Twelve years after their last studio album, North, Barclay James Harvest (BJH) finally release a new studio. The group, founded in 1966, has thus fulfilled a long-awaited promise. BJH is one of those bands with two incarnations; like Yes (once) and Wishbone Ash (still), there have been two versions since 1998: one centered around bassist Les Holroyd and one with guitarist John Lees as the nucleus. Relativity, the album being reviewed here is the brainchild of the latter, and the band’s name is prefixed with John Lees’ name (JLBJH) to eliminate any confusion.
Now 78 years old, Lees is thus the driving force behind the band. In 1998, he recruited former keyboardist Stuart ‘Woolly’ Wolstenholme and assembled a number of capable musicians, including bassist Craig Fletcher and drummer Kevin Whitehead. In 2009, Jez Smith joined the ensemble as a second keyboardist. Sadly, Wolstenholme passed away in 2010, and since then, the quartet has remained together, recording an album and performing live regularly. A prime example is the 2024 live album Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert in which the band performed alongside a full-fledged symphony orchestra. Now, finally, there’s new material from the quartet.
And it’s a true group album, with all four musicians contributing compositionally to the new tracks, totalling seventy eight minutes. This collection of songs is ‘loosely based upon the concept of human and cosmic interaction and relationships‘. Musically, however there’s nothing new under the sun 😉 … the familiar keyboard-driven (Mellotron) music still stands proud. There are no new iconic songs like Child of the Universe or Mocking Bird to discover, but there’s no need for that, and there’s still plenty to enjoy.
That said the opening, title track Relativity Part 1 (Through the Dust) and Part 2 (The Stars That Shine) which concludes the album, closely resembles the legendary songs from the past. Symphonically oriented music and heavily reliant on layers of keyboards and the melodic guitar of John Lees. Lees’s Magpie also aligns with the songs that so typify BJH. Furthermore, there are some melodic compositions that could have come from other contemporary (rock) bands. Notably the strongly Moody Blues, reminiscent Love, sung by Fletcher, or the nine minute Snake Oil, featuring Lees’ guitar solo and in duet with Smith’s Hammond organ, which sounds almost Eagles-esque with Fletcher’s Don Henley influenced vocals.
Also noteworthy is the previously mentioned excellent vocal performance of bassist Craig Fletcher; his vocals carry most of the compositions. John Lees’ voice, while still highly recognizable, sounds even huskier and more subdued than in his heyday. The band playing is tight and focused, the Fletcher/Whitehead rhythm section is solid. The acoustic guitars and harmony vocals are tasteful and the keyboard parts from Jez Smith do the rest. Although in my opinion, John Lees could have been a bit more prominent across Relativity as his lead guitar parts are somewhat sparse.
To the bonus discs. The comparison with The Moody Blues will always remain and it’s no coincidence that Lees once wrote Poor Man’s Moody Blues as a fierce response to a critic who compared the two bands’ music. The characteristic mellotron sound and harmonious vocals are particularly responsible for the comparison. But, as Wolstenholme subtly notes during the recording of the previously unreleased RosFest concert -available in the boxset version of this release – perhaps The Moody Blues see their music as a ‘rich man’s Barclay James Harvest’. The said concert, by the way, is a delightful treat; the familiar epic (Lees) songs: For No One, Child of the Universe, Mocking Bird and Medicine Man. The presence of Woolly Wolstenholme adds a touch of nostalgia and flair.
Live At RosFest, USA 2009 is a wonderful bonus disc to accompany the excellent new studio album from the band that once couldn’t decide between the available names so just took them all 😉 …
TRACK LISTING
Disc One: Relativity
01. Relativity Part 1 (Through The Dust) (9:09)
02. The Blood Of Abraham (7:42)
03. Heard It All Before (7:53)
04. Magpie (6:53)
05. Love (4:50)
06. Peace Like A River (4:18)
07. Hourglass (6:49)
08. Snake Oil (8:49)
09. The End Of Days (6:44)
10. Picture World (5:45)
11. Relativity Part 2 (The Stars That Shine) (9:01)
Disc Two: Live At RosFest, USA 2009
01. Valhalla (1:26)
02. For No One (4:48)
03. The Great 1974 Mining Disaster (6:20)
04. Poor Wages (3:56)
05. The Iron Maiden (3:02)
06. Child Of The Universe (5:44)
07. Poor Man’s Moody Blues (7:34)
08. Harbour (3:52)
09. Suicide (6:13)
10. Medicine Man (9:18)
11. In Search Of England (4:27)
12. Mocking Bird (9:26)
13. The Poet / After The Day (11:34)
NB: Live at RosFest, USA 2009 tracks are only available on the 3 Disc Clamshell Boxset which also includes 5.1 Surround Sound & Stereo Mixes from Relativity.
MUSICIANS
John Lees – Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
Craig Fletcher – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Jez Smith – Keyboards, Vocals
Kevin Whitehead – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Cherry Red Records | Esoteric Antenna
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 17th October 2025
DISCOGRAPHY
JOHN LEES’ BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
– Relativity (2025)
– Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert (2024)
– The 50th Anniversary Concert (2018)
– North (2013)
– Recorded Live in Concert at Metropolis Studios, London (2012)
– High Voltage, Recorded Live – July 23rd 2011 (2012)
– All Is Safely Gathered In (2005)
– Revolution Days (2003)
– Revival (1999)
– Nexus (1999)
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
– River Of Dreams (1997)
– Caught In The Light (1993)
– Welcome To The Show (1990)
– Glasnost (1988)
– Face To Face (1987)
– Victims Of Circumstance (1984)
– Ring Of Changes (1983)
– A Concert For The People [Berlin] (1982)
– Turn Of The Tide (1981)
– Eyes Of The Universe (1979)
– Live Tapes (1978)
– XII (1978)
– Gone To Earth (1977)
– Octoberon (1976)
– Time Honoured Ghosts (1975)
– Live (1974)
– Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974)
– Early Morning Onwards (1972)
– Baby James Harvest (1972)
– Barclay James Harvest And Other Short Stories (1971)
– Once Again (1971)
– Barclay James Harvest (1970)
LINKS
John Lee’s Barclay James Harvest – Website | Facebook | Info at Cherry Red Records | YouTube
