Novum review

Scott Smith • 24 May 2017 • SW Times • online here

Gary Brooker’s vocal pipes remain a treasure for fans of Procol Harum and Brooker’s solo work.

Brooker’s singing hasn’t lost much character or power since Procol Harum first put the world on its ear with the immortal song, A Whiter Shade of Pale, back in mid-May 1967.

Now comprised of Brooker, guitarist Geoff Whitehorn, bassist Matt Pegg, organist Josh Phillips, drummer Geoff Dunn and lyricist Pete Brown, Procol Harum have released their new album just in time to celebrate Procol Harum’s 50th anniversary. Titled Novum, the CD incorporates rock, blues-rock, straight-up pop and more, with I Told on You, Last Chance Motel and Someone [sic] being among the standouts.

Procol Harum seems to slip slightly on Soldier, a composition that comes across as an anti-military joust. Of course war is a terrible, terrible thing, but a country living without any type of military defense surely would be opening itself up to numerous 9/11-style attacks and utter chaos.

Props should go to Brooker and his crew for keeping the Procol Harum flame burning brightly. The group undoubtedly has talent, and Novum is worthy of the Procol Harum name — and a concert that hopefully will happen sometime near our neck of the woods.

Procol Harum albums