Procol Harum

Shine on Brightly - Polydor 1968

Tracks: 1. Quite rightly so / 2. Shine on brightly / 3. Skip softly / 4. Wish me well / 5. Rambling on / 6. Magdalene / 7. Glimpses of Nirvana / 8. Twas teatime at the Circus / 9. In the Autumn of my Madness / 10. Look to your Soul / 11. Grande Finale / 12. Quite rightly so (single ) / 13. In the wee small hours of Sixpence / 14. Monsieur Armand / 15. Seem to have the Blues / 16. McGreggor / 17. The Gospel according to. / 18. Shine on brightly (early) / 19. Magdalene (early) / 20. A Robe of Silk (backing track) / 21. Monsieur Armand (backing track) / 22. In the wee small hours of Sixpence (backing track)

Comments:

The first four Procol Harum albums have, like the Move's, been remastered and released by the Salvo label. "Shine on Brighly" was Procol Harum's second album, and it is often regarded as perhaps their finest. With the new remastering the music has never sounded better, and another interesting feature is that it is now possible to play the songs from the long suite "In Held Twas In I" - an option I have often wished for.

The bonus-tracks are great too, some of them as good as the album-tracks. Especially the great B-side "In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence" - a song I remember them playing in Denmark on their 1970 tour.

"Monsieur Armand" and "Seem to Have the Blues" are bluesy out-takes which have been released several times before, but I have never heard the sounding so great as on this release. "McGreggor" is another fine song, which probably never reached a finished stage - but a great recording anyway. "The Gospel According to" is actually an alternate version of "Wish Me Well" - and not very different from the album version. The alternate version of "Magdalene" has been released before - but sounding pretty poor. The sound has been restored markedly for this release - but the chorus still sound pretty weird. "A Robe of Silk" is a fine melodic instrumental, which the group decided to re-record for their "The Well's on Fire" album. Interesting too, to hear the acoustic guitar on the backing track of "In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence".

Like the rest of the Salvo-releases this album has fine informative liner-notes.

Back to Band pages