Customer Reviews

Grand Hotel

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Procol Harum's Grand Hotel- recorded in 1973 - is a masterpiece of progressive rock. You all know about the other classic from the same year- Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon ( for this reviewer, ELP's Brain Salad surgery also qualifies). Like Dark Side of the Moon, Procol's Grand Hotel album has excellent production and sound quality. It also represents a step further for this band on every level- as noted by another reviewer- this is where it all came together for them. Aided by Producer Chris Thomas and the use of strings and a chorus, Procol creates a luxurious wall of sound for many of the songs on Grand Hotel. The superb production, musicianship and compositions represent the zenith of Procol Harum's achievement... nothing they did before or since was as good. Other than Broken Barricades, many of the Earlier Procol albums were pretty lightweight and patchy compared to Grand Hotel...they just don't have the power and sonic sophistication that this recording does. I agree with the people who feel that this was the classic line up of the band (though I'm sure there are plenty of Matthew Fisher proponents)- Mick Grabham proved to be a much better guitarist for Procol Harum, his sound and style being more compatible than Trower. Grand Hotel's title track alone makes it worth owning, but there are plenty of other nuggets to be found here...it is consistently good almost throughout. Even TV Ceaser is a musically great song, once you acclimate yourself to its lyrics..other than the title track, "Bringing home the bacon" is the showstopper of the album, featuring some of the best drumming and guitar work of any Procol song. "For Liquorice John" and "Fires which burnt brightly" marry lyrics with music perfectly- they also provide the albums most emotional songs. I really like the Chris Thomas produced period of Procol Harum, and this one is the best of the lot (Exotic Bird's and Fruit is also excellent). Anyone seeking a slightly different flavor of progressive rock would do well to start with Grand Hotel...an album which manages to be both sophisticated AND heavy. It also deserves mention that Repertoire Records did an outstanding job with both the audio remastering and graphic artwork for this reissue...pick it up and discover a diamond in the rough.

Following the huge success of their prior LP, 'LIVE WITH THE EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA', # 5 on the Billboard Album charts, Procol continued similiarly w/ use of orchestrations on this, their 6th release, with spellbinding results. Every track is a jewel, every word is a gem, and this one has always been one of my favorite Harum LP`s even after all these years. It`s grand on every level, magnificent perhaps, and caters to their strengths like no other. The album cover and title track remind me of the Greta Garbo movie of the same name that came out in the mid 1930`s - it reeks of a lush, languid, elegant decadence and despair, as does the film. Brooker wrote some of his most memorable melodies for this LP, and Keith Reid penned indelible lyrics to further burn the tunes to permanent memory ('Grand Hotel' and 'Fires Which Burnt Brightly' in particular). The vastly underrated B.J. Wilson (RIP) provides some of his most superlative, muscular drumming - why more people don`t acknowledge his skills as a drummer has always irked me to no end - listen to the incredible foundation he provides on 'Bringing Home The Bacon' and the powerful accents he uses to diffuse and dissect the orchestrations on the title track as proof. Unfortunately, when this LP came out in 1973, Glam-rock was all the rage, so this one slipped between the cracks for many listeners, though it did go to #21 on Billboard, but was never going to stand toe-to-toe w/ the likes of Ziggy Stardust or 'Dark Side' or Roxy Music (another fave of mine). If hindsight teaches us anything, this Lp deserves a re-examination like few others do.

One of the greatest adult classic rock albums of all times! The album is like a tour of a Grand Hotel where every room contains a demonstration of a human depravity - over-eating, drinking, obsessive love, mindless TV, drug addiction, suicide, sex and war. Classy, forbodding, sad, angry, funny and purposefully campy.

Fantasitc lyrics, music and musicianship. A wild and crazy use of orchestras, choirs, pianos, electric guitars, organs and drumming. Along with the lyrics (real poetry!)- its a roller coaster ride. The experience is greatest when the album is played loud!

The record sounds fantastic. There is almost no hiss and the base sounds great. Crystal clear sound! Brookers piano can be heard clearly and his voice is one of the best in any music anywhere.

Requires only a little patience, but numerous listenings. Analyzing the Keith Reid metaphors in the poetry is challenging but fun and his bidding you enter the hotel on the inside cover is classic. Grand Hotel is an absolute must for mature thinking people who want more then the usual dribble in their rock.

Friday Music's booklet has all the lyrics. The CD includes the wonderful addition of a live version of Grand Hotel with lots of Garry's piano and his diversion into Over The Rainbow!

One of the greatest adult classic rock albums of all times! The album is like a tour of a Grand Hotel where every room contains a demonstration of a human obsession - over-eating, drinking, love gone bad, mindless TV, drug addiction, suicide, sex and war. Classy, forbodding, sad, angry, funny and purposefully campy.

Fantasitc lyrics, music and musicianship. A wild and crazy use of orchestras, choirs, pianos, electric guitars, organs and drumming. Along with the lyrics (real poetry!)- its a roller coaster ride.The experience is greatest when the album is played loud!

Get the Repertoire or Friday Music lable only!! Repertoire's and Friday Music version have the best sound. There is no more hiss and the base sounds great. Crystal clear sound! Garry's piano can now be heard clearly and his voice is one of the best in any music anywhere.

Requires only a little patience, but numerous listenings. Analyzing the Keith Reid metaphors in the poetry is challenging but fun. Grand Hotel is an absolute must for mature thinking people who want more then the usual dribble in their rock.

The Repitoire version has the more beautful booklet with the classic photo of Ketih Reid introduing the band and bidding you enter the hotel on the inside cover.

The Friday Music version has an excelent addition of a live version of Grand Hotel with lots of Garry's piano and a diversion into Over The Rainbow!

Coming off the success of their "Live With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra" album, which hit #5 on the U.S. album chart, as well as a successful tour playing more concerts with full orchestra accompanyment, it was probably preordained that Procol Harum's next album would have a decidedly more orchestral, classical feel to it. And such was 1973's "Grand Hotel." Featuring new guitarist Mick Grabham, "Grand Hotel" is an instant Harum classic. The songs are so musically rich, and the orchestral arrangements perfectly compliment the band note for note. The big, lush title song is one of the group's best-known tunes, and is still a staple in their live repertoire today. Other favorites include the driving "Toujours L'Amour" and "TV Caesar," the lighthearted fun of "A Souvenir Of London" (with drummer B.J. Wilson playing 22 mandolins!), the classic Harum rocker "Bringing Home The Bacon," and the beautiful "For Liquorice John," which singer/pianist Gary Brooker wrote for a late friend. One of their very best releases, "Grand Hotel" is a sparkling Procol Harum album that tastes like a fine wine.

Procol Harum is difficult to categorize in the annals of classic rock. Were they prog rock? Blues/R & B rock? It really doesn't matter, as they had a sound all of their own, that no other group of their age could duplicate. Their emphasis was on a "song format", as opposed to a "performance format", wherein the latter the song was just a vehicle for various soloists to do their instrumental break on. Keith Reid's lyrics add both elegance and humor to each composition on this outing. Grand Hotel captures the band at their best: the production is top rate, the strings and choir highlight but don't overshadow the band, the songs are magnificent; and the performances of the individual band members are enthralling, especially Brooker's dramatic vocals and elegant piano work and Mick Grabham's restrained but inspiring guitar work. Procol Harum had class, intelligence, and inspiration; qualities desperately lacking in many of their contemporaries and even more so with what is on the charts in the 21st century. There will never be anything like them again, and Grand Hotel presents them at the pinnacle of their creativity.

PROCOL HARUM is a band who importance seems to have been forgotten in recent years, but their talent and tireless dedication to quality speaks for itself. I don't think that this band ever released a bad album, although some are better than others. GRAND HOTEL is perhaps the best album ever released by Gary Brooker and company (and the "company" changed often through Procol Harum's history, but to me THIS bunch is the classic line-up, not the earlier Robin Trower line-up). The music sways between beautiful symphonic art rock, and PH's early roots as a rock/R&B band, a pretty original blend if you ask me! The prog-like material is as good or even better than anything that The Moody Blues ever topped the 70's charts with, and (as a musican myself) I would say that PH are better musicians than The Moody Blues, especially Brooker, guitarist Mick Grabham, and drummer B.J Wilson. The rock tracks are amoung the best that Procol has ever done. Songs like GRAND HOTEL, TOUJORS L' AMOUR, TV CEASAR, and BRINGING HOME THE BACON are highlights of the 70's music scene, but the whole album is great and flows perfectly from song to song. A SOUVENIR OF LONDON is a classic example of PH's sense of humor, and also their best blues number ever. This is a true classic, an example of a band at the heights of their power, buy it NOW!

I'll keep it short...If you happen to be a drummer, this album is for you. B.J. Wilson may be the finest rock drummer in this category of music you will ever hear. Having seen the band just prior to this albums release, I can honestly say that never has there been a drummer who "fit" the music quite the way he did. He will be greatly missed. Truely an amazing album...

"Grand Hotel" was a great return to form for Procol Harum after some patchy albums in the early 70's [Broken Barricades comes to mind].Every song makes the grade with a combination of clever writing and sharp production. This was easily their most satisfying studio effort and ranges from the stately title track to powerful rock such as "Bringing Home the Bacon".Keith Reid's lean and dry lyrics add another fine layer to the songs and the musicianship of the band was of course never in doubt.Other stand out tracks are"Toujours l'amour" and sixties flavoured "Fires".Well worth the time and money even if your not a hardcore Procol Harum fan.

Grand Hotel shows Procol Harum breaking sharply with the past and doing so in spectacular style while retaining echoes of their glorious musical history. I've been a Procol addict from the very beginning. There is nothing in pop music like the haunting melodies and lyrics which spring from the minds of the genre's most talented songwriting duo, Gary Brooker and Keith Reid. Grand Hotel represents a turning away from the increasingly guitar-driven music of Broken Barricades and Home and back to the piano and organ oriented music of the first three albums that I think Brooker is more at home with. The songwriting on Grand Hotel is elegant and always enigmatic. The best three cuts are the title song, A Rum Tale, and Fires (which burnt brightly). Those who miss the stinging guitar of Robin Trower should like Bringing Home the Bacon and TV Caesar. If one had to pick a "best album" from the first ten, Grand Hotel would certainly rank second or third.