VALENTINE

With his gradual move away from relatively unadorned folk rock to idiosyncratic prog rock as the mid 1970s rolled around, ROY HARPER pulled an about face on "Valentine", even if the credit list adds 10 lbs more than the camera ever did. Heavyweights like JIMMY PAGE, KEITH MOON and RONNIE LANE add muscle, but they only do so on the superb "Male Chauvinist Pig Blues", one of just two rockers, which are not nearly as brocaded as those on "Lifemask" or "HQ". Still, it's the ballads that really shine here, aided by some of his most heartfelt lyrics and vocals, and DAVID BEDFORD's sublime string arrangements, culminating in "I'll See You Again", "12 Hours of Sunset", "Commune" and "North Country". Even the remake of "Forever" that closes the LP is superior to the original through it's production clarity, allowing the folk qualities to inhale deeply and exhale contentedly. Dodgy lyrics and liner notes to the opener notwithstanding, "Valentine" is perhaps the easiest Harper album to love.

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