Record Reviews
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  | MATTHEW FISHER ~ MATTHEW FISHER / STRANGE DAYS
ANGEL AIR 510 (Barcode: 5055011705104) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1980 - 1981 Released: 2018
This is a reissue / remaster of the third and fourth albums by the British keyboardist / songwriter Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist, primarily known as one of the founders of the legendary British band Procol HarumFind albums by this artist and co-composer of one of the most iconic Rock songs of all time “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”.
The first album, recorded in 1980, is still very close in its concept to the classic Procol Harum sound and style, with beautiful ballads and intricate instrumental arrangements. Fisher’s ability to weave wonderful melodies is fully intact and although the material is more Rock / Pop oriented than the Prog attitude, which was dominant in the earlier work, it is still great Classic Rock material. Fisher wrote all the ten songs himself.
The second album, recorded just a year later, is somewhat more New Wave oriented, with a less elaborate instrumental support, but still remains as an excellent collection of songs, which sound great despite the time that passed since. Fisher co-wrote all but two of the ten songs with the ex-ZombiesFind albums by this artist bassist / vocalist Chris WhiteFind albums by this artist.
Overall, this is a nice reminder of the many talents that flooded the British Rock scene in its formative years, following their fate and work in later days. Perhaps not essential material, but definitely worthy being revisited with a nostalgic tear in the eye corner. They don’t write songs like that anymore!
| | Updated: 19/04/2023Posted: 19/04/2023 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ A SALTY DOG (DELUXE EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC 2503 (Barcode: 5013929460348) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of the third studio album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. This album´s lineup includes, for the last time, all five founding members: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist, Hammond organist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist (who also produced the album), guitarist Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, bassist David KnightsFind albums by this artist and drummer B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten songs, six composed by Brooker or co-composed by him with others, and two each composed by Fisher or Trower, all with lyrics by poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist. For the first time three of the songs feature orchestral arrangements. This remastered and expanded edition adds a CD with twelve bonus tracks; A & B sides of a single, a studio outtake, live tracks recorded in the US and five tracks from BBC sessions, those being the only five tracks that are previously unreleased.
The musical direction of this album is slightly more diverse than the two previous albums, adding some Pop / Rock oriented material, although the double keyboards dominating sound is still in place and the bombastic Blues based, Gothic and Psychedelic soundscapes are present again, making it clear that this is Procol Harum at its best. In retrospect this album shows that the group was in a constant state of searching, as all great Artists are. This album was to be the last of the trilogy of the epic first three albums by the group recorded in the 1960s which started with the formative "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
The album still sounds great after all those years, and is a refreshing experience for people who have not listened to it for a while. It seems that most of Rock had to say was more or less already articulated by the end of the 1960s. To the many fans of the group this is of course a must have item in their collections. An evergreen by all means and en essential Classic Rock / early Prog milestone!
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: 31/01/2019 | CD 2 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ BROKEN BARRICADES
MUSEA 2104 (Barcode: 3426300021045) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2006
5th album by great British group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, reduced to a quartet following the departure of organist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist. Led by singer / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist, with guitarist Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, bassist / organist Chris CoppingFind albums by this artist and drummer B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist, the group was still very much at the top of their musical power. Brooker´s gift for composing momentous melodies, combined with excellent lyrics written by Keith ReidFind albums by this artist, who was a de facto fifth member of the group, made them a unique phenomenon, which can be appreciated even better from the perspective of the decades that passed since their inception. The moody, sometimes gothic atmosphere of medieval spookiness and bluesy undertones beautifully expressed by Trower´s virtuosic guitar licks, are simply stunning. This is a classic example of music, which loses nothing of its qualities over time and an essential piece of the Golden Decade puzzle. A must in any serious Prog collection!
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ LIVE AT THE UNION CHAPEL (COLLECTORS` EDITION)
EAGLE VISION 030 (Barcode: 5034504903098) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2003 Released: 2004
If everything Procol HarumFind albums by this artist ever did was to record their 1967 single “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”, they would have already ensured their position in the Rock’s Hall Of Fame as authors of the definitive, hypnotic and most brilliant Rock song of all times. Of course (and luckily for all Procol Harum’s many admirers, myself included) they managed quite a bit more with a long chain of brilliant albums recorded in the 1960s and 1970s and two reunions: the first one in 1991 and the second in 2003. The 2003 reunion resulted in the recording of a new album called The Well`s On FireFind albums with this title, and a world tour to promote the album. This DVD documents the final concert of the tour upon the band’s return to UK. The unusual setting for the concert – a church – adds a dramatic background to this spectacular event and makes this DVD even more spectacular and theatrical than expected. The band includes two of the band’s founding members Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist on piano & vocals and Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist on organ, accompanied by Matt PeggFind albums by this artist on bass, Geoff WhitehornFind albums by this artist on guitar and Mark BrzezickiFind albums by this artist on drums. With several months of touring behind them the band plays spotlessly and the strength of the material reaches its full glory. The material form the new album is included and of course many of the band’s greatest past achievements, including the full version of “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”, which is quite a rarity. Additional material includes interviews and other bonus stuff. The CD included in this set contains the highlights of the concert. This is a must for all Procol Harum fans and basically for anybody who loves great Rock. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS, 139 minutes.
| | | DVD+CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ LIVE: IN CONCERT WITH THE EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC 2650 (Barcode: 5013929475045) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the first live album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. This album´s lineup includes two founding members: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist and drummer B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist with Hammond organist Chris CoppingFind albums by this artist, guitarist Dave BallFind albums by this artist and bassist Alan CartwrightFind albums by this artist. The group is accompanied by the Edmonton Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist and the Da Camera SingersFind albums by this artist choir. The album presents five songs, one of which is the five-part suite originating from their second studio album "Shine On BrightlyFind albums with this title", two originate from their third studio album "A Salty DogFind albums with this title" and one each originates from their eponymous debut album and their fourth studio album "HomeFind albums with this title", all composed by Brooker or co-composed with Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist with lyrics by poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist. All these songs have been re-arranged to include the orchestral and choral parts. The album was produced by the celebrated producer Chris ThomasFind albums by this artist. This remastered and expanded edition adds five bonus tracks (B-side of a single and four tracks taken from the concert rehearsals), two of which are previously unreleased.
Although by far not the first attempt to combine Rock with Symphonic music, this is definitely one of the most successful attempts to do so, mostly due to the very nature of the early Procol Harum music, which was to some extent based on Classical Music themes and influences, making such amalgamation natural and logical. Brooker manages to balance the group´s parts and the orchestral / choral parts into a non-conflicting tapestry of sound, which achieves a striking result.
It is quite difficult to imagine today (2019) how pioneering and forward thinking this album really was at the time, when idioms like cross-genre / multi-cultural / multilateral were not even invented. The music was neatly sub-divided into serious (i.e. Classical Music) and popular (i.e. Pop / Rock) with Jazz being a strange fruit and World Music still being largely undiscovered. Any attempts to create something which defied these "norms" were usually met with suspicion and often outright animosity. But of course these were also the years of great musical discovery (The Golden Decade 1965-1975), as this wonderful album proves.
Overall this is definitely an absolutely essential piece of Rock history and a must in any decent record collection, which any true music connoisseur should be proud to own. A timeless gem!
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: 29/01/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ PROCOL HARUM (DELUXE EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC 2497 (Barcode: 5013929459748) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of the first studio album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. This album´s lineup includes the five founding members: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist, Hammond organist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist, guitarist Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, bassist David KnightsFind albums by this artist and drummer B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents tens songs, nine composed by Brooker and one composed by Fisher, all with lyrics by poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist. The UK version of the album did not include the celebrated single "The Whiter Shade Of Pale" (co-composed by Brooker and Fisher), which was recorded earlier with a different bassist and drummer, and which is included here in three different versions amongst the bonus tracks. This remastered and expanded edition adds ten bonus tracks (A & B sides of two singles and six outtakes and alternate mixes), one previously unreleased, and a bonus CD with seventeen bonus tracks, ten further alternate versions and mixes and seven live BBC recordings, with the seven BBC tracks being previously unreleased.
The musical direction of this album introduces the double keyboards dominating sound and the bombastic Blues based, Gothic and Psychedelic soundscapes, which characterize the first three epic albums by the group recorded in the 1960s, which started with the formative "A Whiter Shade Of Pale". This innovative sound and the typical British aesthetic approach, which was open already at these pioneering days to venture into early cross-genre explorations was what made this music so striking and irresistible.
If Procol Harum had only created "The Whiter Shade Of Pale" and then disappeared from the face of the earth, they would have earned fame and glory for posterity, as this is undoubtedly the greatest Rock song of all time. No other song written since managed to come even close to the majestic punch between the ears this song delivered to the human race. The fact that the group managed to follow their debut single with a long and exquisite string of albums and a career that lasts for over five decades is one of the most wondrous stories in Rock history.
It is important to understand that this album is a milestone in music history, breaking the accepted prevailing sentiment about (not-serious) popular music. It proves that popular music is capable of being as sophisticated, innovative and groundbreaking as Classical Music, which was considered up to that point as the only "serious" and artistically / aesthetically valid form of music.
The album still sounds great after all those years, and is a refreshing experience for people who have not listened to it for a while. It seems that most of what Rock had to say was more or less already articulated by the end of the 1960s. To the many fans of the group this is of course a must have item in their collections. An evergreen by all means and en essential Classic Rock / early Prog milestone!
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: 01/02/2019 | CD 2 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ SHINE ON BRIGHTLY (DELUXE EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC 2500 (Barcode: 5013929460041) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of the second studio album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. This album´s lineup includes the five founding members: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist, Hammond organist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist, guitarist Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, bassist David KnightsFind albums by this artist and drummer B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven songs, one of which is a five-part suite, five composed by Brooker and two co-composed by him and Fisher (including the suite), all with lyrics by poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist. This remastered and expanded edition adds three bonus tracks (Italian version of the title tracks and A & B sides of a single), a bonus CD with mono mix of the album, which was previously unreleased on CD, and a second bonus CD with seventeen tracks, nine of which ale alternate versions and outtakes and eight are BBC recordings, those last eight being the only previously unreleased tracks.
The musical direction of this album solidifies and perfects the innovative and brilliant achievement of the debut album with the double keyboards dominating sound and the bombastic Blues based, Gothic and Psychedelic soundscapes present again, now brought to an epic climax, illuminating Procol Harum at their absolute best. The suite was one of the first attempts to present such complex and eloquent musical piece within the Rock idiom. In retrospect this album shows that the group was in a constant state of development, as all great Artists are. This album was also to be the most impressive of the trilogy consisting of the first three epic albums by the group recorded in the 1960s, which started with the formative "A Whiter Shade Of Pale".
It is important to understand that this album is a milestone in music history, breaking the accepted prevailing sentiment about (not-serious) popular music. It proves that popular music is capable of being as sophisticated, innovative and groundbreaking as Classical Music, which was considered up to that point as the only "serious" and artistically / aesthetically valid form of music.
The album still sounds great after all those years, and is a refreshing experience for people who have not listened to it for a while. It seems that most of what Rock had to say was more or less already articulated by the end of the 1960s. To the many fans of the group this is of course a must have item in their collections. An evergreen by all means and en essential Classic Rock / early Prog milestone!
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: 01/02/2019 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ THE PRODIGAL STRANGER (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC 2634 (Barcode: 5013929473447) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1991 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the tenth studio album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. It is separated by fourteen years from the group´s previous studio album "Something MagicFind albums with this title", which was the last of a string of alums the group recorded at a steady paste in the 1960s and 1970s. This album marks the return of the founding member, Hammond organ player Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist, who left the group after the recording of their third studio album "A Salty DogFind albums with this title". As a result three founding members of Procol Harum are present on this album: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist and Fisher. The group´s other members on this album are bassist Dave BronzeFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark BrzezickiFind albums by this artist. The album offers twelve new songs, all composed or co-composed by Brooker with Fisher and producer Matt NobleFind albums by this artist. The lyrics are as usual by the poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist. The album is dedicated to B. J. WilsonFind albums by this artist, the groups founding member drummer, who died in 1990. This remastered and expanded edition adds three previously unreleased bonus tracks: two demos and one live track.
The release of the album was followed by a tour promoting the album. Trower refused to tour and was replaced by Geoff WhitehornFind albums by this artist. The tour yielded the second live album by the group entitled "One More TimeFind albums with this title".
Musically the album does not follow closely the classic Procol Harum sound and musical direction and in retrospect is the groups most straightforward Pop / Rock oriented album in their entire career. In spite of the double keyboards (piano and Hammond organ) the production shifts the overall soundscape into more contemporary (at the time) environment, which sadly damages the result. The basic melodies and the lyrics are still potentially great, but the album does not reach the same level of depth and the characteristic Procol Harum ambience, as one would have hoped for. As the A/M live album proves, the material was much better suited for concerts than for an intimate home listening experience.
Nevertheless it is still a solid Classic Rock album, which can be enjoyed by the many fans of the group and an important document of the group´s illustrious musical legacy.
| | Updated: 09/04/2022Posted: 28/01/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | PROCOL HARUM ~ THE WELL`S ON FIRE
EAGLE 209 (Barcode: 5034504120921) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003
This is the eleventh studio album by the seminal British Classic Rock group Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, one of the last active representatives of the great music wave that started over five decades ago. It is separated by twelve years from the group´s previous studio album "The Prodigal StrangerFind albums with this title". Although only two founding members of Procol Harum are still present on this album: vocalist / pianist Gary BrookerFind albums by this artist and Hammond organ player Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist, the sound and the musical style of the group remain pretty stable over time. The piano / Hammond organ double keyboards dominated sound, which has been the group´s trademark over time, is here and so are Brooker´s unique dramatic vocals. The group´s other members are guitarist Geoff WhitehornFind albums by this artist, bassist Matt PeggFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark BrzezickiFind albums by this artist. The album offers twelve new songs, almost all composed by Brooker except for a couple of Fisher´s contributions, and one instrumental piece by Fisher. The lyrics are as usual by the poet Keith ReidFind albums by this artist.
Musically the album does not break any new ground, but it stays, as already mentioned above, faithful to the band´s tradition to produce highly melodic lyrical and even melancholic songs, which often amalgamate elements of British Folk and some Classical Music influences. It is perhaps more Rock oriented than earlier releases, but not dramatically so. Reid´s lyrics are, as usual, full of meaningful statements, moral and social observations and other characteristics of his writing, which are in complete contrast to contemporary monosyllable dominated monstrosities that pass for lyrics. The songs vary in their intensity and expressiveness, but the best of them are certainly up to par with the great legacy of Procol Harum at its best.
Overall it is mostly "more of the same", which in the case of a band like Procol Harum is quite a compliment. The group extensive touring and their ability to produce new material gained them a solid following and fan base among the next generation of music lovers, that did not grown up in the glow of their early stardom, which can only be said about very few other Classic Rock groups out there. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 28/01/2019Posted: 28/01/2019 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | TIR NA NOG ~ A TEAR AND A SMILE / STRONG IN THE SUN
BGO 653 (Barcode: 5017261206534) ~ IRELAND ~ Folk-Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2004
2nd and 3rd album by Irish Folk-Rock duo Tir Na NogFind albums by this artist, one of the finest representatives of the genre, although little known and often neglected by fans and critics alike. Sonny CondellFind albums by this artist and Leo O´KellyFind albums by this artist had between them everything needed to create great music – they were both good songwriters, each played several instruments and their vocal harmonies were second to none. Following the release of their eponymous debut album in 1971, which was basically recorded by the duo without help from any additional musicians, they changed the approach slightly for their next two albums, using great studio players to expand the sound and even added some string arrangements to create a full-fledged Prog / Folk sound and feel. Some of the players involved include legendary bassist Brian OdgersFind albums by this artist and Procol HarumFind albums by this artist keyboardist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist. Both these albums stand the test of time splendidly, remaining as minor masterpieces of the genre. Sadly with the change of the musical and social climate in Britain by the mid-1970s the group fell victim to the music market realities and disbanded, never to record again. This reissue brings back to life an essential piece of the Folk-Rock puzzle, which remained hidden for decades. A must to all Folk-Rock enthusiasts!
| | | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBIN TROWER ~ TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY (50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION)
CHRYSALIS 810098501446 (Barcode: 810098501446) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2023
This is a 2CD expanded reissue / remaster edition of the 1st solo studio album by legendary British Rock guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Robin TrowerFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist / vocalist James DewarFind albums by this artist and drummer Reg IsidoreFind albums by this artist. The original album was recorded shortly after Trower left the iconic Procol HarumFind albums by this artist, and was produced by Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew FisherFind albums by this artist.
CD1 presents the original album with nine tracks. CD2 presents eight tracks, one of which is a single B-side, three are alternate mixes and four are live BBC recordings. Most of the songs were co-written by Trower and Dewar. All the tracks were newly remastered.
Departing from Procol Harum unleashed the strong Blues affinity in Trower’s music, which would be his most significant musical influence, and which would dominate his solo career, which continues to this very day with dozens of highly successful recordings as a solo artist. His incredible guitar playing would become his trademark and mark him as one of the greatest British Blues-Rock guitarist in all time.
Overall, this a nice reminder of this classic album released originally fifty years earlier, with some additional new material, which should make all Trower fans happy. More 50th Anniversary reissues are imminent.
| | Updated: 24/03/2024Posted: 24/03/2024 | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
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