We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago….
When you hear the words “Procol Harum”, what do you think of? Probably this…
But this band was so much more than their 1967 smash…and in 1971 they were still recording high level prog rock with their 5th LP “Broken Barricades”.
1971 seemed like a time for leaving in the rock & roll world. Like Joe Walsh/James Gang and Peter Frampton/Humble Pie before him, guitarist Robin Trower would leave the band after this LP and release a string of really good albums through the 70’s.
The three things I take from this LP are:
- how different the band sounds when they are doing Trower songs as opposed to keyboardist Gary Brooker’s songs. It sometimes sounds like two different bands.
- How good a drummer the late B.J Wilson was.
- The stunning song that leads off the LP…Simple Sister
Listen to Simple Sister more than once on good speakers….not only is the guitar work great…the layered pianos that build to a crescendo at the end are a wonder. It’s just a great song that should have reached a wider audience.
One of the Trower songs on the LP “Song For A Dreamer” was written after the death of Jimi Hendrix the previous year, which hit Trower hard.
If you only know Procol Harum for their 1960’s work…or maybe 1972’s “Conquistador”…give this a listen and explore a new shade of the band.
