Burn the World

AMG Review of Burn the World

David Ross Smith
All Music Guide

Harper's Burn the World consists of two versions of the title track, one studio, the other live (recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London). Written in 1984-85, this poetic composition is comprised of several distinct movements and timely lyrics. The studio cut is the original demo Harper presented to EMI records; they rejected it, stating it lacked commercial appeal. It includes a brief but attractive guitar solo by the "Unknown Space Cadet," also known as Dave Gilmour. The live track, a solo performance that Roy terms the "more cultured" version, has an immediacy and vibrancy not found in the demo. Energetic and driving (so much so that he breaks a string during the song), Harper's guitar work and vocals are superior to the studio take. Jacqui Turner, Roy's companion of nine years, engineered the album. Their relationship ended the following year, when Awareness Records picked up the recordings (and Harper). Before folding, the label released several of his albums, including the superb Once (1990) and Death or Glory? (1992).