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Barclay James  Harvest - Glasnost CD (album) cover

GLASNOST

Barclay James Harvest

 

Crossover Prog

2.93 | 32 ratings

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rupert
3 stars "Glasnost" was - after the direction BJH had taken on their "Victims"-Tour - a return to form with interesting new readings of classics such as "Berlin", "Poor Man's moody Blues", "Medicine Man" ( superb !!! ) and "Hymn"... I have to disagree to those who say they're close to the studio-versions, they all appear overworked with new arrangements, and each one is a good one, some of them accompanying the fan who went to their live-shows in the following years.

"Love on the Line", played at almost double-speed, sounds like a self-parody, though, if you know the Glasnost-Versions of "Life is for Living" ( on Video ) and "Mocking Bird" ( on the 91/92 Best of CD ) you wonder why it was "Love on the Line" chosen for inclusion here, but it's the only one that can't satisfy me.

"Hold on" ( from "Victims" ) and "African" ( from "Face to Face" ) are quite good, though a little too fast compared to the studio-Versions, "Alone in the Night" is just as good, but from the newer ones then it was "On the Wings of Love" to really get me high ( Best track on "Glasnost" apart from "Medicine Man" ) - far better than on "Face to Face" with a great ending, Les Holroyd at his best !

"Turn the Key" and "He said Love" in concert may not recall their momentos on album, but they're sounding fresh and interesting and are welcome CD-Bonustracks still, by then it was as if BJH had finally found a "new identity" in "post-Woolly"-concerts, and they fit quite well into the 80s without losing whatever genuine their music was !

However, the 90's show for the "Welcome to the Show"-Album was, again, better than this ( and better than the 1992-Anniversary-Concert released on Video )... and it wasn't so much "Prog" without the excellent "Mocking Bird" ( if you're a BJH-Fan who's got everything you still need the Best-Of-Album only because of it, I think it's the best "Glasnost" Track and ifever there was a remastered edition of this album it should be added, along with "Life is for Living" ! )... but a little better than "Berlin - A concert for the people"* it is ! Rupert

*Addition: this judgement is only valid for the 9-track-Polydor-CD of "Berlin". The remastered 11-track-edition sounds far better and therefore is a preferable choice over "Glasnost" ! Greets Roop

rupert | 3/5 |

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