Work of Heart

AMG Review of Work of Heart

Brian Downing
All Music Guide

The years between the excellent Bullinamingvase in 1977 and the underrated Whatever Happened to Jugula? in 1985 were artistically unkind to Roy Harper. Work of Heart was released in 1982, and is typical of this over-produced era. The technological overkill apparent on the album would be more forgivable if the songwriting was strong. But except for "Jack of Hearts," nothing really impresses on this set, including the epic-length title track. For those interested in completing their Harper collection, Science Friction reissued Work of Heart in 1994 with Born in Captivity, which included the same songs in demo form. Casual fans should stick with earlier albums, such as Stormcock or HQ, for a more representative look at Harper's ability.