Unknown Soldier

Roy Harper | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1980
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Science Friction
• ASIN: B00004R63J
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,600 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Playing Games

2. I'm In Love With You

3. The Fly Catcher

4. You (The Game Part II)

5. Old Faces

6. Short And Sweet

7. First Thing In The Morning

8. The Unknown Soldier

9. Ten Years Ago

10. True Story

Editorial Reviews

Reissue of 1980 Harvest album from British folk artist. Featuring a duet with Kate Bush and an appearance by Dave Gilmour on two tracks. 1999.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, but not one of his many classics, May 30, 2007

By 

Elliot Knapp (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unknown Soldier (Audio CD)

The Unknown Soldier was Roy's last album for EMI, for better or worse (according to Roy, it was for worse at the time, but the years have proven that his artistic integrity survived the 80's and his split from major labels intact), and it marks the end of a period in which Roy had access to the label's money, the newest technology, studio luxuries, and production elements like string sections. As a result, the album is chock full of these things, but overall isn't as classic as Roy's earlier Harvest records due to the mixed quality of some of the songs. The Unknown Soldier is by no means a good place to start for someone interested in Roy Harper's often dazzling songwriting and musicianship, but if you're already a fan, I think you'll find the album worthwhile for the highlights.

"Playing Games," as one other review noted, is a good example of everything that is sub-standard about parts of the album. Production is unnecessary and over the top, with a lot of synthesizers and instruments that don't add to the force of the song, and lyrics that lack Roy's usual depth and meaning. "I'm In Love With You" is a bit better, but more facile than Harper's usual complex love songs, and part of the melody seems lifted from Bullinamingvase's (his previous album's) "These Last Days." "The Fly Catcher" is one of the album's classics, a smoldering love song that actually lives up to Harper's reputation, though it may have been stronger with a simpler arrangement. "You (The Game Part II)" is strong, with help from David Gilmour and Kate Bush (though I'm not really a fan of Roy's collaborations with female vocalists, it's a strong song).

The second half of the album is a bit stronger, in my opinion, since the songs that are overproduced are more experimental, which is actually enhanced by the production. "Old Faces" combines a pastoral lyric with an alien-sounding melody (and effects). "Short and Sweet" is better here than on David Gilmour's solo album, maybe because Roy wrote the lyrics, and maybe also because the arrangement is crisper here, and the orchestra (though unnecessary) is pretty cool. "First Thing In the Morning," despite its synthesizer-soaked introduction, is actually a pretty rocking dip into 80's pop-rock with an excellent lyric that foreshadows Roy's future opus, "Work of Heart." The title track is priceless, and worth all of the album's mediocre moments--acoustic, finally, with a heartfelt, burning lyric. "Ten Years Ago" is a good song, again marred by production, and the closer is a bizarre collaboration with David Gilmour (he was obviously really into the delay guitar pedal at this time--sounds just like most of the riffs from Pink Floyd's The Wall). Although it's not a strong song, "True Story" is actually buoyed by the lush production and Gilmour's hard guitar sound.

Overall, The Unknown Soldier is a strange beast--at times the production mars self-sufficient songs, and at other times the sonic experimentation sounds better than the songs that support it. The Unknown Soldier can be a very enjoyable listen, once you get into it and accept that it's not an all-out Roy Harper classic, like so many of his earlier records. Realistically, the album marks the beginning of a period in Harper's career that had its shining moments, but lacked any obvious classic albums, which would last until the marvelous Once, which brought in a late period of astounding quality that has lasted (more or less) to the present.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of Roy's best reviews, not Roy's best, October 2, 2000

By 

"jggm" (Belair, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unknown Soldier (Audio CD)

In 1993, when I was only 11, I found o copy of 'Folkjokeopus' in a box of records from a yard sale. I have been a fan of Roy Harper ever since.

While not devoid of standout tunes like 'The Unknown Soldier', 'The Fly Catcher', 'Short and Sweet (co-written with Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour- the song turned up prior to this on Gilmour's first eponymous solo album in 1978)', 'Old Faces' & 'Ten Years Ago', parts of this album have become dated by the use of 80's synths. Yes, it got Roy some of his best reviews (not to mention much-deserved record sales), yet it can't compare with the superlative 'HQ', 'Lifemask' and 'Stormcock'.

It is still an excellent album (well worthy of 4 stars), though I'm more of a fan of Roy without the aid of studio trickery. Because, quite simply, he is a genius who doesn't need it. Indeed, Harper himself lists the 80's as a low period (as many an artist has done). Still, well worth a listen.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not his best but still very good, February 23, 2009

By 

Paulo Alm (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unknown Soldier (Audio CD)

The Unknown Soldier is at a crossroads in Roy's career. He kind of had to reinvent himself for the eighties just to have to go running back to his old self later on, didn't he? There are some real strong songs here though and you shouldn't hesitate in pickin' this one up if Roy is already in your list. I'd just go look for another one if this was my first Roy album. Stormcock for example is a brilliant start!