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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Once Again" is Barclay James Harvest's classic second album, recorded in 1971. It is a brilliant album, criminally underrated by the rock press but universally loved by their fans, irrespective of the era during which they actually came to know the band.
It contains some timeless classics, of course: there's the brilliant "Mocking Bird" - heard here in its original form with Robert Godfrey's vibrant orchestral arrangement - the song which was to become one of the band's best loved and an ever present in the live set (they're still performing it now!); the gorgeously atmospheric and peaceful "Galadriel", also performed with the orchestra and also still to be heard live today; and the powerful opener "She Said", which brings the album to life with its powerful guitar chords and catchy chorus before introducing a beautifully melodic recorder (yes, recorder!) solo, which leads into a stirring lead guitar solo from John Lees as the song once more builds to a crescendo in the finale. Stirring stuff!
The melodic writing is first class and is the thread that unites these songs together, whether they be rocky, like "Ball and Chain", tending towards folky like "Vanessa Simmons " and "Lady Loves" (which features Alan Parsons guesting on jews harp) or the orchestral numbers already mentioned.
The album also features a couple of "conscience" songs, something that would become a trademark of BJH with at least one such number featuring on most of their studio albums. On this album we have an "environmental" song, "Happy Old World", with its clever key change in the chorus, and "Song for Dying", a short but powerful anti-war song - both were to be recurring themes in BJH's long history.
It would be wrong not to mention Norman Smith's excellent production of the album - BJH always benefited from having a strong producer overseeing their work and the fact that this album of diverse songs sounds such a cohesive piece of work is surely down to Norman.
It's a splendid album - if you're new to the band then buy it without hesitation! The sound on this remastered recording is excellent. The many bonus tracks add a certain interest but should be listened to separately from the album itself as they don't really fit in with the heavenly experience of the original.
It contains some timeless classics, of course: there's the brilliant "Mocking Bird" - heard here in its original form with Robert Godfrey's vibrant orchestral arrangement - the song which was to become one of the band's best loved and an ever present in the live set (they're still performing it now!); the gorgeously atmospheric and peaceful "Galadriel", also performed with the orchestra and also still to be heard live today; and the powerful opener "She Said", which brings the album to life with its powerful guitar chords and catchy chorus before introducing a beautifully melodic recorder (yes, recorder!) solo, which leads into a stirring lead guitar solo from John Lees as the song once more builds to a crescendo in the finale. Stirring stuff!
The melodic writing is first class and is the thread that unites these songs together, whether they be rocky, like "Ball and Chain", tending towards folky like "Vanessa Simmons " and "Lady Loves" (which features Alan Parsons guesting on jews harp) or the orchestral numbers already mentioned.
The album also features a couple of "conscience" songs, something that would become a trademark of BJH with at least one such number featuring on most of their studio albums. On this album we have an "environmental" song, "Happy Old World", with its clever key change in the chorus, and "Song for Dying", a short but powerful anti-war song - both were to be recurring themes in BJH's long history.
It would be wrong not to mention Norman Smith's excellent production of the album - BJH always benefited from having a strong producer overseeing their work and the fact that this album of diverse songs sounds such a cohesive piece of work is surely down to Norman.
It's a splendid album - if you're new to the band then buy it without hesitation! The sound on this remastered recording is excellent. The many bonus tracks add a certain interest but should be listened to separately from the album itself as they don't really fit in with the heavenly experience of the original.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you are buying this version of "Once Again", please bear in mind that this Brimstone release is the QUADRAPHONIC version - i.e. this CD contains the quadraphonic mixes that were made of "Once Again". These mixes are quite different to the 1971 stereo mixes that appeared on the original album, and on the other CD versions you can buy.
The quad mixes were made without the involvement of the band, the producer Norman Smith or any of the original engineers - in those days the record label was all-powerful!!! They were released on an SQ-format quad LP in 1973, which is a highly collectable item today.
However, for lovers of this album, this is really a rare treat. Some of the quad mixes work incredibly well, and you can hear additional guitar, vocal, percussion, keyboard and orchestral parts that were mixed out of the stereo version.
The thunderous "Ball and Chain" seems to have about eight extra guitars soloing away, whilst the ethereal "Happy Old World" benefits enormously from the quad treatment.
"Galadriel" and "Mockingbird" fare rather less well, as the sentimental nature of Robert Godfrey's orchestral arrangements are thrown under a rather harsher spotlight - i.e. you can hear some of the over-fussy twiddly bits that were mixed out of the original album!!
For lovers of "Once Again" this album is wonderful fun; you can spend ages finding differences between the two versions.
For lovers of 70's nostalgia there is the added bonus of the original liner sleeve (explaining the SQ Quad system) reproduced inside.
Oh, and the album itself - well it's arguably the finest album that was ever released on the Harvest label, and most definitely the finest ever fusion of rock and classical music.
32 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
'Once again' is one of those albums like a fine wine, it get's better with age. Originally released in 1971 it still has the appeal that it had all those years ago. Right from the opener 'She said' to the closing 'Lady loves' this is classic progressive rock from a long underated band.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fails as a musical package.
It comes from a period where the music unfortunately sounds slightly dated. In addition, the lack of a lively opener and the fact that the album pretty much finishes at the track... Read more
Published 5 months ago by I. Rumens
Great Prog
This is a fine album and also a rare one in that the bonus material is also good, put it on with your headphones and enjoy the quality of the music as a collective and the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Manoerwar
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing!!!
Had this on vinyl back in the 70s and had been thinking about buying it again for some time. My only doubt was whether it would have stood the test of time and my changing tastes. Read more
Published 10 months ago by sctrainer
Magnificently Melodic
The other reviews comprehensively cover the strengths and individual merits of tracks on this magnificent slice of early 70's progressive rock, so I'll only underline the doomed... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Sentinel
Learn and learn well
My youth was spent as overtly as possible with Parsons and Tull, I came across Jon Anderson as a boy, and as a Ska Boy.
I can wear my colours on my sleeve. Read more
I can wear my colours on my sleeve. Read more
Published on 30 April 2010 by R. Philpot
Once Again, a classic taste of symphonic rock
Once Again is probably the album that defines early Barclay James Harvest. Grand in its concept, lush in its orchestration, it marries quasi-classical arrangements with hard rock... Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2010 by Outastace
Brilliant
If you like BJH then this is for you. Saw them perform this album live way back with the full orchestra. Superb vocals. Read more
Published on 4 July 2009 by G. J. Noakes
Don't smile just yet, chaps
Like Radiohead, BJH have made an art-form out of being miserable, but who cares when you've got songs as good as this. Maybe they sensed it too when they made this album. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2005 by D. J. H. Thorn
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