MAN & MYTH

On what, in retrospect, appears to be ROY HARPER's final album of original, non outtake material, he has out guestlisted even his own prior records, enlisting, among others, PETE TOWNSHEND, Irish guitar session wizz BILL SHANLEY, and venerable folkie ANDY IRVINE. He exits the stage with one of his most accomplished collections, marred only by his increasing tendency to overreach on at least one track per disc, this one being the 15 minute 15 stone anchor of concrete galoshes "Heaven is Here".

Luckily the achievements overrule here. "The Enemy" is reminiscent of LINDISFARNE's best work right down to the ALAN HULLisms vocally and lyrically; the delicate gentility of "Time is Temporary" is even exceeded by the heartfelt ballad "January Man"; and "Cloud Cuckooland" is a send up of the race for failed modernity as nobody can express better.

By this point, Harper had little left to prove, but Man and Myth solidifies his legendary status. Few other artists have scaled multiple summits over the better part of a half century.

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