Procol Harum: Damaged Barricades
Easy Sister
Damaged Barricades
Memorial Pressure
Luskus Delph
Energy Failure
Track for a Dreamer
Playmate Of The Mouth
Deficient Mohammed
The evolution of a band is steadily strikingly rapid, nevertheless it’s nonetheless sudden how temporarily Procol Harum (nonetheless to many the Dylanish organ wafters of A Whiter Colour Of Faded) tailored to the converting local weather of rock via going, er, rock.
1971’s Damaged Barricades was once the band’s 5th album and their final with guitarist Robin Trower. Regardless of – or in all probability as a result of – this, it’s one in every of their maximum guitar-led, as though Trower is
dumping each and every riff and solo he has left prior to departure. There’s even an extraordinary Trower vocal, at the very axey Jimi Hendrix tribute Track For A Dreamer. There are not any Homburgs or Salty Canines right here, simply thunderous, bluesy numbers on which even the orchestra play 2d mess around, because it had been, to the guitars.
The end result sounds strangely liberated, and freed from the ponderousness that steadily stuffed Procol albums. Fanatics of continuity might be relieved to listen to that the 2019 reissue of Damaged Barricades incorporated two further discs of subject matter from a New York display and BBC periods, through which songs outdated and new featured along the standard coterie of other variations, backing tracks and the like.
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Different albums launched in April 1971
- Satori – Flower Travellin’ Band
- 4 Approach Boulevard – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger
- Within the Land of Gray and Crimson – Caravan
- Overdog – Keef Hartley
- Survival – Grand Funk Railroad
- L.A. Lady – The Doorways
- Sticky Arms – the Rolling Stones
- The Doobie Brothers – The Doobie Brothers
- Skinny Lizzy – Skinny Lizzy
- Elegy – The Great
- Extraction – Gary Wright
- Replicate Guy – Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band
- Oh! Delightful Hope – Blue Cheer
- Survival of the Fittest Are living – Amboy Dukes
- Thirds – James Gang
- Conflict – Conflict
- Bloodrock 3 – Bloodrock
What they stated…
“Damaged Barricades is among the maximum enigmatic, puzzling albums to come back down the monitor in a very long time, merely as a result of the prime quality of the albums previous it. It could be simple to take a position that Procol Harum has of past due been overly influenced (for the more serious) via the entire Led Zeppelin scene, however optimistically, it is greater than that.” (Rolling Stone)
“Simply for the reason that resident poetaster does not have his personal acoustic guitar, other people make this out to be some more or less triumph for just right outdated rock and roll, which is absurd. Excellent outdated rock, perhaps. Pompous, muddy, indecipherable..” (Robert Christgau)
“No-one wishes reminding that Procol Harum are, and feature been for a while, one in every of Britain’s maximum underrated teams, almost-ignored right here however concept very extremely of all over the world and in particular within the States. Damaged Barricades most effective additional proves the band’s skills and that their following this is well-placed – Keith Reid’s lyrics are as superb as ever. Playmate Of The Month, Luskus Delph and the name monitor being in particular exceptional” (Sounds)
What you stated…
Philip Qvist: OK, I admit it. In case you needed to question me to call any Procol Harum tune except A Whiter Colour Of Faded you could possibly have me stumped at the spot. Merely put, this can be a band that hasn’t ever me. I am not certain why; it’s most certainly a type of instances of them being from the flawed generation on the flawed time. It is simply one in every of issues, I assume.
Anyways, believe Damaged Barricades as my first correct creation to Procol Harum – and I’ve to mention I am inspired sufficient to believe listening to a few in their different albums.
My spotlight is Robin Trower’s guitar taking part in, even though Track For A Dreamer and Deficient Mohammed are large clues why he hired different singers when he went solo after this album. I will’t in reality determine the lyrics of Keith Reid, even though the songwriting is respectable sufficient.
My favorite songs had been Easy Sister and Memorial Pressure, whilst Energy Failure showcases B.J. Wilson’s drumming.
So all in all, it is not a nasty album – and most certainly no longer what I anticipated. Through all accounts this is not even their most powerful album both – I for sure want to give this band some extra love.
Mark Herrington: Damaged Barricades (1971) squeezes an terrible lot right into a somewhat quick album. Easy Sister kicks issues off, an excellent bluesy rock tune , and Trower is obviously taking part in himself. This was once his final album with them prior to warding off.
Bookending the album on the different finish is Deficient Mohammed which has an addictive , insistent pace and advantages from the amount cranked proper up, Trower on vocals. Playmate is at a slower pace, however once more has some nice meandering guitar paintings.
Luskus Delph is a extra conventional Procol Harum tune , a chic, dreamy middle-of-the-album monitor, adopted via a Trower-laden vintage in Track For A Dreamer, his tribute to Jimi Hendrix (who died the yr prior to), with Robin Trower on vocals once more. There are a few tracks that don’t somewhat hit the heights, however, total, I to find this an stress-free pay attention. Procol Harum shifting the dial, and my favorite LP of theirs, a just right ranking from me.
Adam Ranger: Now not heard this prior to, however being partial to Robin Trower and having heard he’s extra distinguished at the album, I had top hopes.
Unfortunately the ones hopes weren’t in reality met. It is not that this is a unhealthy album, simply that it does not appear to move any place or have any stand-out moments. To me, most of the tunes get started properly, however then appear unfinished or disjointed. Lots of the instrumentals look like filler. And a drum solo! I’m a drummer however see no use for that right here, however again then it was once a factor.
Robin Trower undoubtedly went directly to significantly better issues that I nonetheless pay attention to now, however I’m really not in hurry to play this album once more.
Keith Jenkin: An excessively other and far bluesier sounding album to – particularly – their first 3 classics, most commonly because of the absence of organist Mathew Fisher, which in flip permits Trower’s guitar to take centre degree and his taking part in may be very sturdy during. On first affect, this one sounds nice however the explanation why I do not play the report a lot at the moment is most commonly because of the somewhat pedestrian songwriting, which to my ears hasn’t elderly that properly, there are not any actual vintage songs right here.
Trower left the band after this album and taking a look again this was once possibly the report that gave him the boldness to start out out on what would grow to be, for a couple of years no less than, a gorgeous superb solo occupation. Damaged Barricades is for me a tight sufficient assortment filler however it is usually simple to look why it by no means vegetation up in any of the ‘largest ever’ album listings.
Mike Canoe: Arguably, Procol Harum are some other vintage rock stalwart price discussing even though, or perhaps as a result of, they’re essentially identified for one tune, no longer if truth be told in this album. Damaged Barricades is an unusual mixture of psychedelic prog and blues rock. Robin Trower’s Track For A Dreamer is for sure the spotlight for me. Trower faucets into the airy magic that made Jimi Hendrix’s taking part in so forward-thinking whilst showcasing various his personal ability.
The languid artwork rock of Luskus Delph most certainly sticks out maximum the following with B.J. Wilson drum exhibit on Energy Failure coming in 3rd – even though it sounds just like the model maximum readily on YouTube could be reside so I have no idea if Wilson’s solo is at the unique album. With the album no longer being on Spotify within the U.S., it was once by chance a case of out of sight, out of thoughts and I did not pay attention to it up to I might have appreciated.
John Davidson: This was once some other unknown album for me, having no longer explored Procol Harum past their hit tune and the album it was once on.
Damaged Barricades begins with the superb Easy Sister with its using guitar and piano riffs. Trower is obviously in his component right here, however past that there is not anything a lot to notice. It is not a nasty album via any stretch however similarly no longer an crucial upload to my assortment.
Ultimate ranking: 6.94 (36 votes solid, general ranking 250)
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