Wednesday 11 March 2020

Broken Barricades - PROCOL HARUM****

Simple Sister/Broken Barricades/Memorial Drive/Luskus Delph/Power Failure/Song For A Dreamer/Playmate Of The Mouth/Poor Mohammed

Broken Barricades was the final album to feature guitarist Robin Trower before he left for a successful solo career. It is a more rocking guitar driven album than their previous organ dominated sound. (US:32 UK:42)

Broken Barricades is a very well written and diverse album. Tracks like the powerful Simple Sister, the beautiful Broken Barricades (which features piano/keyboard work reminiscent of Genesis), the equally beautiful and string laden Luskus Delph, the powerful Power Failure (featuring an almost fusion-like middle drum part), and the psychedelic Song For A Dreamer, represent some of the highlights of the album, and at the same time display the diversity of the material.”

“It is clear that this record caught the band at a time of transition, with guitarist Robin Trower soon to depart for a solo career, and as a result the album struggles to find a cohesive style. I suspect that this lack of identity is what most devoted fans object to, as well as its frequent departure from the organ-driven art rock of earlier releases for a heavier guitar-centric style.”

“The last album Procol Harum released with Robin Trower was Broken Barricades. As a farewell album for Trower it is stellar, as he plays some incredible guitar throughout. This is more rock driven then previous releases, and I like it like this. Overall Broken Barricades is an excellent, if under-rated album that any fan of Procol Harum and rock in general should enjoy.”

“The group were still very much at the top of their musical power. Brooker's gift for composing momentous melodies, combined with excellent lyrics written by Keith Reid, who was a de facto fifth member of the group, made them a unique phenomenon, which can be appreciated even better from the perspective of the decades that passed since their inception. The moody, sometimes gothic atmosphere of medieval spookiness and bluesy undertones beautifully expressed by Trower's virtuosic guitar licks, are simply stunning.”

"Broken Barricades is where pianist/vocalist Gary Brooker and company put aside the Hammond organ and go even more in a hard rocking direction than on their previous albums.”

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