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Artist |
Roy Harper |
| Title |
Hats Off |
| Label |
The Right Stuff/Capitol |
| Reviewer |
Richard Proplesch |
| Rating |
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Despite a peer patronage and respect that spans over 35
years in his native England, Harper is best known (if at
all) in America for his carney barking character in Pink
Floyd’s “Have A Cigar.” Overseas, Harper’s albums are
revered for their blend of reflective folk and battered
rock anthems, parading a guest list of the
Kingdom’s “who’s who” for such affairs, including over
the years Paul & Linda McCartney, Kate Bush, Floyd’s
David Gilmour, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, King
Crimson’s Bill Bruford, as well as Led Zep’s John Paul
Jones and Jimmy Page. Page discovered and nurtured such
a kinship with Harper’s intricate guitar playing, that
Zeppelin’s third album featured the instrumental “Hats
Off to Harper” in respect.
Harper borrows the title back
for this collection of songs, a personal selection that
features a few greatest hits (“One of These Days in
England” with the McCartneys charted), tho most of these
tunes were very idiosyncratic and far too passionate for
radio play. As shown during the spiraling chordal work
of “Commune,” or the bombastic arena-rock riffage
of “The Game,” Harper broke through the confines of the
folk, blues and rock worlds with an ease that’s
unequaled. Unlike Nick Drake or Syd Barrett, he’s the
one great British musical poet (save Richard Thompson)
that didn’t die early or waste away. And I don’t know
who to thank for that.
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© 2001 AMZ/music-reviewer.com
Robert R. Lewis
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