Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Label: Polydor Records
Release: 1978
Running time: 47:54
Rating: 4/5
“XII” was the last Barclay James Harvest album on which they still operated as the original quartet, before keyboardist Woolly Wolstenholme, sadly no longer with us, left the band. It’s really no surprise that it’s also their last classic symphonic prog rock album, the last one still interesting to the wider prog audience and not just the diehard fans, because in the following years BJH watered down completely and turned into an average melodic rock band with the odd art rock flash here and there.
When “XII” came out, probably none of the remaining members had any idea how dramatic the consequences of Wolstenholme’s departure would be for a band that never again reunited in its original lineup, and that was later literally split in two by internal feuds, with the two halves now sadly limping along on the occasional tour. Ironic, but also very fitting, that Woolly’s last BJH album contains some of his finest contributions as a member of the band, period.
The album opens with the energetic, melodic rocker “Fantasy: Loving Is Easy”, where the subdued mini moog effects, the rustling Hammond organ, a hefty guitar phrase and Lees’ melodic yet audibly embittered vocals all impress. Interestingly, the single version of this song had censored lyrics, even though there’s nothing shockingly lewd in them, at most Lees’ usual bite over yet another romantic disappointment. This time, too, there’s no shortage of genuine BJH classics, which have become practically folk songs on German soil, where the band always enjoyed the greatest popularity. Standing out among them is Holroyd’s rousing ballad “Berlin”, dedicated to all the band’s German friends and symbolizing the Cold War division of the German capital, still a live issue at the time. The romantic atmosphere and sumptuous symphonic arrangements are backed up by Holroyd’s trademark falsetto. The end result is one of the loveliest ballads in the band’s story, and they always boasted an enviable stock of excellent ballads.
The lyrics for the rather average classic rocker “Classics: A Tale of Two Sixties” were inspired by a few literary as well as musical classics (Bowie’s classic “Aladdin Sane” gets a mention). The song’s title is a parody of Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two Cities”. The solid “Turning Circles” is a typical Holroyd power ballad in the vein of “Life Is For Living”, just with a more pronounced pop rock flavor. “Fact: the Closed Shop”, steeped in Celtic atmosphere, has a pastoral melody with harmonica sounds and a military-march rhythm, recalling the golden days of this quintessentially English band. The sarcastic lyrics take aim at the unpopular practice of the closed shop, which was commonplace among English trade unions of the time.
The symphonic ballad “In Search of England”, ruled by lavish orchestral arrangements, is a romantic-patriotic piece, this time with Woolly on lead vocals. It’s the last song he recorded as a BJH member, so it carries special emotional weight for the band’s fans today. The lyrics are quite allegorical, dealing with the contrast between the naive ideals of youth and the rational experience of old age.
“Sip of Wine” is another Holroyd ballad with ‘lewd’ lyrics about groupies, but with a pleasant acoustic melody and his ‘angelic’ vocals, which on a casual listen give no hint that anything dirty is lurking beneath the surface. “Harbour”, another acoustic, soft rock ballad with hit potential and Woolly on lead vocals, tells of the everyday experiences of professional musicians who come home after a long tour and often find themselves in an apathetic state.
Lees’ sci-fi-soaked classic “Science Fiction: Nova Lepidoptera” is without a doubt the best ballad on the album, even better than “Berlin”, because it has that ethereal atmosphere BJH enthralled us with in their best days and never managed to recapture on later releases. Dramatic symphonic arrangements and background effects blend elegantly with John’s melancholic singing, while his weeping guitar solo only cranks up the epic intensity of this wonderful evergreen. The whole thing sounds like a farewell from the classic BJH quartet, one we’ll keep in our fondest memories.
“Giving It Up” is yet another atmospheric ballad with love-themed lyrics, though it doesn’t leave as strong a mark as most of the other pieces on this album. The closing “Fiction: the Streets of San Francisco”, crowned with a sleepy acoustic melody and harmonica, is inspired by the American film and TV series of the same name starring Karl Malden. Not exactly a spectacular finish to one of BJH’s better achievements, but still solid enough and a fitting match for the atmosphere of the whole album.
The superb “XII” was the last album by the original BJH lineup, masters of symphonic-pastoral melody who made one of the most overlooked progressive rock bands of all time a defining presence of the seventies. Although it’s usually less esteemed than its commercially more successful predecessor “Gone To Earth” (1977), it’s in many ways the better record. After Woolly’s departure, the band, which from then on operated as a trio, never recovered, no matter how hard Lees and Holroyd tried, and no matter that they enjoyed nice commercial success and generous support in central Europe through the eighties as well.
Lineup
Les Holroyd – vocals, bass guitar, banjo, piano, acoustic guitar
John Lees – vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Mel Pritchard – drums, percussion
Woolly Wolstenholme – vocals, keyboards, mellotron, guitar
Production
Barlcay James Harvest and Martin Lawrence
Tracklist
1. Fantasy: Loving Is Easy (4:00)
2. Berlin (4:47)
3. Classics: A Tale Of Two Sixties (3:34)
4. Turning In Circles (3:30)
5. Fact: The Closed Shop (3:46)
6. In Search Of England (4:12)
7. Sip Of Wine (4:22)
8. Harbour (3:42)
9. Science Fiction: Nova Lepidoptera (5:45)
10. Giving It Up (4:35)
11. Fiction: The Streets Of San Francisco (5:41)
