Broken Barricades

THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE 2019 3 CD SET ON ESOTERIC RECORDS.Amazon has once again lumped together reviews of earlier versions of this album with this 2019 edition.Procol Harum (PH) released this album just before Robin Trower left the band to go solo. Be aware that Trower is heard on Disc 'A' and on tracks 1-12 on Disc 'B' only. The BBC tracks on Disc 'B' feature Dave Ball on guitar and on all of Disc 'C', which also has Dave Cartwright on bass, with Copping on organ only.If you're reading this you're probably a fan (like I am) of this album. Never fondly remembered by many PH fans, the original album nonetheless has quite a few good/great tracks to recommend it. Added onto Disc 'A' are early tracks of every tune on the original album, and while they're nice to hear, they're not really essential to the original album's feel. Nothing really needs to be said about the album since fans know the music well enough. The raw "Simple Sister" is interesting as is PLaymate Of The Mouth" in a different mix. But you might hear other things that you like--to each his own on that. The remastered sound by Paschal Byrne is very clean and smooth with no compression evident. The sources used for remastering this set aren't listed.Disc 'B' is largely taken up with a great show from '71 in N.Y. City in good sound with the band scaling back things to a leaner live sound. Songs like "Memorial Drive" (with some typically good Trower guitar), "Still There'll Be More", "Simple Sister" (with some heavy guitar sounds), and "Shine On Brightly" (especially good sounding to my ears) make this concert well worth hearing. "Whaling Stories" too is another good example of how good PH were live. The BBC Radio One tracks suffer from lower fidelity compared to the N.Y. show--a bit muddy sounding--but the performances are again good PH from this period. "Power Failure" has always been a favorite of mine and it sounds good to hear this tune live. Ball's guitar sound here is reminiscent of Trower in it's raw power.Disc 'C' is a show from Stockholm in '71 with a lot to recommend it. The sound is very good--open and fairly clean sounding. This set includes two songs ("In The Wee Small Hours...", and "Repent Walpurgis") that weren't in the original broadcast. Things like "Still There'll Be More", "Quite Rightly" (with great organ from Copping), "Simple Sister" (with more Trower sounding guitar from Ball and a great Brooker vocal), and "A Salty Dog" (a great all around song/arrangement), and other tunes which are well played and sung. This concert too is well worth hearing. Being from that era this is how I remember PH in all their glory on stage.The discs snap into trays in the five panel cardboard packaging. Sadly the original die-cut cover was not used--just a graphic representation of what it would look like. I was hoping for the die-cut cover because even in a smaller version, it's so cool to see and open up. I'm just glad I have the original album in all it's large size glory. Printed on the five panels are the lyrics of the original album's songs, plus a graphic of lyricist Keith Reid and a list of the original band members.There's a pocket for a smallish poster which is nothing more than an ad showing the album cover and printed on the bottom are the words "Expanded And Re-Mastered Edition", which does nothing to enhance the '71 period of the band or the album. If Esoteric wanted to include a poster they could've used a repro of an original poster from the period. There's another pocket for the 27 page booklet which goes into some detail about the band and the music included on the three discs, plus a track list, a few b&w photos, and repros of some record jackets. Apparently up until the last minute there was some back and forth at the label about including a (with a flawed vocal) version of "Shine On Brightly", and while the notes talk about this version, it's not included, with a note that at the last minute it wouldn't be included because Brooker's vocal was partially missing.This album has always had it's fans--me from '71 when I bought the album at my favorite record store--and subsequent later CD editions (which you should hold on to for additional tracks not included here) because of it's combination of rock and more classical influences. While the group's albums before this are classics of their kind, the harder edge on this album--and now especially the live stuff (listen to "In The Autumn Of My Madness/Look To Your Soul/Grand Finale"), even with Ball--make this worth adding to PH fan's collection.

A classic line-up produces a classic studio album. Then they disintegrate. This package documents a tremendous album. Then on the included bonus CDs provide an aural history of the passing of the original group through a metamorphosis into a new entity. The studio album is their art preserved in amber. The live recordings are photographs of ephemeral public art. If you could not be there, at least you have a representation of what happened.All Procol fans should own this set. The price was reasonable and everything else connected to its acquisition was professionally competent.

This is a near disgrace despite good intentions. Usually Esoteric Puts out High Quality Stuff. This ain't unless you are not bothered by bad sound on rare live stuff and terrible remastering. The design itself is awkward. It should have been in a small box instead of an awkward 3 CD wrap around. Maybe I'm quibbling a bit for that. The remastering of the actual Broken Barricades album is too loud and the guitar sound and drums has lost its bite, I do hear things I didn't hear before but so what the remastering has dulled the guitar. The previous Salvo Remastering of Broken Barricades is very good and you feel its majestic power. The 2 Live CDs audio quality is below bootleg quality in my opinion and the booklet is like reading Rocket Science.

The problem with so many pre-early 1990's recordings was the distortion - mainly caused by the recording technology, and not so much the music itself. The live recordings on CD2 and CD2 are victims of the recording processes of the time. The main album was never heard better as it is right here (Japan or no Japan) - I have been hoping for this breakthrough recorded production since the album's release in 1971 (yes, I'm THAT old!). Robin Trower's guitar lines have quite the impact of his succeeding solo albums. Buy this.

I wasn't sure what to expect based on reviews of other recordings. The CD itself was in good condition and the Broken Barricades selection is excellent. There may be some harshness in the treble on some cuts but since I last owned this in vinyl about 50 years ago that could be that the original recording had this same quality. Also my sound system then had less that audiophile quality to say the least ! It appears to be the original recordings except that there are a few bonus versions of some songs.Having said that, the product was as the vendor described and I am very pleased to have found this at all. No complaints. Packaging was excellent and care taken to protect the item. No cracks in the case. Highly recommend the vendor based on this single purchase.

Remastering is decent and the bonus tracks are a plus. Robin Trower’s last album with Procol, but he is let loose to play some pretty amazing licks. The ‘Simple Sister’ riff is CLASSIC! For some reason, you can’t get B.B. on Spotify, so getting this CD is well worth it. Now, if only ‘Whiskey Train’ (from the Home album) was originally swapped out for ‘Luskus Delph’, I’d be ecstatic.

This is such a weird album, sounding more like a cross between Cream, Gallagher, the Stones and the Beatles than PH. However, having played Simple Sister live for 40 years now, I have to say that it is one of a handful of albums that is truly indispensible. Brooker's voice is powerful, the lyrics are risque and dream-like and Trower does Trower.PH were so far ahead of their time that they met themselves about four times coming the other way. I have no idea how this album got written or recorded: 99.9% of bands of any era would have been happy with Simple Sister alone.Simply better than anything else around and virtually ignored, of course.

A fantastic overlooked album by Procol Harum - superb sound great songs

The opening track - Simple Sister - is classic Procol Harum. Building from a stark but memorable opening guitar riff it gathers momentum and intensity. Gary Brooker's vocals are inspired, his percussive piano just awesome and there is majestic soaring guitar from the soon to be departed Robin Trower. Broken Barricades follows and it provides an elegant contrast. The wistful tune shimmers over BJ Wilson's beautifully delivered drum part. The vocals exemplify Keith Reid's enigmatic qualities as a lyricist. These tracks are the most memorable on the album and justify making the purchase. This is not to impugn the remaining material. There is some good stuff here, it's just not quite as spellbinding. Trower contributes three pieces which are a foretaste of delights to follow in his solo career. Power Failure, sardonically titled, showcases BJ Wilson and should be bracketed somewhere near Moby Dick in the category headed "Definitive Rock Drum Solos".

Procol Harum at their best an astonishing album indeed

Fine album