Expanded Procol Harum reissues (2015)

Thanks for everyone's input so far. Sounds like I need the first two for sure. Didn't MFSL have a Salty Dog? If these new Esoteric releases are comparable, I won't bother tracking it down unless it's "mind blowing."

 

That being the first or second?

I think salty dog is the best. Devil came from Kansas rocks. Trower and fisher get more airtime so it's just not the Gary show.

But I also agree that everything through the ninth are worth owning. I am something of a closer exotic birds fanatic but almost nobody puts that one in a top three list except me

 

[QUOTE=" Didn't MFSL have a Salty Dog? If these new Esoteric releases are comparable, I won't bother tracking it down unless it's "mind blowing."[/QUOTE]

I think the salvo release of salty dog blows away the old mfsl version. I expect the esoteric version to be as good or better based on the first two

 

Of course the CD I most wanted to hear is taking forever to arrive. Amazon UK shipped this well before several others that have already arrived.

 

It's interesting to me that when discussion of the Salvo reissues comes up it's usually all about the speed issues on Shine on.The sound seems quite well regarded.

I only picked up Broken Barricades and Exotic Birds from Salvo and was discouraged from getting any more as they were so awful.Broken Barricades especially was asbsolutely butchered by heavy NR and bizarre EQ choices(also compressed to about a DR 8 or 9 but that was the least of it's worries) that made it really tinny sounding and especially ruined the drums and vocals.Exotic wasn't all that much better.

Maybe the earlier albums they did were done much better with a different mastering engineer?

I've picked up the Shine on 3cd set and had a quick listen to the stereo album.Sounds good on first listen and without the amount of NR that esoteric have sometimes been criticised for in the past.

 

Do we know that the Esoteric CD mono version is NOT a fold down?

 

What about Vinyl releases?
I think only Grand Hotel and Edmonton SO so far.
Analog? Good sound?

 

I'm assuming no one else besides me ever had a SOB mono lp to compare the CD to but it should be very easy to tell if it's a folddown regardless. I'll let you know for sure when my Esoteric CD arrives. Still waiting for someone to tell me whether Kaleidoscope on the Esoteric reissue is the original edit found on the original RegZon/Fly pressings or whether it's prematurely faded as it's been on all recent CD reissues.

 

I think the salvo release of salty dog blows away the old mfsl version. I expect the esoteric version to be as good or better based on the first two[/QUOTE]


Ouch. Those MFSLs are still the "gold standard" for Procol Harum even though they're aluminum CDs. And for the first two albums MoFi didn't do, I've got the early (no UPC) Cube CD 853007 for the first, and the Japanese Cube 25CP-13 for Shine On Brightly. Good stuff.

 

About six months ago I bought all the recent UK vinyl issues. The sound really good and covers are perfect heavy stock. All colored vinyl. Probably digital but sound beautiful and include a disc of extras. The first four albums were not included. There is a separate thread around here about these.

 

Thanks Mazzy,
I have just ordered Grand Hotel Vinyl to "have a taste". It will be here in 24h. I will post my opinion.

 

Anyone with the new version of the first album willing to share a clip or two so I can compare to my Westside? I'd like to at least hear a sample before I make a decision on buying the new one.

 

I have the Salty Dog MFSL. Don't waste your money on the compressed Salvo. The MFSL sounds awesome, and was recommended by our host.

 

I’ve lived with these CD’s (PH & SOB) for the past week and a few things come to mind. My conclusion were made when I played the Salvo versions last. Ouch … So glad I stopped with these two. I do own the Westside and various A&M versions as well. Esoteric got these right IMOP. I hope they can pick up some of the other jobs that Salvo got so wrong. I stop with my cap. These sound swell and the speed is so evident now after a few listening’s. The compression and EQ are another matter. “Conquistador” sounds like another track in comparison. WSOP sounds great at a crankable level, euphoria without a headache. Most happy with these new versions today and looking forward to the next two.

 

I'd skip the Salvo and wait for the Esoteric to come out (in a couple of weeks). I don't know how it will compare soundwise to the MFSL but one should get it for the bonus tracks.

 

I have so many Procol versions....Westside.....Friday Music...MFSL....Repertoire.....Salvo....and now Esoteric. Now that is ouch.

I did sell the Salvo of the first Procol recently for about the same price as its Esoteric replacement. That was sweet.

I thought that Salvo got back on track with Salty Dog. Others here seem to think it was compressed. Suppose everybody has their own tastes.

I really do not care that the MFSL releases were on Silver. Nor do I believe that all MFSL releases are particularly good. It has been well documented on these forums that many early MFSL releases were in fact heavily equalized. I was never all that impressed with the procol releases on MFSL.

Somebody on these forums said that the Silver MFSL releases had other limitations compared to the Gold releases, but I do not remember what they were supposed to be. If I recall, the value of Broken Barricades on MFSL plummeted when it was re-released on repertoire.

Seems to me that Esoteric went out of their way to keep a high dynamic range on the first two albums, which is a good sign for the next batch.

 

Great sound, 2 more on the way.
Since we won't have the first 4 (Vinyl), what do you think is the best bet for Procol Harum (self titled) on vinyl?

 

Don't sell the Salvo of the 1st - only place to have the version of "Understandably Blue" with a vocal!

 

That's why they invented ripping software. I ain't keeping a CD for one track

 

Understandably Blue is, in my view, a weak song. I definitely understand what it was not on the original release. But I agree that one should have a copy with vocals to round out one's collection.

The original Pandora's Box minus vocals also was subpar in my view; the lead guitar was quite repetitive.

I had forgotten how cool the alt stereo version of Repent was. I had it in just fine quality from the Westside Pandora's Box release; but completely forgot that it was very interesting.

 

I prefer the instrumental Mr. Armand to the vocal version - the lyrics and melody never seemed to fit the blues-iness of the track to me.

 

I think they got the overall feel into a good groove on Exotic Birds.

 

OK I have a question now that I've listened to the Esoteric Shine On Brightly and I figure this is the place to ask, rather than start a new thread -

What's up with the alternate lyrics Quite Rightly So?
The Westside CD's have the alternate lyrics version as the single mono version, both on the 3 pack and on the Plus. But the Esoteric has the mono single as the correct album lyrics. I understand the alternate lyrics version was supposedly only released in Scandinavia and that they rush released that (?what date) before they revised the lyrics for the UK release in March 68. We know that in February Gary was singing the alternate lyrics in a Feb 68 BBC session (on Esoteric), so obviously it was changed sometime late Feb/early March.

But the Westside Plus has "take 4" and "take 6" and it states that take 6 is the single version (it is the one with alternate lyrics - also alternate lead guitar). Take 4 has the familiar lyrics and the same guitar solo as the album version - and in fact is identical to the mono single version on Esoteric but it "breaks down" before the end. Actually it doesn't sound like it breaks down, it sounds like Gary is doing a vocal take over the backing track and the tape is stopped just before the end for some reason. So maybe these takes are vocal overdub takes, or mix takes? Why would a later take have the earlier presumed lyrics?

There is also the Westside "undubbed" mix which is the same as the mono single mix with correct lyrics but with no tambourine and the guitar mixed down until the guitar lead break.

Times:
undubbed: 3:49
stereo album: 3:33
alternate lyrics mono mix: 3:40 (single and take 6)
mono correct lyrics single mix: 3:36

 

A little bit about the alternate lyrics here:

http://www.procolharum.com/kr_variant.htm

 

Supposedly, according to the liner notes, there was a dispute between the band (especially Matthew Fisher) and the producer Denny Cordell, who was losing interest in PH at the time (1968). The dispute surrounded whether the album should be mixed and released in stereo (Fisher for, Cordell against) The first AWSOP album was only ever done in mono, with a few tracks having stereo outtake versions. This was a big deal in the late 60s. I wonder if the "speed errors" weren't a result of the disputes - Cordell was severing ties with the band, and might he have left an "incorrect" version that was mistakenly used as a master? WE'll never know, I guess, as Cordell died in 1995.

I personally have the Salvo, and hadn't noticed anything untoward about speeds. I'll continue to enjoy it and the other Salvos I have (1st, Salty, and Live Edmonton). Cheers