Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Re-Birth Of Procol Harum, March 17, 2003
1991's "The Prodigal Stranger" marked the most-welcome return of Procol Harum, 14 years after their last album, 1977's "Something Magic." Back in the band are veteran members Gary Brooker on piano & vocals, Matthew Fisher on organ, Robin Trower on guitar, & lyricist Keith Reid. "The Prodigal Stranger" is a magnificent album, the band sounding so re-vitalized on these masterful, melodic songs. Not a bad tune among them. High points include the passionate "The Truth Won't Fade Away," the great rockers "Man With A Mission," "One More Time," "All Are Dreams Are Sold" & "Learn To Fly," the wonderfully catchy "Hand That Rocks The Cradle," and the beautiful "A Dream In Every Home," "King Of Hearts" (with a clever nod to "Whiter Shade Of Pale" in it's lyrics), and the finale, "The Pursuit Of Happiness." Gary Brooker's voice is still as strong as ever, as are the band's solid musicianship & songwriting. "The Prodigal Stranger" is one of Procol Harum's greatest albums, and a true welcome return of one of rock's greatest bands.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Where's Procol Harum?, June 10, 2007
I had high hopes for this "reunion" album, what with core members Brooker/Trower/Reid/Fischer on board. What made PC one of the best and most unique bands of the late 60s and early 70s was Brooker's voice and elegant piano, soulful organ work by Chris Copping or Matthew Fischer, Reid's quirky and often enigmatic or humorous lyrics, a unique talent for blending rock with classical music, and restrained but tasteful guitar work from Trower and his successors in interest after he left the band to go solo. Other than Brooker's voice, all of those components are missing here. The songs suffer from a similarity in sound/tempo/theme such that you are basically listeining to one long song throughout the 12 cuts. I don't know why Trower or Fischer even came on board, as they are denied soloing and their contributions are buried in a wall of sound type of production that is rife with synthesizers and what sounds like drum machines and which is better suited for disco or techno outings. The songs are mostly "power pop" ballads that should have been relegated to the Steve Perry chapter of Journey. Stick with Broken Barricades, Grand Hotel or the band's other classic outings, and avoid this sad chapter in their career. I blame the producer, not the band, as he shares song credits on many of the tunes on this enterprise.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Expect professional reviewers to be wrong., March 26, 1999
By A Customer
Procol did not go downhill after A Whiter Shade Of Pale. They've always had a great message and fantastic music. This, by 4 original members is very wise, mature, and intelligent. I especially like the family values expressed on for example "Hand That Rocks The Cradle, The", but please be advised, you need to be sensitive and intelligent to really appreciate this 'thinking' music. A must for anyone trying to make sense of who we were in the 1960's, and who we will have become in the year 2000.
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