PROCOL HARUM [AKA: A WHITER SHADE OF PALE]

I believe this great classic album truly shaped the progression of art rock. Their summer of love hit "Whiter Shade of Pale" was originally released as a single, and it is included only in the US version and the later reissues. But there are several other great numbers on this album too, so the sadly often heard claims that Procol Harum was a single hit band seems very unjust in my opinion. "Conquistador" is a great song as for an example, showing that the tune which fusions classical and pop elements can also be dynamic, and not just a ballad. "She Wandered Through The Garden Fence" is also fine pop track with characteristic J. S. Bach sounding organ passages. Two true highlights for me here are "A Christmas Camel", which has a very powerful feeling and great instrumentations, plus the instrumental ending song "Repent Walpurgis", which is closer to the classical music than pop music. From the reissues, the BGO version has lots of interesting outtakes for the collectors, and it would be a good purchase for those who have this album as an old vinyl. I also like the album's simple black and white cover drawing very much, having funny association that the girl must be the Lucy in the sky with diamonds.