Barclay James Harvest: [unclear: Octoberon] Polydor

The sentiment that music should "always go on", as it is here expressed by Barclay James Harvest, as it has previously been elsewhere, is undoubtedly an honourable one. But when the framework for that sentiment, be it lyrical or musical, is debased by its medium, there hardly seems much point in carrying on. Or is there?

Put it differently. To hedge or to wedge—that was going to be the quotation—instead it's probably the what. In 1968 the corporate heads of EMI—groove for groove the United Kingdom's largest recording organisation—put their heads together and decided to form a progressive label, the term 'progressive' still having some currency then.' Whatever caused such a drastic twist in the in the minds of the conservative board was pretty obviously the profit motive, or—just possibly—a more obscure reason like an heartfelt desire on their part to improve a lamentable situation. Be that as it may, rumour has it, they named the label Harvest because of the above group.

They switched to Polydor in the middle of 1973, Octoberon is about their ninth album, and their line up hasn't changed. The album is halved into "Red" and "Blue" sides which correspond roughly with optimism and pessimism, though not necessarily in that order. Guess who's going to win this one, shortstop? The material is supposedly original with the exception of a few extra suspicious pieces and a particularly blatant Floyd rip off in May Day (but the bridge is so ingeniously melded into the total sound fabric as to fit perfectly), and played with finesse enough to interest those into the fringes of lightweight spaced rock. They've worked themselves to a reputation as one of the British cult bands, but on the thin and somewhat insubstantial offerings contained herein, it's hardly merited. It's proficient but rarely startling and occasionally meanders towards the tedious.

Lest that be misunderstood let it also be added that on the tracks where a more up tempo approach is taken Barclay James Harvest do, at least, show that they've earned their chops.