Shine on Brightly

by Procol Harum

Overview

After the multi-million-selling "A Whiter Shade of Pale," Procol Harum coalesced around a new line-up and cut a debut album in two days, the sales of which (because the hit song wasn't on it originally) were only fair, and a couple of new singles also failed to sell. Then they did Shine on Brightly, which initially drew on recordings going back to late 1967 -- in the course of preparing their first proper LP, the band junked an entire side of blues-based numbers in favor of the 18-minute suite "In Held 'Twas I," which rivaled anything yet heard from such established progressive rock outfits as the Nice or the Moody Blues in length and surpassed them in audacity, with an extensive spoken part surrounded by virtuoso classical and psychedelic passages (and even a featured spot for Dave Knights' bass). It all proved that they were more than a one-hit wonder and, released in late 1968, the album extended the definition of progressive rock, even as it kept much of the music rooted in established rock genres. "Skip Softly," for all of its grand piano pyrotechnics, was also a showcase for Robin Trower's bluesy, high-energy guitar attack, and "Wish Me Well" was an even better vehicle for his instrument, while "Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)" was an interesting exercise in nostalgia highlighted by Matthew Fisher's organ. [Shine on Brightly was re-released on CD in 2015.] ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	07/07/2015
Label:	Esoteric Antenna / Esoteric Recordings
UPC:	5013929460140
Rank:	53622

Tracks

1. Quite Rightly So
2. Shine on Brightly
3. Skip Softly (My Moonbeams)
4. Wish Me Well
5. Rambling On
6. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)
7. In Held 'Twas in I: Glimpses of Nirvana
8. In Held 'Twas in I: Twas Tea Time at the Circus
9. In Held 'Twas in I: In the Autumn of My Madness
10. In Held 'Twas in I: Look to Your Soul
11. In Held 'Twas in I: Grand Finale
12. Il Tuo Diamante (Shine on Brightly) [Italian Version]
13. Quite Rightly So
14. In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Procol Harum   Primary Artist
B.J. Wilson   Percussion,Drums
Matthew Fisher   Guitar,Keyboards,Organ (Hammond)
David Knights   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Gary Brooker   Piano,Vocals,Harmonica,Keyboards
Robin Trower   Guitar

Technical Credits

Matthew Fisher   Composer
Chris Welch   Liner Notes
Mogol   Composer
Keith Reid   Composer
Tony Visconti   Producer,Associate Producer
Rob Keyloch   Mixing
Gary Brooker   Composer
Denny Cordell   Producer