Audio CD review:
Barclay James Harvest - All Is Safely Gathered In: An Anthology 1967-1997

Barclay James Harvest - All Is Safely Gathered In: An Anthology 1967-1997

Band: Barclay James Harvest Title: All Is Safely Gathered In: An Anthology 1967-1997 Rating: Release Date: 2005-12-27 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Early Morning 2: Pools Of Blue (Abbey Road Version) (Previously Unreleased) 3: Eden Unobtainable 4: Poor Wages 5: Brother Thrush 6: Taking Some Time On 7: Sun Will Never Shine 8: Iron Maiden 9: Dark Now My Sky 10: She Said 11: Song For Dying 12: Galadriel 13: Mockingbird 14: Too Much On Your Plate 15: Poet 16: After The Day 17: Medicine Man (Single Version) 18: Song With No Meaning 19: Ursula (The Swansea Song) 20: Child Of Man 21: When The City Sleeps 22: Summer Soldier 23: One Hundred Thousand Smiles Out 24: Moonwater (2002 Remix) 25: Joker 26: Crazy City 27: Child Of The Universe 28: Negative Earth (Original Mix) 29: Great 1974 Mining Disaster (Original Mix) 30: For No One (Live) 31: Song For You 32: Sweet Jesus 33: In My Life 34: Titles 35: Jonathan 36: Ra 37: Rock N' Roll Star 38: Suicide? 39: Hymn (Single Edit) 40: Poor Man's Moody Blues 41: Hard Hearted Woman 42: Sea Of Tranquility 43: Berlin 44: Closed Shop 45: In Search Of England 46: Song (They Love To Sing) 47: Sperratus 48: In Memory Of The Martyrs 49: Life Is For Living 50: Nova Lepidoptera (Live) 51: Sip Of Wine (Live) 52: Fifties Child 53: Ring Of Changes (Single Mix) 54: African 55: On The Wings Of Love 56: Lady Macbeth 57: If Love Is King 58: Cheap The Bullet 59: Ballad Of Denshaw Mill 60: Back In The Game 61: Children Of The Disappeared 62: Dark Now My Sky (Live) 63: Medicine Man 64: Ursula (The Swansea Song) 65: Someone There You Know 66: Little Lapwing (Initial Mono Mixes) 67: Moonwater (Demo) 68: World Goes On (Live) 69: Capricorn (Single Edit) 70: Love On The Line (Live) 71: For Your Love (Live) 72: Lady Macbeth (Demo) 73: John Lennon's Guitar (Demo) 74: Cheap The Bullet (Demo) 75: Three Weeks To Despair

Barclay James Harvest : The Anthology 1967-1997 Some stats: 'All Is Safely Gathered In' 5cd + 60 pg booklet (74 tracks) CD#1. . (79:43). . . "With words and with pen I write. . . " 16trks/ 1968(3 tracks), 1969(2 trks), 1970(5 trks), 1971(6 trks). . . including selections frm 'Barclay James Harvest'(70), 'Once Again'(71). CD#2. . . (79:09). . . "Round and round now we go. . . " 16trks/ 1971(2 trks), 1972(6 trks), 1973(4 trks), 1974(4 trks). . . Includes selections frm 'Once Again'(71), 'Baby James Harvest'(72), 'Barclay James Harvest & Other Stories'(72),'Early Morning Onwards'(72), 'Everyone Is Everyone Else'(74). CD#3. . . (77:14). . . "Miles away in endless flight. . . " 15trks/ 1975(3 trks), 1976(3 trks), 1977(4 trks), 1978(3 trks), 1979(2 trks). . . Includes selections frm 'Time Honoured Ghosts'(75), 'Octoberon'(76), 'Gone To Earth'(77), 'VII'(78), 'Eyes Of The Universe'(79). This completes the end of the BJH 'classic' period with John Lees, Les Holroyd, Wooley Wolstenholme, Mel Pritchard. (Wooley leaves). Selections frm first 12 albums, considered the "classic" period. CD#4. . . (78:51). . . "Silver drifting on high. . . " 14trks/ 1980(1 trk), 1981(1 trk), 1982(2 trks), 1983(2 trks), 1987(2 trks), 1990(3 trks), 1993(1 trk), 1997(2 trks). . . Includes selections frm 'Turn Of The Tide'(81), 'Berlin Concert For The People'(82), 'Ring Of Changes'(83), 'Caught In The Light'(93). A fine sampling of the best post 'classic' recordings. . . with John Lees, Les Holroyd, Mel Pritchard and various session musicians. Selections frm next 10 albums. CD#5. . . (77:08). . . "The wheat and the chaff. . . " 13trks/including 1 studio track frm 'River Of Dreams'(97); the remainder are previously unreleased live and previously unreleased rare demos. Selections frm mostly 'classic' period. This box serves both casual and longtime fans. There are 47 tracks lifted directly off these regular studio releases (in terrific remastered sound of course). . . with the most cherished albums (frm fanbase) well represented in some way studio or otherwise. The 1970's are considered the heyday of BJH and 47 studio trks frm the official releases cover this. 13 studio trks cover the remaining years of this collection, with 14 more then filling in the odds'n ends of which most are rare "classic" renditions. Amongst all the years here (1967-1997) are several alternative versions, live performances and singles interspersed, so though you have roughly a chronological sequence there are surprises which will delight even those familiar with the BJH oeuvre. This is a box set which certainly gives Barclay James Harvest (BJH) the royal treatment. Each cd is fairly well stuffed with highlights frm all their output (over 20 albums)including rare, unreleased, live, demos, and singles. The packaging is solid and the 60 page booklet sheds insight into each bandmembers' perspective including several aspects of the defining moments in the bands' history, along with rare pix and curious asides. This oft misunderstood, underated, and underappreciated band helped define British progressive folk rock in the late 1960's, and though they had little impact in the States they achieved a strong fanbase throughout Europe (esp Germany) and STILL tour! (sans Mel Pritchard 1948-2004) Though often compared to the early Moody Blues (both bands'were friends) in their reliance on the mellotron for "symphonic" enchancements (a "poor man's Moody Blues" said the critics), BJH excelled in the use of vocal harmonies, intoxicating arrangements, and diverse acoustic instrumentation (also lyrics of a more sensitive, intricate,personal nature). BJH relied less on the mellotron as they evolved but maintained their folk roots, unlike The Moodies, and prefered a presence that related more to the common pub folk (ie traveling band). Their songs were much less "Moody Blues-ish" than their detracters wished (less epic in theme for starters but no less spiritual), and when comparisons are made I see it more as a complement to both bands. BJH carved their own niche in the music of this era and surprisingly have managed a more faithful (perhaps?) allegiance to this unique melodic style of British folk-rock. Awesome collection, especially if you enjoy 'The Moody Blues' or 'The Strawbs', and/or wish to indulge your ears with music from this era of folk-rock history. (RestInPeace Mel, your magic drums still resound in the heartbeat of dreams) . You can see a complete list of all Barclay James Harvest discography, or go back to the Barclay James Harvest tabs