VALENTINE

comeback concert with symphonic orchestra and prestigious friends (again with Page) after life- threatening illness >> although not as poignant as the Drury Lane concert for Wyatt, this is one more reason for its inclusion in prog-related. Musically, it is a return to shorter tracks

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Posted Tuesday, June 3, 2008 | Review this album | Report (Review #172940)

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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Posted Monday, March 24, 2025 | Review this album | Report (Review #3167204)

Erroneously listed under compilations and box sets in PA's Roy Harper discography, Valentine may be the summit of Harper's skills as a songwriter and that four of the album's songs are feature on his superb 2012 compilation album Songs Of Love And Loss, the most culled from any Harper album, an ... (read more)

Report this review (#1406042) | Posted by SteveG | Tuesday, April 28, 2015 | Review Permanlink

The album is listed in the wrong category of Progarchives - it's not a "Boxset & Compilations" album; rather, it's the follow-up to his acclaimed "Lifemask" album. Despite some throwaway songs and being a bit spotty in places, this does rank among his finest releases of the 1970s, his greatest ... (read more)

Report this review (#247046) | Posted by jude111 | Thursday, October 29, 2009 | Review Permanlink

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