The subsequent studio albums, Grand Hotel (1973) and Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974), synthesized previous eras. With the departure of Trower in 1971, the band returned to a more structured, piano-led format under Gary Brooker. Grand Hotel is particularly noted for its sophisticated production and the track "A Souvenir of London," which exemplifies the band’s continued ability to blend British humor with complex musicality.
The masterpiece arrived in 1969: . From the title track’s maritime sweep to the eerie intimacy of “The Devil Came from Kansas,” it remains one of the great overlooked gems of the late ’60s. Then came the orchestral leap — Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (1972) — a brave, beautiful, and surprisingly heavy concert recording that turned “Conquistador” into a rock anthem for the ages.
: A comprehensive 50th-anniversary box set that covers the entire career with deep-cut rarities and live tracks [5.1].
The band's early years were marked by a groundbreaking blend of classical influence, blues, and baroque pop. Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Broken Barricades - Procol Harum procol harum discography
Following a hiatus from 1977 to 1991, the band reconvened to produce The Prodigal Stranger . This album, and the later The Well’s on Fire (2003) and Novum (2017), demonstrates a mature band reflecting on legacy. While lacking the commercial impact of their early work, these albums reinforce the consistency of Reid’s lyrics and Brooker’s vocal delivery. Novum is particularly significant for being the first album to feature lyrics by Pete Brown rather than Keith Reid, marking the end of a 50-year songwriting partnership.
: Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, this album mixed their prog roots with tighter, rock-and-roll sensibilities, featuring the hit "Pandora's Box" [5.5, 15].
The commercial peak of Procol Harum’s discography arrived with Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (1972). This album, certified gold in the US, successfully fused the band’s rock identity with a full orchestra, conducted by David Firman. The re-arrangement of earlier songs like "Conquistador" proved that the band's compositional architecture was robust enough to support symphonic transcription. The subsequent studio albums, Grand Hotel (1973) and
: A sharp turn into dark, gothic, and morbid territory, featuring the hard-rocking "Whiskey Train" [15, 34].
The sophomore effort, Shine on Brightly (1968), marked a pivotal moment in rock history with the inclusion of the 17-minute epic "In Held 'Twas in I." This suite is often cited as one of the first examples of the "progressive rock" extended form. The album showcases a deepening of the lyrical partnership; Keith Reid’s lyrics moved beyond psychedelic whimsy toward a form of surrealist storytelling that required complex musical structures to support them.
To explore Procol Harum’s discography is to take a journey through orchestral rock, bleak humor, and beauty that refuses to fade. They weren’t just one-hit wonders — they were quiet architects of a cathedral all their own. The masterpiece arrived in 1969:
The band’s debut, Procol Harum (1967), established the template for their sound. The integration of the Hammond M102 organ, utilizing a Bach-inspired counterpoint, created a "gothic" atmosphere. While the hit single dominated the airwaves, tracks like "Conquistador" and "A Christmas Camel" demonstrated a darker, more rhythmic capability.
: Focuses on the first four albums, including rare stereo versions and B-sides [11, 29].