TURN OF THE TIDE

"Turn Of The Tide" is the eleventh studio album of Barclay James Harvest and was released in 1981. This is the second studio album from the band without the presence of their keyboardist and founder member Woolly Wolstenholme, who left the group due to musical differences with the other band's members due to the musical direction followed by the group with a less progressive approach, after the release of their ninth studio album "XII". "Turn Of The Tide" continues with the precedent set by that album's heavily synthesized sound but has a change of atmosphere. Where previous albums had a darker edge or were burdened with struggle and disillusionment, "Turn Of The Tide" is warmer and light.

So, in consequence of the departure of Woolly Wolstenholme, the remaining band's members invited two musicians to participate on this album, Kevin McAlea (keyboards) and Colin Browne (backing vocals, keyboards, guitar and bass).

"Turn Of The Tide" has ten tracks. The first track "Waiting On The Borderline" written by Les Holroyd is lyrically a love song written about the hurt and recriminations surrounding the end of a personal relationship. Musically, it's a nice soft pop rock song conducted by synthesizers and well supported by the rhythm section, and where the absence of the lead guitar of John Lees is particularly noted. The second track "How Do You Feel Now?" written by John Lees is a piano ballad written to celebrate the birth of Lees' daughter, Esther. It's an emotive song totally dominated by the sensitive piano and where we can heard a nice saxophone work that undermines the reflective mood of the song. The third track "Back To The Wall" written by Les Holroyd is another soft pop rock song with a hypnotic bass line and whose lyrics supplies the album's title. It's a song led by a lightweight synthesizer arrangement with a cheesy choral work that brings to our memory the Bee Gees. The absence of the lead guitar by John Lees is again noted. The fourth track "Highway For Fools" written by John Lees is a mid-tempo John Lees rocker whose lyrics attacking again the iniquities of the music business and its emphasis on the pursuit of money over the artistic integrity of the artists. Musically, it's a nice rock song where at last, we can here the real sound of a true guitar. The fifth track "Echoes And Shadows" written by Les Holroyd is a beautiful ballad written in the same style of "Play To The World" from their previous studio album "Eyes Of The Universe". To be fair, I particularly like very much of this song, and I sincerely think that we are truly in presence of the best musical contribution of Les Holroyd to this album. Curiously, it reminds me a Genesis song from Hackett's era. The sixth track "Death Of A City" written by John Lees is a new version from a song which the band had demoed in the 60's. It contains a reference to "After The Day", one of the best progressive songs written by John Lees. Lyrically, it's a return to one of John Lees' most consistent themes, the universal destruction. Musically, it's a nice and good song with a galloping driving guitar riff that is unusual on John Lees and that differs from the original song. The seventh track "I'm Like A Train" written by Les Holroyd is a nice and good song, with a strange name, that contrasts completely with the previous song. Lyrically, it seems that it includes some lyrical fragments suggested by Mel Pritchard. Musically, it's a good piano ballad, well written and with a beautiful choral work that provides some nice and pleasant harmonies. The eighth track "Doctor Doctor" written by John Lees isn't particularly a song I like very much. It features some curious and interesting synthesizer-bass sounds which were very in vogue in the 80's, but that hasn't a great appeal to me. The ninth track "Life Is For Living" written by Les Holroyd was written specifically for the Berlin concerts and was released as single. It's certainly the best known track on the album and represents a typical song of the band in the 80's. It's a very well written pop song from the group clearly influenced by the sound of the 80's. The tenth track "In Memory Of The Martyrs" written by John Lees was a song written specifically for the Berlin concerts too. Lyrically, it's a song about those who lost their lives trying to leave East Germany crossing the Berlin wall. Musically, is an excellent song with acoustic pace, tasteful musicianship, rich harmonies and Lees' melancholic vocal performance. Fortunately, it brings to our memory the good old times of Barclay James Harvest. This is a great close to the album.

Conclusion: "Turn Of The Tide" continues with the same path of their previous studio album "Eyes Of The Universe", the abandon of the path of the progressive rock music and the accede to the new fashion of the 80's, the pop music. It's true that Barclay James Harvest never was one of the most progressive bands, but with the departure of their classical trainer former keyboardist Woolly Wolstenholme, after their ninth studio album "XII", it was particularly evident that finished practically all the reminiscences of the progressive rock music. However, we can't say that "Turn Of The Tide" is a bad album. If we forget the almost absence of progressive rock music, the only track with progressive lines is the last track "In Memory Of The Martyrs", we are in presence of a good album. Probably, it's at the same quality level of their previous studio album, especially because it seems more cohesive and balanced than "Eyes Of The Universe" is.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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