John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest – Relativity: A Stunning Return From a Band at Peace With Themselves
Review of the 2LP Vinyl Edition & 2CD/Blu-Ray Box Set
I want to take you inside what I genuinely feel is one of the most uplifting and soul-nourishing albums of 2025: Relativity by John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest.
This is a celebration of who they are as musicians, and—remarkably—one of the finest albums they have ever made.
A Look Inside the Vinyl and Box Set Editions
2LP Black Vinyl Edition
The vinyl version arrives as a beautifully presented gatefold sleeve, with all credits clearly laid out on the left-hand panel. Each LP comes in printed inner sleeves, both carrying full lyrics, and pressed on classic black vinyl.
It’s traditional, timeless, and deeply respectful of the band’s heritage.
2CD + Blu-ray Clamshell Box Set
The compact box is superbly put together and offers huge value:
CD1 – The brand new album Relativity
CD2 – Live at RosFest 2009 (including Mockingbird, Poor Man’s Moody Blues, Great 1974 Mining Disaster, Child of the Universe, and more)
Blu-ray – High-resolution stereo & a brand-new 5.1 surround sound mix
Mixed by Stephen W. Taylor, who once again proves he’s one of the best in the business.
The included booklet is excellent—packed with lyrics, photos from the Relativity sessions, live shots from RosFest, musician credits, and detailed 5.1 production notes.
As physical media experiences go, this is the complete package.
Relativity – The Album
What struck me immediately is how at peace this band sounds. There’s no sense of chasing trends or trying to recreate past glories. Instead, you get confidence, warmth, authenticity, and that unmistakable emotional honesty that Barclay James Harvest have always stood for.
This is an album written by musicians who love making music together—and it shows in every bar.
Musical highlights:
Relativity Part 1 & Part 2
A conceptual thread running through the album—lyrical, atmospheric, deeply moving.
The Blood of Abraham
Gentle funk grooves, washes of keyboards, and dreamy guitar lines. A track that just pulls you in.
Heard It All Before
A classic shuffle feel with uplifting choruses and fabulous power chords.
Magpie
Beautifully arranged, full of light, shade, texture, with the guitar solos landing exactly where they should.
Love
A genuinely touching ballad.
Snake Oil
Edgy, dynamic, Hammond-driven, with a wonderful guitar–organ call-and-response.
Picture World
Atmospheric, emotional, a perfect showcase for John Lees’ expressive style.
And yes—this album does have moments that echo the atmosphere of Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but those moments evolve completely naturally into quintessential John Lees playing.
Every bend, every phrase hits straight to the heart.
John Lees: The Master of the Emotional Guitar Solo
John’s guitar work on this record is sublime. No wasted notes, nothing showy—just perfectly judged melodic playing that reminds you of why his style is so treasured.
It’s timeless. It’s heartfelt. And it’s unmistakably him.
The Surround Sound Experience
One of the biggest joys of this release is the brand-new 5.1 mix.
This isn’t a legacy album being remixed decades later—this is a brand new work, created today, being given the full immersive treatment.
And it sounds magnificent.
The spacious production you hear on the CD becomes completely enveloping in 5.1. Keyboards bloom, vocals float, guitars glide, and the whole album just opens up like a living landscape.
If you love surround sound – this is essential.
Live at RosFest 2009 – A Superb Bonus Disc
The 2009 concert included on CD2 is a gem:
Valhalla
For No One
Great 1974 Mining Disaster
Poor Man’s Moody Blues
Medicine Man
In Search of England
Child of the Universe
Mockingbird
The Poet / After the Day
This is a band playing with passion, fire, and a real sense of connection with the audience.
The inclusion of a complete live album and a 5.1 mix makes this box set incredible value.
Final Thoughts: One of Their Best
There’s a tired old argument that bands of this vintage release new albums just because they feel obliged to. Relativity destroys that myth completely.
If you knew nothing about Barclay James Harvest and this was your first introduction, you’d think:
“Wow… this band has a huge future ahead of them.”
Because that’s exactly how alive, vital, and inspired this album feels.
This is uplifting music for challenging times.
Warm, spacious, soulful—and made with absolute integrity.
I absolutely love it, and I’ll be talking to John Lees soon for a full interview.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
