New Procol Harum CD

[arturs]

I admit I'm enjoying the new PH. But... I agree there is no Procol Magic here. This is a good Gary Brooker solo record, no more, no less. If you take it as such, the songs are tuneful and the voice is fantastic.

Sounds like it could be from 1985.

[Mister Triscuits]

I have to concur with the prevailing opinion here. A few good songs--"The Only One" is awesome--but overall a feeling of mediocrity. And without Keith Reid's lyrics or a strong organ presence, it hardly seems justified to call this Procol Harum.

[rcarlberg]

Brooker's solo albums -- "No More Fear of Flying," "Lead Me to the Water," "Echoes in the Night"* -- are a lot more tuneful than "Novum." If this was a missing 1985 album it would probably be a lot stronger.


* - I'm not counting "Within Our House" for obvious reasons

[arturs]

Brooker's solo albums -- "No More Fear of Flying," "Lead Me to the Water," "Echoes in the Night"* -- are a lot more tuneful than "Novum." If this was a missing 1985 album it would probably be a lot stronger.

Have to disagree with you on that. NMFOF and LMTTW are more stylistically varied than Novum, which is both a plus and a minus, but are they more tuneful? I dunno. I'll take Novum over either of those, because it is more coherent and Gary's singing is actually better today, it seems, than 35 years ago. I never heard Echoes so can't comment on that.

[Mister Triscuits]

I never heard Echoes so can't comment on that.

I haven't listened to it in ages, but when I did I thought it was a stinker, far inferior to the previous two. And that's despite it's being a mini-Procol reunion, with B.J. Wilson, Matthew Fisher, and Keith Reid all contributing.