ONCE

Roy Harper

•

Prog Folk

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3.42 | 17 ratings | 2 reviews | 12% 5 stars

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Studio Album, released in 1990

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Once (8:11)
2. Once In The Middle Of Nowhere (0:57)
3. Nowhere To Run To (4:54)
4. The Black Cloud Of Islam (3:00)
5. If (3:19)
6. Winds Of Change (1:29)
7. Berliners (7:18)
8. Sleeping At The Wheel (4:17)
9. For Longer Than It Takes (4:19)
10. Ghost Dance (3:52)

Total time 41:36

Line-up / Musicians

- Roy Harper / vocals, guitars, harmonica (7), producer

With:
- Nick Harper / lead guitar
- David Gilmour / lead guitar (1,7), Blues guitar (2)
- Mazlyn Jones / guitar (1,2,8), dulcimer (2)
- Mark Feltham / harmonica (1,3)
- Tony Franklin / bass
- Steve Broughton / drums (1,6,10), percussion (8)
- Kate Bush / backing vocals (1)
- Terry Cooke / backing vocals (5)
- Jacqui Harper / backing vocals (1,10), engineer

Releases information

Artwork: Ray Preacher with John Carder Bush (photo)

LP Awareness Records ‎- AWL 1018 (1990, UK)

CD Awareness Records ‎- AWCD 1018 (1990, UK)

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ROY HARPER Once ratings distribution

3.42
(17 ratings)

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music (12%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection (47%)
Good, but non-essential (29%)
Collectors/fans only (12%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)

ROY HARPER Once reviews

Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Team

Like many performers of 1960s vintage, ROY HARPER's productivity and popularity declined in the 1980s and 1990s, though less so among other artists, as demonstrated by the usual stellar guestlist on "Once". Harper's "formula" didn't vary a whole lot during this period, with grade A lyrics, musicianship and copasetic vocal, so his albums can mostly be judged based on the musical aspects of their songs. "Once" occupies a lower rung but is far from disposable.

The title track is consummate travail for ostensibly celebrating the miracle of our existence, and might have worked better in a poetry slam, or honestly any other format. The next couple of songs don't fare any better. Ultimately, the only true standouts here are the provocative protest folk "Black Cloud of Islam" and the tutorial that is "For Longer than it takes", but "Berlin" and "Ghost Dance" qualify as appealing enough near misses.

Given its appearance during a relatively quiescent era for Harper, "Once" serves as, at a minimum, a placeholder to be replaced by another a few years down the line, and at most a reminder of his dogged oneness and wholeness.

Latest members reviews

4 stars The many black clouds that hang over us all. Once is probably Harper's most controversial album, at least by the standards of a cult music figure. His anti Islamic tirade titled The Black Cloud of Islam was composed after Harper viewed TV news footage of a mid east suicide bombing ... (read more)

Report this review (#1370174) | Posted by SteveG | Wednesday, February 18, 2015 | Review Permanlink

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