Alex Harvey (Pop) - The Soldier On The Wall

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Item#: 3310285

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Alex Harvey (Pop) - The Soldier On The Wall

Artist:: Harvey, Alex (Rock)

UPC:: 740155884727

See Also:: Status Quo (UK) Uriah Heep Nazareth Black Sabbath

Description:: Completed just a month before Alex Harvey`s death in February 1982, Soldier on the Wall is generally regarded as little more than a career afterthought, the last sad recordings of a man whose golden years were now seven or eight years behind him. Part of that, of course, was due to the circumstances of its posthumous release, a barely publicized appearance on a tiny northern England indie label that went out of business within the year; but it also reflects upon the distinctly underwhelming nature of Harvey`s own last two albums, the SAHB farewell Rock Drill, and the solo The Mafia Stole My Guitar. Yet Soldier on the Wall is actually one of Harvey`s most fulfilling albums ever. From the synth-packed romp of the opening "Mitzi," through to the closing reprise of the spellbinding title track, the somewhat low-budget feel of the record perfectly matches the deliciously downtrodden glamour of both its maker and its contents. The western lament of "Billy Bolero" and a rip-roaring take on Buddy Ebsen`s "Snowshoes Thompson" are absolute stand-outs, while the mix of new material, oddball covers, and one Harvey oldie (the late-`60s "Roman Wall Blues" epic) have a dynamic sheen that catapults matters straight back to the glory days of the similarly-constituted Penthouse Tapes, the last truly great Harvey album, in 1975. No bonus tracks round out the CD reissue, but the accompanying booklet includes a lengthy reflection on the album`s making, disappearance, and, now, its return to the shelves. And, for that, we should all be truly thankful. ~ Dave Thompson