BROKEN BARRICADES

A lot of tosh has been written about this album

Here are a few simple comments

1. 1st PH album with 16 track recording- giving much more space for drums for a start.

2. First use of Moog which Chris Thomas programmed and Gary played

3. The seeds of a parting of the ways

Broken Barricades and Luskus Delph used Moog and hardly any guitar

Playmate of the Mouth features more brass than guitar This was the Gary side of the album.

Poor Mohammed and Song for a Dreamer are pure Trower tracks- he even sings on them. It is a signpost to his solo career. Memorial Drive is also very much Robin's although Gary sings (excellently as always) and plays elec piano overdubbing an acoustic piano solo.

Power Failure joins the two factions together although it is really a vehicle for BJ to solo on drums. The song came from a gig at The Fillmoe East when the power actually did fail (possibly twice) cant remember if BJ did a drum solo at the time.

Simple Sister is the highlight of the album when the two factions really come together. It is Gary's song but Robin plays the riff. There is an historic moment in the solo when Robin's Les Paul solo is eclipsed by his Strat solo- possibly one of his earlier Strat tracks- you can hear the difference between the two guitars- the rich bottom end of the Les Paul gives way to the cutting top range of the Strat.

Then Thomas performs his magic slowing down the tape and creating the effect of a synthesised piano in the middle instrumental section which gradually build with the chords getting thicker and brass and strings joining in until the final climactic verse with the superb string lines at the finish.

It's a mixed bag but quite a defining moment. The material is perhaps stronger (certainly more morbid) on Home but the actual sound of BB is superior.

Share this PROCOL HARUM review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to copmus
• Report this review (#235616)
• Buy PROCOL HARUM music online with PA partners
• Show all PROCOL HARUM MP3/Stream
• Go to PROCOL HARUM page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Broken Barricades page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for PROCOL HARUM related discussions