Octoberon [Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered]

Barclay James Harvest | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Universal I.S.
• ASIN: B00009029N
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,704 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The World Goes On

2. May Day

3. Ra

4. Rock 'n Roll Star

5. Polk Street Rag

6. Believe In Me

7. Suicide

8. Rock N' Roll Star

9. Polk Street Rag

10. Ra

11. Rock N' Roll Star

12. Suicide?

Editorial Reviews

2003 remastered reissue of the British progressive rock act's 1976 album includes 5 bonus tracks, 'Rock N' Roll Star' (Early Mix), 'Polk Street Rag' (First Mix), 'Ra' (First Mix), 'Rock N' Roll Star' (Recorded at Marquee Studios) & 'Suicide?' (First Mix). Features 12 tracks in all & a 16-page booklet. Polydor. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful yet serene music., May 20, 1999

By 

Mike Di Muzio ([e-mail]) (Morrisville, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Octoberon (Audio CD)

Any fan of the classical rock genre would be proud to own this CD. BJH bring to mind so many influences yet remain unique in a wonderfully positive way. In my humble opinion, there are no weak songs on this CD and the final track, "Suicide", is one of the most stunning songs I've ever heard!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an amazing effort--timeless, January 4, 2006

By 

C. Radda (New Britain, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Octoberon (Audio CD)

This review comes with a caveat--I have never heard the remastered version the previous reviewer finds offensive. He may very well be right. I bought the original CD about twenty years ago--actually one of my first CD's--and my comments pertain only to that Polydor release (821-930-2)

The album, musically and lyrically, is superb. I knew very little about BJH beyond "Mockingbird" when I first bought this, and it took me a little while to appreciate it. I think I was more taken by surprise than reluctant in any way, but I remember hearing "Suicide?" for the first time and being blown away by its complexity, its harmony, its plot, and its method of narration. It truly is a masterpiece--one which most people will never hear and never hear of.

Anyway, the original "unremastered" version is more than worth the price if you can find it. I paid $4.98 at a now defunct music shop that sold used CD's. It's worth ten times that amount. Well, five anyway.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best by BJH, August 24, 2004

By 

Raj (Mumbai, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Octoberon (Audio CD)

BHJ has never bettered this album. An amazing masterpiece of carefully crafted songs. BJH has different tempo on different songs as the band members write their own songs rather than colaborate on songs just like 'Queen' giving different feels on the same album.

The main song writers are guitarist John Lees and bass player Les Holroyed who alternately share the writing credits and vocals for most songs. Wooly Wolstenholm on keys usually contributes to one song on an album and the songs by him are really amazing like 'Ra' on this one which is a classic. Mellow yet extremely complex with great orchestration, melody and a lovely haunting tune on the guitar by Lees.

This song alone makes the album special but what makes it a classic is the fact that all the other songs like 'May Day', 'Rock & Roll Star' (commercially the best known), 'world goes on', 'believe in me' and the intriguing 'sucide'(totally unlike Thin Lizzy's song) with its classing ending are great.The thing about the album is that on different days with different moods you will have a new favorite. 'Polk Street Rag' may be the only average song which is not all that bad.

It's hard to classify the music by BJH though I've heard the nearest would be some songs by 'Moody Blues' or 'Procol Harum'.

The band is good, this album is an absolute masterpiece.