"Stormcock" by ROY HARPER - May 1971 UK LP on Harvest Records featuring Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin (August 2013 and February 2018 Science Friction CD Reissue and Remaster in 'Hardback Book' Packaging) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Love's Cascades..."

Some albums do your nut in. You love them with a passion that borders on calling in the thought police to calm you down. Always a vinyl rarity when I worked in Reckless (20 years as a buyer) - 1971's "Stormcock" wasn't the kind of record you saw in second-hand stores in abundance or in personal collections (neither did the four that preceded it for that matter). But even now I'm stunned that Harper's seismic fifth studio platter isn't on some Classic 1971 Rock Album Winner you-must-hear-before-you-die pedestal somewhere like say The Who's "Who's Next", Joni Mitchell's "Blue" or Cat Stevens' "Teaser And The Firecat" - more nuggets from that astonishingly creative year. Time to rectify this heinous anomaly - ye Gods of taste and twisty beards. Here are the hard facts, old cock...

The album’s CD reissue history is tangled – so here goes. "Stormcock" by ROY HARPER was first released December 1990 onto Awareness AWCD 2001 (Barcode 5017701200122) in the UK. Then October 1994 in the UK onto Science Friction HUCD004 (Barcode 5020522397728 - reissued October 1996). Then in October 2007 - it was again reissued and remastered onto Science Friction HUCD047 (Barcode 679076770478) – itself reissued 2013 and now in February 2018.

2013 and 2018's Science Friction HUCD047 (Barcode 679076770478) comes in specialist ‘hardback book’ packaging and is a straightforward transfer of Roy Harper's 5th UK album "Stormcock" from May 1971 originally on Harvest Records SHVL 789 - it plays out as follows (41:29 minutes): 

1. Hors d'Oeuvres (i) [Side 1]

2. The Same Old Rock (ii)

3. Old Man Rock And Roll Band (iii) [Side 2]

4. Me And My Woman (iv)

With only 4 tracks (2 to each side) - "Stormcock" might seem 'lean' but it's nothing of the sort. This album is closing in on being 48 years old - yet it remains amazingly contemporary and has stood the test of time incredibly well. If anything re-listening to it in 2018 - you can imagine that this 1971 album is a bit of a secret stepping point for so many new writers and bands - because after 40 minutes with it you can 'so' hear how Fleet Foxes, Elbow and Vetiver got their sound (Kate Bush and others have name-checked RH too and of course Zeppelin had the song "Hats Off To Roy Harper" as the last track on Side 2 of III in 1970).

Beautifully produced by PETER JENNER (Engineered by PHILP MacDONALD) - the songs are primarily long acoustic workouts with some electric guitars, keyboards, string flourishes, brass and vocal over-layering thrown in. Each song takes it sweet time - allowing you to wrap your ears around the thought-provoking life-observations in the lyrics. This is also one of only two releases on his own Science Friction label that has received a rather gorgeous 'hardback' book makeover in the art department - the other title is 1975's equally brill "HQ" (Science Friction HUCD048 - Barcode 679076770485). 

 

The 22-page colour booklet is attached to the inner hardback and reflects the '(i) to (iv) artwork of the original album - each song being parts one to four (I used to think that squiggle on the front gatefold was a typo!). Like "HQ" this reissue contains more cryptic almost poetry liner notes from RH, black and white and colour photos from the period, the lyrics, the inner gatefold spread, recording and reissue credits and a sheet-card offering all of his albums from 1967's "Sophisticated Beggar" through to 2005's "The Death Of God" (DVDs, Lyric Books and Tee-shirts too) from Science Friction Ltd in Clonakilty, Cork in Ireland. They're also directions to Roy Harper's own website.

But the big news is that the album has been Digitally Remastered by ROY HARPER and JOHNNY FITZGERALD in August 2007 providing stupendous Audio - all those clean instruments swirling around your speakers like their "Meddle"-period Pink Floyd on an Acoustic tip. This CD is a winner sonically. Harper pretty much plays the lot - every instrument - with the exceptions noted below. Let's get to the music...

It opens with "Hors d'Oeuvres" - a near nine-minute Nick Drake/Tim Buckley acoustic dreamscape about a man "...whose brains bred answers like flies..." It builds and builds to gorgeous treated vocals towards the end - more of a mood than a song really with David Bedford of ELP fame playing the Hammond (he also arranges the strings on "Me And My Woman"). But then you get the album's first piece of undeniable Harper genius - and for me one of the great unspoken masterpieces of the Seventies - the 12 and half minute Side 1 closer "The Same Old Rock". The song famously features JIMMY PAGE on Lead Acoustic Guitar credited as the delightfully oblique 'J. Flavius Mercurious' for contractual reasons. You can so hear Page’s Zep "III" and "IV" acoustic phase - and his thunderous solo towards the end swirling around multi-layered Harper vocals is just brilliant. You have to say too that the remaster is just gorgeous here (lyrics above). Harper himself rates it as Page's best ever work...

Side 2 opens with "One Man Rock And Roll Band" - another multi-layered acoustic strum-fest "...welcome back you total stranger..." His treated vocals add so much to the seven and half-minutes - the plucked steel guitar-strings rattling around your speakers - again the remaster so beautifully clear. It ends on the gorgeous 13-minute "Me And My Woman" with lush orchestration from long-time Mike Oldfield collaborator DAVID BEDFORD. Even after all these years - the 'freshness' of it all still amazes me. And it's so uniquely Roy Harper...

"Stormcock" is an old English name given to the Mistle Thrush bird - a feathery friend of these here isles that is prone to glorious singing of a morning (and apparently it's also the artist's nickname on occasion). "Stormcock" - spread your wings on this secret CD masterpiece and let your spirits fly...

"Lifemask" by ROY HARPER (February 2018 Science Friction CD Reissue - 2016 John Fitzpatrick and Roy Harper Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Clean Sheets..."

Not much point in arguing that Roy Harper's sixth studio album "Lifemask" (issued February 1973 in the UK) is a bit of a wonder - it is. But as any fan will tell you, his CD reissues have had a tangled history to say the friggin least and "Lifemask" is no different. I'd like to sort out those details first before discussing this superb new 2018 reissue that at last makes the album available in digital form with truly awesome audio.

The first CD reissue for "Lifemask" came in October 1990 on the Awareness label - Awareness AWCD 1007 (Barcode 5017701100729) and was a bog-standard jewel case with a minimal booklet. Second came his own record label Science Friction who in September 1994 issued Science Friction HUCD005 (Barcode 679076770058) as a supposed Remaster - itself reissued in October 1996. Come 1999 we're still on HUCD005 - but now with a different Barcode - 5020522397629. Then to celebrate his 75th birthday and 50 years in the music game - Harper reissued "Lifemask" in September 2016 on 180-Gram VINYL with a detailed repro of the gorgeous and elaborate original LP on Harvest Records. Science Friction SFLP 002 was remastered by ROY HARPER and JOHN FITZGERALD in Lettercollum Studios, Timoleague, West Cork in Ireland and it is this 2016 Remaster that is used for the February 2018 CD variant - unfortunately minus that great LP packaging (note also how the catalogue number of old HUCD005 has now become HUCD050).

For the 2018 reissue the booklet has been upgraded to 20-pages and features lyrics to the six songs including the five-part 23-minute song occupying all of Side 2 - "The Lord’s Prayer", his song explanations, the 'Introduction 1972' note penned by RH from the original gatefold, that colour painting on the inner gatefold now sits beneath the see-through CD tray and finally we also get a new 'Introduction 2017' essay by Harper that mainly goes on about "The Lord's Prayer" in that uniquely oblique way of his (talks a lot - tells you nothing). Unfortunately unlike "Stormcock" (1971) and "HQ" (1975) which received gorgeous hardback book edition reissues recently (see my reviews for both) - for some reason we don't get that here - just another boring jewel case that completely undermines the sheer visual impact of the original Hipgnosis artwork - that opening die-cut face sleeve with the inner and song explanations. Still the 2016 Remastered AUDIO is fabulous - bringing out the original Peter Jenner Production values. Let's get down to the details...

UK released February 2018 - "Lifemask" by ROY HARPER on Science Friction HUDCD050 (Barcode 5065000022075) is a straightforward CD Reissue of the 6-Track 1973 UK LP with a 2016 Remaster that plays out as follows (44:00 minutes):

1. Highway Blues [Side 1]

2. All Ireland

3. Little Lady

4. Bank Of The Dead

5. South Africa

6. The Lord's Prayer [Side 2]

(a) Poem

(b) Modal Song Parts I to IV

(c) Front Song

(d) Middle Song

(e) End Song (Front Song Reprise)

Tracks 1 to 6 are his 6th studio album "Lifemask" - released February 1973 in the UK on Harvest Records SHVL 808 (no US release). Produced by PETER JENNER with all songs written by Roy Harper - it didn't chart. Much of the music was used in the 1972 John Mackenzie movie soundtrack to "Made" - a film that starred Roy Harper in the part of Mike Preston (his acting debut). The soundtrack was not released as a stand-alone LP – so "Lifemask" is the way to acquire its music. 

PLAYERS:

ROY HARPER - All Lead Vocals, Guitars, Synth, Bass, Harmonica and Bells (all instruments on "All Ireland" and "South Africa")

JIMMY PAGE (of Led Zeppelin) - Lead Guitar on "Little Lady", "Bank Of The Dead" and "The Lord's Prayer"

STEVE BROUGHTON (of The Edgar Broughton Band) - Bongos on "The Lord's Prayer"

BRIAN DAVISON (of The Nice and Brian Davison's Every Which Way) - Drums on "The Lord's Prayer"

RON WARLEY (of Soft Machine and The Keef Hartley Band) - Flute on "The Lord's Prayer"

BRIAN HODGES - Bass on "Little Lady", "Bank Of The Dead" and "The Lord's Prayer"

TONY CARR - Drums on "Little Lady", Bongos on "The Lord's Prayer"

LAURIE ALLEN - Drums on "Highway Blues"

Harper plays Guitars, Synth and Bass on the opener "Highway Blues" with Laurie Allen providing the Drums. The song sets the album's restless mood - huge-sounding acoustic guitars assaulting you like their plugged into Orange stacks  - a travelling song about driving through foreign countries with a friend in a car that reminded him of olden touring days. The violence of nationalism and rabid political positions rears its ugly head in the pretty but dreadfully sad "All Ireland" – Harper playing Guitar, Harmonica and Bells as he tries to square the human-cost of religion's downside. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin plays Lead Guitar throughout "Little Lady", "Bank Of The Dead"and "The Lord's Prayer". "Little Lady" is about women although his own notes try to imply its more about sex - but deep in its 'that old forgiveness that I can't forget' lyrics you can hear the hurt - trying to understand the minefield that is relationships. "Bank Of The Dead" has Harper praising Page's contributions and understanding of his unique leanings in tones and textures.

Speaking of such - using highly tuned 6-and-12 string guitars with his voice often echoed - Harper more often than not creates an 'atmosphere' as opposed to an actual song. When EMI reissued the June 1970 Harvest Label double-album sampler "Picnic - A Breath Of Fresh Air" as an expanded 4CD remaster in 2007 - they chose the fabulous "South Africa" song as their demonstrative poison for "Lifemask" (they also featured "Twelve Hours Of Sunshine" from 1974’s "Valentine"). And it's easy to hear why. It's utterly brilliant and uniquely RH. The LP simply credited the instruments on "South Africa" as Guitars and Vocals - yet listening to it - you'd swear there was an army of players at work – overdubbed pings and pongs echoing in a gorgeous swirling mood-scape – the sideways yet deeply personal lyrics hurting for a torn nation in a far away country.

You will need 'an open mind before me' when listening to the 23-minute opus that is "The Lord's Prayer" - a part astonishing, part tedious meandering swirl of sounds and melodies you can never quite nail but somehow enthral nonetheless. Harper was seriously ill at the time (even hospitalised) and some felt the album's centrepiece might well end up being a 'last will and testament' moment. The five-part monster opens with a four-minute poem spoken by Harper that occasionally has a synth drone ominously entering its 'living the story' narrative. Then the music proper begins with the long 'Whose...' section where every line starts with 'whose' - strings of text that are both statements and questions - whose excuse is holy, whose fear is himself, whose hope is lust, whose thoughts are games...' and so on. Jimmy Page makes his Lead Guitar a subtle presence as the piece progresses – those beautiful strummed passages around sixteen minutes impressing so much as Harper makes the synths sound like string arrangements. The best bits of "The Lord's Prayer" feel like those wild acoustic stretches on 1971's "Stormcock".

Harper fans tend to think everyone else should and must adore their hero – but I know people who simply can’t get on with his voice or the long songs or sometimes his lack of an actual tune. But I’d argue that’s what makes him such a national treasure. In fact like so much of his Seventies output – I want it all and return to it like I would a John Martyn or Sandy Denny or Bruce Springsteen album – with genuine affection – always somehow finding myself admire and love them even more.

It’s a shame Science Friction didn’t go the full hog with the ‘book’ packaging of "Lifemask" like they did on "Stormcock" and "HQ" (docked a star for that). But otherwise – dig your gooey kisser lugs-first into this revealing remaster and prepare to swoon and swear by poetry you don’t understand...

"Truth" by JEFF BECK - July 1968 UK Debut LP on Columbia Records in Stereo featuring ROD STEWART, JIMMY PAGE and NICKY HOPKINS (May 2005 UK EMI 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Rock My Plimsoul..."

Jeff Beck's debut solo LP was always going to be a barnstormer - and with a band featuring talent like Rod Stewart on the microphone and Ronnie Wood on second guitar - plus contributions from friends like Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins, Aynsley Dunbar and Keith Moon - that's what 1968's "Truth" gives you – a staggering start. Never mind that some claim it even kick-started a subtle but definite move away from Blues-Rock to Hard Rock into the bargain. There's a lot to assess...so once unto the riffage...guvnor...

UK released May 2005 - "Truth" by JEFF BECK on EMI 873 7492 (Barcode 724387374928) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Eight Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (70:37 minutes):

1. Shapes Of Things [Side 1]

2. Let Me Love You

3. Morning Dew

4. You Shook Me

5. Ol' Man River

6. Greensleeves [Side 2]

7. Rock My Plimsoul

8. Beck's Bolero

9. Blues De Luxe

10. I Ain't Suspicious

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut LP "Truth" - released July 1968 in the UK on Columbia SX 6293 (Mono) and Columbia SCX 6293 (Stereo) and in the USA on Epic BN 26413. Produced by MICKIE MOST - it peaked at No. 15 in the US LP charts (no UK chart placing).

BONUS TRACKS:

11. I've Been Drinking (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK B-side to "Love Is Blue" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8359 in February 1968

12. You Shook Me (Take 1) - First take without piano that was overdubbed on the Final Version - Take 7

13. Rock My Plimsoul (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK B-side to "Tallyman" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8227 in July 1967

14. (Beck's) Bolero (Mono Single Version with Backwards Guitar) - originally the Mono UK B-side of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8151 in March 1967

15. Blues De Luxe (Take 1) - Previously Unreleased (Take 7 is the Master)

16. Tallyman - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8227 in July 1967

17. Love Is Blue - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8359 in February 1968

18. Hi Ho Silver Lining (Stereo Mix) - originally the Mono UK A-side - released as a 7" single on Columbia DB 8151 in March 1967

Musicians:

JEFF BECK - Electric Guitars, Steel Guitar on 1, Acoustic Guitar on 6, Bass on 5 and Lead Vocals on 16 and 18

ROD STEWART - Lead Vocals

RON WOOD - Bass

MICKY WALLER - Drums and Percussion

Guests:

KEITH MOON of THE WHO - Drums on 8 and 14 - Tympani on 5

JIMMY PAGE of LED ZEPPELIN - 12-String Electric Guitar on 8 and 14

JOHN PAUL-JONES of LED ZEPPELIN - Organ on 4, 5 and 12 - Bass on 8, 14 and 18 - String Arrangements on 18

NICKY HOPKINS - Piano on 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 14 and 15

AYNSLEY DUNBAR - Drums on 13 and 16

CLEM CATTINI - Drums on 18

MADELINE BELL - Backing Vocals on 11

JOHN CARTER & KEN LEWIS - Backing Vocals on 16

The 16-page booklet is a very tasty affair - new liner notes from noted writer and music historian CHARLES SHAAR MURRAY with contributions from the Guitar Maestro himself - black and white photos of the band (Rodders in full microphone manhandling pose) - guests like Nicky Hopkins - and a wonderful Modtastic photo of the pre "Truth" band with Aynsley Dunbar on Drums instead of Mick Waller (he features on Page 8). CSM keeps it light and witty whilst pouring on the factoids - guitar beginnings with The Yardbirds - the 'Jeff-Rod' writer's credits Beck and Stewart used on the album sleeve - both Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and The Who's Keith Moon contributing so much to that old Paul Robeson chestnut "Ol' Man River" (Organ and Tympani) - an unlikely and very unhip choice for a cover version - and yet one that 'so' works. Long-standing EMI/Abbey Road Audio Engineer PETER MEW carried out the fantastic Remaster - all that latent power now suddenly to the fore - threatening almost all of the time to get snotty, rowdy and salacious with your amp and speakers. Great stuff...

It opens with an oldie done in a new way - a cover of The Yardbirds 1966 hit "Shapes Of Things" - Beck's witty liner notes advising that you crank the track - even if you have the vicar over for afternoon tea. Immediately your struck by the updated heavier guitar sound and Rod's ridiculously good voice – wow – what a combo this band made. The original song "Let Me Love You" starts the first of four 'Jeffrey Rod' writer credits - two more originals in the shape of "Rock My Plimsoul" and "Blues De Luxe" with the last being an 'Arrangement' credit on the old madrigal "Greensleeves". His playing on "Let Me Love You" is fantastic - Stewart singing along with Beck's playing and vice versa. They then take a stab at Tim Rose's "Morning Dew" - a track on his explosive "Tim Rose" debut album on Columbia Records. You can hear why Rod wanted the song - it has that 'soulful' rock thing at its core. The remaster brings up that great wah-wah playing and Ron Wood's sweet bass playing. While you can just about catch Nicky Hopkins Piano tinkles if you listen real close - we still don't seem to know who the 'mysterious Scottish bloke' is on the Bagpipes?

Their brilliant cover of Howlin' Wolf's "You Shook Me" (penned by Willie Dixon) keeps in lean, hard-hitting and dirty - 2:31 minutes of great Blues-Rock. The old nugget "Ol' Man River" gets a kick in the privates too - Moonie's huge tympani drums giving it an epic feel while Zeppelin's JPJ gives it tasteful organ fills. I'm still not convinced if I admire the track more than I like it - but Rod's vocals are truly awesome and Beck's speaker-to-speaker guitar slides are worth the admission fee. Side 2 opens with a clever and beautiful Acoustic Guitar interpretation of "Greensleeves" - Beck sounding like he's Gordon Giltrap all mellowed on a pile of mushrooms. One of my raves is "Rock My Plimsoul" - a Rodders/Beck boogie tune said to bare a close resemblance to B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby". Beck's guitar fills are superb - panning your speakers like Page gone Bonzo on his axe (I love those "over here" calls from Rod). It ends on a one-two - the Slow Driving Blues of "Blues De Luxe" and a fabulous guitared-up cover of Willie Dixon's Wolf showcase "I Ain't Superstitious". It ends the album on a high...

Excluding the awful pop of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" (even if it is Stereo here) - the Bonus Tracks offer up a very cool selection - most of which is killer. The Take 1 version of "You Shook Me" contains Organ instead of Piano and wild guitar playing - someone clearly devouring too much Hendrix for breakfast. "Blues De Luxe" has Rodders laying into the vocals with a passion and at 7:31 minutes - Beck gets to stretch out while Hopkins lays down a Mississippi piano background dripping with ache and feel. The rare single sides are good too and make for quality fan-pleasing extras.

Jeff Beck would briefly dent the LP charts with the even heavier "Beck-Ola" in July of 1969 - but my heart has always been with this raucous, rough and ready starter album - "Truth". And what it must have been like to see this line-up 'live' - giving those tunes what for in some sweaty bar...lost in the music they loved...