Barclay James Harvest is enjoying a very healthy reissue campaign. Just about every few months, a new classic album gets a complete makeover. Everyone Is Everyone Else was originally released back in 1974 and was hailed as one of the key records for BJH. It’s a very solid dose of the progressive/symphonic rock that the band was known for. Listening back to the album, one impression comes to mind: nobody plays like that anymore. The music identifies a very specific time and place, and the band is discovering as they go along. What a journey!
Everyone Is Everybody Else offers some very eclectic sounds combined with a cool feel. BJH’s prog records were a hit in Europe, but never quite managed to make it big in the U.S. There are, however, some very dedicated fans from America, but it’s a small number. I’m happy to be calling myself one.
This is a lavish package; the three discs give just about everything one could stomach when it comes to this timeless recording. There is a brand new 24-bit remaster, new stereo mix, and 5.1 surround mix. If you an audiophile, you’ll be in audio heaven. For my taste, maybe it’s too much of the same thing; a live concert from that time frame would be a great addition.
But this is still excellent, and you can see that a lot of love went into this reissue. The booklet itself is a work of art. It is very informative and visual. I can’t think of a serious collector who would not love this. And if you were there when the album originally came out, what a great way to relive your memories and find a hidden fact or two, or hear sounds the vinyl mix wasn’t able to deliver.
Esoteric Recordings does justice to this already fantastic record.
