Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Procol Harum
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Procol Harum
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
B Bill (the sailor) View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: February 19 2025
Location: Dorset
Status: Offline
Points: 2 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote B Bill (the sailor) Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Procol Harum
    Posted: February 19 2025 at 14:22
Is it time that the Exotic Birds and Fruit album is universally accepted as the greatest album of all time? Has there ever been a better opening lyric (albeit extemporised) as “Is It On Tony?”. OK, Kevin Ayers’ “Just sitting here, picking the holes in my sneakers” must give it a run for its money. And Gong’s “What Does It All Mean Brian?”. Starting off with a question lures the listener in. “To Be Or Not To Be?” who cares? Discuss 
Back to Top
richardh View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 29438 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 19 2025 at 22:39
No. Procal Harum - a lot of great songs but never nailed an album imo. Personally I like 1977's Something Magic. That was an excellent prog album but punk was just around the corner. It was to be another 14 years before their next release.
Back to Top
Valdez View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 17 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 928 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Valdez Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 19 2025 at 23:07
Where’s my continental bride?
My continental slip and slide.

Grand Hotel is a masterpiece.
https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/sleepers-2024
Back to Top
Atavachron View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Offline
Points: 65602 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atavachron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 19 2025 at 23:17
One of the great progenitors of prog, regarding A Whiter Shade of Pale --

A trailblazer showing rock could and would evolve, and simply one of the best albums of its time. One that reminds us the active and forward progression of rock was becoming not just a genre or even a movement, but an all-encompassing reality. A Grand Era of Prog that was not to be denied by critic nor listener when the artists were in charge of the art if not the asylum, represented here in one of its earliest stages, lovingly preserved for our pleasure and revelry.
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy
Back to Top
Octopus II View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: May 21 2023
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 12398 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Octopus II Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Yesterday at 01:46
One of my favourite albums. Smile

Procol Harum – Grand Hotel – Vinyl (Gatefold, LP, Album), 1973 [r6228213] | Discogs
Back to Top
Sean Trane View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator

Prog Folk

Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 20414 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sean Trane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Yesterday at 03:00
Originally posted by B Bill (the sailor) B Bill (the sailor) wrote:

Is it time that the Exotic Birds and Fruit album is universally accepted as the greatest album of all time? Has there ever been a better opening lyric (albeit extemporised) as “Is It On Tony?”. OK, Kevin Ayers’ “Just sitting here, picking the holes in my sneakers” must give it a run for its money. And Gong’s “What Does It All Mean Brian?”. Starting off with a question lures the listener in. “To Be Or Not To Be?” who cares? Discuss 


Procol never made a perfect album or even a very very good one, IMHO, and especially not after Trower left the band

I've always had the feeling Brooker tried to keep the band alive with albums he dominated alone after Edmonton. I have no fave between Hotel Fruits & Ninth, but Magic is certainly very embarrassing.
let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
Back to Top
MortSahlFan View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member


Joined: March 01 2018
Location: US
Status: Offline
Points: 3075 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MortSahlFan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 hours 51 minutes ago at 09:21
I like them, but the greatest album? No. That's "Beyond The Pale"
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition

https://www.scribd.com/document/382737647/MortSahlFan-Song-List
Back to Top
richardh View Drop Down
Prog Reviewer
Prog Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 29438 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 hours 20 minutes ago at 20:52
Originally posted by Sean Trane Sean Trane wrote:

Originally posted by B Bill (the sailor) B Bill (the sailor) wrote:

Is it time that the Exotic Birds and Fruit album is universally accepted as the greatest album of all time? Has there ever been a better opening lyric (albeit extemporised) as “Is It On Tony?”. OK, Kevin Ayers’ “Just sitting here, picking the holes in my sneakers” must give it a run for its money. And Gong’s “What Does It All Mean Brian?”. Starting off with a question lures the listener in. “To Be Or Not To Be?” who cares? Discuss 


Procol never made a perfect album or even a very very good one, IMHO, and especially not after Trower left the band

I've always had the feeling Brooker tried to keep the band alive with albums he dominated alone after Edmonton. I have no fave between Hotel Fruits & Ninth, but Magic is certainly very embarrassing.

Erm Question
Back to Top
Sean Trane View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator

Prog Folk

Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 20414 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sean Trane Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 4 hours 51 minutes ago at 02:21
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by Sean Trane Sean Trane wrote:

Originally posted by B Bill (the sailor) B Bill (the sailor) wrote:

Is it time that the Exotic Birds and Fruit album is universally accepted as the greatest album of all time? Has there ever been a better opening lyric (albeit extemporised) as “Is It On Tony?”. OK, Kevin Ayers’ “Just sitting here, picking the holes in my sneakers” must give it a run for its money. And Gong’s “What Does It All Mean Brian?”. Starting off with a question lures the listener in. “To Be Or Not To Be?” who cares? Discuss 


Procol never made a perfect album or even a very very good one, IMHO, and especially not after Trower left the band

I've always had the feeling Brooker tried to keep the band alive with albums he dominated alone after Edmonton. I have no fave between Hotel Fruits & Ninth, but Magic is certainly very embarrassing.

Erm Question

LOLHug

Symphonic-weenie stuff, IMHO 

That sidelong suite was a terrible and unforgivable faute de gout in 77, much more so than ELP's sidelong epic in Luv Bitch in a few semester later.


.
let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.172 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.