn Of The Tide
LABEL: Polydor
SERIAL: POLD 5040
YEAR: 1981
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Les Holroyd – lead vocals, keyboards, bass * John Lees – lead vocals, guitar * Mel Pritchard – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Waiting On The Borderline * 02 How Do You Feel Now * 03 Back To The Wall * 04 Highway For Fools * 05 Echoes And Shadows * 06 Death Of A City * 07 I’m Like A Train * 08 Doctor Doctor * 09 Life Is For Living * 10 In Memory Of The Martyrs
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
As Summer ends on the South African highveld, my attentions turn more to the Prog AOR side of things. Barclay James Harvest are inevitably at the forefront of this annual reawakening.
The band had seen their fortunes decline alarmingly in England toward the end of the 70’s, also losing founding keyboardist Woolly Wolstenholme. 1979’s ‘Eyes Of The Universe’ turned everything around though, scorching the charts all over Europe, Germany especially.
Barclay James Harvest held an open air concert in Berlin for around 250,000 people, later released as a live album. Before recording the next full album, Barclay James Harvest recorded a further single so as to strike while the iron was hot, and ‘Life Is For Living’ did just that, becoming arguably their biggest hit. Would the full album measure up to this quality?
The Songs
Stabbing keys signal the opening cut ‘Waiting On The Borderline’, totally keyboard dominated like Saga lite at midtempo. Said keys continue the elegant stabbing throughout the song and I’m not complaining. This is exquisite AOR with laid back vocal harmonies in line with Pure Prairie League and Amazing Rhythm Aces.
Strong Winter coffee percolating away by this point, not impeded at all by ‘How Do You Feel Now’, John’s delicate ballad to his new born daughter Esther. He reckons it’s the best track he ever composed, I have to differ there (‘Alone In The Night’ and ‘Rebel Woman’ for starters). Still, it’s a piano saturated study in class with a wistful later Beatles quality, very pleasing indeed.
‘Back To The Wall’ introduces a West Coast midtempo, Holroyd’s bass navigating like treacle over a bed of hot molasses. This is as powerful as it is lite, the vocals an absolute treat. Think Dakota meets Toto, yet the Barclay James Harvest identity is not compromised. The keys are not to be missed, at times twinkling like penthouse lights on the skyline. Yes this is very fine AOR, my mug of coffee overflows.
‘Highway For Fools’ insinuates the first real guitar aggression into proceedings, a surprisingly jarring riff and verses reminding me of John’s 1990 track ‘Psychedelic Child’. It’s the chorus that salvages things though, staccato piano setting Ambrosia against Toto, all tied up in a superb melody.
Les raises the stakes even higher with ‘Echoes And Shadows’. Has there ever been a voice like this? A truly delicate, almost fragile framework belies the melodic power housed within. A thousand clocks chiming endless circles of keyboard melody and counter melody, Holroyd’s voice hovering overhead like suspended liquid gold. AOR lite can surely not sound any better than this.
‘Death Of A City’ sees John resurrect a demo from the band’s early days, injecting some urgency with a newly written riff and verses. The Pink Floyd chorus betrays the track’s late 60’s origins though, certainly something from a time capsule.
‘I’m Like A Train’ begins as if it may still be dreaming but isn’t sure, gliding in on lite waves of piano. Then out of nowhere the pomp hooks are invading and we’re off to the races. I’m hearing the expected traces of Saga and Eloy but there’s a nagging resemblance to Cat Stevens ‘Peace Train’ in the rhythm. Chalk up another Prog AOR classic then.
‘Doctor Doctor’ recalls a little new wave with it’s jerky rhythm, the synth motif a spider crawling up the keyboard scales. At chorus time Barclay James Harvest cut the outboard motor to go drifting on a lake of restrained melody. AOR with a twist, minimal guitar but still working a treat.
Major hit ‘Life Is For Living’ gets tucked away at track 9, an effervescent study in keyboard driven uptempo AOR. Difficult to tell chorus from bridge or verse, an onslaught of melody prevails and the success this song achieved is well deserved.
Album closer ‘In Memory Of The Martyrs’ is John’s tribute to his late cousin. A slowly building orchestral epic, it’s not my mug of coffee but very well executed for what it is.
In Summary
‘Turn Of The Tide’ almost dented the UK Top 70 for Barclay James Harvest, but across Europe top ten placings were recorded, even going gold (250 000) in Germany before release! The tour took in a few UK dates but understandably criss-crossed Europe where the band confirmed their superstar status.
‘Ring Of Changes’ was the next studio album, but not before a certain live release returned Barclay James Harvest to the UK charts in a big way. ‘Turn Of The Tide’ ushered in the keyboard drenched AOR approach that would continue until 1997, and did so with some considerable style.
Barclay James Harvest on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
