Expanded Procol Harum reissues (2015)

At the moment, I'm very tempted to buy the first four albums again from Esoteric...
But I'm still looking for reasons.

What I already have:
the four first Castle CDs (#2 & 3 as twofer)
A Salty Dog (Cube/Teldec)
the four Japanese CDs from the early 2000s (VICP62732-35 - JVC/Cube)
Procol Harum s/t (Westside)

I've just compared the song A Salty Dog, and I thought that none of these masterings sounds perfect to me. But it could be the recording too.

Do you think I'll still find a real improvement?

 

For "Salty Dog " look for the MOFI silver CD.

 

I liked the Salvo reissue campaign of the original albums, but the box set was a HUGE missed opportunity.

 

I DID... but I didn't find it affordable. But some write that the Esoteric is even better?

 

Hmmm... I've not heard the Esoteric. Yes, I imagine the MOFI would be pricey it's been OOP for quite sometime. Still my go to version though.

 

The Esoteric remasters have a great deal of bonus material. The SQ is at least as good as the Salvo releases, if not better. I only listen to the first five albums anyway. Once Robin Trower left the group I kind of lost interest in their sound.

 

My ears aren't too sharp but my guess is there won't be a big difference in SQ. The main reason to get the Esoterics would be the bonus tracks.

 

I've just thought that. I've just browsed a bit and there is a lot on it that I don't have (but maybe should).
The JVC/Cube bonus tracks follow almost the Westside CDs, except for the first album - where they are like on the Repertoire CD. (Maybe that says something about their sources, too.)
I always wanted them to be definitive, because they look so nice and the import was so expensive. But A Salty Dog sounds a bit cold and harsh for me, anyway...

I'll try these remasters now.

 

Really? Even Grand Hotel?

 

Well, I have it, and the live Edmonton album, too. Both are good records, but I just prefer the older stuff. Interestingly, I don't care much for Trower's solo work.

I have some different masterings which I prefer slightly to any of the Esoteric, Salvo, or Westside CD reissues, all of which I have:
Procol Harum - the original Regal Zonophone UK LP
A Whiter Shade of Pale - BR Music, Netherlands
Shine On Brightly - A&M/Rebound
A Salty Dog - BR Music, Netherlands, also the MFSL
Home - 2001 Japanese K2HD, also the MFSL
Broken Barricades - MFSL

 

I think the differences between many of the better releases are quite small. In the case of A Salty Dog; in my view the Esoteric is very good and listenable. So I would not hesitate to suggest that rather than hunt for the MOFI. The MOFI releases have a certain patina that may never fade with some enthusiasts. Having said that the Esoterics for the first four and the Salvo's for later releases are perfectly good and enjoyable. So you will not have to go broke to get your Procol fix.

You can crank up the Esoterics and be happy. For me that is the measure. I don't crank up my tunes very often, but when I do they have to sound good.

If you can find the Westside releases on the cheap side those are quite good also. Just avoid the first two on Salvo. I will happily sell you my copy of Shine on Brightly on Salvo if you want.

 

I definitely agree with you on Shine on Brightly. The first album on Salvo sounds fine to me and it has a vocal version of Understandably Blue, which isn't on the Esoteric. However, the last I checked it was out of print.

 

Other than the first album and "Home" on Esoteric, I have a mix of mostly Westsides and Salvos. Also have 3 Castle CD's (S/T, "Grand Hotel" & "Something Magic") which I haven't played in a long time. Wwaldmanfan also mentioned the old A&M/Rebound CD of "Shine on Brightly" which I had forgotten that I had. I only have "Home" of the MoFi releases and I remember being disappointed in it when I first got it but now, I like how it sounds. I think I was expecting it to be brighter and therefore thought it was a bit muffled but going back to it, it sounds good....natural and unfutzed-with.
As originalsnuffy says, the Esoterics and Salvos are quite adequate without breaking the bank.

 

The Salvos are, as far as I know, still in print, from Broken Barricades through to Something Magic. I have them all, and they're pretty good (frankly some of the albums aren't quite as magical (pun intended) as the First Four - I speak of the reissue quality). There are (mostly) interesting bonus tracks on all the Salvos. The Salvos are also available as double vinyl LP (on the Let Them Eat Vinyl label - isn't that a great name? )

 

Don't know if there's a "consensus" but I wrote a couple of pieces for the Procol Harum website Beyond The Pale a while back - you may find them useful:
A Salty Dog ... reviewed by Peter Bourne »

 

Really? Even Exotic Birds and Fruit?

 

Marvin - an update on my previous reply. I've been able to get a copy (reacquire) of the Westside Anthology box - my obsessiveness is probably evident. Its version of ASD (the song) - on Disc 3 - is definitely the mono single version, as I've been able to directly compare it to the single version on the Esoteric (which I didn't have at the time of writing. So, as it happens, there was no point to getting the version that isn't there (on the Westside). But I did miss having the WS box, though .... as an aside, I imagine the stereo album version would have been the one on the "Westside Plus" release (which I don't have, nor do I intend to get it unless it falls into my lap ). Anyway, we're up to date.

 

It is (out of print). But occasionally available. AND ... it has the "shocking pink" Italian album cover.

 

I'm gonna retract my assertion that ASD is mono on Disc 3 of the Westside box. It appears to be in stereo...

 

Oops - I'm gonna retract my assertion that ASD is mono on Disc 3 of the Westside box. It appears to be in stereo...

 

I have it, and I rather like its sound.

 

I love grand hotel and exotic birds. To me those represent the last two in the golden period. First album to exotic. Truly magic

Find a copy of procol live from New York in 1971. Probably their finest show that I have heard. Known as robins last stand in the best version I have heard. Really deserves a formal release

 

I agree except for "Broken Barricades" which I have never been able to warm up to other than "Simple Sister", "Luskus Delph" and "Memorial Drive". The other albums are pure gold. "Ninth" was the result of the bad match of the band and Leiber & Stoller. "Something Magic" was a decent-to-excellent side 1 and a mistake on side 2.

 

I've bought Procol Harum, Salty Dog and Home now.... and I like having the nice booklets and bonus tracks.
I even like the tonality of the remastering, but...
a comparision of the Song "A Salty Dog" with the three other versions I have was really underwhelming.

What I like; it has some warmth and it doesn't sound shrill.
With matched levels this is close to the Cube/Teldec from the 80s - which I like now much better than remembered. The difference: while the Teldec sounds clean, the Esoteric has a lot of distortion, at most in the quieter parts.
Both have almost the same speed.
A bit slower (but not identical) are the Castle CD (also from the 80s) and my Cube/JVC from Japan (early 2000s). The last one is the loudest and it is more compressed than the others... but with matched levels, both have the same amount of tape noise and sound much brighter than the other two.
I was very biased towards the Esoteric, because I liked it at first listen through my speakers - but with headphones the Teldec sounds more close to an original (and intact) source.

I could post samples, if I knew how. Maybe WeTransfer-Links via PM?
Would be great to compare them with the Westside- and Salvo-Versions I've never heard...

 

That's a keeper!