(Classic-Rock) [LP] [24/96] Procol Harum - Exotic Birds And Fruit - 1974, FLAC (tracks+.cue)

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Analyzed folder: /Procol Harum - Exotic Birds And Fruit (LP)
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DR Peak RMS Filename
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DR12 -0.81 dB -13.98 dB 01 Procol Harum - LADO 1- Nothing But The Truth.wav
DR13 -0.74 dB -15.83 dB 02 Procol Harum - Beyond The Pale.wav
DR13 -1.29 dB -15.18 dB 03 Procol Harum - As Strong As Samson.wav
DR12 -0.73 dB -15.64 dB 04 Procol Harum - The Idol.wav
DR12 -2.63 dB -16.40 dB 05 Procol Harum - LADO 2- The Thin End Of The Wedge.wav
DR13 -0.40 dB -14.32 dB 06 Procol Harum - Monsieur R. Monde.wav
DR13 -1.28 dB -15.29 dB 07 Procol Harum - Fresh Fruit.wav
DR13 -0.56 dB -15.97 dB 08 Procol Harum - Butterfly Boys.wav
DR13 -3.31 dB -18.77 dB 09 Procol Harum - New Lamps For Old.wav
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Number of files: 9
Official DR value: DR13

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Bass – Alan Cartwright
Drums, Percussion – Barrie Wilson*
Engineer – John "Polly" Punter*
Guitar – Mick Grabham
Music By, Piano, Vocals – Gary Brooker
Organ – Chris Copping
Producer – Chris Thomas
Steel Guitar – B.J. Cole* (tracks: A3)
Words By – Keith Reid

There are a lot of people who'll champion the Grand Hotel album, but as far as I'm concerned, it is Exotic Birds And Fruit that is the most complete album in the latter half of Procol Harum's career. In fact, I'd say this album is the best one outside of the classic first trio of albums.
One of the reasons for my unqualified seal of approval is the absolutely gorgeous As Strong As Samson, which is a heart-breaking, nihilistic song of beauty. "Psychiatrists and lawyers/destroying mankind/driving them crazy and robbing them blind" sings Gary Brooker as Chris Copping turns in his best ever organ solo ... another tearing, searing, yet emphatically melancholic piece. B.J. Wilson's drumming is top-notch on this one, rolling us all the way to heaven and back again. Every little nuance of this perfect, perfect song melts me. When Gary sings "there ain't no use" as the tune fades out, you know he's right. Aside from that brilliant track, Exotic Birds is an engaging, occassionally challenging hotch- potch of quality tunes. The band rocks out on Nothing But The Truth, Monsieur R. Monde (a reworked blues tinged-treatement of a track was first pencilled-in for the Shine On Brightly album) and Butterfly Boys (which starts off quite weak but is redeemed by some scorching work from Mic Grabham). It does a bit of a polka on the Balkan-influenced Beyond The Pale, it broods its way through the slow-burning epic The Idol, it pulls its hair out on the truly avant-garde The Thin End Of The Wedge (featuring all kinds of grim, spoken-word antics from Brooker), it winks and laughs through the playful Fresh Fruit. As for the stately New Lamps For Old (yes, stately in a Homburg/A Whiter Shade Of Pale kind of way) it is vintage PH. My version of album has the muscular B-side Drunk Again thrown in as bonus track and this "party" song doesn't detract from the quality of this fine album.

Even if I do feel that the one majestic song dwarfs the rest of the album, and I wouldn't say that this album catches Procol at its proggiest, this is still a very, very strong effort. ... 74% on the MPV scale.

Review by Trotsky, progarchives.com

Recorded in dungeon no. 2 at AIR London Studios.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side 1): CHT-1058 31761-1 1 B SX
Matrix / Runout (Runout Side 2): CHT-1058 31762-1 1 B SX