Customer Reviews

Procol Harum

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like many others, I own this album in seemingly countless formats. So why buy it again? The answer is that the quality of the remastering is so good here that it would be a sin not to. This Salvo reissue of Procol Harum's debut album is a desert-island essential and is a recording that will likely be around long after much other modern music is lost in the mists of time.
Why is this album so important? Its because Procol Harum's debut represents the best example of successful fusion of the blues rock idiom of popular music with classical themes. Listen not just to their massive hit A Whiter Shade of Pale but also such pieces as Repent Walpurgis and you will hear how the the music of the band is imbued with the classics.
I have always liked this entire album and never has a reissue of it sounded better than it does here. Many people don't know that AWSoP was not on the original UK release of the album but added for US release. Here you hear the original as it was released plus other recordings of the band roughly contemporary to the original album. Among the extras, I most enjoy AWSoP naturally, but also both versions of Homburg, the previously unreleased Understandably Blue, Alpha, and Conquistador.
If you ever liked Procol Harum on any level, you should acquire your own copy of this album. Not only do you get more than 72 minutes of excellent music, but the reissue is housed in an impressive gatefold digipak and is accompanied by a meaty booklet that contains pertinent album information, pictures, and lots of interesting information about the early formations of the band. This is one CD that is worth every penny paid, get it while it is still available in this format.

This is the first of 4 (so far) Procol Harum remasters offered by Salvo, and a most welcome product it is, too. This is the original mono release of Procol's '67 debut with 11 bonus tracks added, including the non-LP singles "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (Procol's signature song), "Homburg" and "Lime Street Blues" and several outtakes, five of which are in stereo. All are essential to understanding the genesis of Procol Harum; a really lovely bonus is the Italian single "Il Tuo Diamante" ("Shine on Brightly" in Italian) and the rare pink-washed album cover, also Italian. A must-have for any Procol fan, and for any serious music collector.

Procol Harum has deservedly been hailed a classic many times, and it is no surprise that there is demand for the optimal sound on these timeless recordings. Salvo has rteally done an excellent job and in my ears, these numbers never sounded better. The singles "A White Shade of Pale" and "Homburg" with b-sides are, of course, along with other interesting bonus tracks, several of which has never previously been published.

An early instrumental version of the hit, "Pandora's Box" is a bit of a finding. The same applies to "Understandably Blue" - a ballad by Gary Brooker which has never previously published. "Alpha" is a fine blues out-take and certainly a worthy addition.

Fine informative liner-notes.

I haven't lived with this album as many years as some of the other reviewers here, limiting my past experience to the 30 Years Anthology release from a few years back. Experiencing the album there made me a fan of the music, which led me to be cautiously curious about the 40th Anniversary remaster on the Salvo label. It wasn't until after getting the '72 Live recording and being blown away by its quality that I thought to give the debut album a try.

Sorry, got sidetracked...just got the disc in the mail, was inspired to write this review immediately after a minute's worth of 'Conquistador' and I'm just now reaching the end of 'Kaleidoscope'...wow.

Anyway, my point is this: All the previous reviewers that raved about this remaster are absolutely correct. If you've ever liked this album and own it in any of its previous incarnations, you owe it to yourself to order the Salvo 40th Anniversary version immediately. The remastered sound is breathtaking, the disc packaging is exquisite and it's all well worth your time.

Now, if you'll excuse me, 'Salad Days (Are Here Again)' is up next...!

The hot pink background in the otherwise familiar cover art signals that this is yet another reissue of Procol's mighty debut album. A wonderful mix of Dylan style keyboards and wordsmithing (no, it's not really a word) with Brit-boy blue eyed soul and Robin Trower's sizzling, bluesy psychedelic guitar, it's an essential purchase even without THAT song. But if you know Procol, you already know all that. Why get this version? Well, the eleven bonus tracks are pretty cool, though they too have been around in other issues, save one, a songwriting demo for a track called "Understandable Blue", a very un-Procol-like song apparently intended for Dusty Springfield. Interesting but not essential.

The reason to get this edition of Procol's debut is the remastered sound. Though still only available in mono (the stereo tapes were lost years ago and at this late date aren't likely to see the light of day), the improvement in sound is quite startling, even on my modest sound system. To listen to this amazing music after forty years and hear something new on the track has been one of the true delights of my life, as I've been a hardcore fan for years. If you shrug like I do when you read "remastered", this is definitely one time to shelve that attitude. If you love this album, you really do need to have this edition of it.

I have purchased this album in many formats in the years since it's original vinyl release in 1967 (even reel to reel), but have never heard this level of detail and depth. The clarity of the instruments and Gary Brooker's soulful vocals gave me chills all over again. Of the many 60's era albums I've replaced with remastered CD's, I'd have to say this is the most sonically impressive of the lot. Kudos to mastering engineer Nick Robbins and the obvious care taken by Rob Keylock in transferring the original analog master tapes to digital. With the exception of a few of the excellent bonus tracks, all are as they were originally recorded - in Glorious MONO!!

And as if the amazing audio wasn't enough, the packaging - a 6panel slip case & 24 page full color booklet - is thoroughly impressive in it's detail; with great band pictures, foreign album covers and wonderful background notes on the time period and songs by Brooker and lyrisist Keith Reid.
This is a 'must-buy' for followers of this incredible and unique band. And the audio quality and package should stand as a goal to aspire to by other reissue labels.

Reissued, Remastered CD's don't get any better than this.

While very while done, the improvement over the 30th Anniversary Anthology is not major. Perhaps I was spoiled by first listening to the Salvo editions of Home and Grand Hotel. Those two Salvo releases are truly astounding. The articulation of the bass and Brooker's voice (although you still can't make out all of the lyrics...."upon Olympus") is outstanding. If the 30th is not available, do get this one and all of the Salvo releases.

Until Salvo began reissuing Procol`s catalog last year, it was impossible to find most of their albums in the US, and the imports were ridiculously priced, so I was always glad I kept my LP`S in great shape when I needed a fix of Harum. These newest editions on the Salvo label are nothing short of magnificent, if you`re a fan and, if you aren`t, you wouldn`t be reading this. They`ve been supervised by Gary Brooker + co., come in cardboard tri-fold covers, each has a great booklet w/ rare pics and historical insight/hindsight, AND each has bonus or live tracks - it just doesn`t get better than this. In addition, the lp`s have NEVER sounded this good - crisp, clear, balanced, brilliant. This particular edition has 11 bonus tracks that you actually want to hear , no studio filler or flub takes, false starts or toilet-flushings like so many 60`s reissues out there. I have thus far purchased 6 of these reissues, and can`t recommend them enough to fans or the merely curious. I`m in Harum Heaven right now...

This Salvo re-issue is flat out brilliant in every respect. AWSOP first assaulted my ears at 14 years of age courtesy of amplitude modulated radio. I didn't know about Bach, g strings, Percy Sledge, or what it meant to skip the light fandango, but I knew I was instantly addicted to whatever this was and promptly went right out and bought it. This new version is a fitting companion to the Repertoire and WestSide issues already in my collection.

40 + years later and I'm still not rehabilitated, though God knows many have tried, i.e the church, i.e. the government, i.e. the school. One day when they find the missing multi-track masters and re-issue this masterpiece entirely in glorious stereo, guess what, I'll buy it again. It's that good.

I bought the single A Whiter Shade Of Pale in the summer of '67. In 2009, I bought this album based on the stellar reviews of other customers. The sound is revelatory - incredible, the album is great and I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates a great rock album...