I have to go with the former description, having heard it for only the fourth time. In my mind, this 25 minute cut is almost a masterpiece for IQ, combining great instrumentation with spot on vocals and an enduring storyline. I realize that many are critical of their "Genesis"-like sound, however, I don't find that to be an issue here. From my perspective, this is about as good as it gets as far as neo-Prog goes.
What do you think?
I've always heard it as a distant relative of Supper's Ready.
I like the way it flows. There is a melodic quality from start to finish.
I especially love the "Mine is a real fine line" part.
It's a great IQ track but the Supper's Ready-isms are definitely there.
The acoustic beginning, the keyboard solo over an odd rhythm...
But it's mostly in the way the final section reprises and combines vocal melodies from the first two, in exactly the same way that As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs combines the melodies from Lovers Leap and The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man.
It's all expertly and cleverly done but there's no way they didn't have Supper's Ready in mind when they were writing it.
Great track for sure. I don't mind a prog band releasing a pretentious prog piece as long as it is true to the band's sound while also pushing their boundaries forward, and Harvest does just that. Not my favorite IQ piece but one I love and listen to fairly frequently.
I never really found the comparisons to Genesis very valid though. And I don't see Harvest being all that much like Supper's Ready. IQ have their own sound and it seldom includes much acoustic work.
At times it's an homage to "Supper's Ready". That's how I hear it.
Mongrel dog soils actor's feet
That says it all for me, too.Originally Posted by Splicer
Indeed, in a nutshell.
Totally agree.
But I still love it.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
I love it. Seeing it performed live was even better.
I can only assume that the band no longer have much enthusiasm for it - I don't think its been played live for about 15years now! (feel free to correct me)
In fact the whole Dark Matter album seems to be regularly overlooked in live shows nowadays.
I've never cared much for Harvest of Souls because it sounds a little *too* much like Supper's Ready, IMO.
IQ last played "Harvest of Souls" on December 16, 2017...in the Netherlands. IQ has played "Harvest of Souls" seven times since 2011.
Harvest of Souls holds up for me and I still enjoy it. Some of the lyrics that mock the American obsession with God and military power were quite timely back in '03-'04 given what was happening with the US led invasion in Iraq. 'Praise the Lord and raise the ammunition high'. Pretty accurate, sadly. Great idea for a lengthy prog track. Musically it really holds up. Surely this remains IQ's most political song? I was in the UK in 2005 and it seemed to me at times that there were plenty of folks there who disagreed with Britain's involvement in W. Bush/Cheney and Co's hard on for Saddam and regime change so I'm sure it resonated with IQ's UK fanbase too. Perhaps the song stands as a reminder of the dangers of using an invisible sky wizard to justify war given everything that happened and has happened since, not to mention all of the innocent civilians that were killed. I don't know of another IQ song quite like it but I am not well versed in all of their material since Frequency.
Interesting thread topic. I was actually just listening to Dark Matter not that long ago (after not hearing it in a very long time). I would say Harvest of Souls is a very good but not quite "great" epic imo. I would say if it was maybe six to eight minutes shorter it would be one of the best though but I feel as it is it's a bit too stretched out (or as Rick Wakeman might say "padded out"). All imo of course.
Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)
People say that a lot but I would say there's a bit of Gates Of Delirium in there too.
Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)
IQ's version of Marillions Grendel which was their version of Suppers Ready
Now, that's very telling indeed! Not sure if it's widely accepted, but still interesting.
Ah, Marillion's Grendel... featuring the Apocalypse in 4/4.
What's super cool about this section is that the harmony and vocal part is a nearly direct reprise of The Wrong Host, while the guitar solo is a variation on the vocal melody of Frame and Form (the part that goes: Mine is a real fine line...).the way the final section reprises and combines vocal melodies from the first two
??
As an American very aware of what was happening at that time in history, I can assure you that God was not used as a justification for the war in Iraq. That’s just silly.
There is a rule of politics on the board.
What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it brings forth a sound (2112)
Harvest of Soul's lyrics are what brings me back again and again. I have read a few interpretations of what the lyrics mean, but the only point they seem to agree on is that it's about the US - Iraq war. I'm sure the true meaning is much deeper.
Every time I listen to the song I find a few lines that stick in my head for a while until I come up with meaning that makes sense. I would never claim to understand the entire song which I think is what Peter really wanted when he wrote the lyrics.
For what it's worth, Peter has said he never intended it to be a politcal song. But then again, we may all be born brilliant - brilliant liars.
I used to call it the Acopylapse in 4/4.
I think there are very good aspects of "Harvest" but it is a bit too derivative of Genesis, even for IQ, to be their best for me. I do think it's worlds better than Grendel though, holy cow...
Maybe someone could read it as subverting or otherwise contrasting with Genesis with the alternate lyrical content, but I don't pick up that vibe personally.
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