Echoes in The Night

Review in Norwegian magazine: Beat (Vol 3, September 1985)

This review is by the Norwegian journalist Finn Bjelke, and was printed in the Norwegian magazine Beat.

Finn has been collaborating in Norwegian radio and TV shows with a writer well-known to the Palers: Yan Friis. In their last radio show, Herreavdelingen, they played Procol Harum songs on several occasions (strongly suggested by one of the BtP webmasters I must admit). No wonder Herreavdelingen had a higher percentage of Procol Harum songs than average: both Yan and Finn are fans. But Finn could have showed a more positive attitude to Echoes in The Night. Did you listen to it at all, Finn? :-)

You can visit the Herreavdelingen website at http://listen.to/herreavdelingen ( Sorry, Norwegian language only, but many nice pictures)

Procol Harum have always had a special place in my private little rock'n'roll museum. Since I first heard Bach's Suite No 3, ahem - Whiter Shade of Pale [sic], Gary Brooker's piano has fascinated me. Even though many of Harum's productions from time to time were unnecessarily posh, there always was an arch English pop melody lurking beneath every overloaded production. Songs like Conquistador, She Wandered through The Garden Fence and Fresh Fruit have always highlighted many "various" cassettes. And now, almost twenty years after Procol Harum's heyday, we have come to Brooker's third solo album. Keith Reid is still writing many of the words, BJ Wilson drums steady on many tracks and Mattew [sic] Fisher's distinct organ shines familiar on every melody (not absolutely true!). As reinforcement Gary Brooker brings in Eric Clapton (of course), Tim Renwick, Henry Spinetti, Ray Cooper and Rory Gallagher. But then it really sounds good. These boys are play better together than "The Bronche Team", but we also get served lazy musical breaks where the musicians don't seem to bother too much. It is profit (*), sure, but a little bit too comfy. That's why I have to say that Echoes in The Night seems somewhat dated and boring. But you should check it out when it comes on sale. 

Thanks to Tormod Ringvoll for sending this to BtP.