SHINE ON BRIGHTLY

1968 was a magical year that gave us albums like The White Album by The Beatles, We're Only In It For The Money, A Saucerful Of Secrets and for my part Shine On Brightly. So why is this album such a classic? The fact that it contains one of the first true long progressive compositions should be enough reason for any progressive rock fan to consider this album purchase. But this album also offers the most creative overall Procol Harum album to date.

The album's first side is fun and quirky featuring three-track highlights in a row starting with Quite Rightly So and all the way to Skip Softly (My Moonbeams). Wish Me Well is an unexpected low point since it's just an average Blues Rock performance that doesn't really fit in with the rest of the material here. Rambling On and Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) are definite improvements over the preceding track working as nice transitional pieces leading up to the album's definite highlight.

In Held Twas In I definitely needs no introduction and most of us have already heard the nice Transatlantic cover from their debut album. It a multi-section suite of epic propositions and I certainly consider it to be among the top ten best prog epics of all time!

If all of my previous points still didn't convince you to hear this album then you can at least do it for Procol Harum. Since this album, once and for all, proves that they weren't just a one hit wonder band!

***** songs: Quite Rightly So (3:40) In Held Twas In I (17:31)

**** songs: Shine On Brightly (3:32) Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) (3:47) Rambling On (4:31) Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) (2:50)

** songs: Wish Me Well (3:18)

Total Rating: 4,37

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