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Procol Harum - A Salty Dog CD (album) cover

A SALTY DOG

Procol Harum

 

Crossover Prog

3.59 | 288 ratings

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Heptade
Prog Reviewer
5 stars There is an interesting divide in the reviews here...some think masterpiece, some fairly unenthused. I think this is Procol Harum's best album. Every song is a winner, although the presence of three vocalists does provide a scattered feeling. However, there isn't a weak track on the record, which makes up for the fact that Matthew Fisher and Robin Trower are workmanlike vocalists at best. Gary Brooker's soaring, soulful vocals power the classic title track, floating on clouds of strings as he tells a tragic tale of the sea. There's also some traditional blues (Juicy John Pink), driving blues rock (Devil Came from Kansas, the Trower-sung Crucifixion Lane), symphonic rock (Fisher's Wreck of the Hesperus), folk balladeering (Too Much Between Us) and an odd little island-style ditty (Boredom). All is executed with a sense of style and fun, and the closing Pilgim's Progress provides a feeling of epic fulfilment at the end. Trower's phenomenal, raw lead playing is also worthy of note. It seems to me that Procol Harum was just a little too smart for mass popular consumption, which is why they never really capitalized on the giant success of Whiter Shade of Pale. This album is ample evidence that the group was one of the most creative bands of the early 70s. Just a shade short of a masterpiece, but mathematical rules tell us to round up, so instead of 4.5 stars, 5 it is! The best album by one of the best.
Heptade | 5/5 |

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