Procol Harum – ”Shine On Brightly” (1968)

This album has been around for a while in my life, I got it during my teenage years. I still remember the day in the store when I looked through the albums, and how my curiosity and fascination was awakened by its cover. I had no idea who Procol Harum were, didn’t know which year the album had been recorded, but was immediately convinced that this album had to be fantastic. I mean, a shimmering green cover with a naked woman (mannequin?) standing in front of a piano, in a landscape looking like a Salvador Dali painting couldn’t mean anything else.

Were my expectations fullfilled? Yes and no.

Shine On Brightly was Procol Harum's second album, the year before they had had their megahit A Whiter Shade Of Pale, which had opened the eyes of the world for the band. This sequel didn’t sound like anything else I had heard, the sound was different than I thought music from 1968 should sound like. The songs lacked the distinct druggy and psychedelic touch I had expected from the cover, this was initially a disappointment, but I quickly realized the music had a different quality. It's a pretty straight forward sound and the band doesn’t hide behind effects such as backwards guitars and wah-wah pedals, the lyrics don’t refer to mind states induced by illicit substances (to my knowledge), love or world peace. The singer Gary Brooker's voice makes a clear mark on the songs, as it’s in some ways quite rough and undisguised. It’s located in the forefront in the mix, with no choirs, harmonies or other effects.
Even today, this album sounds very different than any other music I have from the years around the late 60's. Many consider this album as an important part in the founding of the progressive genre that blossomed during the 70s, especially the over 17 minutes long suite In Held Twas In I on the B-side is to thank for that.

The A-side consists of five really good songs with many sweeping choruses, a lot of organ, a lot of piano and some mean guitar. I think there’s often a bit dark, melancholy touch on many songs. Before I learned more about Procol Harum, I had a suspicion that it was a Christian band that sang religious songs. I don’t really know what made me think so, maybe I heard similarities with the band Sunday Funnies which I also thought was a Christian band.

The B-side opens up with the melancholy Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) and then continues with aforementioned In Held Twas In I. The song consists of a number of pieces woven together into a whole, and is a really nice creation. You get everything from dense mystery to circus music. Procol Harum was not the first band with songs like this, but they were among the pioneers.

Summary: An album I can recommend. In many respects a relatively sad and melancholy record, music I'd rather sit and listen to than dance to. On the negative side, I’m not too fond of Gary Brooker's voice, and since it’s an important part of the music it affects the overall felling. I have used the word "psychedelic" in parts of the text today, and it’s difficult to clearly define words like that. Today I would say that there is a psychedelic touch on this album, even if the classic effects you think about are not there. Ask me not further about this, though, as I think I can’t really explain myself.

Tracklist

SideA

1. Quite Rightly So 3:43

2. Shine On Brightly 3:36

3. Skip Softly (My Moonbeams) 3:51

4. Wish Me Well 3:24

5. Rambling On 4:33

Side B

1. Magadelene (My Regal Zonophone) 2:54

2. In Held Twas In I 17:40