A SALTY DOG

This third album by Procol Harum is not as strong as its predecessors but I personally still like this album, overall. Of course there is one track that truly stands out and represents the band's unique style of Hammond-drenched music: "Pilgrims Progress". Who in planet Earth does not like this floating and melancholy song? I doubt any human being would deny the beauty of this composition. It flows wonderfully from start to to end with Hammond organ accompanying the tagline rhythm section.

Procol Harum were at the time a major headline band in the USA in the late sisties - topping acts like Santana, The Byrds, Pink Floyd. The group decided to record their third album at the A&M Studio in LA. "A Salty Dog" was released in the summer of 1969 - the period by which King Crimson "In The Court of The Crimson King" which took music industry by surprise with its mellotron-drenched sounds. From track to track of "A Salty Dog", song quality varies but one thing for sure all of them are deep rooted in blues-rock kind of music with compositions made by Gary Brooker. You still can hear the unique Hammond organ work by Mathew Fisher everywhere in any segment of the music presented here. If you want to trace back what happened in the early inception of prog rock, this album is worth collecting. Keep on proggin'..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW