This album is the sound of a band finding its way, and being largely successful in moving on from the song they would always be most associated with. Many lesser bands would have collapsed under the weight of expectation after such a massive international debut hit single, but these players were way too classy for that. Although omitted from the group’s debut album released in September, it is sensibly included here as one of four bonus tracks.
Bach tune with Reid’s fantastical poetry to craft one of the most iconic of 1960s singles, A Whiter Shade Of Pale, released in May of that musically unmatchable year. It didn’t take long before the songwriting partnership of piano player and vocalist Gary Booker and lyricist Keith Reid, this time helped by organist Matthew Fisher married an adaptation of a J.S. Procol Harum emerged from the remains of R&B band The Paramounts in 1967, and were so named after manager Guy Stevens’ friend’s cat. Minor grumbles aside, Procol Harum’s first self-titled album is presented here as it should be in glorious mono, and the remastering is a crisp sonic success, with each instrument readily identifiable in the singular soundstage.
I should also point out that the new liner notes by Procol’s biographer Henry Scott-Irvine are not included with the single CD version, which is a shame. Firstly, a caveat – the copy we have for review is the single CD edition, but for the fan there is a 2-CD version available that includes a further 23 tracks of alternate takes and radio sessions.
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