Procol Harem: Missing Persons

With only three tracks, and two of them being versions of the same song, Missing Persons is what we used to call a single but these days refer to as an EP. Whatever the semantics, the part that matters is that the title track itself is prime Procol Harem. Led by the organ work of Josh Phillips and sublime, unmistakable voice of Gary Brooker it’s a track steeped in the band’s tradition without simply retreading old ground. Tied to a truly heartfelt lyric courtesy of Keith Reid, there’s no doubt that it hits the spot with real authority. Appearing in both full and radio edit versions, rest assured that it also stands up to repeat listens.

Joined by the understatement of “War Is Not Healthy�, the pair, which were ideas from a few years back that Brooker rediscovered and along with his band reworked during lockdown, make for interesting bedfellows as a more bluesy and rabble rousing approach acts as a clever counterpoint. If anything, while slightly less P-H in structure, this offering, where Geoff Whitehorn’s guitar work shines, maybe edges its partner out in the memorability stakes.

Whichever cut you prefer, there’s no doubt that Procol Harem are still relevant, still have much to say and that when they do we should all still be listening intently.

Track Listing
1. Missing Persons (Alive Forever)
2. War Is Not Healthy
3. Missing Persons (Alive Forever) (Radio Edit)

Added: May 4th 2021
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Procol Harem @ Cherry Red
Hits: 820
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]