Procol Harum
Home - Polydor 1970
Tracks: 1. Whisky Train / 2. Dead Man's Dream / 3. Still There'll Be More / 4. Nothing That I Didn't Know / 5. About to Die / 6. Barnyard Story / 7. Piggy Pig Pig / 8. Whaling Stories / 9. Your Own Choice / 10. Rockin' Warm-Up/Go Go Go [*] / 11. Dead Man's Dream [*] / 12. Procol Have a Laugh [*] / 13. Still There'll Be More [Instr.) [*] / 14. About to Die [*] / 15. Barnyard Story [*] / 16. Piggy Pig Pig [*] / 17. Your Own Choice [*] / 18. Whaling Stories [*]
Comments:
Procol Harum's fourth album, "Home", from 1970 was in some ways the beginning of something new. The group had said farewell to organist Matthew Fisher and bassist David Knights, and as a replacement for these two, they got an old friend of the group, namely Chris Copping, who had played with Gary Brooker, Robin Trower and Barrie Wilson in the R&B group the Paramounts. In fact, one can speak of a return to the roots; as there is plenty of R&B on "Home"; not least thanks to Robin Trower's solid blues guitar.
The inspiration from classical music still lies beneath the surface; especially on some of Gary Broker's songs, but it's not as striking as on the three previous albums. It is also new that the producer is now named Chris Thomas.
Robin Trower's opening track "Whiskey Train" is a real blues-rocker and perhaps a surprising number in the Procol Harum context; and so yet perhaps not. The group had previously played tracks in this genre on their records; eg. "The Devil Came From Kansas" and "Long Gone Geek".
There is a lot of horror, death and cynicism in Keith Reid's lyrics on "Home" and death is a repeated theme in several of the songs. Eg. track number two, "The Dead Man's Dream". Musically, this is also a rather gloomy number, but in well-known Procol Harum territory.
“Still There’ll Be. More ”sounds like an obvious single choice. It is a very catchy piano rocker with lots of cool blues guitar from Trower. However, the only single from "Home" was "Whiskey Train", which did not manage to bring the group back on the charts.
Very evocative, and sad, is "Nothing I Did Not Know", which with acoustic guitar is almost folkish. One of the album's most moving tracks.
"About to Die" is a heavy bluesy Trower number; where one might sense inspiration from American group, The Band.
"Barnyard Story" is a quiet and short Gary Brooker number; melodic without being very catchy with both piano and organ.
"Piggy Pig Pig" is another pretty heavy blues rocker; this time written by Brooker.
The album's most ambitious and complex track must be “Whaling Stories, which with just over seven minutes is also the album's longest number. Here the group is back in the style that characterized the group on the excellent second album, "Shine on Brightly". The number contains several different pieces, and may well be a bit reminiscent of parts of "In Held Twas in I" from "Shine on Brightly".
The final track "Your Own Choice" was my original favorite. It is a very melodic and catchy song, where the classic undertones get some space again. A very fine harmonica solo is allowed to round off the number.
As a whole a fine album; which, however, cannot quite compare with the previous three; which, it must be said, are incredibly strong.
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